Where Beauty Lies by Elle and Blair Fowler

Where Beauty Lies by Elle and Blair Fowler
Sophia and Ava London #2
Published by St. Martin's Griffin; August 13, 2013
Hardcover, 272 pages
Borrowed from library

The London sisters return in this charming new novel about love, friendship, and the perils of fame. Despite their very public arrest, Ava and Sophia London are about to discover that in L.A. there's no such thing as bad press. Suddenly, they are the hottest "It" girls in town and are one step closer to making their brand, London Calling, a household name. Their newfound celebrity status takes them jet setting to New York City to expand their brand into fashion and home goods. Their first stop is fashion week, where they're about to put on their inaugural fashion show...but not if their rivals have anything to say about it. The same unseen enemies responsible for framing them in L.A. are back - and determined to ruin the sisters for good this time. Can Ava and Sophia find out who's trying to destroy them before it's too late?

- Description from Goodreads.com

The first book in this series, Beneath the Glitter, was an unexpected surprise! I ended up really enjoying it and so when I got this book, I had high expectations for it. Which, I should know by now, is never a smart idea because I always end up feeling let down! Why do I never learn?

The Things I Liked:

1. The sisters, Ava and Sophia. They are just so incredibly adorable together and I can't even handle it. This is why I want a sibling. 

2. Dalton. That whole thing with him being arrested was totally weird but I've loved him since the first book (hipsters are totally my type!) and I'm so glad he's back! 

3. New York Fashion Week! I love fashion and I follow Fashion Week online religiously so this was really exciting for me to read about. 

4. Ava and Sophia's fashion show. From the way it was described, it sounded fantabulous! I would love to see it play out in reality! 

The Things I Didn't Like

1. The way the cliffhanger from last book was dealt with. I can't explain this because it involves spoilers but let's just say that it was a really sucky way to resolve things.

2. How many times I had to suspend my belief while reading this book. Everything just seemed so over the top and dramatic. It was too much for me.

3. The love triangles galore! Love triangle here, love triangle there - again, too much.

*SPOILER ALERT* (Highlight to view spoilers!)

4. Hunter and Whitney being the villains. It made NO sense. I don't even get why it's part of the story. That entire thing was just so confusing and irrelevant!

Overall Thoughts

Not bad, not good. Preferred the first book, Beneath the Glitter, over this one. However, I really enjoyed seeing Dalton and Giovanni again, as well as the New York setting. You can never go wrong with New York!

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
Published by Viking Juvenile; May 10, 2011
Hardcover, 402 pages
Borrowed from library

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 her neighbor Dave, an academic superstar trying to be just a regular guy, can help her find out. Combining Sarah Dessen's trademark graceful writing, great characters, and compelling storytelling, What Happened to Goodbye is irresistible reading.

- Description from Goodreads.com

Remember that time when I said that there was a magic formula to all of Sarah Dessen's books? Yeah, well, I'm not finding it so magic anymore. 

Somewhere between Along for the Ride and this book, my thoughts on Sarah Dessen shifted from "I acknowledge all her books are similar but they're great regardless" to "I acknowledge all her books are similar and they're boring me". 

I mean, there's no doubt Dessen is a great writer. Words flow so easily out her mouth but frankly, all her characters are the same and all her storylines progress in the same way and really, after a handful of her novels, I have to say that her books aren't special any more. Take this book for example. Dave is as homogeneous as they come. I had no sense of who he was at all and you know, I had the same problem with Eli from Along for the Ride. 

And then of course, Mclean. No different from ALL the other Dessen protagonists I've read about. I mean, I honestly can't tell the difference between Mclean's character and say, Emaline's character. 

Like I said, the novels aren't special any more because I can't set them apart. Which sucks because I still remember the hold Sarah Dessen had on me after This Lullaby and The Truth About Forever. She was kind of like a comfy throw I crawled under whenever I was feeling down but now? Now I can't find that darn throw! 

And I won't give up yet because I still have faith that I will rediscover that Dessen magic but at this point, I can't help but think that it might be gone.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
Published by Speak; October 16, 2008
Paperback, 228 pages
Borrowed from library

When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton's type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact. On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washedup child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun–but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl.

-Description from Goodreads.com

Finally, after a year-long dry spell, I have picked up another John Green book. And it was great jumping back. Mr. Green is hilarious and it shines through with his writing. Since reading The Fault in Our Stars, I've loved the way he incorporates the reader with little inside jokes sprinkled here and there. And let me tell you, An Abundance of Katherines certainly had an abundance of inside jokes (fug, kafir, TOC, JATT, and SOCT - just to name a few).

But An Abundance of Katherines never really excited me the way - and I know I shouldn't be comparing - The Fault in Our Stars did. I liked the math theme and I loved the footnotes but the Theorem seemed like it was put together randomly and I would say that was due to the lack of information we were given. Of course I understand that not everyone wants to know how the hell Colin comes up with the equation to age, popularity, etc. but I do. And while I totally appreciated the Appendix, I would have liked it to have dug even deeper into the Theorem. 

One thing I did love was Gutshot, Tennessee. The place was full of personality and with each interview Colin, Hassan, and Lindsey set out to do, my love for Gutshot grew. But because I loved it so much, a bigger emphasis on the setting would definitely have been nice.

When it comes down to it though, there were just two things that really made the book fall flat for me. 

1. The way Colin appeared in narration and the way he actually talked were wildly different.

2. A lot of things in this book appeared to be put in randomly, either without any explanation or without any real purpose.

And unfortuantely, I couldn't get much into the book because of the above. But I did love the stories about the Katherines and the inside jokes and Colin, believe it or not! He appeared to be a really cool kid in both the narration and the dialogue. And hey, who doesn't love lengthy algebraic equations? 

Demigods and Monsters by Rick Riordan

Demigods and Monsters by Rick Riordan
Published by Smart Pop; July 2, 2013
Paperback, 288 pages
Received from publisher through NetGalley - thanks!

Which Greek god makes the best parent?
Would you want to be one of Artemis’ Hunters?
Why do so many monsters go into retail?

Spend a little more time in Percy Jackson’s world—a place where the gods bike among us, monsters man snack bars, and each of us has the potential to become a hero.

Find out:

Why Dionysus might actually be the best director Camp Half-Blood could have
How to recognize a monster when you see one
Why even if we aren’t facing manticores and minotaurs, reading myth can still help us deal with the scary things in our own lives

Plus, consult our glossary of people, places, and things from Greek myth: how Medusa got her snake hair extensions, why Chiron isn’t into partying and paintball like the rest of his centaur family, and the whole story on Percy’s mythical namesake.

- Description from Goodreads.com

I remember reading The Lightning Thief for the first time three to four years ago and it was such an enjoyable experience. I am a huge fan of Greek mythology and it was refreshing to see a modern twist on the world. I was super excited when I got accepted for this anthology because well, who doesn't want more of Percy?

Starting out, everything was great. I loved reading about the origins of Percy and the first two essays were funny and interesting, if not a little bit middle grade. As soon as I got off that honeymoon phase with the book, things turned rough. The essays started to fly by me and often, I would drift off thinking about other books I had read instead of actually focusing on the words I was reading. I mean, the essays were cute and funny in that similar Rick fashion but they weren't memorable. None of them really stood out to me and most were very rambly, often going out on several tangents before reaching the central point.

Frankly, the entire anthology was confusing. I didn't quite get which route the anthology was taking with Percy Jackson. Is this a Percy Jackson with background on Greek mythology, or is it Greek mythology with Percy Jackson interwoven? There were times where I could clearly see how the essay would fit with Percy Jackson and other times, not so much.

But despite the cons, I still enjoyed myself at parts. I loved reading all the essays about godly parents and the essays on Artemis and Dionysus provided some great insight and really helped me see things in a new perspective.

While I didn't enjoy this anthology as much as I anticipated, I know this book will be a hit with younger and more passionate Percy Jackson fans. The essays are educational with humour deftly integrated to make it much easier to swallow. Language is simple and has middle grade appeal. And if your Greek education is a little rusty, there's always the glossary at the back which was super handy!

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
Published by Speak; September 1, 2000
Paperback, 250 pages
Borrowed from library

Love can be a very dangerous thing.

After her sister left, Caitlin felt lost.

Then she met Rogerson.

When she's with him, nothing seems real.

But what happens when being with Rogerson becomes a larger problem than being without him?

- Description from Goodreads.com

I'm taking deep breaths currently, trying to get my thoughts straight. This is probably going to be the hardest review to write thus far. Dreamland is about an abusive relationship and is as dark as I've seen Sarah ever get. And I appreciate that, I really do. She writes about relationships, and well, an abusive relationship is incredibly common so it makes sense why she would write a book about it. The book should have been a breath of fresh air - I constantly wish for Sarah to try something a bit different - but it just didn't click with me. 

Perhaps it's just me, unable to jump over the "different" hurdle. Perhaps it was too far a leap that Sarah took for me to enjoy it as much as some people did. But like I said, I do appreciate it and you know what? I did think the relationship was written very realistically. I did. But I just didn't feel anything towards the characters. I hated Caitlin, and not just because she stayed in a toxic relationship (more on that later). I feel stupid and insensitive for saying this, but she was just so thick. Here she was complaining about her life, about how she had a "withdrawn mother" and a vanished sister, when in reality, her life was amazing. She had a close, supportive friend and an amazing family. And I understand how hard it must be to lose your sister and have you mother and father all shackled up and depressed, but does she really have to go out of her way and do everything Cass did not do to prove a point? To get attention? Honestly, I loathe characters in books who change themselves because they feel they need to get out of somebody's spotlight. And I guess part of the reason I'm upset is because of Caitlin and her relationship with Rogerson.

I'll apologize beforehand because I do see how some of what I say may be offending or insensitive. I'm just trying to sort my thoughts. Firstly, I understand how hard it is to get out of an abusive relationship. I really do. My problem was that it never appeared to me that Caitlin was in love with Rogerson in the first place. She was attracted to how different his life was from hers. She was excited to reinvent herself. That is not love and knowing that and seeing her waste away towards the end was so frustrating as a reader. I just wanted to knock some sense into her. I mean, there was nothing in that relationship once the abuse started that could ever make her want to stay. Except for maybe sex, but she knows that it all starts again and continues on and on and on. It's just, there was no redeeming factor for Rogerson that would make sense as to why she stayed. 

Another thing that bugged me was the fact that Caitlin thought that Rogerson was the only one there for her at that time. No, Caitlin. He wasn't. Open your eyes, you had Rina, your mom, Boo, and Stewart. Your dad.  They were all there for you, all you needed to do was to talk. I think this whole "pity me" and you know, just being very selfish and unappreciative was what gave me the hardest time in liking Caitlin. And of course, general frustration surrounding her relationship with Rogerson.

What I did like about this book, the one thing that didn't make me want to pull my hair out, was Matthew, Boo, Stewart, and Mingus (the dog.) I wish the book had been about them. I probably would have enjoyed that way more. 

Now see, it wasn't that I have trouble with abusive relationships. I've read a myriad of books about very dark, very real situations. It was just Caitlin that really made the book a flop for me. She was really annoying for me to read and this is not at all related to how I felt about why she wouldn't leave the relationship. But that made me a bit angry too. I do think that the abusive relationship was written well, it was realistic. And though Dreamland may not have been the book for me, there's no doubt that Sarah can write more than one type of relationship dynamic well.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
Published by Little, Brown and Company; August 14, 2012
Hardcover, 330 pages
Bought

Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she's a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she's a disgrace; to design mavens, she's a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom.

Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette's intensifying allergy to Seattle—and people in general—has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. A trip to the end of the earth is problematic.

To find her mother, Bee compiles email messages, official documents, secret correspondence—creating a compulsively readable and touching novel about misplaced genius and a mother and daughter's role in an absurd world.

- Description from Goodreads.com

There we go! The first adult novel reviewed on Random Reads and another book I read for my book club. I must say though, that this was a hilarious book. I found myself chuckling at many spots (once I understood it was supposed to be sarcastic and satirical) and highlighting quotes. If you're one of those people who don't like making notes or dog-earing pages in books, like me, get this book on an eReader because I guarantee there will be pages in here you'll want to remember.

Now, one thing that threw me off when I first started reading was the layout of the book. Bee, daughter of Bernadette is the narrator, but she doesn't narrate much until you reach the end. The majority of the book is made up of letters, and texts, articles, and documents which tell the story. If there are any holes to be filled, Bee fills them with her witty and funny story telling. However, I felt that because the majority of the story was told through documents, it was a tough transition for me when Bee started to take over completely. I mean, she's only popped up a handful of times! I technically don't even know who this girl is! 

This is more or less what my feelings were towards the other characters. They were basically no-face unknowns. I didn't have much information on them, and they all seemed very annoying. I did not relate or connect to any of them, especially Bernadette. Am I supposed to worry that she's gone? Am I supposed to feel for Elgie and Bee? Because seriously, I don't think I would be able to do that for my life. 

Next point, Bernadette's disappearance which was the worst thing in this book. It's what the whole book is based on, but to me, it wasn't emphasized much. Half the time, I totally forgot that Bernadette was even missing. There was just way too much information leading up to the climax and much of it was unnecessary. It did not add to the plot in any way, merely giving us more than enough information on Bernadette's wacky ways. Also, I didn't really feel that Bee found her mother. It was more of a like Aha! moment because it was pretty clear where she went. The whole idea was why she went, right? The documents did not help Bee to find her mom at all, they were just explanation. And explanation. And more explanation. 

Will you allow me to disagree with the Goodreads description of this book? It is not touching because I was so disconnected from the characters. I really couldn't have given less of a crap for whether or not Bee hated her dad or Audrey getting her house ruined. It is not compulsively readable, because the only really good thing about this book was the sheer hilariousness and ridiculousness of the book and even that, I find, got boring and overdone. 

I wouldn't say I loved this book, but I wouldn't say I hated it either. The quotes I highlighted were all really funny, and I had eighteen Kobo pages of them. The rest of the book, however, was a bit of a nightmare. It was lacking in cohesiveness and I'm very sad to say this. The story had great potential, but it was poorly executed. On the bright side, I love the cover!

Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison

Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
Confessions of Georgia Nicholson #1
Published by HarperTeen; June 24, 1999
Paperback, 247 pages
Borrowed from library

There are six things very wrong with my life:

1. I have one of those under-the-skin spots that will never come to a head but lurk in a red way for the next two years.

2. It is on my nose

3. I have a three-year-old sister who may have peed somewhere in my room.

4. In fourteen days the summer hols will be over and then it will be back to Stalag 14 and Oberfuhrer Frau Simpson and her bunch of sadistic teachers.

5. I am very ugly and need to go into an ugly home.

6. I went to a party dressed as a stuffed olive.

- Description from Goodreads.com

Before I begin, I would just like to sincerely apologize for the lame-ass blurb from Goodreads. I can't find my copy and I'm too lazy to move. Argh. 

This is actually a REREAD review. The first time I read this book was in sixth grade and to be honest, it was MUCH better then than it is now. MUCH. Georgia is stupid and annoying and I want to punch her. She complains too much and why Robbie? He's eighteen, waaaaay too old for her and I do not get how Robbie could have fallen in love with her or whatever. Three quarters of the time he was upset with her. When did that change? 

Reading this book seemed like a chore or a duty rather than something I wanted and chose to do. But that certainly could have stemmed from the fact that I had read it before. Even so, I think I'd have rather just left it where I stopped. I'm definitely curious as to what happens at the end but there are ten books. Ten. So I'm probably just going to end up searching the books online. 

On the plus side, it is hilarious as Louise is. There were many LOL moments. *Update* OHMIGOD, so hilarious. Haha, read the quotes on Goodreads. Read them. On the minus side, Georgia is a snobby character. 

Good for a mindless rainy day spent on a train, bad for a breezy sunny day spent on a swing on your porch.

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
Scarlett #1
Published by Point; May 1, 2008
Hardcover, 368 pages
Borrowed from library

Scarlett Martin has grown up in a most unusual way. Her family owns the Hopewell, a small Art Deco hotel in the heart of New York City. When each of the Martins turns fifteen, they are expected to take over the care of a suite. For Scarlett's fifteenth birthday, she gets both a room called the Empire Suite and a permanent guest named Mrs. Amberson. Scarlett doesn't quite know what to make of this C-list starlet and world traveller.
And when she meets Eric, an astonishingly gorgeous actor who has just moved to the city, her summer takes a second unexpected turn.
Before the summer is over, Scarlett will have to survive a whirlwind of thievery and romantic missteps. But in the city where anything can happen, she just might be able to pull it off.

-Description from Goodreads.com

When I started this book, I was fairly certain I would like it. I mean, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody is one of my all-time favorite shows! I think that's reason enough!

However, I think my standards might have been a bit high as I was pretty disappointed with the book. The third-person perspective made it hard for me to really relate with any of the characters and it made it seem like I was reading a middle-grade book instead of one for teens. 

It was vvvveeerrryyy slow and it took me so long to really enjoy this book. The setting was splendiferous but without a good plot, the book was bland. 

Another thing that bugged me was the whole Eric and Scarlett thing. It was weird and I don't think it had anything to do with the age difference...ok, so MAYBE it had a bit to do with the age difference. I mean, I know three years isn't that much but it just felt inappropriate for me to have Scarlett who practically just got out of her tweens to be dating - or kind of dating - someone who was about to enter college. 

One good thing about this book that - along with the great setting - helped me get through this was Spencer! Spence was so lovable and I enjoyed every scene he was in wholly! 

Suite Scarlett may not have been the best book but it definitely deserves to be turned into a television show what with all the unique characters and settings! Now there's a show I'll be sure to tune in for! And even though it wasn't very action packed, I don't regret reading...and finishing this!!!

Yours, Annie