Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani

Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani

Release Date: September 2009
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 288
Overall:

I'm marooned.
Abandoned.
Left to rot in boarding school . . .

Viola doesn't want to go to boarding school, but somehow she ends up at an all-girls school in South Bend, Indiana, far, far away from her home in Brooklyn, New York. Now Viola is stuck for a whole year in the sherbet-colored sweater capital of the world.

Ick.

There's no way Viola's going to survive the year—especially since she has to replace her best friend Andrew with three new roommates who, disturbingly, actually seem to like it there. She resorts to viewing the world (and hiding) behind the lens of her video camera.

Boarding school, though, and her roommates and even the Midwest are nothing like she thought they would be, and soon Viola realizes she may be in for the most incredible year of her life.

But first she has to put the camera down and let the world in.

Viola is a fourteen-year-old with a passion for film. She believes that she gets it from her parents, who are currently in Afghanistan filming themselves. So, in the meantime, she is dropped off at an academy that her mom attended when she was younger. As you can guess, she hates it, but not after long, she doesn't find it to be so aggravating.

As the story develops Viola begins to find her place at Prefect Academy, and realizes that there is more out there than just the busy streets of New York. When she finally stops fighting to get back home, she starts enjoying her year at the academy. She and her roomates become great friends, and she even gets her first boyfriend! But, even though her life at the academy starts looking up, she still has a dilemma. Her best guy friend from home is acting weird, and all of the sudden, she thinks she's seeing a ghost! As you can tell, this story is not too far from being realistic, and I enjoyed the truth of it. I could really imagine a fourteen year old girl living Viola's life at a boarding school. It was great to read.

The only thing that bothered me was that her best friend, Andrew, wasn't in the story as much, but of course, he was on the other side of the country. Hopefully there will be a next book so their friendship can blossom into something more, because that's the kind of vibe I got from this book.

Viola in Reel Life is an entertaining read. A lot of teens will enjoy it because they can relate to the issues she is going through. I can't wait for more from the author!

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Hold Still by Nina LaCour

Hold Still by Nina LaCour

Release Date: October 20, 2009
Publisher: Dutton Books
Pages: 240
Overall:

An arresting story about starting over after a friend’s suicide, froma breakthrough new voice in YA fiction

Dear Caitlin, there are so many things that i want so badly to tell you but i just can’t.

Devastating, hopeful, hopeless, playful . . . in words and illustrations, Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend’s suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn’t die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid’s descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid—and Caitlin herself

Hold Still is a heart-wrenching novel about the struggles a girl must go through after her best friend's suicide.

Caitlin was a mesmerizing character. Her pain and depression bled through the pages and meshed with my own thoughts. The writing was so wonderfully done that I felt her pain like it was my own. She was so connected to Ingrid, her friend that committed suicide, that when she died, part of Caitlin left with her. Ingrid's death left Caitlin feeling broken, exposed, and the farthest thing from being whole. Ingrid was a great character as well. Though she was only seen through Caitlin's memories and her journal entries, you could tell that she was great at hiding her true emotions. While Caitlin had known about some of the depressing and unspeakable things Ingrid was going through, she didn't know how bad they were and to what extent. However, I honestly thought that even if Ingrid had let Caitlin, or anyone else, into this side of her life, they wouldn't be able to help her. She was deeply dug into a pile of negative thoughts and emotions. It was hard to read about some times, but that's what had my interest; it was true and not many authors choose to write so adventurously.

The other characters were crafted intricately as well. They were all not as they would seem to the outside world. Dylan, Caitlin's new friend, was a lesbian. Taylor, a guy that Caitlin begins to develop a connection with, is popular, but interested in Caitlin's thoughts, even though she's drifting on the edges of the social crowd. Jayson, Taylor's friend and the object of Ingrid's affection, was also very different. So, not only in this novel does the story mention suicide and depression, but it also brings different people from different groups together.

Nina LaCour really did a magnificant job with symbolism. At one point on the novel, an old theater is mentioned. It actually becomes a big part in the book and I liked that it was. But what becomes of it is what I liked most, it was like the starting point of a new beginning.

Hold Still is a devastating journey of love, loss, and new beginnings. An impressing debut from Nina LaCour. She will surely make an impact with her fresh, new voice.

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Bite Me by Melissa Francis

Bite Me by Melissa Francis

Release Date: July 28, 2009

Publisher: Harper Teen

Pages: 304

Overall:

AJ Ashe isn't a typical seventeen-year-old vampire (as if there is such a thing as ‘typical!’) Her ex-boyfriend is now her stepbrother. Her two BFFs are in a huge fight and AJ’s caught in the middle. She's totally framed for cheating on a Lit test. And now, apparently, the fate of humankind lies in her little undead hands. Like that's fair. What ever happened to the good old days when all a vampire girl had to worry about was the occasional zit and hiding her fetish for necks?

Bite Me is a wonderful debut from an author I'll be keeping my eye on, Melissa Francis. The witty dialogue and compelling plot she has produced prove that she knows what she's doing.

This novel was some-what a part of the romance genre. I liked the coupling in the novel, but didn't like the situation of it. AJ and her ex are just recently step-siblings and are still in love with each other. At first, the sibling factor added a new twist and I thought that maybe something would happen, like their parents' relationship failing, and they would reunite. The outcome of their relationship disappointed me, but didn't. I'm left wondering what will happen in the next book, Love Sucks; it already sounds promising considering the word 'love' in the title.

The action in the novel was suspenseful, and I gobbled it up. The big and evil event that AJ must live through is nail-biting. I was shocked at what was happening while I was reading it. I had suspected two people to be guilty of the set-ups fixated around AJ, but was proven wrong. It was one of the characters I least expected! Rarely is it that I cannot guess the endings of books. It was a delight to be surprised.

While the writing wasn't anything wondrous, I was still consumed by the story. As I said, I'll be waiting for the release of Love Sucks.

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Switch by Carol Snow

Claire Martin has some serious body issues.

Not much happens in Claire's sleepy beach town, but that's okay. All she wants is to hang out with her best friend, make the high school swim team, and convince Nate, the guy of her dreams, to stop calling her "Dude." And, oh—she'd really, really like to stay in her own skin.

Ever since Claire hit her teens, electrical storms have been making her switch bodies. Usually she's back to her old self in no time. But when something goes terribly wrong, she finds herself stuck as another girl. And not just any girl, but the icy beauty who has caught Nate's eye.

Suddenly Claire goes from being Miss Average to Miss Gorgeous—the model-thin blonde that every girl wants to look like and every guy wants to date. Will she ever figure out how to get back to her old life? More importantly, will she want to?

Reading about Claire's previous body switching was interesting, because it brought things together, and informatively showed how things happened. Like the relationship between Claire and Beanie, Claire's best friend. The whole body switching thing in general was pretty cool to read about. You'd think it'd be great to be someone else for a day, but this novel proves that it isn't.

Another thing that I liked that this novel showed was that, things aren't always as they seem. Larissa, the girl that Claire switches bodies with for the most of the book, is a beautiful, blonde girl. When Claire was herself, Larissa seemed to be full of herself and snobby, but when Claire was in Larissa's body, she saw how hard her life was. She was always ordered around like a maid, and all she really wanted to do was see her father. I quickly had more respect for Larissa's character.

The characters were fun and very likable. Beanie, has to be my favorite character. She's witty and relatable, her weakness, though, is that she is easily put down. I think she made the book a lot more interesting, even though she didn't play such a big role. Nate, Claire's object of admiration, annoyed me a little because he didn't seem to be genuine all the time. He was sort of confusing to me.

The only disappointment that I had with SWITCH is that I wanted more! The ending was left open, and sometimes that's perfect, but in this case, it wasn't. I wish more was told. Other than that? Very entertaining.

SWITCH is an easy and enticing read. Almost immediately I was drawn in by its story. If you haven't read it already, I recommend it.

Ratings:

Writing: 4/5
Plot: 3/5
Character: 3/5
Cover: 2/5
Overall: 3/5

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saves the life of a classmate, but is implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things they hated. The list her boyfriend used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

HATE LIST is a novel that I knew I'd like just after reading the synopsis. I was expecting the plot to be carried out nicely, the writing to be catchy, and the characters to be distinct. But what I wasn't expecting was the novel to be so much more!

The plot, for one, is original and unique. The book discusses topics that are serious and difficult to come by. However, the novel demands to be read further. The plot was fulfilled entirely, showcasing Jennifer Brown's talent. Though the plot did play a big role in the accomplishment of the skillfully crafted book, the writing also kept the novel moving at a comfortable pace.

Valerie is an amazing character, unlike any other I've read about. Her constant questioning about her life, Nick, and her future only makes me appreciate her more. She repeatedly wonders why she didn't see this other side of her boyfriend, the side that possessed him to kill the people whose names were on the Hate List, and why no one else sees the side that she saw, the side that loved Shakespeare and the side that she loved. Her confusion finally comes to a closure in the end, reassuring her acceptance.

Brown has grasped the true voice of an accused and lost teenager that has come to question everything they thought they knew. I felt as though I was reading a nonfiction novel, because everything seemed so vivid and real, like reading about someone's life. The newspaper articles, used in the novel to explain the victims' deaths and their family's reaction, also added to the realistic feel of the fictional novel.

HATE LIST is an incredible and incisive debut novel; it will shock readers. Jennifer Brown has definitely caught my attention with this one. I'll be anxiously waiting to hear about what she'll write next.

Ratings:

Writing: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Character: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

Waiting for You by Susane Colasanti

Derek
Friendly and popular
Style: Cali surfer boy
Awesome at flirting
Future career: landscape architect
Boyfriend potential: high

Nash
Shy but sweet
Style: totally geeked out
Only talks to girls when absolutely necessary
Future career: robotics engineer
Boyfriend potential: none

Derek is clearly the boy Marisa's been waiting for, but there's just one problem. He has a girlfriend. Nash is wrong for Marisa, but he wants to take care of her. As if life wasn't complicated enough, Marisa's also dealing with overcoming a major problem from her past, a family that's falling apart, and a best friend who won't stop talking to sketchy guys online. Only the anonymous DJ, who has the school's ear with his underground podcasts, seems to get what Marisa's going through. But she has no idea who he is - or does she?

Susane Colasanti has again written another incredible young adult novel. If you haven't read her previous works I suggest you do, they're just as amazing as this one.

Waiting for You is a compelling novel involving a teenager with a seemingly perfect family, a perfect relationship with a great guy, and an enjoyable friendship between her and her best friend. Until all of this changes.

Her boyfriend doesn't seem so perfect anymore, and neither does her now broken family. She's troubled and nothing seems to go as planned, ruining her 'fresh start' at a new year at high school.

Marisa, the main character, is sinking into a deep depression, and the only things that seem to calm her down are playing the violin, writing on her walls, listening to an anonymous DJ and talking to Nash. And when things get worse, she can't hold everything in anymore, so she let's loose and tells Nash everything, and it only brings them closer as friends.

The overall novel is just amazing and flowed easily. I'm convinced that Susane can do nothing wrong. Waiting For You is yet another wonderful book from Susane Colasanti

Ratings:

Writing: 4/5
Story: 4/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Cover: 5/5

One Lonely Degree by C.K. Kelly Martin

Fifteen-year-old Finn has always felt out of place, but suddenly her world is unraveling. It all 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 only person (under thirty) Finn trusts implicitly. So when Finn's childhood friend Jersy moves back into town—reckless, beautiful boy 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. After all, 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 since September, for the first time in her life maybe, something feels right—absolutely, stunningly right. But Finn can't be the girl who does this to her best friend...can she?

One Lonely Degree is a great example of a lovely book with many positive additions. Romance, family issues, and friendship faults are all present in this book by C.K. Kelly Martin.

The main character, Finn, is shy. She has only one true friend, Audrey, and she's nervous around boys, especially after what happened to her at a party. And when her friend, Jersy, from her younger years moves back into town, she develops a small crush on him.

Audrey and Jersy start dating, so Finn convinces herself she doesn't like him anymore. But when Audrey leaves for the summer, the attraction might be too hard to ignore, not only for Finn, but for Jersy, too. Oh, the suspense!

I loved the impact the book had on me! The true love, not just the 'boyfriend, girlfriend love', but the 'friendship love' is great to read about in this, between Finn and her many friends. And there are so many unexpected things that happened that made me want to say: what?

It kept me entertained and interested throughout and it was the exact type of book I needed to read. Something fast, easy, and fun! It's a great summer read, but would be fine to read any time of the year, though it does make me want to go swimming.

One Lonely Degree was definitely worth while and is recommended to all!

Ratings:

Writing: 3.5/5
Story: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
Cover: 5/5

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

There were no surprises in Gatlin County
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that’s what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

- Out December 2009 -

Beautiful Creatures is addictive and will leave you breathless. Just after reading the first chapter I knew I'd love it. It's hypnotic and will take you in, piece by piece. Superior skill from the two authors has shown superbly; in the writing, character development and interaction, not to mention the Caster world created for the novel.

The characters were brilliantly thought out and written about thoroughly. It's impossible not to fall in love with them. Ethan, with his acceptance and sweetness towards Lena, will have your heart immediately, as you get to know him. It's no question as to what kind of guy he is. Lena, however, will make you wonder what she's about. You'll be dying to know what her secrets are. An interesting pair these two make.

I definitely loved the relationship between Ethan and Lena, it was special and unique. Unlike the majority of other novels, you get to read about their friendship from the start, and get to watch it develop into something more, gradually, like it would in real life. The realistic aspect of the romance was fantastic to read about and kept me interested throughout.

I felt that the length was perfect, and if Beautiful Creatures weren't as long as it was, the novel would've felt incomplete. Every page was worth something, and it's great to see that in a novel, after reading so many other books with pages that didn't need to be written.

Together, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl have written an amazing novel. Beautiful Creatures is sure to be a best-seller.

Ratings:

Writing: 5/5
Story: 5/5
Character: 5/5
Cover: 5/5

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."

"Okay."

"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"

"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"

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According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in ZanzibarBay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.

Twenty Boy Summer is a great summer read, but could be read any other time of the year! The novel tugged on my heart repeatedly and it's amazing when books do that, it shows that the author has a lot of skill with writing about emotions. And I do believe that Sarah Ockler has that skill, along with many others that are only proven after reading Twenty Boy Summer.

The overall feeling that Twenty Boy Summer gives off is just amazing! While at some moments, the novel was sad and depressing that your heart immediately goes to Anna, the main character, and at others it's just so fun and exciting that you wish you were there! In a market full of summer romances and experiencing new things, this one stands out, whether it's because of the writing or the overall affect the book has.

The romance was a main key point in the novel and played its role perfectly, I was never bored with it and always wanted to read on. The tragic event that stays on Anna's mind is unique and interesting. I never imagined being in her position and it was wonderful to read her thoughts.

I have only positive feelings towards this book and I'm certain I'll be reading it again soon. Sarah Ockler has done a marvelous job with this one.

Ratings:

Writing: 3.5/5
Story: 4/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Cover: 3/5

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO?

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge — and over....

Special thanks to Jennifer Echols for sending me a signed copy of her book! Okay. Going Too Far was a light read at moments, but deep at others. And I was a little confused by it.

I was confused about the romance building up between Meg and John. To me, they never really seemed into each other, and then I turn the page and BAM! they're..."planning things." There were only little hints to their connections, but those little hints kept me going because they were so juicy!

Meg's story of falling and trying and failing to pick herself back up was deep and great to read about. And her claustrophobia was a very nice addition to her story and kept me wondering why she would faint when she felt locked in, or chained up. And when I found out the reason to this, I was amazed, because it was a rational reason.

Because I had read another novel by Jennifer Echols, I was comparing the two and came to the conclusion that she has improved in her writing. It's great to see improvement! And I have to say that I really enjoyed reading Going Too Far. The writing was great and the detail was just perfect!

Ratings:

Writing: 3.5/5

Story: 3.5/5

Characters: 3.5/5

Cover: 3/5

Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph

High school senior Teresa Adams is so painfully shy that she dreads speaking to anyone in the hallways or getting called on in class. But in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks out — doing mock broadcasts for Miami's hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather. When a slot opens up at The SLAM, Tere surprises herself by blossoming behind the mike into confident, sexy Sweet T — and to everyone's shock, she's a hit! Even Gavin, the only guy in school who she dares to talk to, raves about the mysterious DJ's awesome taste in music. But when The SLAM announces a songwriting contest — and a prom date with Sweet T is the grand prize — Sweet T's dream could turn into Tere's worst nightmare....

Before I get into the review, I'd like to thank Danielle Joseph for sending me a copy of Shrinking Violet and taking the time to sign it for me.

Shrinking Violet was a fast, easy, and uplifting read. And the main character, Tere's shyness is interesting to read about, because I've never really read about a character that's been as shy as she is, to an extent that she doesn't really talk to anyone.

I had a hard time remembering which character was which, and didn't know fully who everyone was until about half way through the novel, so it would've been nicer to see more character elaboration, so you'd know immediately who was who.

Another thing I thought brought the novel down is that it was predictable, but other than that, it was a novel about finding yourself and being able to stand up for yourself. And another thing I really liked was watching Tere and her mother interact. They were very interesting when placed in the same room.

I was expecting a little more from this novel, but enjoyed it nonetheless. Hopefully you're willing to check it out, because it was detailed and a happy read.

Ratings:

Writing: 3/5
Story: 2.5/5
Character: 3/5
Cover: 2/5

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

Back when I read this, months ago, I was so obsessed. It was the perfect complicated romance and after rereading it, with the story fresh in my mind, it still is. Perfect Chemistry was the first novel I had read from Simone Elkeles and I was so impressed that I rushed to her website to see if she had any other novels.

While the plot is basic(girl falls in love with a boy from the wrong side of the tracks and vice versa) and has been used before, the details, writing, and author's take is what makes the story unique and fantastic.

Told from both Alex and Brittany's point of view, we follow the temptation of forbidden love forming from its first complication to its last. I really liked that Simone told the story from both points of view, because it allowed us to see how their home lives were, and some of these things were crucial towards the end of the book. The romance is very new and uplifting at moments, but sad and mind boggling(ha ha) the next. I loved every moment of it.

Perfect Chemistry is my favorite stand alone novel, by far. It's fun, romantic, and makes you want to smile one moment, yell the next, and cry after that. That's what a great book ought to do!

Rating:

Writing: 5/5
Story: 5/5
Character: 5/5
Cover: 5/5

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

"Dead girl walking," the boys say in the halls.
"Tell us your secret," the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.
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Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend's restless spirit.In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multiple-award-winning Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia's descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery.

Wintergirls is a haunting tale of a girl and her struggles with her body, her family, and the death of her ex-best friend.

The writing is remarkable; its style is catchy and adds to the raw feeling that come from Lia's thoughts. The story was very realistic and believable, it felt like I was reading the journal of a real girl who was in between life and death.

At some points Lia's pain really got to me, I wondered why should would hurt herself. But then I realized that she inflicted pain on herself because that was her own way of coping and trying and failing to get rid of the images of dead Cassie. And that she punishes her body by destroying it when her hunger overpowers her mind.

By far, this is the most alive and haunting novel I have ever read, it is powerful. Wintergirls is true, raw, and definitely a book that will stay with me and any of its readers. I highly recommend it.

Ratings:

Writing: 5/5
Story: 4/5
Character: 4/5
Cover: 4.5/5

Because I Am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas

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I finished Because I Am Furniture a while ago, but couldn't quite find the words to describe it. But now that I think about it, the only word that seems to fit is powerful. The story, the writing, and the overall effect is powerful.

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The fact that Because I Am Furniture is written in verse, in my opinion, adds to the emotions and intensity that the reader feels. At first, I thought Anke's father's abuse was just beating, but as the novel progressed there were hints to the abuse being more. I never knew for sure what Anke's father was doing behind closed doors, until I got to the middle. This made me feel horrible.

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The only thing I felt I needed more of was character. The writing never really got into what Anke was like, what her siblings were like. But maybe that's because the pain overwhelmed them and they were so scared that they didn't know how to feel. Not sure if that's what I was meant to get, so there was a little confusion there also.

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Certain parts made me want to cry. I could almost feel the emotions running off the page and into me. Because I Am Furniture grasped me in a way I never thought possible. I didn't want to put it down, not once, because I was always pondering over what might happen next.

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Because I Am Furniture was unique, and I had never thought I'd enjoy a book about a broken family, but I did. Honestly, I think Because I Am Furniture is the best book I've read in a month or two. It was amazing.

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Ratings:

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Writing: 5/5

Story: 4.5/5

Characters: 3.5/5

Cover: 3.5/5

Heartbreak River by Tricia Mills

Hailey Abbott's Summer Boys takes a weepy turn in this story of one girl's attempt to tell her childhood friend how she really feels about him.

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Alex thought she'd be spending the summer focused on her family's rafting business, burying the memories of her father's death last year, and leaving behind all the messes she made in its wake.

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But when Sean returns to town, she is forced to reckon with her mixed-up crushy feelings for him-more powerful than ever before. It takes another tragedy to make Alex realize Sean has loved her, and forgiven her, all along.

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I was really hyped about reading Heartbreak River, after surfing the net and reading some reviews I thought it'd be the perfect book for the time being. The synopsis intrigued me and caught my interest, so I started reading it. The novel started off a little slow, but then got into what I wanted to read about and everything excelled from that point on.

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First off, I'd like to say that Heartbreak River was a beautiful and creative story. The main character, Alex, has lost almost everything she's loved to the river at which she schedules rafting to. And it seems, as we enter her mind, that she blames herself for everything that has gone wrong.

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And then there's Sean. He's one of the ones she's lost to the river. She blamed her father's death on him and immediately regretted it, knowing she was wrong and thinking she was selfish. And when he shows up to resume his job during the summer at Alex's family rafting business, Alex wishes that things were different, and that she could summon up the courage to confess her true feelings.

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Don't get confused, though. Heartbreak River is not fully about Alex and Sean's relationship mending itself. It also focuses on Alex's family members, and how they act after her father's sudden death, and Alex's irrational insecurities.

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Heartbreak River was a wake up call to me. A message that seemed to flow through the pages and out during certain parts was: Live life to the fullest, because you might not have a lot of time left. Heartbreak River was a wonderful read and I look forward to more from Tricia Mills.

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Ratings:

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Writing: 4/5

Story: 4.5/5

Characters: 4/5

Cover: 5/5

In Your Room by Jordanna Fraiberg

Molly and Charlie have fallen head over heels in love-even though they've never met Molly is a fashion-conscious city girl in L.A. Charlie is an earthy, mountain-biking dude from Boulder, Colorado. Each of them has big plans with their respective friends for the summer-until they discover that their parents decided to swap houses!
Luckily there's no amount of homesickness that a bit of snooping can't cure. Charlie and Molly begin crawling under beds and poking around in closets to find out a little more about each other-and they like what they find.
Can Charlie and Molly's long-distance romance survive jealousy, misunderstandings-and the thousand miles between them?
MTV's Room Raiders meets You've Got Mail in this sweet, old-fashioned love story for the digital age. . . .

I had seen In Your Room by Jordanna Fraiberg before on the shelves, but never really looked into it. When I finally gave in to enlarging my collection of books with ones I'd never normally read, I purchased it. I love romance novels, but had never read about a long-distance relationship, and that's why I was a little reluctant to purchase this.

As for the romance, I thought it was cute and enjoyable, but rushed. Most of the time I wanted to tell the book to slow down or to tell me more, because I felt that one minute they were friends, and the next they're dying to see each other, and the next they're off with someone else! Confusing! At one point I was lost, and that's the only thing that made this a little disappointing. There weren't any other main subjects in the novel, but minor ones could include friendship, family, and finding yourself.

Though I found this a little disappointing, it was still a fun read. I don't know if I'd recommend to everyone, but maybe to those who like a love story.

Ratings:

Writing: 2.55
Story: 2.5/5
Characters: 2.5/5
Cover: 2/5

Something, Maybe

I'm re-posting some of the older reviews that were lost when I made over my blog. And yes they are different, I've put more thought into them :]

Everyone thinks their parents are embarrassing, but Hannah knows she's got them all beat. Her dad made a fortune showing pretty girls--and his "party" lifestyle--all over the Internet, and her mom, who was once one of her dad's girlfriends, is now the star of her own website. After getting the wrong kind of attention for far too long, Hannah has learned how to stay out of sight...and that's how she likes it.

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Of course, being unknown isn't helping her get noticed by gorgeous, confident Josh, who Hannah knows is her soul mate. Between trying to figure out a way to get him to notice her, dealing with her parents, and wondering why she can't stop thinking about another guy, Finn, Hannah feels like she's going crazy. She's determined to make things work out the way she wants....only what she wants may not be what she needs.

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Elizabeth Scott has convinced me that she can't fail at anything. Seriously. I loved Bloom and Perfect You, and I'm getting ready to read her other books. Something, Maybe is just more proof, showing how great an author she is.
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Like Bloom and Perfect You, Something, Maybe is just the perfect mix of romance, and family. Her writing and main character's thoughts are so realistic and so similar to those of real teens.
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Hannah, the main character, has an absent father who decides only to be present when it's to his advantage, and a mother that doesn't seem like a mother at all. This is true in many house holds and I'm convinced that Elizabeth has captured this issue perfectly.
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Other main topics in Hannah's life are Josh and Finn. Josh is the gorgeous heartthrob that Hannah, of course, has a crush on, and Finn is the other guy that seems to think they're meant for each other. I love both Finn and Josh's characters, but liked Finn more, because he was more straightforward and wasn't as confusing as Josh was at times.
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The ending was perfect. I thought both subjects were brought to an end swiftly, yet steadily. And there were some things I weren't expecting to happen, like how Josh and Hannah's relationship ended, and the same with her father. But still, Hannah made many right decisions and that's was brought her story to an end.
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I was completely satisfied with this, as I was with Scott's other novels. I'll definitely be looking out for Love You, Hate You, Miss You out in June.

Ratings:

Writing: 5/5
Story: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
Cover: 4/5

http://www.elizabethwrites.com/somethingmaybe.php