Tuesday, July 12, 2011

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

Title: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
Author: E. Lockhart
Series? None
Aquired From: Public Library
Summary: Frankie Landau-Banks at age 14:
Debate Club.
Her father’s “bunny rabbit.”
A mildly geeky girl attending a highly competitive boarding school.
Frankie Landau-Banks at age 15:
A knockout figure.
A sharp tongue.
A chip on her shoulder.
And a gorgeous new senior boyfriend: the supremely goofy, word-obsessed Matthew Livingston.
Frankie Laundau-Banks.
No longer the kind of girl to take “no” for an answer.
Especially when “no” means she’s excluded from her boyfriend’s all-male secret society.
Not when her ex boyfriend shows up in the strangest of places.
Not when she knows she’s smarter than any of them.
When she knows Matthew’s lying to her.
And when there are so many, many pranks to be done.
Frankie Landau-Banks, at age 16:
Possibly a criminal mastermind.
This is the story of how she got that way.
Cover Rating: 4/5
Comments on the Cover: When I first got the book, my thoughts were "An envelope with a... is that a dog?!?!" but when you read the book, it makes alot more sense and is actually pretty cool. I'm still not the biggest fan, though, I think they could have done something much cooler.
Character Comments: Frankie is the new girl on the block of fantabulous heroines in YA lit. She has spunk, a brain, and everything a good female character should have. She reminded me alot of the main character in the Gallagher Girls series
Favorite Characters: Frankie and Trish
Character Rating: 3/5
Plot line rating: 3/5
Plot Line Comments: Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the book, but it reminded me alot of other boarding school stories, for example, The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter (as forementioned). I thought the secret society was an interesting twist, but unlike the description of the book, I wouldn't really call Frankie "a criminal mastermind". A trouble maker, maybe. But a criminal mastermind? No.
Likeliness to reread it? 2/5
Overall rating: 3/5
Books like this that I have reviewed: Heist Society by Ally Carter and I'd Tell You that I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

My apologies

I'm sorry! I haven't been reading AT all, and thus there is nothing to post on a book blog... I'll be reading more soon! Especially since summer's almost here =)

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

On My Wishlist (3)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.
 
~Bright Young Things~
by Anna Godberson
The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties. Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star… Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined—and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for . . . and someone will. The only person Cordelia can trust is Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.
 
~Anastasia's Secret~
by Susanne Dunlap
 P"Will I never see you again either?" I asked, feeling as though I was about to jump off a high mountain peak and hope to land without hurting myself. That's how impossible everything seemed at that moment, no matter what I did.P#160;P"Perhaps we will meet again," Sasha said, softening his voice. "But you must see that it does not matter. You have so much ahead of you. It's your choice now. Choose the future! Choose life!"P#160;PFor Anastasia Romanov, life as the privileged daughter of Russia's last tsar is about to be torn apart by the bloodshed of revolution. Ousted from the imperial palace when the Bolsheviks seize control of the government, Anastasia and her family are exiled to Siberia. But even while the rebels debate the family's future with agonizing slowness and the threat to their lives grows more menacing, romance quietly blooms between Anastasia and Sasha, a sympathetic young guard she has known since childhood. But will the strength of their love be enough to save Anastasia from a violent death? PInspired by the mysteries that have long surrounded the last days of the Romanov family, Susanne Dunlap's new novel is a haunting vision of the life-and love story-of Russia's last princess.
 
 
~The Body at the Tower~
by YS Lee
This is another colourful, action-packed Victorian detective novel about the exploits of agent Mary Quinn. At a young age, Mary Quinn is rescued from the gallows and taken to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls. The school turns out to be a front for a private detective agency. At age 17, Mary takes on her first case (A Spy in the House). In this, the second book of the series, Mary Quinn sets out to uncover the truth behind a suspicious death at St. Stephen's Tower, better known as the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament. The accident occurred after hours in a highly public part of town and despite the presence of night watchmen. Mary, disguised as Mark Quinn, becomes a builder's assistant to find out the truth about the body at the tower.
 
~The Healer's Apprentice~
by Melanie Dickerson 
Two Hearts. One Hope.Rose has been appointed as a healer's apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, a rare opportunity for a woodcutter's daughter like her. While she often feels uneasy at the sight of blood, Rose is determined to prove herself capable. Failure will mean returning home to marry the aging bachelor her mother has chosen for her---a bloated, disgusting merchant who makes Rose feel ill.When Lord Hamlin, the future duke, is injured, it is Rose who must tend to him. As she works to heal his wound, she begins to understand emotions she's never felt before and wonders if he feels the same. But falling in love is forbidden, as Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a mysterious young woman in hiding. As Rose's life spins toward confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own destiny.

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
 
Title: Chain Reaction
Author: Simone Elkeles
Summary: Luis Fuentes is a good boy who doesn't live with the angst that his big brothers, Alex and Carlos, have always lived with. Luis is smart, funny, and has big dreams of becoming an astronaut. But when he falls for the wrong girl, Luis enters a dark world he's never known, and just when he thinks he's got life all figured out, learns some disturbing news about his family that destroys his positive outlook on life. Will that Fuentes bad boy streak come out with a vengeance and lure Luis to live on the edge like his new girlfriend and his own father?
Release Date: May 24 2011
Why I'm waiting on it: Perfect Chemistry is one of my all time favorite YA Romances, and I LOVE Simone Elkeles style of writing.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Book Blogger Hop (7) and Follow Friday (5)

"What book(s) would you like to see turned into a movie?"
Oh, the Hunger Games. Hands down. I really really hope that it will be made into a movie and can't wait until it finally does!!!




If you are a fan of Science Fiction what is your favorite book? If you haven't read Science Fiction before...any inkling to? Anything catch your eye?

Um, no not really a big SciFi fan. My cousin is a HUGE fan and has given me some "mild" Sci-Fi (really just Fantasy) to read. But nothing's really stuck out like WOAH!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
Title: Bumped
Author: Megan McCafferty
Summary: When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents are forced to pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and had never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Until now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in religious Goodside, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to bring Melody back to Goodside and convince her that “pregging” for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.
Release Date: May 1st 2011
Why I'm waiting on it: I am in the middle of reading the Jessica Darling series by Megan McCafferty, and I really love her style of writing, so I'm totally psyched to meet some new heroes of hers. I'm also kinda jealous that she named two sisters Melody and Harmony. I WAS SO GONNA DO THAT.

Monday, February 14, 2011

On my Wishlist (2)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.

~After the Kiss~
by Terra Elan McVoy

~Pure~
by Terra Elan McVoy
Promise. Betrayal. Confession. Revenge.
Tabitha and her four best friends all wear purity rings, symbols of the virginity-until-marriage pledge they made years ago. Now Tab is fifteen, and her ring has come to mean so much more. It's a symbol of who she is and what she believes—a reminder of her promises to herself, and her bond to her friends. But when Tab meets a boy whose kisses make her knees go weak, everything suddenly seems a lot more complicated. Tab's best friend, Morgan, is far from supportive, and for the first time, Tabitha is forced to keep secrets from the one person with whom she's always shared everything. When one of those secrets breaks to the surface, Tab finds herself at the center of an unthinkable betrayal that splits her friends apart. As Tab's entire world comes crashing down around her, she's forced to re-examine her friendships, her faith, and what exactly it means to be pure.

~Safe Haven~
by Nicholas Sparks
When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.
But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

~Shiver~
by Maggie Stiefvater
the cold.
Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.

the heat.
Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.

the shiver.
For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human—and Grace must fight to keep him—even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

Becca has been head-over-heels for Alec from the instant they met. He's a brainy jock with a poet's heart—in other words, perfect for her.
Camille is careful with her words and protective of her heart, especially since Chicago. Then a new boy in her new town catches her off guard with a surprise kiss.
Too bad that new boy is Becca's boyfriend, Alec.
Camille and Becca have never met, but their lives will unravel and intertwine in surprising ways as they deal with what happens after the kiss.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Book Blogger Hop (6) and Follow Friday (4)

The Question of the Week is:  Tell us about one of your posts from this week and give us a link so we can read it (review or otherwise)!

Answer: Well, on Wednesday, I did my first every 'Waiting on Wednesday'! Very exciting. Alot of the book blogs I follow (And I follow ALOT, so alot of ALOT is... alot?) do it, but I've never really kept up with upcoming books. But, I decided to give it a shot this week, and I liked it alot (Notice a theme here)! Click here to see it.





What is your favorite romance hero-type? Stereotype wise. Do you like the strong silent type or the brute macho man?

I guess the Strong Silent Type. My favorite fictional man EVER is Ron Weasley, and he isn't exactly the Strong Silent Type or the Brute Macho man. Maybe he could be stereotyped as the foolish but lovable sidekick? I have a thing for the foolish but lovable sidekick.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday (1)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Uncommon Criminals
Author: Ally Carter
Summary: Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life. Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners.

There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long, and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous and that is simply… the emerald is cursed.

Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all she has her best friend—the gorgeous Hale—and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses, realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.

Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.
Release Date: June 21 2011
Why I'm waiting on it: I absolutely LOVED Heist Society, and am so excited for the sequel. Katharina and Hale were such great characters and I can't wait for their continued chronicles.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Title: Leaving Paradise
Author: Simone Elkeles
Series? Leaving Paradise
Aquired From: A Friend
Summary: 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.
(from Goodreads)
Cover Rating: 4/5
Comments on the Cover: I like the road. It reminds me of the accident (said in a spooky voice to creep you all out) and I REALLY love the Neon Sign. I don't know why, but there's just something about it that I really really like.
Character Comments: I liked the characters in the most part. I really could connect with Maggie and thought that she was portrayed very well as a girl who just encountered such a life changing tragedy. Upset and angry, but deep down inside still very motivated. I really liked Caleb, too. He was a jerk at first, and I hated him blah blah blah but when the truth (slowly) started to come out, I began to like him a little more. Okay, okay, a LOT more.
Favorite Characters: Caleb and Maggie
Character Rating: 5/5
Plot line rating: 4/5
Plot Line Comments: I thought that it was pretty unique for the most part. I mean the falling in love with your "enemy" wasn't quite unique, but Elkeles did it in a way that was unique and well done.
Likeliness to reread it? 4/5
Overall rating: 4.25/5
Books like this that I have reviewed: Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction

Private by Kate Brian

Title: Private
Author: Kate Brian
Series? Private
Aquired From: School Library
Summary: Tradition, Honor, Excellence...and secrets so dark they're almost invisible Fifteen-year-old Reed Brennan wins a scholarship to Easton Academy -- the golden ticket away from her pill-popping mother and run-of-the-mill suburban life. But when she arrives on the beautiful, tradition-steeped campus of Easton, everyone is just a bit more sophisticated, a bit more gorgeous, and a lot wealthier than she ever thought possible. Reed realizes that even though she has been accepted to Easton, Easton has not accepted her. She feels like she's on the outside, looking in.
Until she meets the Billings Girls.
They are the most beautiful, intelligent, and intensely confident girls on campus. And they know it. They hold all the power in a world where power is fleeting but means everything. Reed vows to do whatever it takes to be accepted into their inner circle.
Reed uses every part of herself -- the good, the bad, the beautiful -- to get closer to the Billings Girls. She quickly discovers that inside their secret parties and mountains of attitude, hanging in their designer clothing-packed closets the Billings Girls have skeletons. And they'll do anything to keep their secrets private. (from Goodreads)
Cover Rating: 3/5
Comments on the Cover: Boring. Three girls. One whispering in the other's ear. Yawn.
Character Comments: Reed was very annoying. She was one sided and really only cared about fitting in with the Billings Girls. That annoyed me ridiciously.
Character Rating: 3/4
Plot line rating: 2/5
Plot Line Comments: Since I read The Pretty Little Liars series, this seemed just like a fail of a copy. Except not as exciting and shocking.
Likeliness to reread it? 2/5
Overall rating: 2.5/5
Books like this that I have reviewed: none

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Another Challenge

I'm doing a third challenge. Yes, yes I know I'm crazy. But I like it! I'm doing the 15 YA Historical Fiction books. Shouldn't be too hard since I do love Historical Fiction =)

Saturday, February 5, 2011

On My Wishlist

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.

~Dash & Lily's book of Dares~
by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
“I’ve left some clues for you. If you want them, turn the page. If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.” So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions? Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

~The Sister Wife~
by Diane Noble

What if the man you loved told you God wanted him to take another wife? What if that woman was your best friend?

Set in the heart of the earliest days of a new nineteenth-century sect known as the Saints, The Sister Wife is a riveting account of two women forced into a practice they don't understand, bound by their devotion to Prophet Joseph Smith. When Mary Rose marries Gabriel, neither of them could foresee how quickly the community would turn to the practice of plural marriage. Devastated when Gabe is faced with an order from the Prophet to marry her best friend, Bronwyn, Mary Rose tries to have the faith to carry through with the marriage. But can she really be married to the same man as her very best friend? Can Mary Rose and Bronwyn face betraying both their husband and their God to do what they feel is right?

~The Sky is Everywhere~
by Jandy Nelson
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.
This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie's struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.
~The Fool's Girl~
by Celia Rees
Young and beautiful Violetta may be of royal blood, but her kingdom is in shambles when she arrives in London on a mysterious mission. Her journey has been long and her adventures many, but it is not until she meets the playwright William Shakespeare that she gets to tell the entire story from beginning to end. Violetta and her comic companion, Feste, have come in search of an ancient holy relic that the evil Malvolio has stolen from their kingdom. But where will their remarkable quest—and their most unusual story—lead? In classic Celia Rees style, it is an engrossing journey, full of political intrigue, danger, and romance.

This wholly original story is spun from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, and includes both folly and suspense that would make the Bard proud

Friday, February 4, 2011

Follow Friday!!!

Hey Friends, new and old! I haven't done a Follow Friday in a while, so I figured I would! =)

The Question is: What book are you currently pushing? My answer? The Hunger Games. I'm basically MAKING everyone read it, haha



Book Blogger Hop

Book Blogger Hop
"What are you reading now and why are you reading it?"

 I am currently reading Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. It was on the must read YA blogger list a while ago, and I had a Borders giftcard, so I figured, what the hey, right. I'm really loving it and can't wait to review it on here =)

Thursday, February 3, 2011

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

Title: This Lullaby
Author: Sarah Dessen
Series? none
Aquired From: School Library
Summary: Remy has 'the speech' down pat. You know, the speech you give the boyfriend when it's getting too serious. She's done it enough times and her mom is on husband number five. So why is it that she can't give Dexter, the tacky and quirky musician, the speech she knows by heart? He's messy and disorganized, and let's not even start with the name. Not to mention that he's a musician, just like her dad, a man that Remy never knew because he left before she was born. Could it be that the rules that Remy has religiously followed for all of her life don't apply to her any more?
Cover Rating: 5/5
Comments on the Cover: Cute cute cute cute cover. It works so well. Remy has a firm grip on her heart and controls it, like a piece of paper.
Character Comments: One word: Dexter is the best Sarah Dessen male. This was the second time I've read this book, but I think it only made me love Dexter even more. Remy was good too, a little too pessimistic at times, but all in all a good character.
Favorite Character: Dexter
Character Rating: 5/5
Plot line rating: 4/5
Plot Line Comments: It's Sarah Dessen. It's cliche. But I love it anyway.
Likeliness to reread it? 5/5
Overall rating: 4.75/5
Books like this that I have reviewed: Along for the Ride, The Lonely Hearts Club

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

No, it's actually not a book review (although you can be expecting one later), I was too excited NOT to share this with my readers. Ally Carter released the cover of the sequel to one of my favorite books, Heist Society!!

So, without further ado... here it is, ladies and gents!!!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Beatle Meets Destiny by Gabrielle Williams

Title: Beatle Meets Destiny

Author: Gabrielle Williams
Series? none
Aquired From: Public Library
Summary: His name is John Lennon, but everyone calls him Beatle. He is very superstitious, but just happens to meet his dream girl, whose name is coincidentally Destiny, on Friday the Thirteenth. Unfortunately, Beatle is already with a great girl, who also, coincidentally, is his twin sister's best friend. Will Destiny be Beatle's Destiny, in more way than one?
Cover Rating: 4/5
Comments on the Cover: There's nothing wrong with it. But I feel like they could have done a little more. Made it a little more Beatles like, put a little more one it. Done a little more with it. This is kinda just... boring...
Character Comments: I loved the quirkiness of all the characters! They were all so realistic with their randomness and quirks.
Favorite Character: Destiny and Beatle
Character Rating: 5/5
Plot line rating: 5/5
Plot Line Comments: Okay. This was probably one of my favoritest books ever. It was so different and quirky and kinda random. The plot was phenomenal. Here's a hint, there's a random old stalker dude.
Likeliness to reread it? 5/5
Overall rating: 4.75/5
Books like this that I have reviewed: none

Friday, January 28, 2011

Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty

Title: Second Helpings

Author: Megan McCafferty
Series? The Jessica Darling series
Aquired From: A Friend
Summary: Jessica Darling is back in this second installment of her journals. The book begins while Jessica is at a Summer Camp in New York City called "SPECIAL". She then begins her senior year at highschool. Where Marcus Flutie is still there being, well, Marcus Flutie. And Marcus isn't the only annoying thing happening right now. Jessica's older sister, Bethany, is pregnant. And her mom, once again, is up to her eyeballs, this time preparing for the arrival of her grandchild. In other words, Jessica's life is one big ball of chaos.
Cover Rating: 3/5
Comments on the Cover: I'm not a fan. It seems more of an advertisement against depression or an eating disorder.
Character Comments: The characters are just too funny. Jessica's so cynical it's amusing. And Marcus, please don't get me started on Marcus. Meh, I'll start anyway. I LOVE THE MAN. And Len Levy. Ungh. I love nerdy guys <33
Favorite Character: Marus, Jessica, Bridget and Len
Character Rating: 5/5
Plot line rating: 5/5
Plot Line Comments: It was good. It had a twist. Not that I can tell you. Because you're all going to read it. Right? RIGHT?!
Likeliness to reread it? 3/5
Overall rating: 4/5
Books like this that I have reviewed: Sloppy Firsts

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Title: Along for the Ride

Author: Sarah Dessen
Series? none
Aquired From: School Library
Summary: Auden is eighteen and just graduated from high school. Auden became an insomniac because of her parents fighting before their divorce. Surprisingly, to both Auden and her mother, Auden decides to spend her summer with her dad, her new stepmom, and her new halfsister, who was christened with the unfortunate name 'Thisbe'. While there, Auden meets Eli, a bike rider who hasn't ridden since the death of his best friend. Eli helps Auden live the childhood that she missed out on (never learning to ride a bike, getting stood up before prom, etc.) and helps her discover her true identity along the way.
Cover Rating: 5/5
Comments on the Cover: Adorable cover. It's such a 'Sarah Dessen' cover, but it really conveys a theme of the book. The bike is important, and the picture has an almost childish feel to it.
Character Comments: I thought that most of the characters were great. Auden got annoying sometimes, but maybe that's just because she was overly cynical.
Favorite Character: Eli
Character Rating: 4/5

Plot line rating: 4/5
Plot Line Comments: I thought that it was cliche enough to be Sarah Dessen, but unique enough to keep you reading.
Likeliness to reread it? 5/5
Overall rating: 4.5/5
Books like this that I have reviewed: 

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty

Title: Sloppy Firsts

Author: Megan McCafferty
Series? The Jessica Darling Series
Aquired From: A Friend
Summary: When Jessica Darling's best friend, Hope moves away from Pineville, New Jersey, she is devastated. She doesn't know how to cope since she is left with the boy and shopping mall obsessed girls at her highschool, her dad who only cares about her track meets, and her mom who only cares about Jessica's older sister Bethany's wedding. When she becomes closeish to Marcus Flutie feelings begin to happen....
Cover Rating: 3/5
Comments on the Cover: It's okay. I really like how "a novel" is written on a folded up note. That gets extra points from me =)
Character Comments: The characters were all great! I liked how they had each of the 'cliques'. The dumb blonde, the dumb blonde who actually isn't all that dumb... etc.
Favorite Character: Jessica and Marcus
Character Rating: 4/5
Plot line rating: 4/5
Plot Line Comments: I liked the plot. It went really well with the characters.
Likeliness to reread it? 3/5
Overall rating: 3.5
Books like this that I have reviewed: Prada and Prejudice, The Lonely Hearts Club

Monday, January 24, 2011

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Title: The Great Gatsby

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Series? No
Aquired From: My English teacher who assigned it.
Summary: Gatsby and Daisy used to be in love. But, Gatsby was 'too poor' for Daisy's likings. She married Tom, who is now cheating on her, and had a daughter. Gatsby's back with a fortune and of course the rumors are flying. The fact that Daisy is now married with a daughter don't seem to sway Gatsby and he i convinced that he and Daisy will get their happily ever after. Of course, nothing's ever as easy as it seems.
Cover Rating: 5/5
Comments on the Cover: At first glance, it's confusing. Big eye in the sky? Crying? Random lips and no nose? But of course, since I had to read this for English, my teacher decided it would be SUPER fun to do a cover analysis! YAY! So, now the eyes and all the colors make sense and are really cool. But, of course, since I'm annoying and cryptic, I'm not going to tell you what any of it means. =P
Character Comments: Okay. Characters. Hated them. That's it.
Favorite Character: No... I legit hated them all.
Character Rating: 1/5
Plot line rating: 2/5
Plot Line Comments: It was... strange.
Likeliness to reread it? 2/5
Overall rating: 2/5
Books like this that I have reviewed: N/A

Thursday, January 20, 2011

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Title: A Great and Terrible Beauty

Author: Libba Bray
Series? Rebel Angels and the Sweet Far Thing
Aquired From: School Library 
Summary: Gemma Doyle was raised in India by her parents. When her mother died, she was sent to Spence, a finishing school in England. Spence isn't much different from the highschools today. Petty lies and gossip still reign. Gemma feels like she will never fit in with the rich girls. But when Gemma starts having visions and discovers that she can go into another world, she realizes that maybe that isn't so true after all.
Cover Rating: 4/5
Comments on the Cover: It's enticing. Kinda boring, but I like how all the covers are consistent.
Character Comments: I wasn't a fan really. All the girls just seemed SO much like the girls that I'm forced to deal with five days a week at school.
Favorite Character: Kartik
Character Rating: 2/5
Plot line rating: 2/5
Plot Line Comments: It was interesting. But just not my thing.
Likeliness to reread it? 1/5
Overall rating: 2.75/5
Books like this that I have reviewed: N/A

Friday, January 7, 2011

Another Challenge?!? Bring it.

I can totes read 50 YA books in 2011, especially since I mainly read YA anyway.
Book Blogger Hop


Book Blogger Hop time!! This week's question:

"What book influenced or changed your life? How did it influence/change you?"

 If You know me, the answer is predictable. Harry Potter. Not just cuz they are the best children's books EVER, but because the series truly did change my life. When I read the books, I basically made almost everyone in my family read them. Harry Potter brought out my dad's love of books. Before I made my dad read the books, my dad HATED reading. Now, he reads about a book a week. I love that now we have something in common like the same love for books. It also made for great conversation at the dinner table. It still does ;)
Also, Harry Potter was and still is my 'go to book' whenever I'm sad or anxious or anything like that. It never failed, well, fails, to improve my mood and make me feel better.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

100 books in a Year 2011

Yes... I am crazy... thanks for asking!

BUT!

I can do it!!

No comments about how as this challenge is ending, I will be going crazy with College Applications.