When I read Derting's The Body Finder, I was not impressed. After reading the start of her second series....I am still not impressed.
The marketing is...moreWhen I read Derting's The Body Finder, I was not impressed. After reading the start of her second series....I am still not impressed.
The marketing is all there. Gorgeous cover, creative dystopian premise, the promise of romance....All of this is very in right now. Unfortunately.
The weakest part of The Pledge was the world-building. As a dystopian, it was very weak. There is no reason for this world, no how, no why. Supposedly, it was set sometime in the future, as it alludes to current cities, but no world I know would end up like this. This world has magic powers, evil queens, lost princesses, and hidden princes. Sounds like a fantasy, right? Perhaps thats what it should have been: a fantasy. As a dystopian, there are too many logic gaps, which Derting doesn't even begin to explain. Where do the powers come from? What's their purpose? Why the matrilineal monarchy? It's possible she'll get around to it later, but I doubt that. I believe she's hoping we'll just close our eyes and go along with it.
What originally was an intriguing concept, the idea of languages being barriers, soon got mushed into typical YA tropes. The book was basically set up for a romance, one I didn't particularly enjoy. The main character, Charlie (love that name for girls, btw), is a level-headed enough girl in the beginning but quickly dissolves at the first sign of a hunk. It goes as far as there is bombs going off, and Charlie doesn't know if her parents are alive, but all she can focus on is being jealous of some innocent hand-holding. Really, now. And sure Max is good-looking, but he's borderline stalker, and he always tries to get the narrator to do things she doesn't want to do because he wants it for her. And his only excuse for this is he finds her "beautiful and intriguing." Charlie overall isn't particularly special, sure she's got powers, but she doesn't have much personality besides. Her most admirable trait is how much she cares for her sister. But I feel like whenever authors have a lack-luster character, they just make them caring or self-sacrificing, as if that's going to make up for a lack of personality. Derting's other characters were equally flat. They all had one, maybe two good traits, but they didn't feel like real people. Some characters were practically just names on the page.
The plot and writing was easy to slip into, and this book makes for a quick, absorbing read. The plot, while not entirely predictable from the get-go, had twists that smelled from a mile away. Still, it was satisfying to see my predictions come true. It makes me feel ahead of the game. Now that I look back on it, the book was fast-paced, but it wasn't particularly exciting and didn't have much action. The ending was also rather abrupt. As the pages drew closer to the end of the book, I was like "How is Derting going to finish this? We haven't even reached a climax yet..." Then it was over. And I was like "...that was it?" It just wrapped up rather quickly and safely, but there is more to come, this being a series and all.
And on a side note, I was immensely amused that the Queen, an elderly woman, had Darth Vader choking powers. I just wished she was more intimidating.
The basic set-up of this book is terribly cliched, and kind of misleading. It's about Cara, a lonely teenager, who, when not completely invisible, is...moreThe basic set-up of this book is terribly cliched, and kind of misleading. It's about Cara, a lonely teenager, who, when not completely invisible, is ruthlessly picked on by Alexis, the Queen Bitch of the school. She also has a crush on Ethan Grey, the most popular guy in school, who also so happens to be Alexis's boyfriend. After a particularly humiliating incident in the school cafeteria which earned her the moniker "Choker", Cara goes home to discover her childhood best friend, Zoe, had ran away from home and needs a safe and hidden place to stay. Zoe, a beautiful and confident girl, was Cara's only friend growing up, and ever since she moved away, Cara had felt terribly lonely and disconnected. Now that their friendship has a second chance, Cara is ecstatic, feeling that her life is finally turning around. With Zoe back in her life, Cara develops a new look, starts developing real friendships, flirts with her crush, and she finally begins to feel like a real teen. But not everything is perfect......a girl is murdered, another goes missing. Everyone is suspect. Zoe begins to act stranger and stranger, and Cara can't help but wonder.....is she hiding a killer?
Ooo boy, this book is creepy. The kind of creepy that gives you frown lines and a curled lip. In the beginning, I was perfectly prepared for this to be another cliched "I'm a teenager and my life sucks" story, but it didn't turn out that way. Not at all. I immediately knew something was off with Zoe, the author drops little hints and clues through out the novel as to what the resolution will be. It's all pretty subtle and gradual, building and building to that final chapter. Which would be fine and dandy if I hadn't guessed the ending jokingly. I was just theorizing, one of those "what-if" things.....I didn't expect to be right! Then again, I was simultaneously reading Hamlet along with this, so maybe that effected my thought process.
I wasn't sure if I liked the style of this book. The writing itself was nothing special, kind of bland. I felt detached from Cara, and she was kind of pathetic sometimes. I mean, I'm a high school student, so I can empathize. Everyone feels lonely sometimes. But Cara was too passive. And boring. That is why you got no friends, Cara! Show some personalitay! Crack a joke! Take a stand! Strike a pose!
Some parts were painfully realistic, others were outlandish. But one thing I liked was that Woods wasn't afraid to get to the ugly side of things. Don't let the misleading pink cover fool you, this book goes into some positively squicky things. I don't want to spoil it though.....
Read it.
It is nothing spectacular......but I want to see how people react to that helluva ending :)(less)
Hailey Kendrick has a seemingly perfect life. She gets good grades, is Vice President of her class at a prestigious boarding school, and her boyfriend...moreHailey Kendrick has a seemingly perfect life. She gets good grades, is Vice President of her class at a prestigious boarding school, and her boyfriend is one of the most popular guys at school. She is the type that always colors in between the lines. But after an argument with a father leaves her angry and upset, she commits a random act of vandalism with an unlikely conspirator. She is caught, but her co-conspirator is not, and she finds herself taking the fall. As a punishment, she is forced to do janitorial service with a snarky townie, and the whole entire school is put on probation. Hailey has no choice but to watch her life change, as her boyfriend and her grow farther apart, her friends ignore her, and she loses the trusts of her teachers. Hailey is forced to begin coloring outside the lines if she wants to stay true to who she is.
God help me, I really liked this book. I do not like books like these. I hate cutesy books with their morals and their predictability and their cheesiness. I should have hated this one too. But the thing is.....I didn't....Am I turning into a sap or what?!
I blame it on the novel's charm. Yes, it was predictable and slightly cheesy, but it kept my glued to the pages. Honestly, I don't what adhesive got me stuck there, but it sure did work. Hailey was likable and at times, quite hilarious. She was awkward in all the right ways. I actually cringed for her, like the time she fell down the stairs. That would sooo happen to me. Right when she was trying to make a silent exit too *shakes head in laughter* Hailey was a relatable character, I think I mean to say. Also, her relationship with Drew was so cute! But not cheek-pinching cute. *glares at Arlene*
At the end of the book, I was actually grinning. GRINNING. My God! The cuteness, the humor, the sweetness had me looking like the Cheshire Cat!
I'm going soft! Quick, someone tell a dead baby joke!
Overall, I did like this book. Quite a bit, actually. I read one Cook previously (Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood), and I enjoyed as well, although not as much. In these two books, I can sense a formula. She takes a well known novel (In this case, The Scarlet Letter), gives it a modern day makeover, and infuses it with DIsney charm. And for some reason, it all works.
If anyone calls me soft after this, I shall stab them with a fork. (less)
This is one of those books I was reeaaally hoping to love. All my friends did. But, honestly, I don't see how. It wasn't anything special.
For one thin...moreThis is one of those books I was reeaaally hoping to love. All my friends did. But, honestly, I don't see how. It wasn't anything special.
For one thing, I found it unrealistic. Yes, I know its a paranormal, but that should make it illogical, not unrealistic. In real life, at least at my school, there is very little open hostility between goths and jocks. Sly commentary, maybe but straight out violence? Nope. And truthfully, there are few goths anymore. Most of them turned either emo or scene. And of course the main character had to be a cheerleader (the stereotyped opposite of gothness) and her boyfriend had to be a quarterback because thats just how the world works, dunnit? It just didn't seem true for me. I don't know. Maybe things are different in the South.
I didn't like the writing. I prefer first person. I dislike third person that wants to be first person. There were sentences like: "Isobel tried the door. There was no one there. Duh". Who is the one duhing? Isobel or the narrator who thinks like Isobel? And I didn't like the random quips. I found them a little cheesy and unfunny.
I wasn't a big fan of either Isobel and Varen. They were stereotypical, and Isobel annoyed the heck out of me. I kept wanting to call her Brittney for some reason. She was very rash, sort of immature, and quite cheesy. She didn't quite make it on my annoying characters shelf, but she was close. Varen, I'm sorry ladies, but he was boring. He did nothing. If he was a girl, everyone would call him out for being bithcy, but since he is a guy that is somehow sexy. And besides, there is only one goth boy in my life: Erik Derenksi. Hear that Erik?! We are gonna get maaaaaarried!! Aw, don't run away! *shrugs* He acts like he hates me, but he loves me. He does. And guess what, Kim! He hates babies too! You guys can sit on them together. Oh whats that in the distance? Hmm, I believe it is my point, running far far away from here........Anyway, Varen did not make me swoon.
Oh, and Gwen? A totally obvious plot device. She appears out of nowhere at the most convenient times. I wish I had a friend that was willing to drop everything to deal with the drama in my life.
And I felt the end was inconsistent with the rest of the novel. The beginning was slow-going, a crazed raven here, a funky dream there, but the end was like WHOOSH. Kind of like the Incredible Hulk coaster at Universal Studios. Here you are just cruising along the track, chugga chugga chugga, then KABMLAM! You are being shot of cannon and taking an upside-down plunge. The ending was just some crazy paranormal hodgepodge. I nearly got whiplash. The pacing and content didn't match, and that bothered me.
Overall, meh. Nitpicks aside, I liked it but I never got the OMG THIS IS SO GOOD feeling. It was a solid three stars, but I'll give it a virtual half-star more because I think the cover, particularly Isobel, is gorgeous. (less)
Pathfinder is centered on Rigg, a thirteen year old boy who lives an isolated life hunting and poaching with his enigmatic father. Rigg has a strange...morePathfinder is centered on Rigg, a thirteen year old boy who lives an isolated life hunting and poaching with his enigmatic father. Rigg has a strange ability; he can see paths, tracks in time that are remnants of every living thing ever to have lived. The only person whose path he cannot see is his father's, who dies one day in an accident. His father's last wish is for Rigg to find the sister he never knew he had. This leads Rigg to undergo a fascinating journey, with every step of the way leading him to uncover more secrets about his father and his own special abilities. Meanwhile, in a parallel story, there is Ram, another young man with mysterious abilities, who is responsible for a time-traveling ship searching for a new home in the universe.
Owww. This book made my brain hurt. There is time-traveling, parallel time lines, paradoxes, and all other sorts of sci-fi fun. In order to get the full effect of the story, you have to work with it, actively putting pieces together as you go along. I loved that. I was able to crack the mystery about how the two stories come together half-way through the book, but it took a lot of deduction on my part. Also, nothing is ever as simple as "magic". There is a specific convoluted scientific reasons for all the special abilities in the book, which Card does not hesitate to dive into. Dude, books like this make me feel stupid. How do people think of this stuff! It did not help that the main characters were geniuses in their own right. My favorite part of this book was easily the story itself. It was well-concieved and quite epic. Although the book is over 600 pages long, the pages flip by relatively quickly if you don't get too hung up on trying to figure out the finer point of the space-time continuum.
I've only read one other book by Orson Scott Card, the famous Ender's Game, and I saw some definite similarities. They both had adolescent main characters with a genius IQ and intense responsibilities, and the writing was quite the same. The dialogue was witty, and the characters were fun, but I never really felt connected with the story. This happens to me often with third-person narration. The characters can be perfectly well-developed and complex, but if its in 3rd-person, I just don't feel emotionally invested. Card's writing was also cool and calculating, much like his characters, and didn't lend much to descriptions. I still don't have any idea what the characters look like except for the vaguest notions, and the scenery was pretty much left entirely to the imagination.
Overall, this was a great read for lovers of YA sci-fi, and while this novel had some sense of closure, I can't wait to see what is next in the trilogy. Hopefully, Card remains in good enough health to finish it. (less)
In this book, not only are vampires real and known, they are taking over the world, with only small numb...more At least thats one thing this book got right.
In this book, not only are vampires real and known, they are taking over the world, with only small numbers of Hunters to fight them off. The Salamancan Hunters are a band of Hunters, the first of its kind, and by the way things are going, it may be the last. This hodge-podge band of fighters are having a wee bit of trouble getting along. Even though they are based in Spain, they all come from different parts of the world. There is Eriko, a former Japanese school girl, and the silent leader of the band; Jamie, a hot-headed Irishman with an immense hatred for werewolves, vampires, and the English; Skye, a witch from England with a dark secret threatening to rear its ugly head; Holgar, a secretive Danish werewolf; Antonio, a Spanish vampire severely devoted to Catholicism; and lastly, Just Jenn, a nothing-special from California. Not only do these hunters have to fight the prejudices and suspicions amongst themselves, they have a full-out war on their hands. Jenn's younger sister has been kidnapped by a manipulative and powerful vampire, and the group must come together to get her back, hopefully alive.
Gah. Sounds like an interesting cast, right? Not exactly. Jenn, the MC, is pretty much insufferable. She has worse self-esteem than Charlie Brown. Jenn refers to herself as "Just Jenn", meaning that she feels inferior to the rest of the group. Well, most of the time, she is right. It was only when she is California by herself that she shows any sign of bad-assery. Whenever she is with Antonio (her lurver), she turns into some limp noodle that must be carried from room to room because she is too distraught and tired to pick her own ass up. Characters are constantly insisting that she is "special", but she insists she's not (a point I can agree on). But still. She should have some confidence. She went to an academy with 90 young adults in her class. Out of those 90, only one-third of them made it to graduation. Out of the thirty that graduated, only 16 or so survived the final test. Out of those sixteen, only six got to be hunters. So have some pride, girl, you've obviously had enough balls to get you this far.
The rest of the characters were also unlikable. Actually, I take that back. I liked Holgar. He was nice and didn't annoy me. Eriko, I didn't really like or dislike. She was rarely in the story, and was uninteresting for the most part. Skye was annoying because she is keeping a secret that could get them all killed, and chooses her secrecy over the well-being of the rest of the group. Also, she gave no explanation as to why she was in love with Jamie. Personally, I think she should end up with Holgar. I was sensing some vibes. Jamie was a douche bag. There is a line between being charmingly hot-headed and being a jackass, and he was one the jackass side of the line. Seriously, this guy needs to STFU. He had too bring up his werewolf prejudice in every goddam conversation, and its him that will get the group killed, not Holgar (Holgar, I gotcha back). And then there was Antonio......Guess what he wanted to be when he grew up. Go ahead, guess. That's right! He wanted to be priest. Howdya know? Could it be that it was mentioned on EVERY GODDAMN PAGE?! You're Catholic. I get it. You probably shouldn't be trying to get in Jenn's pants then.
The romance between Antonio and Jenn, supposedly a driving force behind this novel, was the most lackluster, chemistry-less coupling I ever read. Seriously, it was horrible. I won't even got into how absolutely terrible it was because it makes my lip just now stopped curling, and I don't want my face to get stuck in a grimace.
This novel tried to give it's characters depth through multiple perspectives, which is a tool, when done right, is extremely interesting and effective. This book failed miserably at it. The narrative had absolutely no focus, and would shift perspectives in the middle of the page, which made it confusing and frustrating. It also failed in creating three-dimensional characters, because in attempting to give everyone a voice, it skimped out on everyone. I couldn't care less if everyone in this book died. I have absolutely no attachment to them, and frankly, I was hoping someone would stab Jenn most of the time. Ironically, the only truly intriguing character was the villain, but unfortunately, to finish hearing out her story, I would have to read more books in the series, which is something I will not do.
The writing was just bad. There was nothing unique, purposeful, or enjoyable about the style, and for some reason, I despised it. As soon as I read the first paragraph I was like "Oh shit". I knew then I was in trouble. But yet I hoped the characters or plot would pull through. Nope.
Overall, this book was a such a flippin' mess. The writing irked me to no end, and the characters were all pretty stupid. I ended up skimming most of the second half of the novel. Most people say it starts out slow, and then gets better, but no. It pretty much sucks the whole way through.
I'm just kidding. When there is a zombie apocalypse (no, not if), I'm about 98% sure I would not survive. I would be like those...more
I am. I so am. BRING IT
I'm just kidding. When there is a zombie apocalypse (no, not if), I'm about 98% sure I would not survive. I would be like those chicks in horror movies who get killed off in the opening credits. But there is the 2% I do survive initially, and then after that, I have a plan.
I am skilled in no way shape or form. I hate the wilderness and physical activity. I am not a quick thinker and I panic under pressure. So basically, I am screwed unless I find Tom Imura. Tom Imura was one of the main reasons I enjoyed this book. He is basically a calm, sexy zombie-slaying Samurai. My plan is to marry him. I know, I know. How Mary-Suish of me. Well STFU, in retrospect this is for the good of America. This way we can have lots of half-Japanese zombie-killing offspring, and God knows the world needs more of those.
Benny, the MC, is not as good as Tom. He is like a non-sexy, less-Asian bratty version of him. In the beginning of the novel, he was close to insufferable and I wanted to stab him with a katana (This book taught me Japanese!). Think of him as Harry Potter a la Book 5. But he did show growth and development and yada yada yada and by the end of the book he actually resembled a likable human being. But still not as awesome as Tom.
I liked this book, but it was nothing close to fantastic for me. Despite the heavy themes, I was never emotionally invested in it. I disliked the writing, and even though the characters are developed, I never felt an attachment to them. This is entirely personal, however, and thats why I won't make too big of a stink about it.
It was a good zombie book. Not all about the braaaaaiiiiinzzzz. Zombies are people too. Albeit, dead ones.
I'm warning you now. This is more of a rant than a cohesive, intelligent review. It will be filled with spoilers and un-ladylike language, so people o...moreI'm warning you now. This is more of a rant than a cohesive, intelligent review. It will be filled with spoilers and un-ladylike language, so people of delicate sensibilities take heed.
I like Hilary Duff. I grew up with her in Lizzie Maguire, and even rocked the Lizzie hairstyle for a while. I think she has grown into a nice young starlet as opposed to, well, this
I was curious about this book after seeing her name on it. I was interested. How much of it did Hilary actually write? Did she just tell Elise Allen "write about soulmates" and then go and get a manicure? Or did she come up with plot herself, with Elise Allen only writing it down on paper? I think, after reading it, that I know the answer. I believe this is how the conception of this book transpired:
Hilary's manager walks into Borders mistakenly, absolutely absorbed into keying things into his Blackberry. It is only when he walks into a table, toppling over a pile of books, that he looks up and acknowledges his surroundings. Hey! This isn't Saks! But then his eye is drawn to a picture of Lauren Conrad on the back of Sweet Little Lies. He smirks, because he has his suspicions how much of the book Lauren actually wrote. Surprisingly, he sees multiple teenagers in the check-out line with the book in hand. Hmmpp, he thinks, Hilary is ten times prettier and smarter and nicer than LC Then a brilliant idea forms in his head. Hilary's name + YA book = new sports car. Excitedly, he gathers a copy of every YA book in the store and rushes back to the office to make some phone calls. Hey, Hilary, babe….how would you like to write the ultimate YA book?
Next time, Hilary, just say no.
This book infuriated me. How stupid do publishers think teens are? This is the same typical formula for every other YA paranormal book out there, except wrapped up in a different dress.
There was nothing special about it. No spark. The writing was dead and lifeless, as were all the characters. I was bored out of my mind with the predictability of it all when I wasn't in a rage of seething hot fury.
Clea Raymond, the narrator, is horrible. She has no personality, and nothing that distinguishes her from every other YA heroine out there. Her name is also too close to "Claire" for my liking, and those of you who've read my other rants know my reasoning for that. Clea is a stupid, vapid girl, who became absolutely insufferable after she discovered *ahem* tru wuv. That's right, folks, she has a soulmate. But don't be too jealous of her now. She also has the inexplicable burden of being caught in the middle of a love triangle. What would a YA book be without one of those? Of course, Clea had no idea her BFF Ben, had feelings for her until he started being a jealous prick. Clea, you give a bad name to women everywhere. We are girls. We always know. Platonic friends, my ass.
Of course, I could have forgiven the book for this. Love triangles are a staple because they create drama and act as filler. Except this one was so blatantly one-sided. We all know Clea lllllluuuuuurrrrvvvvessss Sage (her soulmate guy), who is also immortal. Clea herself is kind of immortal, but more on that later. I might be spoiling things a little here, but suck it up. I'm trying to save you here. Clea and Sage had known each other less than a week. At first, Clea thought he was a crazy stalker. Then she thought he was a serial killer deadset on sending her to the grave. Then all the sudden they were kissing, telling each other how much they loved each other, and having sex in a car. First off, if a guy (with the exception of Leonardo DiCaprio) lets you lose your virginity in car, he does not really love you. Second off, this guy has been around for 500 years. Do you know how many STDs he could have contracted in that time? I don't care if he's immortal. As my health teacher said, herpes can affect anybody. And lastly, WTF CLEA?!! You have known this guy one week and up until a few hours ago you thought he was going to kill you!!!!!!! WHY! And then of course, from then on, it causes her physical pain to be away from her Sagey-poo. Gag me.
I blame Clea's whore friend, Rayna. Rayna, as Clea describes her, is a "romantic" who finds a new "soulmate" everytime she leaves the house. There are words for those kinds of girls, so don't go beating around the bush. Anyway, Rayna gives Clea the poetic advice of "don't think, just feel" right before Clea goes off alone with Sage, the soulmate/stranger/serial killer. NO NO NO. Think first, Clea, think first!! Do you want to become a statistic? This book is all your fault, Rayna, and I hate you.
When everyone wasn't talking about soulmates, they were trying to figure out the mystery of where Clea's father disappeared to. Of course, the focus of the book turned to Sage as soon as he appeared. But anyway, the beginning was rather slow, but then everything happened like BAM!BAM!BAM!. Any information the reader found out was in clumps under circumstances that were too convenient for my liking. It was frustrating. A part I did enjoy was all of Clea's past lives, but those were clumped up and rushed. I think it would have been better to have them dispersed throughout the novel. The ending was also extremely abrupt with so many questions unanswered, I wanted to punch a baby at first. But then I realized the book was over, so then I felt happy again. Here are a list of my questions/complaints:
1. Does Clea not have to go to school? I'm not sure what time of the year this book is taking place, but Clea is still able to drop everything and go to South America or Japan whenever she feels like it. With only two boys for company. 2. Why do people in Japan know who Clea is? Since when is being a senator's daughter such a flippin' big deal that people on the other side of the world know who you are? I don't even know my Senators' names. 3. Why is Clea's mother so horrible? She just let's Clea have total independence. Want to go to Peru? Go ahead! Guam? Why not! Afghanistan? Be sure to bring lots of sunscreen! And you would think, her daughter apparently being such a big deal and all, she might have Clea assigned a body guard or something? Nope. 4. Why does Clea love Sage? He has no personality. She literally just decides she loves him. They didn't even have great chemistry. 5. Why are Clea and Ben immortal too? I understand Sage, somewhat, since he drank the elixir. But there is not explanation for Clea and Ben to have their souls being reborn again and again, and at random intervals. 6. What's a soul? I know what my definition of a soul is, but this book has me all confused. Why is Clea so talented in some lives, like being a singer, artist, or actress, but has no apparent talent in this life? Does a soul just mean you have the same personality (or lack of it)? 7. Why does Sage show up in Clea's pictures? Why is he sometimes floating and sometimes not? GAH NO SENSE 8. Is this the only time Clea is aware of her past lives?, or has she had the same dreams in her past? 9. Since Ben always seems to be the problem, why don't they just KILL HIM? There, problem solved. See you again in another hundred years.
I'm just so done with these crappy YA paranormals. They are all the same. My intelligence is being insulted. (less)
It's Violet's junior year at the Westfield School, a competitive all-girl prep school. Violet has a few goals to accomplish. She wants straight A's, p...moreIt's Violet's junior year at the Westfield School, a competitive all-girl prep school. Violet has a few goals to accomplish. She wants straight A's, producing the best lit mag the school has ever seen, and for the perfect Scott Walsh to fall in love with her. This would be daunting on one's own, but Violet has her best friend Katie to back her up. However, something is different about Katie. She isn't content being the perfect Westfield girl, where everything is just so easy for her, and this isn't something Violet easily understands. With all this drama and pressure, will Violet survive her junior year?
Okay, hearing the book was set in a ritzy school, as well as the cover and title, I was expecting some smutty prep school story, filled with backstabbing bitches and girls that sleep around. It turned out to be completely wrong. Well, that stuff might have been going on, but behind the scenes. Violet isn't some quiet girl that every guy inexplicably falls in love with, like I expected, but she's an ordinary girl. I saw so much of myself in Violet it was scary. She is an overachiever with no experience with boys, who has an extremely awesome sense of humor. I liked how Violet actually proved to be intelligent instead of the author just telling us she's intelligent. If ever there was a female president, I nominate Violet I-forget-her-last-name.
This book was extremely funny in a honest way. There where times where I laughed so hard, the bit of pretzel I was chewing flew out of my mouth and hit the computer screen. Gross, I know, but also extremely telling as to the hilarity of the novel.
This book was truly a story about friendship, but it wasn't sappy. I hate sappy little stories about "true friends" and will avoid them at any cost. They piss me off. It's all like "Really?? You would die for each other??" Would you care to test that?" *I pull out a machete* But Violet and Katie's friendship wasn't like that. It was filled with inside jokes,a long history and a shared sense of humor, with just a touch of rivalry. It seemed real.
There really wasn't a plot though. It seemed that each chapter was like a short story in it's own right. Extremely funny short stories. I'm still laughing at the "Family Jewels" chapter. Most of the first half was just building up the setting and backstory, where the second half had more plot.
Overall, an extremely funny, charming novel that I was not expecting. I absolutely adore Violet and her voice, and I wish the book would continue. I was quite upset to finish. I have a feeling this won't be the last book I read by Ms. Leila Sales. (less)
Brie is your average self-absorbed teenage girl. Her main concerns are partying and trying to keep her boyfriend's interest. However, one night Brie r...moreBrie is your average self-absorbed teenage girl. Her main concerns are partying and trying to keep her boyfriend's interest. However, one night Brie receives horrible news: her older sister Faith was killed in a horrible accident. Brie and Faith weren't particularly close as Faith was devoutly religious, something Brie wasn't all that comfortable with. Despite their differences, when Faith dies, Brie's world collapses. She loses her boyfriend, best friend, and her parents are too distracted with their own grief to even notice her. And Brie isn't ready to move on. There is something unsettling about the circumstances of Faith's death….something that just doesn't add up. And Brie is determined to find out just what it is.
While this book certainly is original, it is nothing extraordinary. It takes patience to get through the meandering plot and it took me weeks to finish. Yet I persevered. It wasn't suspense that drew me in, but there was something so…..pleasant about the writing. I liked it.
There was a little too much religious talk for my tastes. Even Brie, who is one of the least religious characters in the book, discusses it quite a lot. It kind of makes me feel uncomfortable and guilty because I never go to church for the sole reason that I am too lazy to go to church of Sundays. Does mass have to be on a weekend? That's when I catch up on my beauty sleep. And homework. And Jersey Shore marathons.
As for the mystery-plot, there really was none. It seemed to be a suspended curiosity rather than an impending mystery. Brie just kind of ran around in circles while Tessa went all ninja. Things didn't turn action-y until the last fifty pages or so. Then it was like BAM.
But as I said before, there was something likable about it, some sort of endearing factor that kept me turning the pages.
I don't really recommend this book, but I won't dive-bomb you in the bookstore screaming "NNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" if I see you pick it up ( I have been known to do this in the past, particularly with certain YA vampire books).(less)
This was possibly one of the worst books I have ever read. I despised everything about it. The dumb-ass title. The dumb-ass cover. The dumb-ass charac...moreThis was possibly one of the worst books I have ever read. I despised everything about it. The dumb-ass title. The dumb-ass cover. The dumb-ass characters. And especially the dumb-ass writing. I tend to cuss and rant when I hate a book, so if you are of delicate sensibilities or loved this book, I would advise against reading any further.
I hate the main character so freakin' much. Eliza (I forgot her name already, so I had to look it up) was on my characters-i-wanna-shoot shelf before I even finished the second chapter. Could she be anymore stupid? Seriously. She was whiny and had not a lick of common sense. And she had no balls. I laughed when she told Cooper he had no balls, when she was a puppet for the 318's. Have some pride, girl. Personally, I would tell them to go fuck themselves and let them post the notebook online. Who cares if everyone knows you are scared to sing karaoke? And she was all "the secrets didn't just concern me". So what if one of your best friends is getting booty-called, one of them is a tease, and you kissed your sister's ex-boyfriend? I hate them too, and you should have told them anyway.
I also hated all the other characters. Clarice (I think that's her name) and Marissa were horrible best friends. Not only were they as equally stupid as Eliza, they ditched her on various occasions for boys. And at the end Eliza was all like "true friends" and all that crap. I was like "Are we reading the same book here? Your friends are bitches. Dump them". Cooper was the only character that I didn't want to stab with a fork.
And the writing was completely horrible. I rolled my eyes so many times one of them fell out of its socket. It was written to seem like the thought process of Eliza. Eliza, being completely stupid, did not help. And every other word was "like" or "you know' or "omg". And when Eliza was excited about something EVERYTHING WAS PUT INTO CAPS. CAN YOU BE ANY MORE JUVENILE? I just hated it. Oh, so much.
The plot was also completely predictable and completely stupid. Everything you expect to happen, except the things that might be awesome (ninjas!), happens. And the title of the book is wrong. Not much was changed. Eliza still has the same fears, except now she is not as stupid as to write them in a notebook.
And Barnholdt must have been sponsored by Pandora or something, because she mentioned them at least five different times. Sheesh.
This book is not fun. It's not cute. It's not entertaining in the least. If I had a physical copy and not an ebook, this book would be used as lining for my brother's poopy rabbit cage. I would say to use it as toilet paper, but it's not good enough to wipe my ass. (less)
Even though I have A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF HOMEWORK to get done, I knew I wasn't going to be able to focus on anything until I finished this book.
This bo...moreEven though I have A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF HOMEWORK to get done, I knew I wasn't going to be able to focus on anything until I finished this book.
This book is about Amy Curry, who's life has recently went very much downhill. Her father died in a car accident, her mother packed up everything to go to Connecticut, and her twin brother is in rehab. Amy, who was left behind in California to finish her junior year, isn't too happy about having to go cross country in the family car, driven by a boy she's never met. The aforementioned boy is Roger, a college kid who is still hung up on his ex. Although Amy's mother has the trip very carefully laid out, Roger and Amy can't help but make some very unexpected stops along the way. It turns out this trip might be exactly what they both need.
I was really surprised about how much I love this book. It seemed to be so unassuming but soon enough I was sucked in like this *makes whooshing noises*. I just couldn't put it down. I don't know what it was that made this book so absorbing. Was it the excellent writing? The spot-on characters? The quirky humor? The slow-building romance? Amy's travel journal and all the bits and scraps they pick up on the way? I would have to say all of it. I really can't think of anything I didn't like about it, which is rare because I'm usually such a whiner.
There is something appealing about spending a week or so with a stranger, going to places neither of you have ever been. This is now something I want to experience. I need to now find myself a cute college boy, and somehow convince him to go on a cross-country road trip. Shouldn't be too hard (TWSS).
Anyway, this book was cute, but not in a sappy gooey way, but a indie film kind of way. I really need to expand on my adjectives. I am rambling a bit, so I would suggest you abort reading this review now, if you haven't already. This is also one of those books where I want more (transcontinental road trip, anyone?), but I'm glad there is no sequel. A sequel would ruin it. And if I see one, I shall be very upset. But perhaps something similar from Ms. Matson would be nice.
Oh, and Ms. Matson, has very good taste in music, if I may say so, assuming Roger is anything to go by. Okay, I really should stop typing now, as I am afraid I shall embarrass myself if I don't cease shortly. I talk fancy-ish sometimes.
Amy is going to Connecticut! That's where I live! She is right, though. It really is quite pretty, although we don't have much to do. And we don't have any cool food chains. McDonald's and Dunkin Donuts is pretty much it. We have casinos though, and lots of cows, and our state insect is the praying mantis. Did you know they are the only insect who can turn their head? I learned that from a Snapple cap. And we have Benedict Arnold. He's a traitor, though, so we don't like to claim him much.
I'm not a big fan of verse novels. The only exception was Sold by Patricia McCormick. That is, until now. I still don't like the fact that this book w...moreI'm not a big fan of verse novels. The only exception was Sold by Patricia McCormick. That is, until now. I still don't like the fact that this book was written in free verse, but I was able to get past that and enjoy the story underneath.
Glimpse is about 12-year-old Hope and what happened after she found her older sister, Liz, in the bathroom with a gun in her hand. Liz becomes virtually silent and is sent off to a mental care facility. Meanwhile, Hope is trying to cope with things back home. Her mother isn't the best role model around. She's selfish and turn tricks to bring in cash. Hope suspects that her mother knows something as to why Liz almost killed herself that night, and resolves to bring Liz back to a safe home.
I definitely got caught up in the story. The mother is probably one of the worst fictional parents I ever encountered. I wanted to go in there and call DCF myself. I was just amazed at the atmosphere. At first I thought the book took place a few decades ago in the South, but I came to discover it took place in modern-day Florida. It made me realize how poverty and ill-treatment can really isolate someone.
The big secret as to why Liz was suicidal is pretty easy for the reader to figure out, but that doesn't lessen the emotional impact. Poor Hope and poor Liz.
I don't see why this book had to be in verse, though. Is it because they are in style? That the author thinks it makes the work seem more emotional? Original? I would have enjoyed it more if it was written in prose. But it was a quick, emotional read, nonetheless. (less)
This book is about 15-yr-old Ollie on the day he gets his Deathday Letter. A Deathday Letter is basically a notice sent to you 24 hours before you are...moreThis book is about 15-yr-old Ollie on the day he gets his Deathday Letter. A Deathday Letter is basically a notice sent to you 24 hours before you are scheduled to die. So that sucks. Ollie, however, is your typical teenage boy. All he thinks about are sex, girls, food, and sex. So on his last day, what is there to do? Well, Ollie, his best friend, and his longtime crush are going to find out.
I did not like Ollie nor did I find his humor funny. As he constantly pointed out and exemplified, guys only think about sex. It was so relentless. I doubt there was one paragraph devoid of any mention of boobs. It wasn't funny or realistic, just tiring. Almost makes me want to be lesbian. I'm not a prude, mind you, but I'm in high school and get enough of this stuff in my actual life.
It could have just been more deep, ya know? A teenager on his last day, knowing its his last day? Pretty deep stuff. But alas, it was treated as one giant joke.
So maybe I was just in a bad mood when I read this. I'm sure some people will enjoy it and find it absolutely hilarious. But not me. (less)
I wasn't expecting much from this book to begin with, so I can't consider myself disappointed.
Claire is having the best birthday of her life. Her poo...moreI wasn't expecting much from this book to begin with, so I can't consider myself disappointed.
Claire is having the best birthday of her life. Her pool party is off the chain (people still say that, right?) and Hottie Matthew is starting to show interest in plain old Claire. Emphasis on plain. But when the full moon surfaces, her mother tells her a dark secret, both her and Claire are werewolves. Now Claire life becomes a lot more complicated. Not only does she have to deal with all her bodily changes of becoming a furry beast, she has to hide her secret from everyone, including her best friend, Emily, and Hottie Matthew. But there is also a rouge werewolf on the loose, on that is killing humans and endangering the existance of Claire's pack. To make the plot even twistier, Hottie Matthew is also the son of some deranged scientist hellbent of capturing and "curing" werewolves.
Okay, okay. I know this is a fantasy book. I know it has very little basis in the real world. But I can't help but bring forth some logical impossibilities this book passes off. There will be some spoilers ahead, although I shall try to use hypothetical situations only.
Say everyone knows werewolves exist. Say everyone thinks werewolves are bad, without even one PETA activist to wave a mighty picket sign. Say there are entire government organizations dedicated to researching and controlling lycanthropes. But despite all this, people know nothing about werewolves, at all. They don't know, or suspect, that they are all female (one thing I did like about this book was all the werewolf girl-power), and don't know their habits or anything. So instead of, I don't know, researching and studying one of the few werewolves they manage to capture, they lock it up in a cage in some unguarded lab, until they can "cure" it. Now, does this make sense? What kind of respectable lab, holding some a valuable specimen, doesn't even have surveillance cameras and puts the key to the cage of this valuable specimen IN THE REFRIGERATOR!!!!!!
Oh, and say, you were a bloodthristy werewolf. You like sunflowers right? And after killing some poor dude, you get your picture taken with a sunflower blocking your face. Uh-oh. I would be careful now. Because some ditzy teenager will walk aimlessly into your house, see a sunflower (which could or could not be the same one), and when they later see the incriminating picture, they will automatically link you to the scene of the crime. So be careful in the future.
Oh, and apparently bodies smell enough to be gag-worthy after 15 minutes of being deceased, and lupine body language is diverse enough to have complete nonverbal conversations with specific wordchoice and every thing. Even when you are not even freaking LOOKING at the werewolf you are having a conversation with.
Okay, with that off my chest....on to the characters. I have decided I dislike the name Claire. It just is a soiled name. Every time I hear it now, it brings to mind some annoying teenage "heroine". No offense to the Claires out there. You can't help what you are named at birth. So even though my first impression of you is shot to pieces, you still have the possibility of growing on me. All the characters in this story were just so completely underdeveloped. Not a likable or memorable face in the bunch. Everyone just filled their stereotypical role. Claire the "sweet" and quiet narrator, who only wants to protect her friends and family. Hottie Matthew, the attractive and understanding love interest who inexplicably falls for Plain Janes. Emily, the talkative and bubbly biffle. And Marie, the type-A mother. Mix in some wolves and bad guys, and there you go.
The plot was poo. I would say it was predictable, but I did fall prey to the red-herring for the longest time. I am actually quite ashamed I didn't figure it out sooner. So props there. And there was just no action or suspense. Just Claire fretting and worrying. I had no problem putting this book down.
Oh, and what is the mysterious Goddess that created werewolves?
Don't let my bitchin' and moanin' stop you from reading this book if it sounds interesting, really. It's just books like these make me bitter.(less)
Okay, let me start off by saying how misleading the cover and title are. I was expecting some light, two-star read. Boy, I was wrong.
It's been two y...moreOkay, let me start off by saying how misleading the cover and title are. I was expecting some light, two-star read. Boy, I was wrong.
It's been two years since Ally Ryan's father swindled millions from the wealthiest families of Orchard Hill, and she and her family were forced to leave town in shame. But now she is back, even though not all of her old friends are happy to see her. When Ally goes to visit her old mansion, she finds someone else living there. The smokin' Jake Graydon who has taken her place among her former Crestie friends. The two feel the sparks, but it ain't so easy because it isn't just them in the equation.
I really like this book. It was one of those that take you completely by surprise. I was sucked in immediately, and I had a really hard time putting it down. The writing was easily consumable, and the characters were a blast. The plot had some twists and turns I wasn't expecting, and it refrained from being gimmicky for the most part.
There were two narrators to this story; Jake and Ally. They provided a nice balance for each other. And surprisingly, I liked both of them. Ally was a great female character. She was athletic and confident, while still having vulnerability. I liked how she wasn't all about "getting her man" and then whining about it. She stood up to the people who tormented her and was always in the game. Jake was swoonworthy and a pretty believable guy. He was arrogant, but had a conscience. I liked the romance between them. It wasn't all about the lust, but had some heat.
The teens acted like teens. Some of the girls were bitches. Some of the guys were dorks. They cussed and partied without being of Gossip Girl proportions. Trevor and Todd reminded me a lot of the Weasley twins. Annie was fun. I really liked the whole cast. Maybe the whole Crestie/norms thing was a little unrealistic, but then again, I don't have any mansions around where I live.
This book is really one of the best of its kind. Entertaining without frilliness. But the one thing I did not like at all was the ending. For all of you that are going to read it, know right now that it is not a stand alone, and that it is the first of a planned trilogy. I was not aware of this going into it, and was very put off by the cliffhanger ending. My rebellious side was like "Nuh-uh, hell no. We ain't gonna get sucked in by this ploy." If the book was of a lesser quality, then I definitely wouldn't read the sequels. It is just because it is so good that I am going to be first in line for the second book.
This is off-topic, but one thing I don't understand is why Kieran Scott uses her pen name for some works, but her real name for her others. What is the point of a pen name at all if everyone knows it's a pen name?(less)
This book could have very nearly been a disaster. It could have taken the sour young-adult fantasy route that I'm experiencing more and more these day...moreThis book could have very nearly been a disaster. It could have taken the sour young-adult fantasy route that I'm experiencing more and more these days. It even had the dreaded love triangle. But, I was pleasantly surprised in the end.
This books is about a girl, named Aura (the name made me cringe), who can see ghosts. Which is not unusual because everyone born after the Shift can see the violet figures of people who once were. The night of his 17th birthday, Aura's boyfriend, Logan, dies. He isn't completely gone though, and haunts her whether she wants him to or not. Then enter Zach: the sexy foreign exchange student who has a secret nearly as big as Aura's own.
This book moved quickly and fluently, without just being comprised of action. I was sucked in nearly immediately. I was reading this on my laptop, so I began taking my laptop everywhere. The writing, while not particularly stunning, was fluidly done.
The characters were strong. Aura, the main character, was no Mary Sue. Assertive and passionate, she was quick-witted enough to hold her own in the tensest conversations. Logan was perfect in that he wasn't perfect. He had a temper, but was overall very sweet. Even though he was dead for 90% of the novel, he managed to develop through out the story.
And then there was Zach. Oh. My. God. I think I'm in love. All foreign exchange students are sexy, but a Scottish one? *melts* Smith-Ready must have dived into the deepest parts of my psyche, because he is a man of my dreams. And the love-triangle was well-done. All the emotions Aura felt were believable, and I think readers will be conflicted as to whom to favor.
This was a smart paranormal read. The plot was original without being completely out-there. It was exciting and entertaining, with plenty of unanswered questions left at the end. Once the sequel comes out, I guarantee ya I'll be one of the first in line.
Oh, and I thought the cover was ugly, but that besides the point. (less)
I don't have too many strong feelings about this book.
My favorite aspect of this book was the concept. I really liked all the curse-worker stuff, and...moreI don't have too many strong feelings about this book.
My favorite aspect of this book was the concept. I really liked all the curse-worker stuff, and the blowback idea was great. In this book, actions had consequences, whether it'd be killing a man with one touch or just changing the odds of a game in your favor. Most fantasy nowadays, people just do whatever they want with the unrealistic threat of "dire consequences". Well, this book has a system. I like systems.
Cassel was a pretty unreliable narrator. I mean, he was wrong about his own life for about 80% of the novel. I found his personality pretty generic. Yes, it is cool who his family is and that he a super-cute conman, but the personality? He is whipped by a dead girl. Speaking of the dead girl, Lila was awesome. She was tough, mysterious, and a bad-ass. I actually liked Cassel's entire family, even his brothers. I know they aren't exactly the good guys, but I thought they were more realistic that way.
Oh, the plot was nice, albeit a little predictable. The twists smelled from a hundred pages away. Except perhaps the one that ended the book...it will be interesting to see how that plays out in future books.
This book was engaging, the concept was great, and I'm interested to see what happens next.
I didn't like the cover though. I dislike it when the author's name is more prominent than the title, and the smoke thing at the top is annoying. (less)
I can sum this book up in one word: ridiculous. But strangely, I enjoyed it all the same.
Gigi Lane, our narrator, is an over-the-top caricature of he...moreI can sum this book up in one word: ridiculous. But strangely, I enjoyed it all the same.
Gigi Lane, our narrator, is an over-the-top caricature of herself. She is the mean girl. The top-dog. The future prom queen. I'm sure you know the type, if not from real life experience, then from pretty much every teen movie ever made.
Anyway, the book starts off at the end of her junior year at Swan's Lake- an all-girl private school run by the beautiful, powerful Hot Spot. The Hot Spot is a trio of flawless, uber-popular seniors which make sure the schools stays in order. They assign the first years tasks (such as cleaning window, vacuuming, etc.), they keep the cliques in line (the Cheerleaders, the Glossies, the Vox Foxes, etc.), have a mysterious Den of Secrecy, and are part of The Network- powerful connections that will have you set for life. Sounds awesome, right? Gigi, who is next in line for the Head Hottie throne, is super excited for her senior year. But as you can imagine, and correctly assume from the title and premise, things go wrong.
I loved this book, though I didn't start out that way. By Chapter Three, I was convinced this was the most unrealistic bag of BS I've ever read. Had the writer ever been to high school in the least? I wanted to stab the very unlikable Gigi with a fork. Then Gigi came back from Alaska (read the book and find out), and a light shined down from the heavens as I finally understood what this book was. It was supposed to be over-the-top bullshit. It was sattire! Ohhhh
After that, the book was a whole lot more enjoyable as I laughed at Gigi's bizarre antics and the absurd plot. Even though it was sort of predictable in the beginning, some of the twists at the end genuinely surpised me. And Gigi changed for the better.....sort of.
So overall, I don't know. This will either be a hit-or-miss for some people. You'll either appreciate the humore, or give up on Gigi from the start. Most of the negative reviews on here complain about Gigi being "unrelatable", to that I say well, duh.(less)
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