The Book Girl Reads

The Saturday Social (1)

2012-01-27T17:48:00.001-08:00

Hey guys! So, I've been dying to start a weekly meme. (I think it's about time that I host something). I tried to start like two today, but I couldn't see myself sticking with either.

So, I decided to do a really simple weekly meme that you can link up to. With the Crazy-For-Books blog hop missing, I thought I could do something from Friday to Saturday.

All you have to do is answer a blog/book related question each week, post it on your blog with the picture to the left OR the link to this post, then link it up below. Then, you can surf around and find some other blogs to follow.

This week's firstquestionever is...

What's the worst review you've ever given to a book?

Oh, that's easy. When I reviewed Party by Tom Leveen, I found it the most racist book I'd ever read. Aside from that, it made teenagers look like complete idiots. I was so offended. I honestly thought it was pointless and a complete waste of my time.

This was probably the harshest thing I ever said about a book, but I was really passionate about how much I...hated it.

How about you guys? Link below and let us know what your worst review was.

TGIF (2): Buy or Borrow?

2012-01-27T15:07:00.000-08:00

So, it's Friday again. Incredible, right? I feel like last Friday was just yesterday...Anyway, I still love this meme, so I'm going to make it a regular thing.

This week's question is...

Buy or Borrow: Where do your books that you read come from? The bookstore? The library? Do you prefer to own a book, or have it on loan?

Okay, when it comes to charity, I'll donate. A cookie? I'll share it. But books...I have to admit that I'm selfish when it comes to books.

I like having books. I feel like I'm always going to need my copy of Before I Fall to reference some "You only live once" quote. If I'm feeling especially single, I need my tabbed copy of Anna and the French Kiss to pretend Etienne St. Clair is my boyfriend. I hate reading a great book and having to return it to the library. I feel like I'm returning a toy that I really like or deleting a good song from my iPod.

However, that isn't exactly realistic. When I'm strapped for cash, I can't spend it on a billion hardcovers. And it doesn suck when I spent twenty dollars on a sucky book that I'll never pick up again.

I don't know. It's a tough risk, but I prefer owning books.

What about you guys?

The Hat Has Spoken (Giveaway Winners)

2012-01-25T12:29:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! I want to thank all of you for entering my Epic Giveaway. I got around 50 entries and gained some great new followers! As promised, I picked out of my fedora. Here are the results...

The winner of Clockwork Prince is Amber L. The winner of the swag pack is Daenielle G. I will be contacting the winners by email. If you didn't win this time, look out for another giveaway coming in two weeks! Thanks again, guys. :)

It's Not Me, It's Actually You

2012-01-22T20:18:00.000-08:00

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler (Illustrated by Maira Kalman).

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Page Count: 368

I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship.

Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.

The Skinny

Sometimes, people suck. Relationships suck. And break-ups? One big pile of suck. This pretty much sums up the basis of this amazing novel. I'm going to tell you right now, there's absolutely nothing bad I have to say about this book. It perfectly represents the modern teenage relationship, and why they never actually last "forever."

The main thing I love about this book is that it was so relevant. Min Green is a great character that I had this inta-connection to (the awkward name, the "arty" label, etc...) I just really liked Min. I felt her pain, and I've been in her shoes. My heart panged as she narrated this way too familiar relationship. I knew what she was feeling and how she could get so caught up with someone like Ed.

Speaking of Ed...wow. We've all had an Ed. There's always an Ed. He's the guy who we think is the exception - the refined jock who changed just for us. But if there really was an exception, there wouldn't be a rule.

The writing that carried this plot was amazing. I got so involved in the story that I just couldn't put it down. Min's narration was this perfect stream of thoughts that never got boring. Plus, the illustrations were great. I felt like I was actually sifting through the box as I read Min's letter to Ed.

As for the ending, it was impeccable. It was a little slice of reality that you know you should've seen coming, but it still has tons of shock value. I literally teared up with rage and raised my hand to my mouth in the last couple of pages. It was kind of like a fairy tale gone wrong, and I loved every minute of reading it. I definitely suggest this book to anyone who knows what a messed up break-up is like. You can't pass this one up.

Grade: A

P.S. Channeling Min, I created my own mini-letter to an ex of mine...my own little "Why We Broke Up."

So You Want to Be a Teen Writer (Mini-Review)

2012-01-22T11:12:00.000-08:00

As a teen writer, it's sometimes difficult to combine the seriousness of a published novel with the YA voice. It's hard to be taken seriously at all, which it's hard to find any good writing guides for teens.

That's the main reason why I really appreciate Seize the Story by Victoria Hanley. Aside from it's really cool illustrated cover, it has some great writing advice in a reader-friendly format. I love that the author didn't try to sugar coat things or "baby" the teen reader. It really just helps take the YA point-of-view and translate it into a finished piece. The author broke things down with cool examples and lists. I really found everything in here - plotting, editing, dialogue, etc... It was actually fun to read. I felt like someone was helping me out, rather than telling me what to do.

I was pleasantly surprised to find interviews with some of my favorite authors in the last chapter (like Stephanie Perkins and Lauren Myracle).

I'm really excited about this book. I haven't even been to put it on my shelf yet. I take it out whenever I'm writing! It's so helpful, and all of you future J. K. Rowlings should definitely pick this one up.

In My Mailbox (1)

2012-01-22T08:38:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! After many (lazy) attempts to do this weekly meme from The Story Siren, I finally did it. Having a camera gave me no excuse. These are some of my favorite posts because I love to see what books are circulating around the blogging world. Here's what I got this week.

For Review:
Irises...Francisco X. Stork
Dhampyr Heritage...E. G. Gaddess
Scary School...Derek the Ghost
The Way We Fall...Megan Crewe
Lovetorn...Kavita Daswani (One for review and one for a future giveaway)

Bought:
Why We Broke Up...Daniel Handler

It's been a pretty great week for books. Comment below with your posts! I'd love to see what you guys got this week.

Meet My Blogging Little Sib (+Extra Entries)

2012-01-16T10:11:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, a girl with the penname Princess Lexi Lou reached out to me via email. A fellow writer, she wanted to start reviewing books. She started The Reading Princess on New Year's Day this year, which is an adorable new blog.

Because my ex-blogging sib and I are no longer in contact, I took Lexi Lou in. She's a blast to talk books with, and I see tons of potential in her site. Here's her guest post...

I’ve come to spread the word of my blog The Reading Princess. My blog is a little baby blog, I just opened it January 1st, and it is in need of some love. What is The Reading Princess, you ask? Well, it’s a little blog run by me (of course). My posts include, but are not limited to: reviews for books, posts about the little things in life, sharing pictures, and just other generally awesome stuff. Now is this the part where I tell you about myself? I think so. Well, I’m just Lexi Lou, lover of beaches, converse, dreaming, and reading, obviously. If I had a better camera (I currently use my iPhone for pictures), I suppose I could call myself a photographer. And if I had I published book, I would call myself a writer, but my works are limited to a stack of notebooks on my desk and a few Word documents on my laptop. I guess that’s me in a nutshell.

If you want to know more about me or my blog, just mosey on over there by clicking the link at the beginning of this article. I suppose that’s it for my little guest post, so thank you for reading, and have a wonderful day!

Adorable, right? I hope you guys all help out a fellow blogger and click the screen shot above to check out her blog. It's great!

P.S. Anyone who's following her will get an extra entry in my Clockwork Prince and Swag Pack Giveaway.

TGIF (1): 2012 Must Reads

2012-01-13T17:11:00.000-08:00

Hey guys, this is my first time doing TGIF at GReads...but I absolutely adore her blog, so I thought I'd do it. This week's question is,

2012 Must Reads: Which books are at the top of your list
to be read this year (new or old releases)?

1. Wanderlove by Kristen Hubbard: I actually already read this one because of NetGalley, but I can't wait to read it again! It was so fun...the perfect summer read. Look out for my review.

2. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin: So, I'm sure everyone has read this book besides me. I know this because I've seen raving reviews about it...everywhere. I mean, the cover is enough to make me dig into this one. It's so cool.

3. Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton: It's the sequel to a stellar novel about a kick ass reaper-hunter, mixed in with a wonderfully tragic romance.

4. Divergent by Veronica Roth: This pretty much has the same description as The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. It was a beautiful cover, I've heard great things, but I just haven't had the chance to pick it up.

5. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare: If any of you caught my older reviews of this trilogy, you'll know how much I love it. I can't wait to see what happens to Tessa and the gang...and who she chooses.

6. Fever by Lauren DeStefano: Wither, its predecessor, was a beautifully written novel - it quickly became my favorite dystopian. I can't wait to see what DeStefano comes up with next.

So those are my most anticipated for this year. I'm so excited to get my hands on these. Don't forget to check out my giveaway two posts down (the link is also on my sidebar).

Full of Fangs

2012-01-08T16:00:00.000-08:00

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey.

Publisher: Harcourt

Page Count: 351

The undead can really screw up your senior year ...

Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé.

Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction.

The Skinny
Okay, with the coming of the New Year, I had sworn to myself that I was done with the vampire books. And I was...until I found this bargain-priced read on my TBR pile. I dusted it off, getting into vamp-mode again to give it a shot. Sadly, there were more things that I disliked about this novel than I liked.

What makes a novel are its characters. They're the driving force of the themes and plot. Even the villains should have likeable or intriguing qualities. In this novel, every single character fell short. Jessica, our main character (if you haven't guessed by the title), was so random. Her voice was okay, pretty typical for females in YA, but I never really connected with her. Her interests were scattered, and she didn't have a passion for anything...I don't know. If we went to the same school, she and I would never even talk.

Then there was Lucius, the love interest. Lucius didn't even have a chance to be swoon-worthy, and not just because he shares a nickname with someone I dislike. He just kept switching from annoying to arrogant, clingy to mean. Plus, he was a total man-whore at some points. I was unimpressed. The supporting cast was very stereotypical, with a slutty cheerleader and a stupid but cute rival.

The book's redeeming poin ended up being its plot. Some parts were really interesting and funny. Lucius and Jessica's relationship was fun to read, and they did develop good chemistry. The last page was very...well. You'll have to see for yourself. I was also glad it was more Dracula than the Twilight rip-offs that are everywhere. I don't necessarily recommend this novel, but it's an okay-read if you can get it on sale or at the library.

Grade: C

The Epic Clockwork Prince and Swag Pack Giveaway

2012-01-07T16:43:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! One of my New Year's resolutions was to have more big giveaways on the blog, and I have a special surprise for y'all. I have two prizes for this "Epic Giveaway."

Prize One:

A new copy of Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare. Click here for my review.

Prize Two:

A swag pack that includes a tank top from the Pretty Tough series, signed swag from the Shade series, Oh. My. Gods, Enthralled, What I Learned from Being a Cheerleader, and buttons from Oh. My. Gods. and Shade.

To Enter

There will be two winners of this giveaway. To enter this giveaway, fill out the form below. You will get extra entries for commenting on this post, tweeting about this giveaway, blog posts about this giveaway, and Facebook posts about this giveaway. The contest will run from January 7, 2012 until January 25, 2012. The winners will be notified by email and announced on the blog. The winner will be chosen the old-fashioned way (yes, I'm picking names out of my fedora).

Good luck guys! I love you all.

CONTEST CLOSED

She Scores

2012-01-07T16:03:00.001-08:00

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally.

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Page Count: 281

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

The Skinny
I just love books like this. Characters like Jordan Woods put the Bellas and Juliets of the world to shame. You immediately love her. She's tough, does her own thing, and actually has dreams for herself (that she puts over guys). I love the premise of this novel. It finally brings girls into the sports world through YA lit, and I really appreciated that. It shows that even the most level-headed girls doubt themselves because of relationships.

I already raved about Jordan, but she wasn't the only character that won me over. So, we have Sam Henry and Ty Green - two swoon-worthy guys who also happen to be Jordan's teammates. Now, these are Southern guys...with Southern tans...and Southern accents. Be prepared to fall for the whole football team. I also loved that Jordan had really well-developed relationships with her family. She has issues with her dad, who doesn't want her to play football because she's a girl (shocker). Her brother and his best friend through a lot of comedy into the drama at home, as do her other teammates on the field.

The plotline did have its ups and downs. I thought a few things were unrealistic. I think the author could have explored sexism a lot more. It was hard to believe that every single guy on the team just accepted her. I expected her to get bashed more. I also thought that Jordan changed her mind on a page-to-page basis at times, so it definitely could have slowed down.

Other than that, Catching Jordan was a great read. It opened my mind to "jocks," and I love that Jordan wrote poetry. Even though I know nothing about football, I could connect to her on that level. The ending was really sweet, and it made me wish for a sequel because I'm dying to see what happens to Jordan and the gang after graduation. Sigh. I guess I'll settle for its companion novel, Stealing Parker (namesake!), out later this year.

Grade: B+

Dear London, Love New York (Mini-Review)

2012-01-03T15:36:00.001-08:00

Okay, I just loved this book.

I feel like that should be sufficient for a review because I just did. It was an adorable, short read that made cynical old me sway on my feet.

The first time I heard about this book was right after my trip to Paris. On the plane ride there, I was seated across from an amazingly cute blonde boy who was flying alone to visit his father for the summer. We smiled at each other, laughed at the same jokes in that Adam Sandler movie, and I saw him again at the carousel. I swore up and down to everyone that he was my soulmate, and that we'd meet again. It'll totally happen.

And The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith just bottled up my fantasy and pressed it into book form. Everything about this romance was swoon-worthy. I totally related to Hadley and her family issues. She was a little sarcastic, like me. She was just a character that I related to and wanted to be friends with.

Oliver, where art thou, Oliver? Why can't you exist? I haven't seen a fictional boy who could stand against my Etienne St. Clair from Anna and the French Kiss, but Oliver was way up there. Everything, from the way he talked, to his blue shirt, to his adorable quirks...I was swooning.

My only complaint about this book was that it could have been WAY longer with a lot more dialogue between Hadley and Oliver. What made this book so great was the little moments that the two characters shared and the work of destiny pushing them together. I felt like there should have been a bigger build up to that.

Aside from its length, I completely adored this novel. It made me giggle, smile, and tear up. You should definitely try to read this one.

Grade: B+

A Time Before Jace...

2012-01-02T16:44:00.000-08:00

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Page Count: 498

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

The Skinny
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh.

Okay, so I've been waiting a whole year for this book. When I found it under my Christmas tree this year, I nearly passed out. I'm a huge fangirl when it comes to shadowhunters, and I'm addicted to everything Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices. I'll just start by saying that Clockwork Prince completely satisfied my addiction.

My favorite thing about this amazing sequel was that it introduced a new side to each of the characters. You'll see a braver Tessa, a vulnerable Will, a confident Jem, a dangerous Jessamine, and many more. I like when you really see characters changing from novel to novel. It almost feels like you're getting to know their complexities.

The plot was...wow. We learned so much about the history of the Nephilim and the Magister. There were betrayals, deaths, and plenty of action. As the mystery unfolded, I was zipping through the pages like crazy. We also got more of the love triangle, and it almost killed me. I can't reveal much, but it brought up a lot of unexpected confessions. I have a feeling that I know who Tessa will choose, and I can't wait to see how Clare handles it.

So, should you read it? Yes! Fan of The Mortal Instruments or not, this prequel will have you hooked. It's emotional, thrilling, and just intriguing. You'll also be swooning over our dangerous Will and sweet Jem.

Grade: A

P.S. Look out for Clockwork Princess, out (sigh) in December this year. Check out Goodreads' synopsis:

In Clockwork Princess, Tessa and her companions travel all over the world as they race to stop the clockwork army before it's too late. As Jem's health worsens alarmingly and his friends search desperately for a cure, can Tessa choose between the two boys she loves — even if it means never seeing the other one again?

'Twas the Night I Was Blogging

2011-12-29T13:47:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! It's a few days after Christmas, and I wanted to post a quick update. I'll be doing this in picture form because I've been obsessively using my new Canon powershot. This means that a lot of video reviews, In My Mailboxes, and other fun stuff will be coming to The Book Girl.

I get a book from my mom every year during the holidays. Last year, I got the amazing start of the Infernal Devices series, Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. This year, I was lucky enough to find its compelling sequel under the tree. The beautiful Jem is on the cover of Clockwork Prince, and I was so not disappointed. I'm a halfway through it, and I already started my review. Here's a sneak peek...
So the epic love triangle continues. I mean, why can't I be Tessa for a day? I love that we get to know Jem in this book. He's kind and soulful, and you just want to hug him and talk to him all the time. Then Will...we figure out what makes us love-hate him so much, and it really picks at your heart. He's such a complex, intriguing character. It'll be interesting to see how this ends.
As you can see, I'm getting really into it. Also, I wanted to show you guys the books I got during the holidays, and the reviews that will be coming soon on the blog.
Obviously, Clockwork Prince will be up next. I got The Eternal Ones a little while back. I've heard mixed things about it, but I wanted to give it a try. Also, I love the beautiful paperback cover. I got The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and Catching Jordan two days ago. I'm SO excited about both novels. The first seems like an adorable little romance, and Jordan seems like and amazing female lead. I think both will come with great reviews!

Finally, I wanted to talk about the awesome Kindle Fire. I already had a Kindle for my documents and review books (I don't purchase e-books), and I almost fainted when my mom handed me the wrapped Kindle Fire. I'm using this one mainly for all of the blogs I follow (it has an amazing blog feed called Pulse, and it lets me read all of the blogs I follow on Google Reader. I can also surf the web and read my Docs on it. The Book Girl looks awesome on the Kindle. I almost wish it looked like that online, too!

Okay, guys...thanks for reading my little update. Enjoy the rest of your holidays!

Under the Big Top

2011-12-26T14:08:00.001-08:00

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

Publisher: Doubleday

Page Count: 387

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

The Skinny

Hello wonderful readers! I know that I've been gone for a bit (it seems like forever in the blog world), but what better way to return than with a review of my new favorite book?

The Night Circus is unlike any other book that I've come across. It was enchanting, captivating, and mysterious. It was impeccably crafted, and the author painted images that I only thought existed in dreams. The Night Circus is not just a book - it is an experience. I felt like I was an illusionist or one of the famous reves - wearing a red scarf and walking through my favorite tents (which happen to be the Ice Garden and The Pool of Tears). I could imagine the smell of fresh caramel popcorn sizzling off the page and the taste of warm cider...as I read, fireworks and sparks flooded my vision.

Like the circus, all of the characters came to life. There was not one that I could say that I liked better than another. Marco - oh Marco - he was so swoon-worthy. Forget vampires and werewolves...I'm going to marry an illusionist. And Celia? I wanted to be her friend. She was nice but strong. Reserved but daring. She held her own, and the illusions she created were amazing. The supporting cast included a sinister half-man, a conniving contortonist, an obsessive clock maker, fortune-telling twins, and a curious young circus fanatic. I wish that I had some odd quirk, some way to fit in with these intriguing people.

So, should you read it? Yes, go buy it now! Don't miss the chance to run away with the Circus of Dreams. You'll become immersed in the three interwoven stories that Morgenstern spun - a centuries-old rivalry, an impossible love, and a life-long journey. A little warning, though: you'll possibly become obsessed (like me).

Grade: A++

My Book of the Year.

This Week's Teaser (13)

2011-12-04T17:56:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! So, I've been trying to post as often as possible, and I thought I'd do a little teaser for a book I read during my middle grade-to-YA transition. Here's an excerpt from Fabulous Terrible: The Adventures of You by Sophie Talbot.

You press your hands firmly against the frosty glass window, and stare in at the rows of big plastic buckets filled with vibrantly colored ice cream. 129 flavors in all.

Like everything else in Hatterly, South Carolina, Ice Cream Dreamz started out quaint and quiet. But when Baskin Robbins moved in up the street, the owners faced their big chain bully head on: they installed flat screens, pumped in loud music, and hosted The Hatterly One-Hundred, a contest to name and create that many new flavors. In the end, afraid to offend a single potential customer, they made every entry a winner. A whopping 107 new flavors were born and branded, including the one by your 9-year-old foster brother Mason, oh so humbly named "Mason's Masterpiece." It consisted of vanilla ice cream with chunks of white chocolate, coconut shavings, and white sprinkles.

"Momeeee!" Mason whines on cue. "I want my ice creeeem nooowww!"

Contest Winner

2011-12-02T16:07:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! I just wanted to make a quick announcement! The winner of my 200 follower giveaway is Yiota. Look out for my email and your swag in the mail. :)

200 Follower Mystery Envelope Giveaway!

2011-11-12T14:05:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! I hadn't posted in a while, so I decided to review Firelight by Sophie Jordan down below. I was about to log off when I saw that...I finally made it to 200 followers! To celebrate and thank all of my wonderful readers, I wanted to give away two mystery envelopes full of book swag, bookmarks, stickers, buttons, etc... Just fill out the quick form below, and enter to win. :) The contest ends on December 1st.

Dragon Tales

2011-11-06T16:08:00.000-08:00

Firelight by Sophie Jordan.

Publisher: HarperTeen

Page Count: 323

A hidden truth. Mortal enemies. Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

The Skinny
For Firelight and I, it was love at first skim. I had read its synopsis every time I passed by it at Barnes and Noble. I found its cover extremely beautiful. When I read an amazing review about it on another blogger's website, I knew I had to read it.

And, well, it was like hoping for an ice cream cake and finding a bowl of broccoli instead.

The only thing I actually liked about this book was that the author played all of the paranormal romance cliches that usually get me swooning. But I've read enough YA to see past the passionate kissing scenes.

My main problem with Firelight was that I felt like I was reading Twilight...again. The only main difference I saw was that there were dragons instead of vampires. Enter Jacinda, a shy and awkward girl who is forced to move to a new town - out of her comfort zone. She meets Will, a mysterious guy who needs to stay away from her and makes equally mysterious hunting trips with his family every once in a while. I mean, come on, I'm shocked that the author didn't face a copyright lawsuit.

I'm not trying to be mean, but I can't be the only reader who noticed this. Aside from being a Twilight knock-off, the writing lacked the spark that usually causes me to feel anything for the characters or storyline. The same thing happens every couple of pages: Jacinda, Will says, I love you, but I have to stay away from you. Will, I say, you mean everything to me, but I can't talk to you. Then we kiss. It was all very exciting.

So, should you read it? I'm sorry, but I wouldn't recommend Firelight. This review was a little harsh, but I was really disappointed by this book. It had so much potential to be a kick-ass dragon novel - Eragon set in the 21st century, but it wasn't.

Grade: D

Blog Hop 10/7-10/10

2011-10-06T18:56:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I just remembered that I hadn't posted a Hop post in a while, so hello fellow hoppers. This week's question is great because it really contributes to the book blogging community as a whole.

“It’s time to spread some love beyond the borders of the Book Blogger Hop! This week, we aren’t answering a question. We are spotlighting our fellow bloggers. Find your favorite(s) author interview(s), guest post(s), book review(s), or bookish article(s) that ANOTHER BOOK BLOGGER featured on their site recently and tell us why you love it/them! As an additional challenge, find your favorite one of EACH of the categories above and spotlight all 4 (interview, guest post, review, article).”

So, I came up with two of my favorites for this question. One of my favorite bloggers, Brooke from Brooke Reports, wrote a review for Firelight by Sophie Jordan that made me go out to Barnes and Noble to buy it. She really sold me on the characters and how good the plotline was.

I don't have a specific interview because I love all of A Good Addiction's character interviews. She always finds a way to be really creative. I'm definitely a regular visitor to her blog.

Liar, Liar

2011-10-03T16:39:00.000-07:00

Never Have I Ever by Sara Shepard.
(Sequel in The Lying Game series. Book 2)

Publisher: HarperCollins
Page Count: 309

Sara Shepard, the author of the Pretty Little Liars novels, has followed up those top-selling fictions with an even more artfully knotted series.

At its center is a murdered narrator whose long-lost identical twin sister Emma is serving as a stand-in detective to find the killer.

In the second episode of their hunt, the pair discovers new clues, but they know that as they search for the killer, he or she is watching their every move, waiting for the right moment to end it all.

The Skinny
Okay, so I really hate writing reviews for awesome sequels. I'm always dying to completely spill all of the crazy twists and excitement, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone. So for this review, I decided to tell you guys how I reacted to this amazing follow-up to The Lying Game.

First chapter: "Oh man, I really missed this series. I should've bought this book a long time ago. Wow, I love how creepy it is to have Emma's dead twin sister narrate the novels."

A few chapters in: "Sara Shepard's writing is so awesome. She really pulls you into the story. It's like you're standing in Arizona with 'Sutton' and her friends. You definitely catch the same vibe of the Pretty Little Liars series."

The middle: "Okay, I can't read this book right after watching the show on ABC Family. I love both plotlines, but they're completely different. Same characters + different plots = a very confused book reviewer. I do love to have the image of the handsome Blair Redford as Ethan, though."

Towards the end: "No one can interrupt me as I finish this book. The suspense of this novel is killing me and making me check for any serial killers lurking around my room every five seconds. This book is a true thriller."

The end: "How can it just end with such an epic cliffhanger?! I do love what they threw into the mix. That's what I call a plot twist."

So, should you read it? Yes, yes, yes! I love Sara Shepard's series. They're beyond awesome. Imagine Sherlock Holmes being thrown into a chick-flick, and you'll get The Lying Game and Pretty Little Liars. Go out and get these books...yesterday.

Grade: A

This Week's Teaser (12)

2011-10-01T12:34:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I know that I've been slacking lately (check the post below for my explanation). I wanted to post a teaser for a good book that I read a little while back. This is The School for Dangerous Girls by Eliot Schrefer.

All of the girls fell silent.

The woman took a few seconds to look around the room, making eye contact with each of us. When she finally spoke, her voice was cold, with a slight accent that said she had lived years in places beyond our reach.

"Welcome to Hidden Oak," she said. "My name is Dr. Spicer, and, together with Dr. Zsilinska, I'm in charge of the psychiatric wing of the school. During this first month you'll be undergoing some of the most strenuous tasks this school will require of you. The Hidden Oak family works because we're very careful about keeping you surrounded by the most appropriate influences. Some disorders can be aggravated by exposure to like minds, and some can be aided. Therefore we will need to make frequent evaluations of you and your social groupings. Please don't resist this process; it is for your own good."

Why September Hates Book Bloggers

2011-09-25T17:14:00.001-07:00

Hey guys...This is me coming out of my busy life corner to face my blog. I know I haven't been posting anything lately, but I can explain myself.

It's my senior year, and I'm absolutely swamped.

I've read the same page of Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins about a million times in the few seconds I have between college advisory, Glamour Gals meetings, cheer practices, SAT cramming, and article writing. I'm beyond stressed at the moment.

I'm not, however, going on the billion-day hiatus that I pulled earlier this year. I'm going to try to read a book every two weeks, while keeping up with weekly memes (Waiting On Wednesdays, Blog Hop Fridays) until I get back on track. I also have a ton of stuff to giveaway, so look for that on the blog.

At least I'm not the only one going through this problem. Some of my book blogging friends were talking about how they hadn't even noticed how long it had been since they posted on their blogs. With the coming of Fall, there's a whirlwind of new-ness that makes a lot of us put our reading life on hold.

Anyway, I just wanted to post an update. I have not been killed by demons or vampires. I did not get lost in Avalon or Wonderland. I'm still here and still reading. Keep on following, guys!

Literary Costumes (1)

2011-09-17T06:13:00.001-07:00

Red Riding Hood

Hey guys! When the weather in New York dropped to the low 60s yesterday, I couldn't help but think that Fall had truely arrived. For me, that means apple picking, cozy sweaters, and...the countdown to Halloween!

Because Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, I thought I'd do a little feature on the blog called Literary Costumes. I'm trying to give some tips to all of you readers out there who are having trouble picking a costume and want to dress like your favorite characters.

Today I'll be giving tips on dressing like Red Riding Hood, which just so happens to be my costume this year!

Dressing the Part

You could always go for the store-bought costume for this idea. However, all of the Red Riding Hood costumes I've come across have been a little too revealing, so I decided to assemble this costume myself.

You'll need a checkered or printed red dress like the ones pictured above. You could also follow the outfit Amanda Seyfried wore in the movie adaptation of the story and wear a sky blue, flowy dress. Of course, what you wear under the red cape isn't as important as the cape itsself. Look for a cape coat in thrift stores or discount stores like Marshalls and TJ Maxx. That way, you'll have a cool cape for your costume that doubles as a winter coat. You could also go for a red trench coat - putting a modern spin on the costume.

Making it Up

The makeup for this costume is rather simple. I'd go with a red lipstick, to keep up with the color scheme. Go for some blush and subtle eyeliner.

Getting Some Props

Now, what was the whole plot of Red Riding Hood? She was going to give her grandmother a basket full of cookies. See if you can find a wicker basket at home. If not, look for a simple one in a dollar store or a Target. You can probably find one for five dollars. Try to drape a checkered swatch of material over it, or even an old red shirt. To go the extra mile, you can put some Chips Ahoy cookies inside the basket. You'll get creative points, and you won't get hungry that day!

Find Your Sidekick

This is definitely a costume that could use a partner. Have a friend who wants to wear a wolf mask or set of wold ears? They can draw on a black nose and wear all brown. If you have a dog, walk it around with a granny cap (to portray the wolf imitating Red's grandmother). Another cool couple idea is having your significant other wear a plaid shirt and a furry hat to play the lumberjack! They can carry around a fake ax stuck to a piece of wood.

So, that's all! I hope you guys found this helpful. Look for more costume ideas in the next coming weeks.

Let the Games Begin (Part II)

2011-09-16T17:15:00.000-07:00

About the Book

Catching Fire was written by Suzanne Collins and published by Scholastic. At 391 pages, it is the sequel to The Hunger Games.

Opening line(s): I clasp the flask between my hands even though the warmth from the tea has long since leached into the frozen air.

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the annual competition described in Hunger Games, but the aftermath leaves these victors with no sense of triumph.

Instead, they have become the poster children for a rebellion that they never planned to lead.

That new, unwanted status puts them in the bull's-eye for merciless revenge by The Capitol.

The Skinny

Okay, challenge of the day: Rave about Catching Fire for a whole post without including any spoilers.

Yeah, this is going to be impossible.

If any of you caught my review of The Hunger Games last week, you'll know that (like many others) I loved it. I believe I said...

"So, should you read it? Of course. Make sure you get your hands on this series before its movie premiere next year. It's thrilling and intense...definitely unlike any dystopian novel I've seen before. I can't wait to find out what happens next (which is why I'm so happy I have Catching Fire, its sequel)."

Now that I've read said awesome sequel, I can't say that my opinion has changed. I grew an even closer connection to Katniss in this novel, and I liked that the author didn't veer away from how strong of an influence Katniss has on readers (being that she totally kicks butt). Instead, we got a closer look at what she's passionate about, her dedication and devotion to the ones she loves, and what makes her tick.

I also like that we got to see more of the relationships she has with our other two ends of the love triangle. We definitely see something surprising happen with Gale, and I'd say that Peeta's storyline gets way more intense. The author makes it extremely difficult to choose just one guy for Katniss. They both bring such different things to her life and future.

Another thing I'll say is that the plotline had a twist that throws the readers onto a thrill ride. I never expected the novel to make a turn in that direction. The author really took a risk with her decision, and I'm glad she did.There were also a few parts that really struck me. The futuristic setting in the novel was so scary. We really see the grittier side of the Capitol and life in the districts.

I also wanted to add one last thing. There's something about Suzanne Collin's writing that's really powerful. There's this moment in Catching Fire, when you're sure that all hope is lost - that the end was about to come - even though Katniss obviously has to stick around to narrate the next book. When an author can remove every ounce of predictability from a novel...I think that's amazing.

So, should you read it? Yes! The boxed set of The Hunger Games trilogy is now available. While I've just started Mockingjay (the final book in this trilogy), I'm sure it will be just as good as its predecessors.

Grade: A

In Which I Lose My Blog (Then Find It Again)

2011-09-12T16:27:00.001-07:00

Any of the followers who've visited my blog in the past week should know that The Book Girl Reads has been under major construction.

It all started when I decided to mess around with the template on my blog, trying to edit the background. Instead of (duh) previewing before I clicked save, I accidentally saved the new template. When I went to view my blog, a page of jumbled letters, numbers, and symbols popped up on the screen. I had completely destroyed everything I'd done for the past year on The Book Girl Reads.

Before I began to hyperventilate, I remembered that I had backed up my template. It was saved in my documents.

"Phew," I murmured, clicking the file that read "BlogTemplateBackUp" in my folder. But something funny happened. Something that actually wasn't really funny at all.

Internet Explorer couldn't read the file. Nor could Microsoft Word. Nor could any program on my computer.

I wasn't going to get my old template back. I couldn't even remember what website I had gotten it from. I had completely lost blog.

So I did what any sensible, put-together book blogger would do. I started to cry.

Mind you, I had also been very stressed about other things going on in my life. This incident was just the icing on the cake. I tried to go back to Blogger's simple template but ended up losing all of the widgets I designed.

I'd tell you guys about the mental breakdown that ensued for the next hour, but I'll just skip to the uplifting, inspirational part. I ended up posting the very first template I'd ever used. I worked around it, got my widgets back, and changed my backgrounds and header into about 15 different combinations until I got to the very design I have at the moment. (Which is here to stay).

It's definitely true that rain always leads to rainbows, though. Even though I had a horrible moment when I lost my template, I ended up designing a brand new template (one that I adore), creating some buttons for my readers, and doing a whole bunch of other cool stuff to my blog's layout. Oh, and I realized that I may have a knack for blog design!

I am thinking of having a page on the blog where people can ask for my help on their blog re-design. Is that something anyone would be interested in?

So yeah. That's my epic blogging story of the month. How about you guys? Ever had a blog catastrophe? Need blog design help? Leave your comment under the title of this post!

This Week's Teaser (11)

2011-09-12T14:28:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! This week's teaser is on a book that I read a really long time ago. I really enjoyed it, and it was actually one of the first YA books I read when I was transitioning into the genre. Here's The Noah Confessions by Barbara Hall.

It was my sixteenth birthday, and my father wouldn't buy me a car.

This was all the talk at Hillsboro, the fancy girls' prep school I attended in Los Angeles, which we all pretended to hate but secretly adored.

I thought he had been teasing me all this time. He used to do that when I was little, telling me the Powers that Be had canceled Christmas or moved Disneyland. I never believed him. It just made me laugh. So I thought it was part of the routine when he kept saying, "I'm serious, Lynnie, no car."

"Right, Dad."

"This is for real."

"I get it."

Obviously, I didn't get it.

When I woke up that day and tore into the jewelry box sitting in the empty cereal bowl, I didn't find a gleaming Volkswagen key. I found a dull silver charm bracelet with birds on it.

You heard that right. A charm bracelet. With birds on it.

Read For the Cure (A Read-a-thon)

2011-09-11T09:10:00.000-07:00

Hey guys. I wanted to share something that means a lot to me and tell you about an event I'll be hosting on the blog.

Last year, my mother became a breast cancer survivor. A few months after she finished her chemotherapy, she ran the entire New York City marathon (which would be 26.3 miles - I feel tired just thinking about it). She is easily the strongest and most heroic person I know. She's living proof that nothing can stop a person from doing anything. She taught me that anything is possible.

Because I can't imagine myself running a marathon, I decided to host a read-a-thon to raise money for Memorial Sloan Kettering, the cancer center that treated my mom. This is open to all bloggers and readers who can contribute. Here are the rules...

Fill out the form below, pledging a certain amount of books that you will read for the cure in the next four months (read-a-thon end on January 1st, 2012).

Donate 25 cents for each book you plan to read with the Paypal link under the form. (You do not need a Pay Pal account to donate. Look for the link that accepts all major credit cards).

Grab a button from the sidebar (it says, "I read for the cure") and let everyone know you donated!

When the read-a-thon ends, two random participants will win a book as a thank you for donating! I will donate the money in my mom's name and post the letter confirming my donation.

So, that's all. Thank you in advance for pledging and donating below. It means so much to me. :)

DONATE HERE

Ten Years Later, Here We Are

2011-09-10T09:16:00.000-07:00

As a six-year-old girl living in New York City, I never thought that buildings could fall. Things like that just didn't happen, especially not to the World Trade Center - a place I visited countless times with my grandmother. I didn't understand back then.

Ten years later, as a sixteen-year-old girl living in New York City, I still don't. It's hard to believe that a whole decade has passed since such a tragedy struck. Although the shock has faded, the pain hasn't. I wanted to use this post to remember the 2,753 we lost, thank the many officers, firemen, and others who helped save who they could, and reach out to those who were so deeply affected by the attacks. You aren't alone.

I know that a lot of people share stories about where they were on September 11th, 2001, but I thought I'd share a reflection I wrote about the Towers two years ago.

Before the After

There are things I do remember.

Before it was Ground Zero, it was the World Trade Center. I was there almost every single week. My grandmother took me to play there. Somehow, it never rained on any one of our visits. The weather was always perfect.

There were these wide stairs leading up to one of the buildings. They were good for hopping and climbing. On one of the stairs sat a man made of bronze, reading a bronze newspaper, holding a bronze umbrella like he was always expecting it to rain. I was in love with this bronze man, a romantic at an early age. I insisted on talking to him, always hoping that one day he’d reply. I still have a collection of photographs with my arm linked through his, thinking he’d always be there.

I also remember the pigeons. There were always so many of them there. I remember the mass of them because I was one of those children. They covered the ground like they were another blotchy, black and white layer of concrete. I created plots to scare them off of the dirty gray cement, and I’d take great joy in watching them flee into the sky. There was always a hotdog stand on the corner with a man that would always say hi to me. He never offered me a hotdog, just grinned like he was having a good day. Good thing. My grandmother strongly believed that there was poison in food from the streets, so she would have never gone for it

I remember how small the buildings made me feel. I was just a tiny kid in extremely curly pig tails, staring up at the two intimidating and enormous vertical rectangles. I should have felt out of place among the crowds of busy New Yorkers and the one street performer who tried to get people to hold his overweight anaconda, but I never did. For me, the World Trade Center is frozen in my memories as my playground. That will never change.

Let the Games Begin...

2011-09-09T16:34:00.001-07:00

About the Book
The Hunger Games was written by Suzanne Collins and published by Scholastic. It is 374 pages long.

Opening line(s): When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games.

But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

The Skinny

I know, I know. I'm a little late jumping on The Hunger Games bandwagon. It seems like everywhere I go, someone has read this series - and absolutely loved it. With the movie companion being released in March 2012, I sense a Twilight-like fanbase on the rise.

I'm going to start by saying that The Hunger Games was not a book I immediately liked. I thought it had a slow start, but maybe that's because I like when books throw you into the action/romance/suspense right away.

And then I got to page twenty.

After I really got into the story, I was hooked. Katniss, who I call the anti-Bella (sorry Twilight), is strong, cunning, and carries a great narration throughout the novel. I like that she steps up when you don't expect her to. She's definitely a character you cheer on and admire. She doesn't let you feel bad for her.

I was so impressed with this post-apocalyptic setting we're thrown into. The backstories on the twelve districts and the Capitol as "the enemy" was obviously well thought out. The idea of a competition to the death that airs on live TV was believable, yet so original. I mean, no one can just think of that. It was creative genius.

As for the love triangle...well. I can tell that I'm going to be very indecisive as I read this trilogy. There's Gale, the dependable best friend who's always been there. And there's Peeta, the kind-hearted charmer who just swept me off my feet! I don't know, but I think I'm sticking with the boy with the bread. (You'll get it when you read the book).

So, should you read it? Of course. Make sure you get your hands on this series before its movie premiere next year. It's thrilling and intense...definitely unlike any dystopian novel I've seen before. I can't wait to find out what happens next (which is why I'm so happy I have Catching Fire, its sequel).

Grade: A-

P.S. Here's some eye-candy to picture as you read and wait for the movie.

Blog Hop 9/9-9/12

2011-09-08T18:06:00.000-07:00

Hey hoppers! (That was an awkward thing to call you...) Rephrase: Hey fellow bloggers! Thanks for hopping on by. While you're here, I hope you check out my current giveaways, located in the sidebar ->

“Many of us primarily read one genre of books, with others sprinkled in. If authors stopped writing that genre, what genre would you start reading? Or would you give up reading completely if you couldn’t read that genre anymore?”

If authors stopped writing YA...I just shuddered at the thought. I'd probably lock myself in my room with my friends Ben and Jerry for a few days. (Yes, the death of YA would be like a tragic break-up).

But give up reading completely? No way. Writing, reading, and blogging require a really open mind. You don't have to read all genres, but you have to be willing to read them. I'd probably stock up on some romance novels, then move on to historic fiction and memoirs.

This Week's Teaser (11)

2011-09-06T15:55:00.000-07:00

Hey all! This week's teaser is for a cute, quick read: Heaven Looks A Lot Like the Mall by Wendy Mass. It's written in verse and takes the main character through all of her mall purchases when she falls into a coma.

Dodgeball

I.

For fifty cents and a Gobstopper
I lifted my shirt for the neighborhood boys.
My older brother Matt caught us
and chased the boys with a
Wiffle bat.
Word got around, and at nine years old
I became the girl
other girls' moms
didn't want them to play with.

The Book Girl's Top Six

2011-09-05T13:42:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! The end of summer (sigh) has me reflecting a lot on how far I've come as a blogger. One more review and I'll hit 70. In total, I've posted 138 interviews, articles, and reviews. Because this is around the time of my blog's one year anniversary, I wanted to get all nostalgic and list the top-rated books I've reviewed. (In no particular order).

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.

This book will turn even the most cynical of readers into a believer of soulmates and true love. Anna and the French Kiss captured all of my fantasies and and made them come true. (Well, Stephanie Perkins did...in the book). *Sigh*"

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater.

Mind. Blown. Linger is all you could ever ask for in a YA love story. Tragic and wholesome, beautiful and heartbreaking, Linger never fails to sweep you off of your feet. Sam and Grace are the best fictional couple I've seen yet.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano.

Every single thing about Wither drew me in, from the insanely beautiful cover to the well-developed cast of characters. Wither has my vote for book of the year. I don't even know how any other book can follow this one.

Swoon At Your Own Risk by Sydney Salter.

I didn't expect to like the book as much as I did. I thought it would be a light romantic comedy, but it ended up being so much more than that. Salter created such a relatable plotline and a fantastic group of characters. It was hard to believe that the author didn't write this story based on my life.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare.

When I saw Clockwork Angel (prequel to The Mortal Instruments Series) under my Christmas tree this year, I just about fainted...Finishing Clockwork Angel will have you bypassing the Cullens to proudly proclaim that you're with the shadowhunters, of course.

We'll Always Have Summer...Jenny Han.

We'll Always Have Summer is romantic and mushy in all the best ways. It touches on emotions you thought were reserved for stories like The Notebook. If this series doesn't get a movie deal, I will cry...Yes, after all this time, I'm still in love with the Fisher boys, Cousin's Beach, and Belly's story of summer.

So yeah. This is going to sound so corny, but I want to thank all of my readers for commenting and visiting my blog. You guys keep me motivated and just make blogging so fun. Happy (unhappy?) Back-To-School for some of you. Look for more awesome stuff on the blog in its second year!

The Tale of Six Pen Pals (Mini-Review)

2011-09-04T12:51:00.000-07:00

So, I was looking through an old notebook I used to use for blog stuff, and I came across a page that read "Review The Year of Secret Ass."

Uh, yeah.

I racked my brain, trying to think of a time when I read a book with a name that...vulgar. And then I had a lightbulb moment. The entry was an abbreviation of The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty. Duh.

I pulled it from the bottom of my TBR pile, skimmed it, and guess what? It's still as enjoyable as it was a year ago!

The novel follows three boys and three girls from rival high schools who are forced to participate in a pen pal program with each other. It's a story told in their letters and journal entries (I always thought that there should be more books like this). It's cute to see the characters disliking one another at first, then developing friendships and...swoon...romances. But it's not all about the fluffy love declarations. The Year of Secret Assignments is fun, in that the characters send each other on epic pranking quests and revenge plots.

Another thing I liked about this book was that each character had a really specific personality. You get to know their quirks, their pet peeves... it was a cast you really rooted for, and they brought something new to every chapter. You seriously can't get bored while you're reading this book.

Plus, there's a great plot twist (any reader of mine knows how I love those) that will make your jaw drop. Or your eyes pop.

Grade: B+

Excited For...

2011-09-02T12:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, yet another delayed Waiting On Wednesday coming your way. When I took notice of the This is Not a Test cover reveal on Courtney Summers' website, I knew that I had to share with you guys. I have yet to read her work, but this novel seems awesome. A group of kids stuck with each other during the apocalypse? Sign me up. Check out the synopsis....

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self.

To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live.

But as the days crawl by, everyone’s motivations to survive begin to change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life–and death–inside.

Books On the Big Screen (Gossip Girl)

2011-08-31T15:57:00.000-07:00

The Appeal of Mr. Bass

The proximity of the Gossip Girl season 5 premiere (which is September 26th, by the way), has had the show running through my mind lately. Yet again, last season's finale left us with an epic cliff hanger. Somebody's pregnant, and I know that all of you Chair fans out there are crossing your fingers that a baby Bass on the way.

Yup. After everything, there are still Chair fans out there (myself included).

Don't get me wrong, I love the storyline and the couple, and I'm not afraid to share that. However, there are times when I question what it means that I'm rooting for a guy who would get drunk and accidentally hurt someone, sell his girlfriend to save his hotel, and countlessly cheat and lie because he has Daddy issues. Why don't I swoon over a-dork-able Dan or simple Nate? Why are we all so drawn to the tornado of emotional damage?

Because we're hopeless romantics, that's why.

Now, now, before you start with: "Um, I'm tough as brick. Didn't even cry over The Notebook..." Consider this: Chuck Bass represents every guy who has dumped us or put us down. Chuck Bass (and his redeemable moments) give us hope. He's the bad guy who we can fix. The dark soul with a heart of gold. We see guys like him as a project. We all want to be the Blairs of the world. The one girl who could get "the player" to fall in love.

As I shared the topic of this article with my mom, she added, "These shows appeal to the nurturing side of women." It summed my point up perfectly. We think it's our nature to fix the bad boy (whether he comes in a leather jacket or a fancy suit), but often they're not fixable.

Anyway, I just wanted to share my theory...provide an explanation to those who "can't believe those idiot girls who salivate over an abusive relationship." Whenever I talk Chuck and Blair, I'm sure to remind people that this is just a TV show. Anyone who has their heart set on Chuck and Blair has to know that all the twisted games they play are for pure entertainment value. I see nothing wrong with obsessing sometimes because I know that this is just a show. I'm not exactly listing "must be a Bass" in my criteria for the perfect guy.

I just like looking at Ed Westwick. Sheesh.

That's all on the Chair front for now! I hope to continue this discussion on the night of the premiere.

XOXO,

Naiche

P.S. Check out the scoop I discovered on Chuck&Blair.org about the season 5 premiere!

Season Four ended with Chuck Bass’s (Ed Westwick) heartbreaking decision to step aside and let Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester) begin her new life as a Princess-to-be with her fiance, Prince Louis (Hugo Becker). Meanwhile, Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively), in sunny Los Angeles, was offered a fantastic summer job working for an A-List Hollywood director just as we discovered that Serena’s cousin, Charlie (Kaylee Defer), was the real actress in the family! Back in New York, a newly single Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford) convinced Chuck to go on a hedonistic summer trip around the globe while Dan Humphrey’s (Penn Badgley) oldest friend went behind his back and found an editor to anonymously publish his autobiographical novel, “Inside.”

Season Five will open in the City of Angels when a reenergized Chuck and Nate decide to pay Serena a visit. Back home, Blair learns that planning a royal wedding can be a royal pain, and Dan discovers the ramifications of writing candidly about his closest friends. Finally, the surprise return of cousin Charlie will threaten to destroy the van der Woodsen family from within. Watch out Upper East Siders, this season nobody’s safe, and everybody’s going to be sorry….XOXO, Gossip Girl.

Another Retelling...

2011-08-30T13:41:00.000-07:00

About the Book
Tris and Izzie was written by Mette Ivie Harrison and published by EgmontUSA. It is 272 pages long.

Opening line(s): Mark caught me in a big hug as I closed my locker. "Guess who?" he said.

Release date: October 11th, 2011

A modern retelling of the German fairytale "Tristan and Isolde", Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well.

Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.

The Skinny

Okay, so when I first saw the cover of Tris and Izzie, I was totally enamored. I mean, the cover is completely gorgeous. With the golden couple on the romantic boat ride with flower petals in the air, I was prepared for a totally awesome YA romance ahead of me. *Sigh* But that's not what I got.

Honestly, I know I'm going to sound a little harsh in this review, but this was the first book that actually made me ask, "What was the author thinking?" The main character, Izzie, wasn't relatable. I didn't understand or connect to her, and she didn't sell the story to me...at all. Tristan was...how do I put this? Tristan was an attempt to combine every single Edward Cullen-type character in young adult literature into one guy. I -sadly- had no chances to swoon in this book. And these weren't even the worst characters in the book.

I thought Branna, Izzie's best friend, was a female dog from the first few chapters. She's the kind of person who you'd never have a full-length conversation with. What an attention-grabbing Debby Downer. Mark, Izzie's boyfriend in the beginning of the novel, sounded completely ridiculous. He was the typical jock with a pretty girlfriend. I couldn't wait until the scenes that didn't involve him. Plus, I want you all to read a little excerpt from Tris and Izzie. Please tell me if Mark promotes healthy teen relationships...

"Mark, don't do this," I said. "Let me see if Branna is-" Mark punched me in the face. Mark the steadiest guy in the world. The guy who made me feel safe whenever I was with him. The guy I loved like a brother and a friend.

The best part is, she doesn't find anything wrong with this. She proceeds to defend him in the following pages.

"..." is all I had to say to that.

All in all, the relationships were complete fluff, and the plot was underwhelming. It was kind of like a siren of the sea. It drew me in with its attractive cover, but it ended up being really bad. I'd skip Tris and Izzie when it hits shelves in October.

Grade: D

This Week's Teaser (10)

2011-08-28T12:14:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! This week's teaser is for the prequel of one of my favorite series. This spooky thriller was definitely a can't-put-down for me. Here's the Private prequel, Last Christmas by Kate Brian.

THE GOOD GIRL

DECEMBER OF JUNIOR YEAR

Ariana Osgood just wanted to go home.

She knew it was insane. She was, after all, standing at the edge of the ballroom at the Driscoll Hotel, playing witness to the most decadent party of the year. The party she had circled in red on her social calendar three months ago and had been looking forward to every day since. But now that she was at the Winter Ball, watching all of Easton Academy mingle and chat and dance, all she wanted to do was go back to Billings House and be with her friends. Her sisters. Inside Billings it was simple. Inside Billings she could just be.

Ariana reached up and touched her light blond hair, making sure for the fiftieth time that the chignon she'd worked so hard to achieve had held. How could she have forgotten how these events always put her on edge? Always made her feel hot and clenched and breathless. She was going to say something stupid. Or do something wrong. And everyone would see. Everyone would know.

Tales From the Upper East Side

2011-08-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

About the Book
Gossip Girl: For Your Eyes Only is a graphic novel created by Hyekyung Baek. The original concept for Gossip Girl is by Cecily von Ziegesar. It was published by Yen Press and is 260 pages.

Opening line(s): Your life changes when you get a new roommate.

Queen B has fallen off her throne and landed in Brooklyn (of all places!), where she's sharing an apartment with V. It's hell at first, but somehow they find a way to make it work - and B even discovers that she has some domestic talents she never knew existed!

But now N and S are a couple, and heartbroken B's desperate attempts to maintain her reputation have put her on "sweet" little J's foul side.

And when it comes to these girls, revenge is a dish best served HOT! Can you take a little heat?

The Skinny
So, I reviewed the first volume in this series a few months back. I'm already a huge fan of the series and the show (speaking of which, it comes back to the CW next month - infinite fangirling). Just as in the previous novel, Hyekyung Baek was a genius at transforming the Gossip Girl world into beautiful artwork and an interesting spin-off storyline.

I loved that the novel was primarily about Blair. We get to see how she deals with a princess-turned-pauper situation. The illustrator's depiction of the fashion in the series was totally spot-on. I definitely hope to use his sketches as an inspiration for my own outfits this Fall. We also got to see the darker side of Jenny Humphrey (the boyfriend-stealing one), which was highly entertaining.

This series has me more hooked than any other graphic novel ever has. It was easy to read and an exciting page-turner. I honestly read it in a day and couldn't put it down! Maybe it is because I was such a huge fan of Gossip Girl to begin with, but I think it'll become anyone's guilty pleasure in a second. The drama, catfights, and love triangles are a fun break from intense reads.

So, should you read it? Yes! Pick it up if you want to try a graphic novel while still holding on to the familiarity of YA lit.

Grade: B+

Blog Hop 8/26-8/29 (+Giveaways Reminder)

2011-08-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

Hey all! This week's question is actually non-book related. Crazy for Books asks us...

“Non-book-related this week!! Do you have pets?”

I actually don't have pets. I had two hermit crabs when I was little (Crabby and King Crab). I also have a sneaky little five-year-old brother...does that count?

Included in this week's blog hop is a little reminder that I have three giveaways active on the blog right now.

The Month of Shade giveaway. You can win Shade and Shift prizes by answering three trivia questions correctly.

Head Games Birthday and Swag giveaways. You can win signed swag in both giveaways. The birthday giveaway is for people whose birthdays are in the next coming months.

Private Lives of Private School Girls

2011-08-24T17:59:00.000-07:00

About the Book
Mostly Good Girls was written by Leila Sales and published by Simon Pulse. It is 347 pages long.

Opening line(s): Poor Mr. Thompson. Mr. Thompson is my precalc teacher, and he is also the only male at Westfield School.

The higher you aim, the farther you fall….

It’s Violet’s junior year at the Westfield School. She thought she’d be focusing on getting straight As, editing the lit mag, and figuring out how to talk to boys without choking on her own saliva. Instead, she’s just trying to hold it together in the face of cutthroat academics, her crush’s new girlfriend, and the sense that things are going irreversibly wrong with her best friend, Katie.

When Katie starts making choices that Violet can’t even begin to fathom, Violet has no idea how to set things right between them. Westfield girls are trained for success—but how can Violet keep her junior year from being one huge, epic failure?

The Skinny
Okay, let me start by saying that this was my third and (luckily) final attempt at reading Mostly Good Girls. I got this book a little more than a year ago, but I couldn't bring myself to those final chapters. At first, I couldn't really explain my aversion to the novel. Finally, when I turned that last page, I realized my disconnect. Below are the three reasons that I wouldn't recommend Mostly Good Girls.

Disclaimer: I'm honestly not trying to be super mean. I promise to give a reasonable explanation for each.

1. I just can't relate. When I was talking to a friend about this book, I told her that it was hard to get through because I couldn't like any of the characters. They all are snobby, have major-attitude, and/or have this superior outlook on life. My friend replied, you wouldn't understand. You've never been in the all-girl private school environment. Yeah well, I've never moved to a haunted estate, but I related to Rayne in Possessed. I've never seen ghosts, but I related to Aura in Shade. In my opinion, setting is no excuse for a lack of character connection.

2. I was never at the edge of my seat. Sure, there were a couple of entertaining moments. However, I never found myself staying up late to finish just one more chapter or rooting for a character. There weren't any scenes that I'll remember in the future.

3. There was no turning point. We all like to see a change by the end of the story, no? Whether it's a little surprising or completely plot-changing, every twist is significant. It means that the characters (and the reader) learned something or was able to gain something from reading the novel. In Mostly Good Girls, I found that Violet was exactly the same by the end of the novel. That sucked because I didn't like her in the first place. The one twist that did happen (spoiler-free, I promise!) was just a disappointment.

So, should you read it? Um, I don't think so. The only thing I enjoyed about this book was picturing the guys from Harper Woodbane (the all-guys school in the novel) as the actors who play the Warblers on Glee.

Grade: C-/D

Keri Mikulski Interview (+ 2 Giveaways!)

2011-08-22T16:41:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Keri Mikulski, author of Head Games, was cool enough to bring Taylor Thomas over to the blog for an interview.

Taylor Thomas: Thanks for having me today. :)

The Book Girl: First of all, I know you're an awesome basketball player. But have you ever thought about other hobbies? (For example, I'm deadset on becoming a writer, but I have been known to belt out a few high notes on the side).
TT: Actually, secretly I’m still kind of interested in fashion design ever since I was little and I made a cute little basketball uniform for my Bratz doll. But, after the fashion show disaster, I’m keeping my passion for fashion on the down low and my sketchbook hidden for now. :)

TBG: You must be the nicest person...ever. Don't you ever feel like freaking out?
TT: Awe... Thanks bunches. Not so much. Sometimes when my dad acts like a lunatic, I’ve been known to lose it a little.

TBG: I won't spoil the book for readers, so I'll keep this question pretty vague. How are things going with him?
TT: Awesome. *blush*

TBG: Finally, what are your plans for the years to come? Captain of the basketball team, another fashion show...? (Okay, maybe not the second one.)
TT: Ha! I think I’ll skip the fashion show next year. Definitely tons of basketball. And hopefully lots of championships and a college scholarship are in my future. I can’t wait to get back out on the court.

Thanks Taylor! As promised in the title of this post, I have two giveaways thanks to Keri.

#1 Swag Giveaway
Anyone can enter this giveaway! Just fill out the form, and you'll win:

A signed Head Games bookplate.

2 signed Stealing Bases bookmarks.

A basketball charm.

#2 Birthday Giveaway

If your birthday is after today's date and before the end of the year, you can enter to win...

A Head Games birthday card.

2 signed Stealing Bases bookmarks.

A softball charm.

Contests end on September 15th.

Books On the Big Screen (The Lying Game)

2011-08-19T16:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I know that this post is coming a little late. The premiere of The Lying Game (the TV series based on the bestselling novel by Sara Shepard) was on Monday. I was so into it, and I'm glad that it came out just as my other regulars (Switched at Birth and Pretty Little Liars) were ending. Alexandra Chando was exactly how I pictured Emma and Sutton. I was impressed at how well she was able to switch up her personality. I mean, being a girl playing a girl who's pretending to be her twin sister isn't easy. The other characters were also really well cast. Kirsten Prout and Alice Greczyn play "Mads" and Char, Sutton's best friends who have secrets of their own. I see so much potential for their storylines.

I had been so sad to see Blair Redford leave Switched at Birth, but ended up being happily surprised to see that he was playing Ethan! He's such a perfect fit for that character. The girl who plays Nisha and the guy who plays Sutton's boyfriend were also very true to the novel. I also wanted to mention that the setting was , no joke, exactly how I envisioned Sutton's neighborhood as I read. I was shocked. I swear that the producers completely read my mind.

All in all, the cast captures the characters perfectly and the tone of the show is just as exciting and thrilling as the mystery that's unraveling within the book series. Sure, I'm a little bothered by the fact that the book series didn't end before the TV show - but you never know. They might be equally awesome or take us, the readers, in two completely different directions. I'm interested to see how it will play out.

How 'bout you Lying Game fans? What did you think of the show's big premiere?

Blog Hop 8/19-8/22

2011-08-19T16:32:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, this week's blog hop is actually really awesome because I had already been thinking about it. Here's the question:

“What’s the LONGEST book you’ve ever read?”

The longest book I've ever read is This is All: The Pillow Book of Cordelia Kenn by Aiden Chambers. (I always thought it was an ironic title for a book of 816 pages). It wasn't hard to get through because I really enjoyed it. Check it out...

“The masterpiece of one of young-adult literature’s greatest living writers.”—Booklist, starred review
Using a pillow book as her form, nineteen-year-old Cordelia Kenn sets out to write her life for her unborn daughter. What emerges is a portrait of an extraordinary girl who writes frankly of love, sex, poetry, nature, and, most of all, of herself in the world. As she attempts to capture “all” of herself on paper, Cordelia maddens, fascinates, and ultimately seduces the reader in this tour de force from a writer who has helped redefine literature for young adults. A book not to be missed by any serious reader.

One Summer Can Change It All (Mini-Review)

2011-08-17T15:51:00.000-07:00

Despite the very risqué title, The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells ended up being a moving read. The novel covers most of the insecurities, fears, and problems among teens today. Drinking and drugs, parental pressures, break-ups, feeling unpopular, liking a guy your parents or friends don't approve of, jealousy, and -of course- loss.

Mia has to go through all of this throughout the novel. She finds that her cousins, in a rush to grow up too quickly, have started rebelling. Her parents named her after the famous Mia Farrow, although it's her sister who has movie star potential. She was hoping to escape the worries of teen love (after her jerk boyfriend cheated and dumped her), only to fall for a mysterious outsider.

This sounds weird, but it was refreshing to read a book where nothing goes right for the main character. It made the story real and intense. In real life, bad days don't just turn 180's randomly. You root for Mia because you can put yourself in her shoes.

The ending had definite shock-value. My heart dropped completely. I've hardly read any YA books that can go there. After I got over how surprising it was, I was able to really appreciate it. No spoilers here, but be ready for the unpredictable.

So, should you read it? Yes. It's a good transition between light summer reading and gritty contemporary. You'll like it a lot.

Grade: A-/B+

This Week's Teaser-s (9)

2011-08-16T16:58:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, I have double the teaser fun for you this week! I have Bittersweet Sixteen and Summer Intern, both by Carrie Karasyov and Jill Kargman. These were both fun and girly reads. Enjoy!

There's one thing you have to know. In the world of private schools, penthouses on Park Avenue, chauffeur-driven Bentleys, and $100-a-plate family dinners at Le Cirque, one thing reigns supreme as the pinnacle of a tenth-grade girl's social calendar in New York: the almighty Sweet Sixteen birthday extravaganza.

It was the first day of school, sophomore year. That September anticipatory stress was coursing through every capillary of every student, and not because of the backbreaking textbooks already tucked into our Marc Jacobs bags for the nightly grind. It was because the competition for the best Sweet Sixteen soiree was about to start, and it was steep. I mean, way more cutthroat than the honor society plaque.

Let me back up. My name is Laura Finnegan and I live in New York City. My school is not your average football 'n' cheerleader, pom-pom, pep-rally, flag-waving, all-American Rydell High kind of place. No varsity letters, no football games, no prom king . . . no prom. See, my school, Tate Academy, is — gasp — all girls. I know, nightmare, right? Oh, and did I mention the uniform? Gray pleated skirt and white button-down shirt. Not that we really care; I mean, who are we trying to flirt with by our lockers? No one! Oh, and btw, we don't even have lockers; we have carpeted lounges with individual closets opening onto the couch-filled room.

...

It was totally surreal: There I was in the midst of a dizzying, glittering collage of designer duds being pushed around on racks by leggy black-clad editors, with a soundtrack of whirring modems, ringing phones, and French accents playing in the background. There were models on go-sees with the bookings department, who were having Polaroids snapped of their gaunt, shiny faces. There were crocodile handbags from Hermès, Valentino, Chanel, and Marc Jacobs being gathered up for a shoot of "Scaley Chic" reptilian accessories. There was an armed guard from Van Cleef & Arpels with a briefcase cuffed to his arm as he transported gems for the "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" story, and a beret-wearing photographer having a loud fight with the sittings editor about renting out the Central Park Zoo's entire polar bear sanctuary for a ten-page layout of winter's best fur coats.

I was in the frenzied offices of Skirt magazine—the top of the top in fashion, pop culture, and beauty; the bible for any aesthete; the cool girl's forecast for what's hot and what to wear, listen to, even eat (i.e., carbs = the devil). It was a kaleidoscopic mix of hipsters, hotties, and badasses, all yapping a mile a minute on teeny cell phones with a stress level you'd more likely expect to see at the Pentagon rather than at Hughes Publications, the mag's parent company. But in the Gehry-architected glass-and-steel offices, the buzz of calamities at deadline was deafening. Like a trunk arriving in St. Bart's with the wrong bikinis. A beauty associate screaming at a makeup artist that the tweezing for the brow story was too arched. A beeper informing a fashion director of a snag in a Missoni dress on location. Drama was all around.

Recipe for a Perfect YA Guy

2011-08-15T16:35:00.000-07:00

I know that we all find ourselves swooning over our favorite male leads...totally wishing that they were real. But what are those special ingredients that come together to form the fictional guys that we love so much?

+1 Dark and mysterious past

Much like Will in Angelfire, we easily fall for guys who aren't too revealing. We love personalities that we can't quite place our fingers on. We only figure out what completely makes Will tick until the end of the book.

+2 Smoldering eyes

In the Shiver series, Grace is entranced by Sam's yellow eyes from the moment they meet. It makes him unique and very, very attractive.

+1 "I-Can't-Stay-Mad-At-You Grin"

In The Duff, Bianca tries hard to resist the very arrogant Wesley, but everytime he shoots her a grin...she (and the reader) completely melts.

+1 Handful of swoon-worthy quotes

A great example of this is St. Clair from Anna and the French Kiss. He's easy to talk to (the best friend type) and says the most romantic things to Anna. Well, everything sounds amazing on his sweet accent.

+1 Pinch of spice (In other words, an accent)

Of course, I'll use Zachary from Shade in this ingredient. I never thought I'd go all ga ga over a Scottish accent and a boy who wears a kilt, but it totally works.

+1 Sense of humor

Okay, we can't love a guy who doesn't know how to joke around. Every male lead from Jace in The Mortal Instruments series to Tucker in Unearthly know how to tease in a really adorable way.

+1 Against the rules sauce

Last, but most certainly not least, it's really common for our favorite male leads to be a little off-limits. Dimitri, from the Vampire Academy series, is Rose's guardian...which tears them apart. In The Summer I Turned Pretty, Conrad is the older family friend - a big no-no for Belly.

Giveaway Winner

2011-08-15T16:16:00.000-07:00

Congrats, Tiffany! You won an e-copy of The Next Shakespeare by Wanda Ernstberger. Wanda and I will both contact you.

For those who didn't win...you still have the chance to get some swag in my Month of Shade giveaways. There will be up to 50 winners!

August Giveaways

2011-08-14T14:56:00.000-07:00

Hey all, I have two giveaways going on at the blog this month - and I wanted to post a quick reminder so that you wouldn't miss the opportunity to enter them!

Month of Shade Giveaway
This giveaway is for all fans of the Shade series by Jeri Smith-Ready. All you have to do is answer three of the five trivia questions correctly (you can guess the ones you don't know), and you'll win a bookmark. Answer all of the questions and you'll get two!
The giveaway ends on September 1st (I'll be posting new questions every week). And there will be up to 50 winners.

ENTER HERE

The Next Shakespeare
This giveaway is for readers who are looking for something new and fresh to read. I'm giving away one e-copy of The Next Shakespeare by Wanda Ernstberger.

ENTER HERE (No longer open)

More Than A Heart is Broken

2011-08-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

When I first found out that two books about abusive relationships were following But I Love Him by Amanda Grace, I couldn't help but notice the theme. Because this is a topic I'm passionate about, I picked up Bitter End by Jennifer Brown and Stay by Deb Caletti - just to see which would top the other.

The Main Characters: Bitter End's Alex wouldn't exactly be my main choice for a female protagonist. For me, it's really important to understand the main character of any story - what they're passionate about and what they're longing for. With Alex...her interests in writing and her goal seemed to just be thrown in there. We don't even get to know her before she meets Cole, and then it's all about him. Stay's Clara won for the personal connection aspect. Her voice brought us out of the story. It felt like she was talking to you as an individual, and through her story we definitely understood her.

The Antagonists: Both antagonists were well written in these novels. In Bitter End, there's something off about Cole from the very beginning. He's the kind of guy who you'd admire from afar but wouldn't feel comfortable talking to alone. The first scenes he appeared in were very unsettling. In Stay, Christian was super creepy. It wasn't forced. Even though we know that he's obviously abusive, I found myself getting fooled - just like Clara. He's intense, brooding, and you can just easily picture him.

The Other Guys: In both stories, the main characters have other guys who are prominent in their lives - guys who tick off Cole and Christian. In Stay, Clara meets Finn. He represents her new life, and what moving on means to her. He's completely separated from Christian, and I appreciated that. He was very swoon-worthy (just saying). In Bitter End, Zachary plays Alex's life-long best friend. I thought he was cool and had his moments, but I didn't really feel anything towards him.

The Supporting Casts: I saw a lot of similarities among the people in Clara and Alex's lives. Both have best girl friends. Clara's best friend, Shakti, was hardly present. Alex's best friend, Bethany, was very prominent in the story. It was a very good portrayal of how others are affected by abusive relationships. Both girls had single dads. In Bitter End, Alex is very distant from her father. He was a very predictable character, and it was obvious that he was just being dismissed. I liked that Clara had a very close relationship with her dad in Stay. He was a well-developed character, and their interactions were all very honest.

The Topics: While Bitter End focuses on the more recognized form of abuse (physical), Stay is about emotional abuse. Of course, both are horrible, but I appreciated that Stay focused on something that a lot of people say "doesn't count". Words can destroy you on the inside.

So, which should you read? I'd have to go with Stay. The writing is very beautiful and emotional. It's a novel that draws you deep into the story and doesn't let go until the very end.

So Excited For...

2011-08-11T17:11:00.001-07:00

Am I the only one who's dying to read The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith? It comes out on January 2, 2012 from Poppy. I have infinite love for the plotline, cover, and title. This post is more like my delayed Waiting On Wednesday, but I wanted to share the synopsis with you guys.

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18B. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

I mean, swoon-fest...no? Here is what some people are saying on Goodreads:

"It's fluff, predictable but still sort of satisfying."

"I took this to Central Park this afternoon and could not leave until I finished it. I absolutely loved it. It grabbed you from the very first minute."

"I smiled from page one allllll the way to the end. This book was so good. So perfect."

I'm so excited to find out what I think of it!

Month of Shade Giveaway (1)

2011-08-08T17:35:00.000-07:00

Do you....

Love Shade and Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready? (Or can't wait to read it in the future?)

Want to start the countdown to Shine, out in 2012?

Want some free swag from the series?

During my Month of Shade giveaway, you'll have a new opportunity every week to answer trivia questions and win swag from the series. All you have to do is get three out of five of the questions in the link below correctly, and you'll be an instant winner!

You can gain extra swag by:

Commenting on this post.

Posting about Month of Shade on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog.

This Week's Teaser (8)

2011-08-08T17:10:00.000-07:00

This week's teaser is on a book I read a while back. Crash Into Me by Albert Borris is about a group of teens who go on a road trip before fulfilling their suicide pact. It was a really touching novel - you guys should check it out.

The third time I tried to kill myself I used a rope. I picked the clothesline from the basement. I figured the cord didn’t have to be real strong because I wasn’t going to drop off of a bridge or from a tree. I needed it just strong enough to kill me.

I’ve tried to kill myself six times; seven if you count walking down the street near the trucks and thinking of jumping in front of them. I suppose that doesn’t really count. I didn’t do anything except walk and practice falling off the curb into traffic that time. Everyone says, mostly my mom, the psychiatrists, my two counselors, that if I wanted to die I would pick more lethal methods. Rope, I think, is pretty lethal.

A Southern Girl in Paris

2011-08-07T15:30:00.000-07:00

About the Book
Anna and the French Kiss was written by Stephanie Perkins and published by Dutton. It is 372 pages long.

Opening line(s): Here is everything I know about France: Madeline and Amelie and Moulin Rouge.

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited.

The Skinny

Okay, so this review shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. All of the readers I've come across have raved about this book, and I'm no different. There's just something about Anna and the French Kiss that I've never seen before. It's magical...the perfect love story. Honestly.

Where do I even start? The setting...I was so excited to read about book set in Paris after my first visit there this summer. I fell in love with the city, and I'm so glad that Anna's narration did it justice. From her comparison of Notre Dame at night and Disneyworld (I swear, I had the exact same thought when I saw it) to the serene Luxemborg Gardens, it was the perfect backdrop for this love story. (I mean, it is the most romantic city in the world).

I felt this insta-connection to Anna's character. We're both reviewers and have little brothers obsessed with Star Wars. All that I'm missing is a blonde streak (which is tres cool). St. Clair...oh St. Clair. I'm in love...so in love. An American boy with a British accent living in Paris? He is so perfect I want to die. Everyone was so right about his charm. I literally wanted to jump in the book and steal him away! He's funny, confident, and has this adorable fear of heights.

The chemistry between the two was undeniable (there goes my grand kidnapping plan). Their conversations were always adorable, funny, and on point. I couldn't get enough. I mean, the passion between them sizzled on the pages and made my heart jump and flutter and all of that other fangirl stuff. I mean, why can't this be real. (In other words, why can't I be Anna?)

The other characters were also great. Josh and Rashmi were my favorites of Anna's friends. They were funny and made for an interesting subplot. Everything about the story tied together really well until the sweetest ending...ever. Honestly, my awwww is still echoing in the room.

So, should you read it? Yes! This book will turn even the most cynical of readers into a believer of soulmates and true love. Anna and the French Kiss captured all of my fantasies and and made them come true. (Well, Stephanie Perkins did...in the book). *Sigh*

Grade: A+

P.S. I happened to be watching Mean Girls 2 while I was reading. While I had nothing to say about the movie itself *shudders*, I couldn't help thinking....wouldn't Diego Boneta be the perfect St. Clair? He's rather short and fits his description really well.

Darkness Online

2011-08-06T14:25:00.000-07:00

About the Book
Want to Go Private? was written by Sarah Darer Littman and published by Scholastic Press. It is 330 pages long.

Opening line(s): "How can you not be excited?"

Abby and Luke chat online. They've never met. But they are going to. Soon.

Abby is starting high school—it should be exciting, so why doesn't she care? Everyone tells her to "make an effort," but why can't she just be herself? Abby quickly feels like she's losing a grip on her once-happy life. The only thing she cares about anymore is talking to Luke, a guy she met online, who understands. It feels dangerous and yet good to chat with Luke—he is her secret, and she's his. Then Luke asks her to meet him, and she does.

But Luke isn't who he says he is. When Abby goes missing, everyone is left to put together the pieces. If they don't, they'll never see Abby again.

The Skinny

This is a tough subject to cover, and I really appreciate it being told without being the "listen to the message I'm sending" type of book. I think that the first and second parts of the book (both told in Abby's point of view) were gritty, intense, and real. It seemed like the personal aspect that we never see of all of the To Catch a Predator stories. This novel is a true example of why YA is so important. Watching the news isn't as effective as listening to the story coming from someone close to your own age. It brings that phrase "it can happen to you" to life.

That being said, I wasn't a huge fan of the second section. It alternates among the points of view of Lily (Abby's sister), Faith (Abby's best friend), and Billy (the guy who has a crush on Abby). I guess I feel like I hadn't really connected to Faith and Lily that much in the first place. I don't know if I was too crazy about their voices. I get trying to portray that this also affects family and friends, but it was Abby's story to tell.

I really enjoyed Billy, though. He was adorable and sweet...a knight in shining armor (if you want to gush about it). The scenes with Abby's dad were also very well done. Her dad was a frustrating character and some of their scenes together were heartbreaking. Abby, our main character, was really easy to connect to. Seeing this happen to her really affected me. I didn't just feel bad for her, it really just broke my heart.

So, should you read it? Older readers should definitely check this one out (a few explicit scenes stop me from recommending it to anyone younger than 15). Although it was kind of hard to get through the middle, it has a powerful and inspirational message. Plus, it's the first book that I've read about online predators, and I think it's important to get this topic out there.

Grade: B/B-

Blog Hop 8/5-8/8

2011-08-05T15:43:00.000-07:00

Hey all! Welcome to The Book Girl Reads. This week's question is one of my favorites:

“What is the one ARC you would love to get your hands on right now?”

Oh, definitely Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi! I'm so excited for this one...I can't even. It has such an original storyline and a completely dazzling cover.

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old-girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

What Has Me in Wanderlove (Pre-Release Excitement)

2011-08-04T17:50:00.000-07:00

It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

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

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

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

The Pre-Skinny
Before I start, I just want to let you guys know that this isn't an actual review...more like a little snippet to stir up some buzz. I want to make sure that you guys put this one on your TBR pile - you won't be disappointed. When it comes out on March 13th, 2012, this book will have every reader talking about it.

I read Wanderlove in exactly twelve hours. It's not the kind of book you can put down between chapters. It's that "No, I don't care that my leg is on fire...I must finish this" kind of book. It's the kind of novel that takes you on an adventure filled with love, fun, and self-discovery...an Eat Pray Love with a young adult spin. And if that wasn't convincing enough, look forward to the awesome sketches, a handy tour guide to Central America, and a total swoon-fest with Rowan.

P.S. Look for my full-length review of Wanderlove in February!

The Next Shakespeare Interview and Giveaway

2011-08-03T17:58:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to "meet" Tristan Gunner, a main character of a story I reviewed a few days ago: The Next Shakespeare.

The Book Girl: So, I took notice of that Metallica shirt you were wearing. Do you have any other favorite bands?

Tristan Gunner: I love Led Zeppelin, Breaking Benjamin, Disturbed, Godsmack, and Tool. They rock!

BG: We seem to hear a lot about your future plans from everyone but you. Where do you see yourself in five years?

TG:

I want to be a chef. The food in the cafeteria is so bad, someday I want to show them how to serve up something that tastes good. I applied to George Brown’s culinary arts program, and I hope I get in, because they’re the best. Five years from now, I want to be working somewhere in a kitchen.

BG: Dude, I loved your poem. Why were you so shy about it?

TG: Well, it’s because I hate talking about my mom. She’s a good mom, and I don’t want anyone to think the wrong thing about her. She tries her best, and she does her best, but she has a problem, and, well, I just don’t like to talk about it.

BG: Okay, this may be kind of personal, but what's the story with Paul?

TG: Paul was a cool guy. We got along, and he gave me my first skateboard. I thought he was going to be my dad, but one day he and Mom had a fight. Mom was drinking again, even after she promised him she wouldn’t, and he got mad, and told her she had a problem and she had to do something about it for the sake of her son. Then, Mom got mad, and said he was calling her a bad mother, so she kicked him out. I didn’t see him ever again. That’s what happened.

BG: Finally, this is something I've been dying to know. You and Astra seem to be pretty close friends...do you have a thing for her?

TG: Astra’s great. We’ve been friends for, like, forever. I like her, but, I don’t know, it’s just I don’t want to screw up our friendship by getting all involved, and if things turn ugly, then she’ll be gone. I don’t want to mess up the way my mom messes up with all her boyfriends. I can’t risk it. Some days I don’t know what’s going to happen, especially with Mom, but Astra’s always there. She’s like, solid, you know. She’s the best friend I’ve got, probably the best friend I’ll ever have.

To learn more about Tristan Gunner, read “The Next Shakespeare.”

Etopia Press

Amazon

Luckily, Wanda is giving one lucky reader a chance to get a free e-copy of The Next Shakespeare. Just fill out THIS FORM. (Contest ends on August 15th)

Once Upon a Summer Camp

2011-08-02T15:53:00.000-07:00

About the Book
Slept Away was written by Julie Kraut and published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers. It is 256 pages.

Opening line(s): "Okay, look at that girl over there," Kennedy directed. She pulled her Diors down her nose a bit so I could see her eyes gesturing over to a girl in a tankini lying out across the pool. "Total brownout."

Laney Parker is a city girl through and through. For her, summertime means stepping out of her itchy gray school uniform and into a season of tanning at rooftop swimming pools, brunching at sidewalk cafes, and—as soon as the parents leave for the Hamptons—partying at her classmates’ apartments.

But this summer Laney’s mother has other plans for Laney. It’s called Camp Timber Trails and rustic doesn’t even begin to describe the un-air-conditioned log cabin nightmare. Laney is way out of her element—the in-crowd is anything but cool, popularity seems to be determined by swimming skills, and the activities seem more like boot camp than summer camp.

Splattered with tie dye fall out, stripped of her cell, and going through Diet Coke withdrawal, Laney is barely hanging on. Being declared the biggest loser of the bunk is one thing, but when she realizes her summer crush is untouchably uncrushable in the real world, she starts to wonder, can camp cool possibly translate to cool cool?

Summer camp might just turn this city girl’s world upside down!

The Skinny

Okay, Slept Away has been in my TBR pile for way too long. I can basically sum up my opinion of this book in one sentence: If you want a book that will have you rolling on the floor with laughter with the turn of every page, go out and buy Slept Away right now. Seriously, you can't be in a bad mood while you read this novel. You'd be insane not to like it.

I loved Laney. We had so much in common. We're both NYC girls who live on the Upper East Side. We both crave croissants. And...we share a last name (Parker). Because I was able to relate to her so much, she's definitely the best YA main character...ever. Plus, she impersonated Tim Gunn perfectly. I completely admire people who can do that.

The situation she's thrown into was a true city girl's nightmare. I imagined myself in Laney's shoes and literally shuddered, which made the plotline super entertaining. Everything from the skorts Laney's mom packs in her bag to the TV show references (yes, Laney is a TV fanatic like me). Another thing that was completely accurate was the whole "camp cool does not equal cool cool" thing. Things that slide at camp are always frowned upon come September.

As for the other characters...they were great. We skipped the dramatic love triangles and confusing twists. It was refreshing to have a straightforward crush and a designated mean girl. Sylvie, Laney's camp best friend, was the sidekick with wise words and an accurate comparison of bad boyfriends and J-Lo movies. Ryan was so swoon-worthy and adorable. I didn't even expect to like him as much as I did until the end. The Hayden and her crew were hilariously ridiculous.

So, should you read it? Uh...yeah. Everyone needs to read this book, especially city girls. It's honestly the best summer comedy in YA right now. You'll be quoting it long after you finish, like I am (much to my mom's displeasure). Sorry for gushing so much, but I've just never read a book this funny. The people on the six train who witnessed my laughter thought I was insane.

Grade: A-

Interview With Christina Garner

2011-08-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to have Christina Garner, author of Gateway, over at the blog for a few quick questions.

The Book Girl: What gave you the idea to write Gateway?
Christina Garner: I was watching a documentary about the Houska Castle and it got my wheels turning about demon dimensions and, if they existed, who might be guarding the Gateways between our world and theirs. When NaNoWriMo rolled around I knew I wanted to explore the idea.

BG: Your characters all have really different personalities (like an outgoing Kat and more reserved Ember). Which do you relate to the most?
CG: I would have to say Ember. Her struggle with demons is a metaphor for the struggle all of us have with our own inner demons.

BG: I like to ask this question of a lot of authors. What's your dream Gateway movie cast?
CG: Such a hard question... Elle Fanning would bring just the right amount of fragility to Callie, and I can see Alex Pettyfer as Taren. I'll have to get back to you on Ember--it's too hard to decide!

BG: Would you rather be a Guardian like Taren or a Keeper like Callie?
CG: A Keeper, though I might sit in on a few combat classes ;)

BG: Finally, I know you're working on the next book in the Gateway series. Any hints on what's to come?
CG: Books 2 and 3 will wrap up the stories of Ember, Taren, and the Gateway. I am kicking around the idea of spin-offs for Kat and/or Callie. As for Book 2, it will be out in November. Look for more twists and turns and an upping of the stakes between Ember and Taren, and the fate of the world.

This Week's Teaser (7)

2011-08-01T15:56:00.001-07:00

Hey all! I'm doing this week's teaser on one of my favorite chick-lits. Its premise is pretty similar to Reality Check by Jen Calonita, except this is a little more A than YA. This is The Real Real by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus (the authors of The Nanny Diaries).

"Single file! Everyone, line up on the LEFT!" Mrs. Gesop shouts to be heard over the din of students crowding into the impractically narrow hallway between the stairwell and the auditorium. "We will let you in when everyone is lined up neatly against the wall!" It's a physical impossibility for the hundred-plus seniors of Hampton High to fit along the eight-foot stretch of wall, and as more students step off the stairs we're getting packed in here like panicked cattle. Just open the double doors, lady, and let us in.

Caitlyn wriggles into the air pocket at my right, her face flushed and damp. "What's going on?" she pants, tucking her most recent DIY blond streak behind her ear. "I got to bio late because the Camry wouldn't start—of course, I get one semester to park at school, and the crapbox dies every time it snows—and run into an empty room with just the chalkboard saying come here. What does it mean? Is it terrorists?"

"It's probably some stupid college thing." I pat her on the shoulder. "And at least you have a crapbox."

Caitlyn snaps her fingers in front of my face. "Okay, focus." She flips open her phone to show me the last text she received before the eight o'clock bell. "Rob says Drew Rudell showed up puffy-eyed to cross-country practice this morning."

"Really. Why?"

"Dumped over Christmas break. One semester of long-distance love was all she could handle."
"She dumped him?" I grab her wrist to steady myself as we sway in the middle of the bovine huddle. "They were practically married last spring. What is Sarah Lawrence, a two-hour, three-hour drive? For him I would've Rollerbladed that." We reflexively drop our chins to our chests and try to look out through our bangs to locate Drew, while I furtively brush on some Benetint.

"He's behind you," she says. "And, despite said puffiness, does have a certain . . . available vibe to him. Looks like your year of silent prayers and that Santeria candle we bought have finally paid off."

I turn to her, making full-force eye contact. "Find out everything you can before lunch. Did she really initiate the breakup, was there infidelity, and who got custody of the windbreaker."

"On it."

"ALL RIGHT, SENIORS! Since we cannot seem to convince you to line up, I only ask that when we open the doors you move in AN ORDERLY FASHION to the front of the auditorium and take seats. In an ORDERLY FASHION!"

The double doors finally give, and everyone flies down the aisles as if cash prizes were at stake.

This Week's Wrap-Up (+Win Prizes!)

2011-07-31T10:13:00.000-07:00

What a busy week! I have a lot for this week's wrap-up, what with my marathon of posts.

Sunday
I shed some light on my relationship with Twilight in Why Twilight is Like My Ex-Boyfriend.

Monday
I reviewed the amazing Wither by Lauren DeStefano in I Now Pronounce You Wife Number Two.

Tuesday
This week's Pretty Little Liars inspired me to write Books On the Big Screen (Pretty Little Liars).

Wednesday
I reviewed The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder in I Swear On My Lipstick and gushed over the cover of Fever by Lauren DeStefano in my first Waiting on Wednesday.

Thursday
I reviewed a short story called The Next Shakespeare by Wanda Ernstberger in A Poet Who Didn't Know It.

Friday
I talked about The Help by Kathryn Stockett in this week's Blog Hop.

Saturday
Finally, I reviewed my new favorite sports book, Head Games by Keri Mikulski in Hoops Over Boys.

Reminders
Don't forget to join The Book Girl Reads team by signing up for my newsletter below. By joining, you're automatically entered to win monthly prizes and free The Book Girl swag from my online store opening next month. For example, this month's team members won signed swag!

Hoops Over Boys

2011-07-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

About the Book
Head Games is a Pretty Tough novel by Keri Mikulski. At 284 pages, it was published Penguin/Razorbill.

Opening line(s): Nothing "Monday morning story worthy" ever happens to me.

Taylor Thomas is a total all-star on the court. Off-court, not so much. She may be model-tall, gorgeous and quite a catch, but try telling her that. With a showcase game and playoffs fast approaching, Taylor’s basketball career is totally on the line.

She doesn’t know which way to turn first when her BFF ropes her into a fashion show and she finds herself torn between Zach, the super-tall, super-off limits basketball star and Matt, the super-sweet guy from her English class.

Can Taylor stop her head from spinning long enough to strike a pose, land the boy of her dreams, and win the game?

The Skinny

A kick-butt girls basketball team? Check. A love triangle? Check. Tons of drama for our MC, Taylor? Triple check. Head Games has all of the components of a "can't-put-it-down" fun read.

The best thing about this novel must be the plot. Taylor is trying to find a way to balance her sports life with her social life, and that never gets boring. Even if you don't like sports, you'll find yourself relating to the obstacles that she faces along the way (like jerky guys, backstabbing friends, and parental pressures). Lucky for me, I'm a soccer player, so I could relate to Taylor's love of sports as well.

Next up, the characters. Taylor's super nice (like, to the extreme). We all have moments when we just can't say no because we fear coming across as too mean. That made me connect with Taylor's personality a lot. Hannah, Taylor's best friend, was super cool. She was, by far, one of the best side kicks I've seen in YA contemporary. She was spunky, funny, and kept the tempo up.

There were a lot of different personalities on Taylor's team. Tamika was the leader, Jessica was the nice one, and Kylie was the drama queen. Seeing such a variety was refreshing. It shows people that all girls who play sports don't act the same way. We're not all tomboys, and there are other things we're interested in (obviously I'm a reader and writer, too).
The two ends of our love triangle, Zach and Matt were perfect for the story. Zach was the typical jock - charming, smooth, and easy with words. I was definitely Team Matt from the beginning, though. Even though he was shorter than Taylor, he was adorable and a writer! He also had a mysterious past, which made for intrigue on the love front.

So, should you read it? Yes! Like I said, there's something in Head Games for everyone. It's a good read with a powerful message that will have you cheering for Taylor until the very end.

Grade: A-

Blog Hop 7/29-8/1

2011-07-29T12:08:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, this weekend's blog hop is here! Our question this week is,

“Highlight one book you have received this week (for review, from the library, purchased at the store, etc.) that you can’t wait to dig into!”

This is an easy one! I've been going on and on about how I want to pick up a copy of The Help by Kathryn Stockett before it hits theaters. My mom, the wonderful mama that she is, picked it up for me earlier this week. It's always nice to have a family that supports your book obsession.

Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step. Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger.

Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen’s best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody’s business, but she can’t mind her tongue, so she’s lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women — mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends — view one another.

A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don’t.

A Poet Who Didn't Know It (Mini-Review)

2011-07-28T16:31:00.000-07:00

Wow, this was a short read. I think I finished it in six train stops on the way home from work today. I really would have enjoyed The Next Shakespeare as a full-length novel because I actually really connected to Astra (our lead) and her friends.

I just felt like the cast of characters were real. There was the grade grubber, the secretive slacker, and the girl caught in the middle. Tristan's poem, which basically tied the entire story together, was really well-written and worth the reveal at the end. I love poems within stories. Also, I thought Astra's description of Chris' relationship with his girlfriend was so funny. The contrast between the two boys' poems was really interesting. There's also this one scene where three very different sets of parents are gathered together. It was so awkward, yet very accurate.

So, should you read it? Yes! At only twenty pages, it's a quick and enjoyable read. My only complaint was that the turn-around at the end was a little too rushed. It definitely had me wishing there was more to the story. Regardless, I'm happy I got the chance to review The Next Shakespeare. I can't wait to see what else Wanda Ernstberger has in store.

Grade: B

Buy the story for $0.99

Waiting on Wednesday (1)

2011-07-27T16:27:00.001-07:00

This is my first Waiting On Wednesday. {Insert applause here} I wanted to share a book that I'm super excited for, coming out in 2012. It's the sequel of Wither, by Lauren Destefano - Fever.

From the moment of their escape, Rhine and Gabriel are constantly in danger. First, the police are after them for stealing their escape boat; then, they run straight into the eerie den of Madame, an old woman who collects and sells girls to the highest bidders. Worst of all, Rhine’s father-in-law Vaughn seems able to find her wherever she goes.

She manages to make the long journey home only to find it abandoned, her twin brother Rowan nowhere to be found. And when she discovers several of their treasured possessions are also gone, she realizes that he won't be back. Rhine's determination to find her brother remains steadfast, until she finds herself crippled by illness. . . and then, once again, at her father-in-law’s mercy. Fearing for Gabriel's safety, she reluctantly leaves him behind and, unbelievably, returns to the one place she never wanted to see again.

The second book in the Chemical Garden Trilogy reveals a world outside the mansion as captivating and bleak as the one Rhine left behind--and sets the stage for an explosive conclusion! (Goodreads)

I Swear On my Lipstick

2011-07-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

About the Book
The Lipstick Laws was written by Amy Holder and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. It is 240 pages long.

Opening line(s): Sitting near Darci Madison on the school bus is enough to put anyone with woman-sprout issues over the edge.

At Penford High School, Britney Taylor is the queen bee. She dates whomever she likes, rules over her inner circle of friends like Genghis Khan, and can ruin anyone's life with a snap of perfectly manicured fingers. Just ask the unfortunate few who have crossed her.

For April Bowers, Britney is also the answer to her prayers. April is so unpopular, kids don't even know she exists. But one lunch spent at Britney's table, and April is basking in the glow of popularity. But Britney's friendship comes with a high price tag.

How much is April willing to pay?

The Skinny

Okay, let me start off by saying that I never expected to like this book as much as I did. I thought that it would be a cute, short read, but The Lipstick Laws is much more than that. It's actually empowering in the most unexpected ways.

My favorite thing about this book is that it touches on something we can all relate to, which is insecurity. We all have something that we feel the need to hide, so that we can impress others. The novel shows girls (and boys) that anybody who wouldn't like you for being yourself isn't worth changing for. It also shows us that we all have our moments as bullies. Whether it's because we judge people who we don't actually know or because we think getting even is the best solution - we always have to watch what we say and do. Because...well...mean people suck.

So, characters.... I liked April 90% of the time. I think I liked her better when she dumped Britney's crew and started the Lipstick Lawbreakers. Speaking of which, I liked that April didn't have to face the bullying alone. The battle between the Lipstick Lawlords and the Lawbreakers was exciting. I'm def stealing some of the Lawbreaker's awesome plans.

Britney...oh God. You'd see a picture of Britney under the term "psycho popular girl" in the dictionary. Her dialogue was actually super funny to read because she's one of those people who think they're the next Einstein when they barely know their ABCs.

Sadly, there were no guys to swoon for in this novel. "Hottie-Body-Brentwood" (a nickname for the guy April is crushing on throughout the whole novel) was comical. I had no idea why she would like him so much. He had so many fail-moments that had me snorting and shaking my head. Then there was McGerk. Most of us know a guy like him. He's the semi-stalker dork who you sympathize with because he has the best intentions. He was really adorable, especially at the dance, so he won as my favorite character.

So, should you read it? Yup, yup. It starts off a little too much like a middle-grade version of Mean Girls, but once you get into it you'll be rolling on the floor laughing. It's a summer comedy that you shouldn't miss...with a refreshing ending that you'll have to find out for yourself.

Grade: B

Books On the Big Screen (Pretty Little Liars)

2011-07-26T16:47:00.000-07:00

Pretty Little Liars, the thrilling ABC family show based on the novel, is a prime example of a TV show straying from the original book plot. Once it gained a substantial fanbase, it started to experiment with new characters and plot twists. When this happens, the characters are the only thing anchoring the show to its book back on the harbor. It's common knowledge that the actors have to stay true to their characters for the show to work. Let's take a look at how the PLL cast gets the job done.

Ashley Benson as Hanna Marin

Benson captures the shy girl turned glam queen perfectly. Although she puts up a confident front, she has a lot of self-conscious quirks that help break the surface of Hanna's character.

Shay Mitchell as Emily Fields

Although Mitchell is the complete opposite of how Emily's character is described, she does an awesome job of portraying Emily's loyal and withdrawn nature. She's a character who just wants to keep the group together.

Troian Bellisario as Spencer Hastings

At first, I was a little disappointed that Bellisario wasn't blonde because that would rule out Spencer's sister, Melissa, as a suspect later on (but no book spoilers). Despite that little detail, I think Bellisario found the perfect balance between uptight and rebellious.

Lucy Hale as Aria Montgomery

In my opinion, this is the best actress-character match of all time. Hale's got everything down - from Aria's independent personality to her cool style. Both Hale and Aria are down-to-earth free spirits.

I Now Pronounce You Wife Number Two

2011-07-25T15:54:00.000-07:00

About the Book
Wither was written by Lauren DeStefano and published by Simon and Schuster. It is 358 pages.

Opening line(s): I wait. They keep us in the dark for so long that we lose sense of our eyelids.

What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb — males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape — to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.

The Skinny

Ah, so many good things to say about this book and so little space! Every single thing about Wither drew me in, from the insanely beautiful cover to the well-developed cast of characters. Wither has my vote for book of the year. I don't even know how any other book can follow this one.

The best thing is that we understand Rhine's world right away. What's happening in DeStefano's portrayal of the future is raw and gritty but refreshingly believable. I'm so glad that the main character, Rhine, comes from New York City because I got to see how my own hometown would be affected by all this. Speaking of setting, the author had me entranced by her descriptions of the mansion Rhine is forced to live in. It never dragged or got boring...DeStefano has the most beautiful writing I've seen in a YA book in a while. It was really just magical.

As for the characters...wow. Rhine reminded me a bit of Tessa from the Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare. She's ambitious, driven, and super relatable. Seeing this story through her eyes was...awesome. She's the kind of character you have to root for. Jenna and Cecily, Rhine's sister wives, were great characters. it was great that they were almost polar opposites - they really contributed to the telling of the story. What I liked is that DeStefano took the time to develop the relationship between the three. It made the story...personal.

Gabriel, our male lead, was beyond swoon-worthy. The gentle, kind-hearted attendant, I knew he'd completely capture my heart from his first appearance. The relationship that blossoms between the two is so wonderful. There was Linden, Rhine's new husband. God, I hate that I couldn't hate him - just like the author intended. He's just another victim of this new world. Vaughn, Linden's totally evil father was a well-crafted villain.

Please read this book. I was so satisfied when I put it down, I haven't been able to get the story out of my head. The idea of a future where the fear of death replaces love is the most unique plotline I've seen in a while. You'll be completely immersed in the story when you turn that first page. Wither is definitely going on my shelf of favorites. I can't wait to continue the Chemical Garden trilogy (awesome name, much?) with Fever - out in February 2012 and hopefully, hopefully, see this one on the big screen.

Grade: A++

Favorite Quote: Here I am in a pretty dress while the world falls apart.

Why Twilight is Like My Ex-Boyfriend

2011-07-24T14:09:00.000-07:00

I officially met Twilight in 2008. He wasn't even the new kid in town at the time. He'd been around since 2002, when he moved in with his mom, Stephenie. He was just another kid in the crowd, but as the years went by, he caught people's attentions. More and more girls were gushing about him at school, while hanging out, even online. His favorite, well, only hangout spot was the bookstore. But every time I passed by him during mall trips, I just didn't understand the hype.

It was my mom who wanted me to meet him. She casually mentioned that she'd heard he was charming, really interesting actually. She thought I should give him a chance. I was immediately appalled by the idea. It didn't matter how cool my mom was, I was not being set up. We dropped the point until my mom came home from work and announced that she'd passed by the bookstore on her way home, had seen Twilight, and taken it upon herself to invite him over.

Before I could protest, she urged me to give him just one shot once again. I groaned, ready to face the awkwardness of the situation to come. But instead, I had to eat my words. Big time. Twilight was everything I could ask for. Romantic, daring, and dazzling. I'd never seen anything like him before, and from that moment on we were inseparable.

My life quickly became all about Twilight. All of my conversations were about him, my thoughts were filled with images of his cover. If I so much as glanced at another paranormal romance, I felt unfaithful to him. Soon, all of my goals were taken over by the desire to know everything about Twilight. I was a girl obsessed.

They say that when you spend too much time with a person (or a book), you start to see their flaws. I quickly grew to understand this. All of the talk about sleep-watching, over-protection, and "I'll love you forever" lost its charm. In fact...it was all just a little creepy. I was fully aware that Twilight and I were growing apart, and I let it happen. I began getting ticked off by the little things, like his irrelevant prologue, his love of sparkly things, and his repetition of the same words over and over again.

The break up was undeniable. My love for Twilight had expired. All of the Twilight pictures were deleted off my computer, his clothes were shoved to the back of my closet, and Twilight was put on the bottom shelf - along with the other lost books.

I'm not going to say it wasn't hard. I seemed to see Twilight everywhere after that. He struck a movie deal and grew one of the biggest fan bases in the world. He moved on to bigger things, while I found myself hating him for making me question my decision. But what I had with Twilight was unhealthy...an infatuation. I was smart to end it when I did.

I'm happy to say that I'm not a bitter ex. Twilight was my first book love, and I'll forever appreciate the memories. I still get in line to see his movies and occasionally give his pages a visit. Our break up wasn't the end for me, it was a new beginning. How else would I have known how many other YA books there were in the sea?

This Week's Wrap Up (+Win Prizes!)

2011-07-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

Hey all! I just wanted to reach out to my readers with some links in case you missed anything this week over here at The Book Girl Reads.

Reviews:

Twisted by Sara Shepard

Forgive My Fins and Fins are Forever by Tera Lynn Childs

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

This Week's Teaser:

Carpe Diem by Autumn Cornwell

Reminders:
Don't forget to join The Book Girl Reads team by signing up for my newsletter below. By joining, you're automatically entered to win monthly prizes and free The Book Girl swag from my online store opening next month. For example, this month's team members won signed swag!

Love, A

2011-07-22T16:01:00.000-07:00

About the Book
Twisted was written by Sara Shepard and published by HarperTeen. It is 320 pages.

Opening line(s): Have you ever known someone with nine lives?

It’s been a year since the torturous notes from A stopped and the mystery of Alison DiLaurentis’s disappearance was finally put to rest. Now seniors in high school, Aria, Spencer, Hanna and Emily are older, but they’re not any wiser. The Pretty Little Liars have more secrets than ever - twisted secrets that could destroy the perfect lives they’ve worked so hard to rebuild.

Aria’s jealous of her boyfriend’s new exchange student. Spencer’s getting a little too cozy with her soon-to-be-stepbrother. Hanna’s one scandalous photo away from ruining her dad’s Senate campaign. And Emily will do anything to get a swim scholarship.

Worst of all: Last spring break in Jamaica, they did something unforgivable. The girls are desperate to forget that fateful night, but they should know better than anyone that all secrets wash ashore … eventually.

The Skinny

Is it just me, or does this seem to be the year of add-on sequels? Cassandra Clare has a three book extension on the famous Mortal Instruments series. J.K. Rowling hinted that we'd see more on the Hogwarts front. And now...Sara Shepard wrote Twisted to continue the eight book Pretty Little Liars series.

While I do love myself some mystery and A-badness, I'm kind of tired of all this plot stretching. I mean, I already loved the ending of Wanted. I thought it perfectly captured what the series is about, and this book completely dismissed that and presented more of the same drama. Again, it's not that I didn't like it. Shepard's writing is absolutely amazing, and she makes it so easy to get into the story. I just think the shock-value that made this series famous isn't there anymore.

First off, there's this big secret about what happened in Jamaica. I'm expecting some crazy reveal at the end, but when it finally comes...it wasn't very exciting (and also kind of a stretch, even for fiction). A's mystery texts also weren't as fun as they have been. They've gotten simpler...things your average mean girl would say in the school cafeteria. I just wasn't on the edge of my seat, locking the bathroom door behind me, for this book.

That said, I did love the characters' individual plotlines. We learn a shocking secret about Emily and she finds herself in an impossible situation while she tries to get that scholarship. Aria's confrontations with the new exchange student, Klaudia, were really funny. Spencer finds herself in yet another forbidden love scenario (those are always fun). Finally, Hanna's storyline with her dad and his "new family" develops. She's my favorite character, so that was interesting to read.

So, should you read it? Well, I know I gave Twisted a totally mixed review, but I recommend that any fan of the series should read it. Don't expect the "wow" you gave to the first books in the series, but you'll enjoy Shepard's excellent story-telling skills.

Grade: B-

This Week's Teaser (6)

2011-07-19T17:39:00.000-07:00

I like to do teasers on books that I feel are really underrated and deserve some spotlight. Not a lot of people comment on Carpe Diem by Autumn Cornwell, even though it's a really witty, adventurous coming of age story. Fans of 13 Little Blue Envelopes will love this read.

Chapter One (You Can Plan Your Life)

The package came during the hour of reflection, that sacred time after dinner when we peruse goals accomplished during the day and set goals for the day to come. ("If it worked for Benjamin Franklin, it can work for us," as Mom would say.)

We were sitting in our living room, my favorite room in the house, with its stone fireplace and floor-to-ceiling books-all in Dewey decimal system order. And no TV-because that's "living vicariously through other people." Dad was editing the proofs of his latest book, How to Increase Your Personal Productivity in 2,000 Easy Steps; Mom was writing in her Journal of Excellence; and I was tackling my Life Goals.

Excuse my Flippers

2011-07-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

About the Books: Forgive My Fins and Fins are Forever were written by Tera Lynn Childs and published by Katherine Tegen Books.

Opening line(s): Water calms me.

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

The Skinny
So, the last and first YA mermaid book that I picked up was Sea Change by Aimee Friedman. A book that took me to the misty seas of Selkie Island. I didn’t think that I’d read another book about the water-dwelling creatures that would even compare.

Until I picked up Forgive My Fins and Fins are Forever.

It’s definitely a winner for this new mermaid-siren craze sweeping YA at the moment. I adored Ariel from the Little Mermaid when I was little. I feel like the author brought my childhood favorite to 2011 YA, and I just fell in love with Lily’s story.

The plot of the novel is romantic, light and fun. I loved all the quirks that the merpeople have, like scale bikinis and eyes that turn different colors when they cry. I also loved that the author indulged our traditional image of underwater palaces and kingdoms. We got some of the old tossed in with a bunch of unique ideas. I feel like we really got to understand and step into Lily’s world (on land and at sea).

Okay, character time. Lily was funny and brave, a really spirited voice for the novel. Quince and Brody, our two guys in the first novel are really well-written. I expected them to be total stereotypes, but they actually have depth. (Just letting you know that I’m totally Team Quince. He’s loyal, adorable, and not to mention hot. Plus, he’s the only guy I’d ever let call me princess.) Shannen and Peri were great sidekicks for Lily, and I like how they represented both of Lily’s worlds.

I don’t want to spoil the sequel, but I’ll give you a few teasers. Expect a shocking, last minute ending that actually made me gasp. Get ready to meet hot and regal Prince Tellin. Hello, love triangle…pentagon…octagon?! All of this and more adds up to a stellar sequel. Go check out this fun series, like, now! You won’t regret it.

Grade: A-/B+

Brothers and Sisters

2011-07-16T17:45:00.000-07:00

About the Book
Forbidden was written by Tabitha Suzuma and published by Definitions. It is 432 pages.

Opening line(s): I gaze at the small, crisp, burned-out black husks scattered across the chipped white paint of the windowsills.

She is pretty and talented - sweet sixteen and never been kissed.

He is seventeen; gorgeous and on the brink of a bright future.

And now they have fallen in love. But ...

They are brother and sister.

The Skinny

It's been the most controversial and taboo YA novel of the year. I've seen mixed reviews on it. Some loved it, others claim it was a waste of their time. But all I can say is that a book has never moved me as much as this one did.

Forbidden is unnerving. The romance that the author creates between Maya and Lochan (the siblings in the novel) takes you to a place you don't want to be. Incest is only discussed in hushed tones, behind closed doors. It's a sensitive subject that we all tiptoe around. I think that it's a appealing to read a book that completely lays the topic bare.

I thought the writing was full of passion. The characters' emotions come to life, and nothing is forced or planned out. I really believed Maya, Lochan, and their situation. The author also set up the story brilliantly, with a cast of characters that you just can't dislike. Maya and Lochan have two distinctive personalities (the novel is told in both of their points of view). I think it's really easy to understand them as the story goes on. I mean, watching kids my age deal with keeping their family together and this new love they've discovered is heartbreaking.

The characters that made up their other siblings were really well-written. It was important to have them there, so that we could see that Forbidden is not just a romance. There's kind and curious Willa, rough and playful Tiffin, and difficult and rebellious Kit.

I'm not going to spoil the ending, but be prepared. It's absolutely heart-wrenching. Only when my tears fell did I realize how deeply I'd fallen into this story.

So, should you read it? Yes, but only if you're an older reader. Like readers younger than 15 should wait to pick this one up, or at least discuss the subject with an adult first.

Grade: A

Daemons and Demons

2011-07-15T18:41:00.000-07:00

About the Book
Gateway was written by Christina Garner.

Opening line(s): In the end, only the voice remained.

Ember has always known she doesn't belong in this world. But when she tries to correct the mistake, she wakes to find herself in a mental institution.

She's soon drawn to Taren, the mysterious boy with hazel eyes. He's not what he seems, but what is he?

When chaos erupts, they are forced to flee the institution together, and the secret that Taren has been keeping brings Ember closer to understanding her own. And leads her to... the Gateway.

The Skinny

I wasn't so sure about this book when I first started reading it. I had no idea where it would go (with the mention of this mysterious Voice so early on), and I was sort of worried it would be depressing. Yet another book proved me wrong. Gateway was an overall awesome read.

Fans of the Mortal Instruments series will definitely love this new series that touches on a unique spin on demons. Taren (our new swoon-worthy male lead) has got this "I need to push you away even though we have an obvious attraction" thing going on. Even though it was frustrating, you'll find yourself on Team Taren right away.

I ended up really liking Ember, too. Although she has this initial outsider-complex, there's a lot more to her. She's strong and has these kick ass moments when she surprises you completely. Kat, a sidekick throughout the novel, was a really fun character that kept the book going during scenes that had drag potential. The characters were all just a big hit with me. We meet so many of them throughout the story, but it never gets confusing. They just help guide the story along.

The best part about Gateway, is that each chapter is like a puzzle piece. There are a lot of minor details that come together at the end. Towards the last few pages, I kept going, "Oh, that makes sense. Cool!" It's a book that just really surprises you. You don't realize how much you like it until you've finished.

Should you read it? Uh, yeah. This series is definitely underrated. I can see a lot of people entranced by the thrill of the storyline and fangirling over Taren. I'm so excited at the prospect of a sequel. I can't wait to uncover more secrets about the Gateway and maybe a possible love triangle...? Hehe.

Grade: A-/B+

Going to the Chapel...

2011-07-15T18:15:00.000-07:00

About the Book
We'll Always Have Summer was written by Jenny Han and published by Simon and Schuster. It is about 290 pages long.

Opening line(s): On Wednesday nights when I was little, my mom and I would watch old musicals.

It's been two years since Conrad told Belly to go with Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college-- only, their relationship hasn't exactly been the happily ever after Belly had hoped it would be.

And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to question what she thought was true love.

Does she really have a future with Jeremiah? Has she ever gotten over Conrad? It's time for Belly to decide, once and for all, who has her heart forever.

The Skinny
A part of me is totally bummed to be writing this review because I know that it's the last one I'll write for this series. In fact, that's just about the only think I disliked about We'll Always Have Summer-that it was a conclusion to the best summer series...ever. Okay, I'm going to quit the gushing now.

Fans of the series won't be disappointed with the ending. Oh, by the way, Belly chooses....

Just kidding.

Anyway, my favorite thing about this book is that it manages to remain a chick-lit while making me laugh, tear up, and boil with rage. It's a series you can't help but love and root for. I haven't been this sad about that ending of a series since my Twilight-obsession period.

I don't want to give anything away, so I'll just tell you to be prepared for a load of epic moments, revelations, a grand speech, and plenty of heart warming moments (bleh, sounds corny, but it's true). As for the characters that I know and love...Belly is mature but still familiar. Through flashbacks we see how much she's grown, but we still have the YA that we loved two summers ago.

The Fisher boys...oh, the Fisher boys. Sorry Stefan and Damon (Vampire Diaries reference), but the Fishers' will forever be my literary brother-crushes of choice. Conrad has always reminded me of the Chuck Bass (Gossip Girl) and Jace Wayland (Mortal Instruments series)-type characters. He'll make you fall for his character although everything else tells you not to. I loved that this book is partially in his POV. Reading through his voice definitely helped me understand his character on a new level. Jeremiah, the consistent sweetheart, does change a bit in this book but is still completely adorable.

So, should you read it? YES. If you're a newbie, go out and buy this series now! (What? It's 12 in the morning and the bookstore is closed? I didn't mean it literally...gosh). We'll Always Have Summer is romantic and mushy in all the best ways. It touches on emotions you thought were reserved for stories like The Notebook. If this series doesn't get a movie deal, I will cry.

Grade: A+

P.S. Yes, after all this time, I'm still in love with the Fisher boys, Cousin's Beach, and Belly's story of summer. :)

My Best Friend's Boyfriend

2011-07-15T17:48:00.000-07:00

About the Book
One Lonely Degree was written by C. K. Kelly Martin and published by Random House Books for Young Readers. It is 256 pages long.

Opening line(s): Things don't always change with a bang.

Anything is possible. . . .

Finn has always felt out of place, but suddenly her world is unraveling. It started with The Party. And Adam Porter. And the night in September that changed everything.

The only person who knows about that night is Audrey—Finn’s best friend, her witness to everything, and the one person Finn trusts implicitly. So when Finn’s childhood friend Jersy moves back to town—reckless, beautiful Jersy, all lips and eyes and hair so soft you’d want to dip your fingers into it if you weren’t careful—Finn gives her blessing for Audrey to date him. How could she possibly say no to Audrey?

With Audrey gone for the summer, though, Finn finds herself spending more and more time with Jersy, and for the first time in her life, something feels right. But Finn can’t be the girl who does this to her best friend . . . can she?

The Skinny
Okay, so I had already reviewed another book from this author: The Lighter Side of Life and Death. The tone that follows Mason (The Lighter Side's main character) is very similar to the one in this novel. From the beginning, the writing resonated not only with me as a reader but also me as a teenager. All of the emotions in this book are very honest. Nothing's really covered up or walked around.

I've definitely seen this plotline before. Girl and boy fall in love, but here's the catch...boy is already taken by girl's best friend. It was almost exactly the same in Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti The other twists to the story weren't very shocking either. Finn's experience with Adam Porter was a lot like Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Another theme that the novel explored was parent separation. I connected to that on a personal level. Finn voiced many emotions similar to my own.

As for the characters...Well, I loved their names. I thought they were all very character-appropriate. I mean, who would've thought that I'd find a name like Jersy attractive on a boy? Anyway, Finn is very normal and relatable. You can tell that she used to be different, that she puts up a front but is always tense and waiting. Jersy didn't make my swoon-list. He didn't really appeal to me. I guess I see what someone in Finn's position would find attractive in him, but...eh. Audrey was the usual best friend scorned...pretty predictable.

So, should you read it? Sure. It's a light summer read. If you're looking for something easy with an air of seriousness, this is the book for you. Although slow in some places, it'll definitely satisfy you.

Grade: B-

Not So Sweet Sixteen

2011-07-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

About the Book
XVI was written by Julia Karr and published by Puffin/Speak. It is 325 pages.

Opening line(s): "Nina, look." Sandy jabbed me in the ribs. I glanced up at the AV screen expecting to see the latest vert of back-to-school fashion for sixteens.

Nina Oberon's life is pretty normal: she hangs out with her best friend, Sandy, and their crew, goes to school, plays with her little sister, Dee.

But Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council-ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world-even the most predatory of men-that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear.

That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breaths, she reveals to Nina a shocking truth about her past-one that destroys everything Nina thought she knew. Now, alone but for her sister, Nina must try to discover who she really is, all the while staying one step ahead of her mother's killer.

The Skinny
Okay, the timing of this book was absolutely perfecto because I just turned sixteen myself. Maybe that made me appreciate this more...I don't know. All I'm certain of is that XVI is the best dystopian novel I've read since Scott Westerfield's Uglies.

The characters, the plot, the setting...I don't even know where to start. The plot is super unique. The whole sex-teen thing that's in the novel is something I could actually see happening in the future. Karr set up a world with media verts and hovering transportation but kept the idea of diners and normal high schools. We got all this ultra (that's a slang term from the book...I've adopted it for my own vocab) futuristic stuff, but we also have a sense of our world today.

I also thought that the plot was a good representation of how sex is being portrayed in the media right now. Sex is completely out there at this point, giving kids the wrong idea of what it is and its consequences.

I loved every single character in the book. (Okay, obviously not douche bag Ed). They were all so well-developed, and I was able to fully understand and connect with qualities in each of them. The author also did a great job of presenting us with quick back stories (ones that didn't go on for pages and pages). I also liked that Nina has encounters with a variety of people from different "tiers". We get to see so many different personalities and social backgrounds and how they're affected by this futuristic world.

I liked Nina. She knows what she believes in and stands up for herself without being obnoxious about it. Sal, our love interest, is just...amazing. He's not your usual male lead. I don't know how to explain it, but he's def literary crush-worthy. The other characters are also great. They keep the dialogue alive (even Nina's Gran and Pops are really cool).

So, should you read it? Yes! Even if you're not into the genre, you'll love the storyline. Romance fans will swoon over Sal and the other love stories tangled in the novel. If you're into mysteries, you'll be on the edge of your seat as Nina races to discover the truth. Okay, now quit listening to me go crazy over this book and go find out how awesome it is for yourself!

Grade: A+

P.S. Check out the sequel to XVI, Truth, out in January 2012.

Give Me a R-E-V-I-E-W +Giveaway

2011-07-03T11:02:00.000-07:00

About the Book
What I Learned From Being a Cheerleader is a Middle Grade novel written by Adrianne Ambrose and published by Bell Bridge Books. It is 191 pages long.

Eleven-year-old Elaine Rewitzer is funny, smart and happy being a geek, but when she wins a spot on the Cross Creek Middle School Buccaneers cheerleading squad, she gets totally into her new life. Her mega-brain best friend Bethany warns that Elaine will just become "part of the herd," and her best geek-guy-pal, Tim, (who's struggling with nose polyps) feels forgotten.
Will Elaine survive the roller coaster of pre-teen cheerleader fame? Will she win the heart of the cutest boy on the basketball team? Will she confess her "uncool" love for comic books? Will she lose Bethany and Tim's friendship for-evah?

AND WHEN WILL SHE GET HER POM POMS???

The Skinny

Okay, I'm just going to start by saying that this book was completely adorable. It was a nice mini-break from the intensity and romance in YA. It was also cool to trade in my makeup for some invisible pigtails these past few days and get lost in this Middle Grade book.

The main reason why I loved What I Learned From Being a Cheerleader is because I was just like Elaine in the sixth grade. I kept a journal, had a crush on the cutest guy in my class (who didn't know I existed), and wanted to be popular so badly. I had a new younger sibling and an involved grandmother. I did have a best friend who loved reading as much as I did, but I'd often get embarrassed because that wasn't the cool thing to do.

There was a group of popular girls in my class who had sleepovers, hung out at recess together, and sat at the same table during lunch. I desperately wanted to be accepted by them, even though they bullied me a lot. When I found out that they were all going try out for the Step Team after school one day, I begged my mom to let me try out. Unlike Elaine, I didn't even make it to the second round of try-outs. But I did eventually learn that being popular isn't always what it's cracked up to be.

I wish I'd had this book when I was younger. Even now, it brought me back to the eleven-year-old Naiche. It's so relatable and not as cliche as you'd think. I love that it's in diary format (those were my favorite when I was younger). I also like that Elaine doesn't just magically become popular overnight. A lot of movies show that happening, but that's so unrealistic. I also love that Elaine's able to stand up to bullying in a couple of scenes. It sends great messages.

So, should you read it? Yes. I recommend this to girls of any age. If you have a younger sister, niece, cousin, or daughter ages 9-13, they'll love this. Teens and adults will have fun remembering the obstacles of middle school in this light read.

Grade: B+

P.S. I'm giving away some signed stickers to three lucky winners.

Each winner will receive four stickers signed by Adrianne Ambrose to share with their friends (and maybe start a club of your own)! Contest ends on July 20th. To enter, please fill out the form below.

Book Blogger Hop: 7/1-7/4

2011-07-02T16:27:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a while since I've done a book blogger hop. I just wanted to say hello after my long hiatus. I took a break due to the million pound load of school work that I had.
I'm back and reading more than ever! Coming soon you'll see a swag giveaway, some character interviews, and a bunch of new review's. Anyway, let's get to this weekend's question.

"What keeps you reading beyond the first few pages of a book, and what makes you want to stop reading a book and put it back on the shelf?“

Hm, I really focus on the first page of a novel. If I see that the prologue drifts from the actual point of the story, I won't be too interested. Also, I'm a big fan of first lines. Like, if a book's first line is "I slowly picked up my pencil", I won't be racing to the cash register to buy it.
An example of an intro that really hooked me is from Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin.

"Above all, mine is a love story.
And like most love stories, this one involves chance, gravity, and a dash of head trauma.
It began with a coin toss.
The coin came up tails; I was heads.
Had it gone my way, there might not be a story at all. Just a chapter or a sentence in a book whose greater theme had yet to be determined. Maybe this chapter would have had the faintest whisper of love about it, but maybe not.
Sometimes, a girl needs to lose."

I know, right?

Teen Angels

2011-07-01T14:11:00.000-07:00

About the Book
Unearthly was written by Cynthia Hand and published by HarperTeen. It is 435 pages long.

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

The Skinny
You may have noticed that this is my second angel book in two weeks. I went from not giving these paranormal creatures a second thought to seeking out every good novel about angels I could get my hands on.

At first, I wasn't that excited about the book. The beginning of the novel is kind of bleh. Clara, our lead, is forced to move from her sunny home to a cold, middle-of-nowhere type of setting. The descriptions of angels were pretty predictable. They each have a purpose, wings, and good looks. There was way too much backstory flooding the first chapters of the book, and I was preparing myself to write a bad review.

Then the prom scene came. I don't want to give too much away, but the pages leading up to the prom scene, during the scene, and after it captured my attention completely. I began to really like the story. I think the action and drama just kicked in, and I really liked it. I grew to enjoy the voice of Clara's character and understood that she was actually super relatable. She said the wrong things, made mistake, and had a tough time fitting in. It made her real, which balanced out all of the Quartarius angel stuff.

Also, be prepared for a killer, unpredictable love triangle. Oh my gosh, the boy drama in this novel is insane. We have Christian, the boy Clara is meant to save. I actually didn't like him as much as I expected. I'm def Team Tucker. If you've ever had a cowboy as your fantasy man, you'll adore him.

So, should you read it? Yes. The start may not drag as much for everyone, and the twists and turns that the plot takes towards the end are thrilling and exciting. I'm looking forward to picking up Hallowed, the sequel to Unearthly-out in January 2012.

Grade: B+

My Dead Ex-Boyfriend

2011-06-30T17:50:00.000-07:00

About the Books:
Shade and Shift were written by Jeri Smith-Ready and published by Simon Pulse. Both are about 300 pages long.

Opening line(s) of the series: "You can hear me, can't you?"

Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

The Skinny

Okay, this is actually my first double review, but I just totally devoured both novels (and am anxiously awaiting the third). Oh man, I'm trying so hard not to spoil the books, so I'm just going to tell you my favorite things about the series.

The Plot: Okay, I've had my annoyed moments with this paranormal genre trend. But I was so impressed by the originality of the Shade series. The idea of people becoming ghosts when they die after this Shift is so cool. Aura's like a mediator with a twist. It's interesting to see her have to face all the laws that go along with the Shift, and also how it affects her personal life. The books are just so exciting, and I never got bored. There are no cliches-there's something new at the start of every chapter. The point is, this is definitely not your average ghost story.

Aura: Aura's a very likeable main character. There are certain quirks about her that we easily see and relate to, like her family's culture and boy drama. And then there are things that make her a unique lead: she works in a law firm where ghosts are clients and she was born on the winter solstice. I also love, love, love her name. It's relevant and super pretty.

The Boys: There comes a time in every series' love triangle when the reader must make a choice between two guys. Most of the time it's a quick decision. In this case, you can find me crying, "Do I have to?!" I mean, if forced to choose, I'm Team Zachary all the way (smoldering good looks, adorable one-liners, and Scottish accent). But then there's Logan with his hilarious jokes, badass attitude, and killer band. The author created two swoon-worthy male leads, and I love that I'd be happy if Aura ended up with either of them.

So, should you read them? Yes! The Shade series is a great paranormal love story. The romance and mystery will have you reading both novels in one sitting.

Grade: A-

P.S. Look for the third and last novel in the Shade series, Shine, out next year.

Soulmates and First Dates

2011-06-27T15:39:00.000-07:00

About the Book:
Spellbound was written by Cara Lynn Shultz and published by Harlequin Teen. It is 384 pages long.

Opening line(s): It's always embarrassing to have someone take you to school. Your dad, your mom, anyone with her hair in rollers.

What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?

Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Conner, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.

But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.

The Skinny

I can sum up my opinion of this novel in about one sentence: It was a bad book with redeeming qualities.

I have to admit that it was so hard to get into this book because I wasn't connecting with the plot or the characters at all. I live in New York City, went to a Catholic middle school on the Upper East Side, and pretty much live in the setting of the book. Yet, I thought the author got everything from the qualties of the characters to the "teen voice" completely wrong.

Emma's our lead, and while she had some pretty awesome scenes when she totally kicked-butt, I didn't really like her. Like, right off the bat, she randomly thought things that didn't go with her character at all. She'd go from super rude to really shy and insecure to rebellious and wild. Then she said things that no teenagers would ever think of saying, like, "Glaring at me like I had monkeys coming out of my nostrils" and "It smells like unicorn farts". I thought that the author tried way to hard with creating a "cool" voice for her, and it ended up being a fail.

Brendan...he wasn't extremely swoon-worthy, but I liked him. The description of him makes him sound super cute, and I loved his relationship with Emma (in fact, those were the only parts I really liked reading). The one thing that really ticked me off was that he kept saying "good little girl", "nasty little girl", and "good boy". Maybe that really floated Emma's boat, but it just totally creeped me out. He was giving me some definite future pedophile vibes at times.

As for the other characters...they were all pretty much stereotypes. Our two villians are super-lame and not believable-even for a second. Angelique, the girl who befriends Emma and helps her figure out all the supernatural stuff, is exactly like Layne from the Clique series (who I also wasn't a fan of). I liked Cisco (Emma's friend), Ash (Emma's cousin), and Christine (Emma's aunt), but they weren't even present in the story too often.

I also didn't get the whole witch, reincarnation, dream-warning, soulmates stuff. There were so many legends and supernatural stories tied in with the plot that I just got lost, and I gave up trying to figure it out early on. We don't even get to see any cool spell-type stuff like the title suggests, so that's disappointing.

So, should you read it? Nah, I wouldn't recommend it. It's not a book that I'd ever think about picking up again, and it's not worth reading for the few good scenes in there.

Grade: C-

Kicking Some Reaper Butt

2011-06-23T18:20:00.001-07:00

About the Book:
Angelfire was written by Courtney Allison Moulton and published by HarperCollins Publishers. It is 453 pages. The following review is based off an e-galley of the novel.

Opening line(s): I stared out the classroom window and longed for freedom, wanting to be anywhere in the world other than gaping up at my economics teacher like the rest of my classmates.

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

The Skinny
At first, I thought, Okay, maybe it's been too long since I've picked up a YA fantasy novel, and I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed the genre.

But no, I'm proud to say that I am just an official fangirl of the Angelfire series. There's just nothing bad I can say about this book. It's like Moulton knows the exact recipe in making a great fantasy novel, although not many authors do. There's just the right amount of romance and suspense, tossed in with action scenes that will draw in even the girliest of readers. I'm completely hooked on Ellie's story and am on the edge of my seat for more.

The best part about the book is, of course, the characters. You're going to find yourself relating to Ellie right away. She's witty, fun, and just an overall great voice for the story. And the fact that she's a warrior known as the Preliator, destined to destoy all these bad guy reapers is so badass. Moulton couldn't have come up with a cooler main character for this story.

Will...oh my. I think, no, I know I'm in love with Will. He's this soulful, hot guardian that has devoted his life to protecting Ellie. He knows all the right things to say, he's laugh-out-loud funny, and he plays guitar. Why can't he be my supernatural bodyguard? Plus, all of his scenes with Ellie left me swooning and gushing and saying, awwwwww. I predict an obsession with Will in my future. I'm also excited to see a possible love triangle with another hot reaper named Cadan in future books. (Darn, I hate choosing teams).

The other cast of characters in the book is also fantastic. Landon and Kate, Ellie's best friends are cool. Both are really funny, and they keep the story going. I like that the author didn't make Josie, the popular girl, a female dog. She was actually nice, and that was refreshing. I also liked that the author gave Ellie a subplot with her family life. We see her interactions with her mom, and the issues she has with her dad. It helped me connect with Ellie even more than I already did.

The last amazing thing about the novel was the dialogue. It was sharp and never got boring. The book got me laughing at some points and getting all sappy and emotional during others. I wanted to share some of my favorite quotes:

If he tried to kiss me, I'd slap the crap out of him. Bond or no bond.

...

"Breath of life?" I mumbled. "That sounds a little too philosophical for a Saturday."

...
"No, I mean, besides Batman, what is your species?"

...

My genius should only ever be appreciated, never duplicated.

And there are so many more, but you'll have to find those yourself.

So should you read it? A million times yes! There's something in this book for every reader, and you'll love Moulton's characters straightaway. I already know that this is going to be high on my list of favorites this year.

Grade: A+

P.S. Look out for the sequel, Wings of the Wicked, out in February next year.

Interview with Kate Cann

2011-06-22T13:01:00.001-07:00

Kate Cann is the author of Possessed and Consumed, two of my favorite mystery novels!

The Book Girl: The story of Morton’s Keep is so intricate and dark. Where did you find the inspiration to write about all of the legends and traditions within the novel?

Kate Cann: Something a bit creepy happened when I was writing those books - it was as if I'd already planned it all out subliminally. For example, I described the huge pagan fireplace in great detail and then later it became central to the layers of protection about the manor house. In England we still have pagan-type fire festivals (see the pics on my website!) and the ones at Lewes and Newick were an inspiration to me. It was a case of absorbing and composting a lot of old rituals and legends and adding my own twist to them.

BG: Rayne lives out a lot of teenagers’ fantasies by escaping from her home and living on her own. What made you decide to write Rayne as independent and outspoken instead of shy?

KC: Gosh, I didn't know I had. Is she outspoken? She decides to be brave by clearing off - and I wanted the whole link with the green lady to be a kind of metaphor for Rayne finding her own strength, discovering who she is and living it.

BG: In my review of Possessed, I talked about wishing I could see the novel on the big screen. Do you have a dream movie cast for your characters?

KC: I'm no good at this - you choose, Naiche! Rayne is mixed race and gorgeous - Ethan is fit and a bit dangerous - St John is vampirish and elegant.

(Hm, I'd have to say Katerina Graham is exactly how I picture Rayne. I kind of see Ethan as Taylor Kitsch. I have no idea about St. John, though.)

BG: My favorite thing you introduced in Consumed was the Watchers. What made you give them such a large role in this book?

KC: Oh I'm glad you liked them! Well again - I hadn't planned such a big role for them but my subconscious was working it all out. I love the idea that old customs and rituals have real power - once people really believed in them - what if they had to believe in them again? I liked the idea that Ethan had to overcome his cynicism and act as a true Watcher.

BG: Finally, what can we expect from you in the future? Will there be more of Rayne’s story?

KC: I really think her story is just sailing into the sunlight now, it's all well resolved and there's no more to write about. I'm currently writing a dystopian thriller called WITCH CRAG. It's about a bleak, brutal time in the future when women are repressed and have to unleash their own particular witchy power to survive and move civilisation on and I'm having a blast writing it!

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog for an interview, Kate!

So Many Ghosts, So Little Time

2011-06-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

About the Book
Consumed was written by Kate Cann and published by Point. The copy being reviewed is an ARC and is 323 pages long. It is the sequel to Possessed.

Opening line(s): Rayne woke up screaming. Gasping for breath, heart drumming.

The thrilling sequel to POSSESSED finds 16-year-old Rayne still entwined in the creepy history of Morton's Keep -- and about to discover that she's the only one who can stop the evil lurking there.

Rayne's countryside escape has proven to be anything but -- the remote mansion house where she lives and works holds terrible secrets, and she feels trapped there. And when a new manager shows up, things take an even more sinister turn.

Rayne doesn't know who to trust -- even the ghosts of Morton's Keep seem to be warning her. It's up to Rayne to overcome the ancient evil lurking here -- but how?

The Skinny

Kate Cann is the kind of author you wish you could have with you whenever you're at a campfire and want to hear a scary story. With this modern day ghost story entwined with adventure, suspense, and romance, Cann easily became my favorite mystery writer.

Consumed picks up exactly where Possessed (which I also reviewed) left off, with the author's eery and haunting writing style. I've mentioned that these aren't the kind of books you want to read in dim lighting, just as you're about to go to sleep. This is one of the only books that's managed to freak me out to the point where I had to leave the bathroom light on while I slept.

The setting of the story-Morton's Keep-and the surrounding town is so well-crafted. You can feel the traditions and dark secrets that none of the townspeople like to talk about. Everything is very authentic, not like the hokey made-for-TV thrillers that I watch sometimes. If you're a fan of old legends, you'll love reading the rituals and stories that some of the characters tell in the novel. Also check out the Watchers, a group of hot guys who protect the town and have these epic fire festivals (um, come to New York please).

As for the characters, Rayne still holds the title as my favorite YA protagonist. She's tough, brave, and very witty. I like that she takes us right into the danger and adventure. She's just got a really strong character.

You'll also love getting to know Ethan in this book. He's pretty charming and very swoon-worthy. I found myself gushing at this one scene he has with Rayne towards the end.

We meet a new character in this book, Miss Skelton. She definitely took the role of female dog, and even drew and eye roll (or three) out of me as I was reading. She's a really well-developed character, and she brings some excitement into the series.

Should you read it? YES! If you haven't checked out Possessed yet, get your hands on both. You won't regret it. Expect a twist that will leave you as shocked as the first novel and the unexpected return of some old characters. With an epic conclusion that hints at more of Morton's Keep, Rayne, and Ethan, I can't wait to see what Cann cooks up next.

P.S. Don't you love that cover? It's so cool (with just a hint of creepy). Sorry, just saying.

Grade: A

Afraid of the Wolf (Mini Review)

2011-06-17T13:03:00.000-07:00

So, I'm going to start this off by saying I couldn't finish this book. That should be an indication of how the following review is going to go. I was actually determined to like the novel before I read it. I'm a big fan of retellings, and the story of Little Red Riding Hood is an old favorite.

What I didn't know was that this book was a tie-in to the film version of it. In other words, it was written based on the screenplay. That, I wasn't a fan of. But I decided to give the book a chance anyway, hoping the author's writing style would be far better than anything a camera would be able to capture.

Ugh, I seriously don't want to trash the book or anything, but it was a total bore. The author spent pages and pages describing every single insignificant detail of the setting without substantial dialogue. I felt like she was trying really hard to paint the miniscule details and forgot what the picture would look like as a whole.

In the introduction of the book, we are told that the main goal of the book is to capture the untold stories of the town members. But this is Valerie's story. We miss the importance of her relationship with Peter, and we don't get to read about small moments that mislead us into thinking one of the characters is actually the wolf. Passion and suspense, two central themes of the screenplay are completely forgotten in the novel.

So, should you read it? No, don't waste your time. The best parts of the book are the ones directly taken from the screenplay, so skip it and see the movie. The film was super cool (and you can't miss the hunk who plays Peter).

Grade: D

This Thing Turned Out So Evil

2011-06-14T19:06:00.000-07:00

About the Book
But I Love Him was written by Amanda Grace (Mandy Hubbard) and published by Flux. It is 245 pages long.

Opening line(s): I lie in pieces on the floor.

Tonight was so much worse than anything before it. Tonight he didn't stop after the first slap.

At the beginning of senior year, Ann was a smiling, straight-A student and track star with friends and a future. Then she met a haunted young man named Connor. Only she can heal his emotional scars; only he could make her feel so loved — and needed.

Ann can't recall the pivotal moment it all changed, when she surrendered everything to be with him, but by graduation, her life has become a dangerous high wire act. Just one mistake could trigger Connor's rage, a senseless storm of cruel words and violence damaging everything — and everyone — in its path.

The Skinny

This book truely broke my heart. I can't say that about a lot of novels, which puts But I Love Him at the top of my favorites. Not that I expected any less.

I went into reading this with a passion for the issue of abusive relationships. I already cared so much about the issue, and I feel like the book really spoke for all of the abuse victims who don't have a voice. The novel is so beautifully written that I got lost in it and read it straight through. (Okay, maybe I stopped for two seconds to throw my gum out, but that's about it). You can feel the intensity of Ann and Connor's relationship burning on the pages and how as we go back in time, it starts as a small sizzle.

Speaking of which, I love that the story was told backwards. The most important part of understanding abusive relationships is seeing that they hardly ever start off that way. I think that the structure also lets us see how every single little choice we make is a building block for another obstacle-each time more difficult.

I liked Ann. Her voice as the narrator was very strong, and the whole novel spoke to me on a personal level. I felt like I was sitting next to Ann, and she was telling me the whole story herself. I also loved the cover, and how it ties into the story. It's all very relevant, and I didn't feel like there were any parts that lagged. Everything fit in perfectly to the story, and it all comes together really well at the end.

I don't suggest you read this book if you're not prepared for an intense, dark read. I teared up a couple of times because some parts hurt to get through, and it's just a really emotional novel as a whole. (As you can see, I kept the jokes to a minimum in this review). I personally loved it, though. To me, it was just a really beautiful novel, and I'm so glad it sent a message through this story.

Grade: A

Be Careful Who You Hypnotize

2011-06-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

About the Book

Crush Control was written by Jennifer Jabaley and published by Razor Bill. It is 318 pages long.

Opening line(s): Once upon a time there was a boy. His hair was the color of coal, his eyes the color of faded denim. His smile, carefree and inviting, was the one thing that made me brave.

Willow has spent most of her life as her mother's sidekick in a popular Las Vegas hypnotism show. So when she and her mom move back to their sleepy southern hometown to start over, she thinks she's in for a life of quiet normalcy.

Except that her new life turns out to be anything but, when she kinda sorta hypnotizes Quinton, the hottest guy on the football team, to fall madly, deeply, head over heels in love with her. But what started out as an innocent way to make her best friend, Max, jealous soon gets way out of hand, and Willow begins to wonder if the mind - and more importantly, the heart - is something you can really control.

The Skinny

Hey guys, it feels so good to be off my hiatus and back on the blogging scene. I must say that I'm so glad that this was my first read of the summer.

I'm sure most of you guys have been in the position where you wanted to be more than friends with someone who...well...wanted to stay friends. On many occasions, I've wished that those wacky love spells you see on TV shows actually worked. How great would it be to have your crush swooning at your very glance in a matter of seconds? All of this plays out in Crush Control, which made it fun, hilarious, and totally relatable.

I absolutely loved our main character, Willow. She actually reminds me a lot of Rachel from the Magic in Manhattan series by Sarah Mlynowski. She's funny-and not the average stereotype of the usual YA lead who doesn't fit in with everyone else. One thing I really liked about the book was how prominent the relationship with her mother and grandmother was. It reminded me a lot of the relationship Rory, Lorelai, and Emily Gilmore had on Gilmore Girls. I liked that the book wasn't all about Willow getting the guy. We also got to see her family issues, which made the book a little more real.

As for the characters, I thought they all worked pretty well with the storyline. I liked that the author doesn't make any of them the "bad guy" or the hero. She kind of lets you decide which characters to like and dislike, without the usual stereotypes we often see in teen fiction. As for the guys, I didn't like Max as much as I expected to. I mean, I wouldn't see myself waiting ten years for him, but I fell in love with his relationship with Willow after the first few pages. You can tell why they click right away, it wasn't some forced guy-gal best friendship.

My favorite thing about Crush Control is how unique the idea is. I haven't seen any YA books about teen hypnotists on the shelves of bookstores, and it was refreshing to read an interesting twist on a contemporary novel. It's more unpredictable than you'd expect. Don't go into reading it thinking you'll know where the plot will take you-the book is filled with little twists and turns.

So, should you read it? Yes! It's a great early summer read-the perfect mixture of light and humorous with some relatable issues tossed in. I can't wait to check out Lipstick Apology, also by Jennifer Jabaley.

Grade: B+

Don't Shoot the Book Blogger

2011-02-12T16:53:00.000-08:00

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Lately, I've been hearing a lot of news about an uproar in the book blogging world. People have been asking questions like "Are book bloggers really that necessary in the book market?", "Do they just do it for the free books?", and "How are we supposed to believe that amateurs are able to contribute to the market?"
.

This is what I have to say.

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I've been book blogging for about seven months now. My reviews have been about books that I've received for review, bought online or in bookstores, and borrowed from friends. I started blogging because I consider myself a person who is passionate about reading and writing, and as a teenager, I find this to be one of the limited outlets for my passion.

There are so many things I love about blogging. I love communicating with authors and helping them get their books out there. It's inspiring to work with people who are in positions that I hope to be in one day. I love talking about the books I've just read. I don't have many friends who enjoy reading as much as I do. When I talk about books in my reviews, I feel like I'm part of a community. I'm a teenager, talking to teenagers who are the main audience for YA Most importantly, I love when I get comments like "Great review! I'll have to buy this one" and "I should have picked this up when I saw it in the store." It makes me feel like my opinion made a difference.

It makes me feel like book bloggers do help sell books.

I'm not going to lie, book blogging can be discouraging. Sometimes I find myself not having the time to update the page, and I'm drowning in my TBR pile. It took me a while to get to 130 followers, and there are still times when no one comments on posts I get really excited about.

However, I'm not going to give up. Blogging is something I love to do, and I won't accept being labeled as unnecessary or irrelevant. Blogging changed the way I view books and how I shape my opinions about them. I've learned to think about qualities of characters and plot structures. It's been an amazing opportunity to learn about the book world while contributing to it, almost like an intern.

So, that was it. I was just feeling a little bit bummed about all of this negative talk towards bloggers, and I wanted to share my opinion about it all. And then next time someone frowns upon you book lovers out there, remind them:

Blogger Hop 2/4-2/7 & Some Giveaways!

2011-02-04T18:00:00.000-08:00

Hey all! I had an announcement, and I also wanted to post for the blog hop. So, I decided to just kill two birds with one stone. First off, this week's question is,

"What are you reading now and why are you reading it?"

I'm actually reading a couple of books at the moment. I'm reading The Prince by Machiavelli for my English seminar class at school. I'm also reading Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales and Consumed by Kate Cann, both books I received to review on the blog.

Now for my announcement...

I'm starting a newsletter here on the blog. I just wanted to keep my true followers updated and reward them for their....awesomeness! In the newsletter, you'll receive updates about giveaways, interviews, and polls. You'll also get to see what's coming soon on the blog before anyone else.

The best part is, I'll choose random winners who are subscribed to the newsletter. The winners will receive a surprise piece of book-related swag in the mail. You never know...the next winner could be you!

To sign up for this newsletter, please fill out the form below.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Interview With Sydney Salter

2011-02-04T15:19:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! On my "top books of 2010" list was Swoon At Your Own Risk by (in my opinion) one of the best cotemporary YA authors, Sydney Salter. I was lucky enough to have her over on the blog...

Book Girl: Where did you get the idea for Swoon At Your Own Risk?

Sydney Salter: I had a friend who changed her hobbies, interests, even the way she dressed, depending upon who she dated (the guy in a band, the athlete, the nerd). She didn’t know herself very well, so I wanted to write about a girl like that.

BG: Which character in the book do you relate to the most?

SS: I’ve never shared Polly’s boy problems, but I do identify with the struggle she has with her father. And I know what it’s like to live with a hard-working single mother!

BG: Polly has a lot of embarrassing experiences in the book. Do you have any embarrassing guy moments to share?

SS: Oh, yes! One time I hoped to “improve” my appearance by wearing a padded bra. Well, the clasp came undone, in the middle of my PE class at school, leaving my cleavage flopping under my armpits! The guy I liked laughed and laughed. So embarrassing!!!

BG: Miss Swoon, Polly's grandmother, is a famous advice columnist. What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?

SS: I based Miss Swoon on my mother, who isn’t an advice columnist, but a psychologist. She is always reminding me that we’re all equally human. Some people may be “better off” by having more money, a slimmer figure, a nicer apartment… Others are “worse off” than we are, but everyone deserves equal respect as a human being. That advice helps me keep my problems in perspective. It also reminds me not to feel too discouraged, or worse--too vain!

BG: Last but not least, Xander is one of my favorite guy characters...ever. Where did you get the idea for such a swoon-worthy male lead?

SS: The initial idea came from watching a cute neighbor skateboard down my street. One day I saw him gracefully weaving down the street, drinking coffee, and talking on the phone. Shirtless! I, thought, oh, you have to be a book character! (He doesn’t know I wrote about him though!)

100 Books in 2011

2011-02-02T14:05:00.000-08:00

Hey all! I wanted to do a quick post discussing the challenge I just joined. Before becoming a blogger, I never kept track of how many books I read a year. Some years I read way over one hundred, others I probably read less than fifty.

This challenge really caught my eye over at Book Chick City because of the amazingly cute poster, and because it helps me easily give a goal to myself. It runs from January 1, 2010 until December 31, 2011.

This challenge, of course, is not the only one I'll be participating in this year. I'm also taking part in:

Hosted by me.

Hosted by The Contemps.

Blog Hop 1/28-1/31

2011-01-29T08:29:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! I haven't done a blog hop in a really long time, so I thought I'd do a quick one today. This week's question is:

"What book are you most looking forward to seeing published in 2011? Why are you anticipating that book?"

There's actually a list of books that I'm eagerly awaiting this year. I made a little slideshow for them on the right-hand sidebar. Here it is:

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare. Uh, more adventures with our favorite crew of Shadowhunters? Yes, please.
We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han. I absolutely love this summer series, and I can't wait to see who Belly ends up with.
Forever by Maggie Stiefvater. This is one of my favorite series at the moment, and I love the wolves of Mercy Falls.
Consumed by Kate Cann. I reviewed the first book in this awesome series, and recently got this one in the mail for review. I can't wait until I csan review it closer to its publication date!
Delirium by Lauren Oliver. I loved Before I Fall. It brought me to tears. I expect that this book will have the same effect on me!

Impact of An Impact

2011-01-24T11:03:00.000-08:00

About the Book

Leaving Paradise was written by Simone Elkeles and published by Flux. It is 303 pages long.
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Opening Line(s): I've been waiting for a year for this moment. It's not every day you get out of jail.

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

The Skinny

When I read Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles about a year ago, I couldn't stop raving about it. I'm a huge fan of Elkeles' writing style, and Leaving Paradise was no different. I love seeing different points of view in contemporary YA. I really enjoyed getting a chance to know both characters. In a story about a hit and run, we hardly ever get to see the side of the victim and the perpetrator.

Caleb and Maggie are great characters. They work so well together as main characters, that you kind of become addicted to their storyline. Caleb's got this endless range of attitudes and emotions, you can hardly keep up with how he's going to react to something next. Maggie's got this consistent nature about her that balances the story out. Seeing them come together after being affected by all of these outside elements is pretty amazing. While I do love reading about fluffy romances, I think there's something really captivating about a love story with complications-the really agonizing and suffering ones. ...Hm, that sounds kind of morbid. But what's the point of having a memorable romance if you don't have to work to get there?

I was also really impressed by the plotline. I never expected it to go where it did, and I was shocked by the great twist. Leaving Paradise is like a complex and straight-forward at the same time. You know the basics of it, but you never know what's going to happen next. I also really liked how realistic the voice was. The teenagers in Paradise are a perfect portrayal of how mean teens can be, and I think we can all relate to that.

So, should you read it? Yes. Fans of contemporary YA will love this book. It's edgy and exciting. You'll be dying to read Return to Paradise (like I am) by the last page.

Grade: A-

This Week's Teaser (5)

2011-01-23T15:27:00.000-08:00

Hey all, I thought I'd do this week's teaser on one of the first YA books I read. If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince? is a fun retelling of the classic fairytale, Cinderella. I hope you all enjoy!

Cinderella: dead mother, wicked stepmother, evil stepsisters (2), friendless.

Me: dead mother, wicked stepmother, evil stepsisters (2), friendless.

I tapped my pen against my lips, debating whether or not Cinderella is actually friendless. I mean, she does have all those talking animals helping her out when she gets into a jam. But do they count as friends? It's not as if a blue jay can meet you at Starbucks for an after-school latte. As I tried to categorize the small woodland creatures Cinderella associates herself with, my eyes accidentally wandered over to Jessica Johnson, the girl who sits across the classroom from me. When we made eye contact, her expression didn't change-it was as though I wasn't there.

I crossed out friendless in the Cinderella column and drew in a woodchuck.

Just Look Up

2011-01-22T12:24:00.000-08:00

About the Book
The Sky is Everywhere was written by Jandy Nelson and published by Dial Books. It is 275 pages long.
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Opening Line(s): Gram is worried about me. It's not just because my sister Bailey died four weeks ago, or because my mother hasn't contacted me in sixteen years, or even because suddenly all I think about is sex. She is worried about me because one of her house-plants has spots.

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two.

Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding. (Goodreads)

The Skinny

There's only one word that I can use to describe this book: beautiful.

I don't want to sound too corny, but The Sky is Everywhere touched me on a level that only a REALLY good book can. I think I knew it would have this affect on me before I even read it. The cover looks a lot like Twenty Boy Summer's, and the storylines are even a bit similar. (Which I'm not even complaining about, I loved both books). Nelson wrote Lennie in a way that made me empathize with her. I understood her feelings. Joy, sadness, heartache. It's one thing to read as a character makes mistakes and think, "Oh, that sucks." But as Lennie was going through these experiences and making tough decisions, I wanted to dive right into the pages and warn her to rethink her choices. This book just drew me in.

My favorite thing about this book must have been the little snippets of Lennie's poetry that we see throughout the book. I love when an author incorporates a character's voice and actions into novels like this. It feels like Nelson took the extra step to help us really get Lennie, and get to know Bailey-although she's never physically present.

I also really loved how complex the characters became as the story went on. Toby and Joe were two awesome male leads. There was a really strong contrast between the two and their relationships with Lennie. Toby is broken and soulful, a boy who's grief consumes you and makes you feel things for him right away. At first, I was taken aback that Lennie would get with her sister's boyfriend. But I understood after the first few pages. It's not something that can be explained. It just...is. Joe Fontaine...oh man. He's got this love of life and unstoppable eagerness that makes you want to smile instantly. And...okay, I'll stop now. I keep talking about these two like their real.

The Sky Is Everywhere broke my heart, made me feel bursts of passion, and gave me those tingly feelings up my arms and in my heart. I recommend this novel to anyone who's look for a read that will simple enchant them.

Grade: A

So,You Want To Know The Book Girl?

2011-01-21T16:54:00.000-08:00

What do you read? Mainstream, genre, Young Adult?

I mostly stay true to my YA. However, I do venture into Adult Contemporary and Fantasy Fiction sometimes.

What do you never read?
Um, I really don't like to restrict myself when it comes to reading because there are a few books that I'd never thought I'd love because of their genre but ended up obsessing over. I'd have to say historical fiction. It's not that I dislike it, I just don't get around to reading it very often.

Morning reading, Afternoon reading or Nighttime reading?
I really can't say just one. When I wake up on the weekends, I grab the book I was reading the night before and get a few chapters in before I get ready. When I get home from whatever I was up to during the day, I finish a lot of the book in the afternoon. At night, I read in between commercial breaks or in bed until I sleep. ... Me? A book-aholic? Noooooo.

Hardback or Trade Paperback or Mass Market Paperback or eBook?
Paperbacks, probably. Hardbacks are way too expensive and not as easy to read when your on the go.

Bookmark or Dogear?
Um, I usually dogear paperbacks and use the flaps for hardcovers. I only use bookmarks when I get really pretty ones, but most of the time I just forget.

Alphabetize by author, title, or random?
Well, I have a really OBD (obsessive book disorder) way of organizing my shelves. I have about seven shelves in my room. Shelf one goes to all my vampire novels and series due to a brief fixation on that genre. Shelf two goes to all of my other series that have four books or more in them. Shelves three and four are the books that I've dogeared with really good quotes or passages that I often look back to. Half of shelf five belongs to my R&R (read and reviewed books). The other half goes to books I've bought that I haven't finished and books that I didn't really like. Shelf six belongs to my FAVORITE books of all time and a couple of my journals. Finally, shelf seven goes to my overflowing TBR pile.

Keep, Throw Away, or Sell?
I always keep my books. However, I've been meaning to do a book sale for the ones I didn't really like and really old ones. But most of the time I'm really possessive of my collection. (Ahem. Book freak. Ahem).

Short story or novel?
Um, I'd say that the content matters more than length. It doesn't matter if it's two sentences long, as long as it affects me in some way.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
I stop reading when I'm tired, but I have to stop at a chapter break (even if it means dying while reading those last few pages). I hate stopping in the middle of a page.

Buy or Borrow?
I mostly buy my books. And even when I do borrow them, I think I usually end up buying them to reread them anyway. I also take out library books because I have one a block away. :)

Standalone or Series?
Series, I think. I like looking forward to seeing my consistent favorite characters go through a new adventure or set of obstacles. Books develop more of a fan-base by letting readers see them go through a lot of different plot lines. You can't forget a book when the next ones keep coming out. ... Then again, my favorite book is a stand alone, so I can't be picky.

One Sentence Summaries

2011-01-21T16:21:00.000-08:00

So, I thought this would be a fun little activity to do during my marathon posting. I just randomly picked out five books from my shelves. I'm now going to attempt to give them all one sentence summaries. Who knows, maybe one of them will get you interested.

On a road trip visiting the graves of celebrity suicides, four teens make a pact to kill themselves together by the end of their journey.

A teenage girl realizes that first love and first lust can also come with heartbreak and other complications.

After a last minute break up, a girl is stuck on a college road trip with...her ex boyfriend.

A school-obsessed teen must face a sudden change in the form of a foreign country, a crazy relative, and a delusional cowboy.

A group of teens get a once in a lifetime opportunity and realize that nothing is quite what it seems along the way.