Hollywood Ending by Lucie Simone

Title: Hollywood Ending
Author: Lucie Simone
Source: Contest at Pirate Penguin's Blog
Number of Pages: 395
Published By: Simon and Fig
Rating: 2.0

Synopsis: Trina Stewart needs cash. Fast. She's barely got enough dough to keep her fanny off the streets, let alone any spending money for hot nights clubbing on Sunset Strip. And her job teaching English as a Second Language is seriously lacking in both pay and glamour. But not just any job will do. She's after a real Hollywood job. The kind that makes her $100,000 in film school debt and ten years in Tinsel Town not seem like such a big fat waste of time and money.

But a girl can't fritter away all her time fretting over her next paycheck, can she? Certainly not when a man like Matiu Wulf, a sexy Maori from New Zealand, parks his oh-so-fine self in the apartment above hers while he takes his best shot at Showbiz. If only Matiu didn't seem so... repelled by Trina. Really, though, it's Los Angeles that Matiu finds so revolting. He's only in L.A. to get some scene design experience to beef up his resume, and then he's headed back to New Zealand to follow his dreams in peace, thank you very much.

That's his plan, anyway, until he falls hard for Trina...and Trina falls under the spell of a toothy-grinned wannabe actor who charms the pants right off her. With Matiu on a mission to win Trina's heart, and Trina on a mission to nail down that ever elusive Hollywood job, these two soon discover that when love gets tossed in the mix, life in Tinsel Town isn't all red carpets, after parties, and celebrity gossip. In fact, Hollywood can be a downright bitch!

My Review: I need to start off by saying that I really didn't know what this book was about until I started reading it. I honestly thought this book was YA. That is certainly not the case. I should have read the synopsis of it before hand, but I didn't. I feel bad because there's a lot of negative things I have to say about the story but it's not a fair judgement. You see, I'm not into chick lit, romance novels. They just aren't my cup of tea. So, keep that in mind while reading my review because just because there were things I didn't like doesn't mean that people who are into this genre won't like it.

Luie Simone truly is a good writer. She had nice flow and some of her sentences were fun to chew on. Her duologue was quirky and each character had their own unique voice. Her character development was really good as well. Trina and her best friend, Juliet were my favorite characters simply because Lucie Simone took the time to really make them real to the reader. They both had family issues that were still causing pain in both of their lives but each one took care of themselves differently in order to get through it. They reacted realistically to the unfortunate things in their lives.

There were many things that I didn't like about this book. But this is strictly because I'm not into this genre. Trina's relationships with men were too risque for my taste. She slept with a man the very night she met him. And I felt that Matiu, the real love interest in the story, was unbelievable. He was the exact formula of a fictional man that every other romance based novel uses. Rough and sexy exterior but really a sweet romantic guy on the inside. I was very bored with this man. I really didn't even feel like he was a real character. More of an idea of Trina's perfect man. Which reminds me that Trina always commented on how beautiful and muscular these guys were. I absolutely can not stand when protagonists state that the specific guy they're after is extremely sexy or has awesome pecs. Which, again, is based on taste in genre.

Although I did not particularly care for this book, it certainly doesn't mean that you will feel the same. It's all based on taste. If you like novels where the protagonist gets both the guy AND the dream career, then you'll like this book. Everybody is different.

Side note: I did get some enjoyment out of reading this book out by my pool and soaking up the sun. Reading is still reading. Even it the story may not be my cup of tea, I always enjoy the beautiful art of reading a book. :)

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Title: Twenty Boy Summer

Author: Sarah Ockler

Source: City Library

Number of Pages: 290

Published By: Little, Brown and Company

Rating: 5.0

Strongly Recommended

Synopsis: "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?"

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay 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.

My Review: I'm just going to start off saying that Twenty Boy Summer was more than just amazing. The writing, the characters, the situations, the duologue, absolutely everything was spectacular.

Anna is a loving, selfless and down to earth protagonist. She is always there for her best friend, Frankie. Even when Frankie turns into a bit of a brat after her brother, Matt dies. I could tell you about these incredibly real characters, but in all honesty, it wouldn't do them justice. Every single character is just so well developed and complex. Personally, Frankie was my favorite character. It's very clear she has some definite problems she needs to deal with and seeing exactly how she deals with them is fascinating.

This story was just so completely honest. I felt raw reading it. I may have even shed a few tears for a character or two. Dealing with death is always going to be a sticky subject. But Sarah Ockler did a superb job. I don't know how she managed to write something this real. This honest. This complex. There's so much going on and so many emotions being dealt with. There's no way any review or summery could truly express how emotional, complex, and real this story is.

If you chose not to read this book, I promise, you are doing yourself a big disservice. This is more than just your average YA book dealing with sensitive issues. This is a masterpiece. A work of art.

Captivate by Carrie Jones

Title: Captivate
Author: Carrie Jones
Number of Pages: 273
Published by: Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books
Rating: 4.0

Summary from Goodreads: Zara and her friends knew they hadn't solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king's needs grow deeper every day he's stuck in captivity, while his control over his people gets weaker. It's made him vulnerable. And now there's a new king in town. A turf war is imminent, since the new pixie king, Astley, is moving in quickly. Nick nearly killed him in the woods on day one, but Zara came to his rescue. Astley swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he's one of the good guys. Nick isn't buying it, though Zara isn't as sure -- despite herself, she wants to trust the new king. But it's a lot more than her relationship with Nick that is at stake. It's her life -- and his.

My Review: There was a lot of things about this book that absolutely annoyed me. But the good completely outweighed the bad. Let's start off with the bad, considering I always like to end on a good note.

Zara (our main character) and her friends were constantly saying things that no one in their right mind would ever say. It was quirky dialogue gone bad. So completely unbelievable that I'd have to re-read what I'd just read to make sure I had read correctly.

In Carrie's first book, Need, I felt that I was really able to connect to the characters. But this time around, I wasn't able to really feel connected to them. First off, Zara's so called 'love' for Nick gave all us teens a bad name. Zara's hormonal lust for him drove me insane. When she thought of Nick, it was about them kissing or touching in some way or another. I could find no other reason for her to 'love' him other than she thought he was 'beautiful', 'warm' and had a great ability to satisfy her craving for physical contact with the opposite sex. Can you say 'stereotypical puppy love'?

Aside from their relationship, a lot of things, I felt, were wrong. All the humans believed that every pixie was evil. Really? Need I go into why this mentality is wrong? And Zara's continual equality speech got old fast. Men and women are not the same. Men are stronger, faster, and generally weigh more than us. Her resistance in being protected by a male was ignorant.

Last bad thing, I swear. But it's a big thing. People keep secrets. Zara kept none. She was all out there with her emotions and questions and thoughts. I cannot, on any level, relate to that. It annoys me beyond anything else. Who is like that? I don't know anyone who let's everything about them hang out like that. And in Zara's case, it left her vulnerable and easily influenced with everyone around her putting in their opinions.

On to the good! I absolutely LOVE pixies! They are so cool! The whole storyline had me captivated! I couldn't put the book down. Astley, our new pixie in the story, had me on edge. He was by far the most interesting character. He kept his secrets and only let us have a few glimpses into the whole pixie world, which had me craving for more. Carrie Jones did an amazing job with the timing of his appearances. I really don't want to get into the storyline too much because it would spoil the story for anyone who hasn't read it. But I can say that this was an awesome read. I fell in love with the pixie world. I want to go to the library right now to get the next book, but I know it won't be there because it's been on the waiting list for the past month.

I realize the first half of this review was filled with bad things about the book, but I promise, the good storyline outweighs everything else. I strongly recommend this for anyone into fantasy!

Hello My Blog!

How long has it been? Almost a year? Well, it doens't feel like it's been that long! But it's true! Oh my. How the time races past me!
Well, where to begin?
How about the basics:
•I'm now a junior. In four months, I will be a senior! I believe the last time I posted anything, I was a sophmore.
•I am no longer a crazy over achiever! (When it comes to school, atleast) ;) Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course. I just realized that I have things and people in my life who are much more important to me than school. Especially when all I need to aim for is a passing grade.
•This leaves room for reading. ♥ It was a passion of mine for a while and then I just stopped. What happened? Well, I don't know. A mixture of stress and lack of time made it hard. But I've returned to my strange obsession with reading once again.

So, those three 'basics' are really the only things to be covered for the moment. I am currently reading Captivate by Carrie Jones! It'll be the next review I post. :)

Hope all is well for everyone inhabited in the Blog World.

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

I’ve always wanted to read a Sarah Dessen book. So when I found this in my school library, I hopped on it.

Title: Just Listen

Author: Sarah Dessen

Number of Pages: 371

Published by: Penguin Group

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summery: (from bookreads.com)When Annabel, the youngest of three beautiful sisters, has a bitter falling out with her best friend-the popular and exciting Sophie-she suddenly finds herself isolated and friendless. but then she meets Owen-a loner, passionate about music and his weekly radio show, and always determined to tell the truth. And when they develop a friendship, Annabel is not only introduced to new music but is encouraged to listen to her own inner voice. with Owen's help, can Annabel find the courage to speak out about what exactly happened the night her friendship with Sophie came to a screeching halt?

My Review:Sarah Dessen has a gift. She’s an amazing writer. Reading this book really was fun, even during the slower parts of the story. And you really can’t teach someone how to do that. It’s based on talent; which she happens to have a lot of.

Every one of her characters seemed so very real to me. Each having a very distinct voice. I fell in love with almost all of them. The only two characters I didn’t like were the ones you weren’t supposed to like; the ‘villains’ of the story, so to say. Sophie and Will were such unlikable characters. I came close to hating both of them, and for Dessen to make her audience feel such powerful emotions is amazing.

As for Owen, Annabel’s love interest, I really didn’t like him in the beginning. He loves strange music and sits alone at lunch. It seemed odd to me. But as I got to know him, I realized how cool he actually is and how much more there is to him. And the same goes for Annabel. It’s hard to understand why she does the things she does, but as you get to know her, it makes sense.

Annabel’s family was actually very complicated. I’m glad they played such a big part of the story. It wasn’t just about Annabel and her problems. It was about how a family copes when trouble comes their way. Big issues were dealt with that aren’t normally brought up all in one story; death, anorexia, rape. It added a certain depth to the story that most YA books seem to lack.

This was definitely a character-driven book. I happened to love it, but if you’re looking for a fast-paced, action-paranormal story, this is not the book for you. But if you’re looking for something that makes you feel and fall in love with the characters, then I definitely recommend reading this.

seventh book of 2010

Awards!

From the lovely Nina at We Adore a Happy Ending, I received the Blogger Buddy award. :)

I'm passing this on to:

•Raila from Get the Books out of the Bookshelves

•Adriana from Loves to Read

•Sandy from Pirate Penguin

•lanlan from Bookworm on a White Cloud

•Nina from We adore a Happy Ending (I know you've already received this award, but you haven't received it from me!)

From the lovely Adriana at Loves to Read, I received The Humane Award. :)

If you are one of the amazing bloggers below who have received this award, you must list a few bloggers that post lovely comments on your blog regularly and generally make your day brighter. (Yes, I may have changed the number because I thought it was too high. xD)

•Nina from We adore a Happy Ending

•Raila from Get the Books out of the Bookshelves

•Melissa from i swim for oceans

•Adriana from Loves to Read (I know you already received this award, but you haven't received one from me!)

•Jennifer G. from the Introverted Reader

Also from the lovely Adriana at Loves to Read and Raila at Get the Books out of the Bookshelves, I received the Bliss Happy 101 Award.

For the Bliss Happy 101 award you have to list 10 things that make you happy.

Here's my list in random order.

1. Seeing my dad, mom or grandmother happy makes me happy.

2. Reading a good book.

3. Visiting my home state (Washington)

4. Reading the gospels and learning more about my Creator.

5. Hiking, running, riding my bike all make me happy.

6. A cloudy, rain, windy day.

7. Music!

8. Watching my three favorite movies over and over; Pride and Prejudice, Penelope, and Stardust.

9. The moon.

10. Maintaining a 4.0 GPA. :)

If YOU, right now, are reading these words, then you have received this award from me. :)

The Boy Book by E. Lockhart

Picked this one up at my school library. They aren’t very well stocked, but it’s not as bad as I would have thought. Anyway, The Boyfriend List was written before The Boy Book and is apparently about the same group of characters. Well, I did not realize this until halfway through the book… I do believe this complements my intelligence quite well. ;-)

Title: The Boy Book

Author: E. Lockhart

Number of pages: 193

Published by: Delacorte Press

Rating: 3.5

Summer: (from: goodreads)Here is how things stand at the beginning of newly-licensed driver Ruby Oliver's junior year at Tate Prep:

• Kim: Not speaking. But far away in Tokyo.

• Cricket: Not speaking.

• Nora: Speaking--sort of. Chatted a couple times this summer when they bumped into each other outside of school--once shopping in the U District, and once in the Elliot Bay Bookstore. But she hadn't called Ruby, or anything.

• Noel: Didn't care what anyone thinks.

• Meghan: Didn't have any other friends.

• Dr. Z: Speaking.

• And Jackson. The big one. Not speaking.
But, by Winter Break, a new job, an unlikely but satisfying friend combo, additional entries to The Boy Book and many difficult decisions help Ruby to see that there is, indeed, life outside the Tate Universe.

My Summery: I’m sorry to start with spoilers, but it’s a necessity to understand what’s going on while reading this review. Here’s what happened before The Boy Book: Ruby dated and fell for a guy named Jackson. Ruby’s best friend, Kim, went out with Jackson shortly after he dumped Ruby. (In my own opinion, I believe Jackson dumped Ruby for Kim.) Ruby is heart broken and angry. But she tries to forgive Kim, because they are best friends. Well, Jackson asks Ruby to go to a party/dance with him for old time sakes because Kim can’t go. At this party/dance, Ruby and Jackson kiss. There were witnesses. And that’s when Ruby becomes a leper, loses all her friends, and is labeled a slut.

Okay, now that you’re caught up, I can begin. This story just didn’t make sense to me. Ruby and Kim had been friends for such a long time. And for Kim to go for Jackson when she knew it would crush her best friend did not seem realistic. But, Ruby forgave Kim. It’s what best friends do. They forgive each other when mistakes are made. Now, when Ruby made the mistake of kissing her ex-boyfriend whom she still loved, did Kim forgive Ruby? No. She made Ruby an outcast and a leper. It seems to me that their friendship may not have been very strong, though they had been ‘best friends’ sense elementary.

People at Ruby’s school labeled her as a slut for kissing someone else’s boyfriend. Again, I was confused. Maybe it’s not the same at other schools, but at mine, people aren’t labeled as a slut for kissing someone else’s boyfriend. Girl’s are labeled as a slut for *gasp* being a slut. Or by definition, “A woman considered sexually promiscuous.” I don’t think kissing fit’s the definition, but hey, every school is different I suppose.

As for Ruby, I did like her. She was a well developed character with interesting quirks. There was so much about her that teenaged girls in general would be able to relate to. Though, her parents seemed totally strange to me. At times, they made me laugh. But after a while, they annoyed me more than anything else. Ruby’s mother kept accusing her of being lesbian just because she didn’t have a boyfriend and no longer invited anyone over. That would not only offend me, but it’d get on my nerves beyond belief. She was just so out of tune with her own daughter.

All that aside, it was an interesting story and a quick, light read. Although I don’t recommend you ever buy it, I do suggest picking it up at the library if nothing else is available. It’s a good enough story with a quirky main character.

sixth book of 2010

Fallen by Lauren Kate

I should have written this review a couple days ago, but English essay’s and geometry homework got the best of me. *sigh* On the bright side, it’s now Friday! Thank God for Friday’s.


Title: Fallen
Author: Lauren Kate
Number of Pages: 452
Published by: Delacorte Press
Rating: 3.5


Summery: (From goodreads) There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori. Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move. Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

My Review: This book started out good. The emotions and theme came across really well…in the beginning. But as the book progressed, the more confused I became; unable to understand why Luce did the things she did and felt the way she felt. In some instances, I assumed Lauren Kate just randomly picked an emotion for Luce to feel and just hoped that it lined up with what was going on. Not that a lot went on. In the 452 pages of this book, not a lot happened. And when big events actually did happen, not enough information is given to make the reader anxious or scared.

As a character, Luce isn’t great, but isn’t bad. In the beginning, I liked her, but further into the book, she started to annoy me. As she gets closer to Daniel, her dialogue becomes cheesy. And as I mentioned earlier, there aren’t many explanations for why she feels a certain emotion or why she does what she does. I was unable to connect with Luce because of this. But her friend, Cam, had me stunned. He was kind, charming, and respectful of Luce. Whereas Daniel, was rude, disrespectful, and just plain mean. Luce kept picking Daniel because she felt as if she knew him, but in most cases, this is just a shallow excuse for feeling a strong attraction to the opposite sex. So it annoyed me when Luce kept ditching Cam for a guy who kept shrugging her off. All that aside, Cam had me more interested than anyone else in the story. From the very beginning of the book, I knew what would happen between Daniel and Luce, but Cam was a mystery to me. And a charming mystery at that.

As for the story line, as I said before, not a lot happened. And more than that, no questions were answered. The only things that were revealed as facts were the things that most guessed from the very beginning. I am going to read the sequel, Torment, for the sole purpose of retrieving answers to my questions. I understand that some people loved this book, and others hated it. I’m neither of the two. It was an okay book, though parts were definitely irritating. Anyway, the point being that there’s a fifty percent chance that you will love this book. So I do recommend checking this out at the library and giving it a shot.



Fifth book of 2010

Over the Top

I received this award from Jennifer G. at The Introverted Reader and lanlan at Bookworm on a White Cloud. Both are fantastic blogs. Check 'em out!

Rules for this award: Answer each question with a one word answer and then pass along to five other bloggers.

(1) Your Cell Phone? Lonely
(2) Your Hair? Short
(3) Your Mother? Beautiful
(4) Your Father? Fun
(5) Your Favorite Food? Bread
(6) Your Dream Last Night? Forgotten
(7) Your Favorite Drink? Water
(8) Your Dream/Goal? Helping
(9) What Room Are You In? Family/room
(10) Your Hobby? Reading
(11) Your Fear? Water
(12) Where Do You Want To Be In Six Years? Happy
(13) Where Were You Last Night? Asleep
(14) Something That You Aren't? Outgoing
(15) Muffins? Yucky
(16) Wish List Item? DVD
(17) Where Did You Grow Up? Washington
(18) Last Thing You Did? typed.
(19) What Are You Wearing? Spiderman!
(20) Your TV? Off
(21) Your Pets? Quiet.
(22) Friends? Fun
(23) Your Life? Fortunate
(24) Your Mood? tired
(25) Missing Someone? Family
(26) Vehicle? Fortunate.
(27) Something You Aren't Wearing? Coat
(28) Your Favorite Store? Bookstore
(29) Your Favorite Color? Green
(30) When Was The Last Time You Laughed? Today
(31) Last Time You Cried? Forgotten
(32) Your Best Friend? Bubbly
(33) One Place You Go To Over And Over Again? Washington
(34) Facebook? Yes
(35) Favorite Place To Eat? Chipotle

Passing on to:
Nina at We Adore a Happy Ending
Raila at Get the Books Out of the Bookshelves
Adriane at Loves to Read
Justine at A Bookful of Thoughts
Athira at Reading on A rainy Day

Okay, so book update! I have a couple pages left in Fallen and then I will be ready to write a review! Which, If things go as planned, (though, they rarely do) I will have the review up by tomorrow or Wednesday.

Happy Reading, everyone!

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

I bought this book without really thinking too hard. I was only in Barnes and Noble for a couple minutes and new I wanted to buy a book. So I saw this and bought it without much thought, other than that I knew it was one I wanted to read.


Title: Perfect Chemistry
Author: Simone Elkeles
Number of Pages: 357
Published by: Walker & Company
Rating: 4/5


Summer: (from goodreads.com) 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.


Review: This book was so hard to put down. When I wasn’t able to read it, I’d be thinking about it. Just one of those books that catch your attention from the very beginning and keep you reading until the very end.

What was truly amazing was how you were able to see and sympathize with two different people living two completely different lives. Which I didn’t think was possible. When I found out that Alex was in a gang, I really didn’t think I would be able to sympathize with him at all. But I was so wrong. Looking into his world and how he sees things was mind boggling. And looking into Brittany’s world had me fascinated, too. I didn’t think I would be able to relate to someone so materialistic, but as you read on, you realize why she is the way she is and are able, in some way or another, to relate to her.

Most people I know who’ve read this book fell for Alex like no other. I’m a little disappointed that it was not the same for me. Though, there’s no denying I wasn’t crushing on him like crazy, but that was it. And I can honestly say that I don’t know why that was. Well, aside from that, Alex was a well developed character. But him alone would not have made the book what it was. It was both Brittany and him that made the book what it was. Their relationship and how they were able to become better people because of it was what made the book great.

I only have one negative comment to make: The Epilogue. It was cheesier than anything I’ve ever read in my life. Okay, that may be over exaggerating, but this was really bad. I can’t say why it was bad because that would spoil the whole book. And I’d rather not do that to anyone who hasn’t read it. But the epilogue has little effect on how much I liked the book. With or without the epilogue, it's still a book that I will read again and again.

I would definitely recommend this to any girls out there that like a good love story. Definitely not a guy book, but anyone could see that by looking at the title. ;)

Fourth book of 2010

The Dragon Boy by Donald Samson

My dad and I go to Barnes and Noble whenever we get bored. They have a Starbucks in there and we buy drinks and just talk. It’s nice. After we finish our drinks, we usually will go look at books. One of my favorite things to do, by the way. Anyway, in the front of Barnes and Noble, Donald Samson - author of the Star Trilogy - was signing off copies of his first two books. So my amazing father bought me the first book of the Star trilogy and had it signed. Anyway, I started it a couple months ago, and I just finished it.

Title: The Dragon Boy
Author: Donald Samson
Number of Pages: 245
Published by: The Association of Waldorf Schools
Rating: 3/5

Summery: Orphaned twice by the time he was nine, he was living on the streets and did not even know his own name. He was not allowed to set foot in the one place he was determined to find work. To complete the disaster of his young life, he was in love. The object of his affections was Star, an immense, emerald-green dragon. But here good fortune finally smiled upon him:

Star was a Luck Dragon.
Suddenly he was admitted as a barn boy into the elite Dragon Compound. He was given three warm meals a day, work, and even a name. And best of all, Star took him on as his own secret apprentice.

Review: There’s no denying that Donald Samson is a good writer. His flow and overall vocabulary was great. So the writing wasn’t an issue. Though, some of the dialogue was a bit strange. Straw (our main character) would respond to a question he didn’t want to answer by saying “Oh gee”. This is just a small issue, but something that stuck out to me no less. Other than this, his writing was flawless.

My main issues with this story were the characters and the storyline. Straw was very one dimensional. There wasn’t a lot to him, other than that he missed his grandmother and was hopelessly in love with the dragon, Star. I believe the author could have done so much more with developing our main character. And the same goes for most of the characters in the book. Star (the dragon) was a character that I would have really liked to know more about. He obviously has an interesting past with Straw’s grandmother, Galifalia. Now this is portraying more to the storyline, but I would have really liked to read about the past lives of Straw’s grandmother and the dragon. It is only briefly mentioned that Galifalia made the dragon fall in love with her. But just that had me thinking about Galifalia’s and the dragons relationship and what exactly went on when they went on what is referred to in the story as ‘The Advanture‘.

Overall, this book was decent. But I would end up putting the book down and not picking it up again for weeks. Not a lot went on for the first half of the story. The last half of it is when it gets good. But this is just my opinion. If you like books about dragons and knights and such, you may like this book. I will probably end up reading the second book in the Star Trilogy because I am curious as to where Donald Samson is going with this series.

You can learn more about The Star Trilogy on the author's website here.

Third book of 2010

Need by Carrie Jones

A couple days ago, I went to Changing Hands Bookstore with a gift card and had a pretty hard time deciding which book to get. I narrowed it down to Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, Beautiful Creatures, and Need by Carrie Jones. After much deliberating, I picked Need by Carrie Jones. Why, you may ask? Well, I decided that my brain was taking too long in deciding which story it would like to read, so I let my eyes chose. And my eyes liked Need. Such a pretty cover, don’t you think?

Title: Need
Author: Carrie Jones
Number of Pages: 306
Published by: Bloomsbury
Rating: 4/5

Summery: Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect lipsticks. Little wonder, since life’s been pretty rough so far. Her father left, her stepfather just died, and her mother’s pretty much checked out. Now Zara’s living with her grandmother in sleepy, cold Maine so that she stays “safe.” Zara doesn’t think she’s in danger; she thinks her mother can’t deal.

Wrong. Turns out that guy she sees everywhere, the one leaving trails of gold glitter, isn’t a figment of her imagination. He’s a pixie—and not the cute, lovable kind with wings. He’s the kind who has dreadful, uncontrollable needs. And he’s trailing Zara.


I honestly expected this book to be average. I’m happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised. The writing was decent, the characters were easy to love and connect with, and the over all storyline sucked me in. Definitely above average.

The writing was good in the sense that it had good flow and the dialogue was fun and quirky. In fact, I absolutely loved the dialogue. Each character had their own unique voice and it really made the story that much more fun to read. But I did have a few issues with the description. There were so many opportunities to use more description. For example, Zara (our main character) says that the houses in Maine look a lot different from the ones in her hometown, Charleston. But it’s left at that. No differences in the houses are described. This is one in many examples of nonexistent description. I don’t know about other people, but one thing I love in a book is good description of the characters surroundings.

Now the characters, I thought, was one of the best things about the book. Betty (Zara’s grandmother) is the coolest fictional grandmother I have ever read about. The way she talked with people and how they responded to her made me laugh out loud. She didn’t put up with anyone’s crap. But my favorite character would have to be Zara; mainly because of just how she is and how she responds to people. Zara is always thinking about others; or according to her grandmother, “Always trying to save the world.”. I think more characters should have this quality. It was refreshing being inside the head of someone who didn’t always think about themselves. Zara was a genuinely cool person. Her obsession with reciting phobias and making sarcastic remarks made her even more likeable.

The storyline was definitely something new to me. I don’t have a lot of experience with pixies, so everything in this book seemed very fresh. I didn’t know anything about the mystical creatures, nor did I have a clue as to what would happen next, which I love in a book. The overall story was well balanced and evenly paced. Carrie Jones did a great job writing it and I will most likely be reading the sequel, Captivate. Or anything else she decides to write for that matter.

Although this book is not a ‘Go Out Right Now and Buy It’ kind of book, I still recommend it for a rainy day.
Second Book of 2010

Love Your Header

J. Kaye's Book Blog has created an award for cool blog headers and I thought the idea was so cool. There really are a lot of really cool headers out there and they definitely deserve some recognition. You can find the details here on J. Kaye's Book Blog.

Here are just a few book blogs with amazing headers:
A Flight of Minds
Bloody Bookaholic
Life After Jane
The Story Siren
The Introverted Reader
Pirate Penguin's Reads

If you've run across blogs that have a seriously cool header, create a post and snag that picture above. Pass this award on to them.

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

For my sixteenth birthday, my dad went out and bought me City of Glass by Cassandra Clare. Well, that was back in November. I wanted to save it and read it as the first book I read for 2010. I’m both glad and upset that I did this. Glad, because I started the year off with an amazing read. Upset, because anything I read after this will not be able to compare. My whole year may just be ruined by failure to read another book that is as amazing as this one. Yes, yes… I’m being over dramatic, I know. ;)

Title: City of Glass

Author: Cassandra Clare

Number of Pages: 541

Rating: 5/5

Strongly Recomended

***Spoiler Alert***

Summery: (www.borders.com) In the final installment of the "New York Times"-bestselling Mortal Instruments trilogy, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters, to save her mother's life. Never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death.

Review:The writing, if you don’t already know, is amazing. Cassandra Clare has a talent. And of all the books in The Mortal Instruments series, I believe her talent shines brightest in City of Glass. How detailed she is in her writing is extraordinary. I had vivid images of everything that went on. Anywhere from the violent fight scenes, to the simple gatherings of the main characters.

One thing that truly makes this series special (aside from the kick-ass Shadowhunters killing demons and such) is the relationship between Clary and Jace. It’s hard to explain, really. They are both so set in their ways; mostly because they have been through more than most people in their eighties have. Even so, they are both able to grow and become stronger through each other. Not even adding the insane chemistry between them. What I truly loved was the last night they thought they had with each other. In complete honesty with one another, they found comfort. So simple and so innocent. Finally, I find a fictional relationship that I can realistically want.

The ending of this series… Well, like everything else about the books, it was amazing and definitely satisfying. I’d like to think that peace between enemy’s can be made possible. And in the Mortal Instruments series, it was accomplished. Everyone had a happy ending. Well, everyone who deserved a happy ending got one. ;)

I tried my best to keep from spoiling too much of the book. I just went over my highlights. But if you have not read this book, or any of the previous Mortal Instruments books, then I strongly recommend that you do. I promise, you won’t regret it.

First book read in 2010

Happy New Year

So, the new year will be here soon. Say goodbye to 2009 and hello to 2010. This year has gone by so fast. I don’t know about any of you, but this year hasn’t been the best and I am so happy that it’s almost over. I’ve made a few New Years Resolutions. I know that people are known for doing this every year and then always forgetting about them or deciding it’s easier to give up on them. But I’m actually going to try and keep mine this year. Let’s see how this goes. ;)
Of course, my list includes books. What else?
1. Eat healthier. I really need to work on this. I eat when I'm bored and my diet really isn't healthy. I love carbs and sugars; bread, candy, potatoes, noodles, ect. I need to balance out what I eat and when I eat.
2. Read more. I need to stop wasting my time on television. It's just mindless, wasted time that could be spent reading and exercising my brain.
3. Exercise regularly. I used to run all the time. I was on the cross country team and I'd run an average of 14-16 miles a week. But over this past year, I've completely stopped. No exercise. So unhealthy. I need to start up again.
4. Clean more. I should be able to keep things clean. If I just took a few minutes everyday to pick things up and wipe things down, the house would be so much nicer.
So I think this is an acceptable list that I should be able to keep up through all of 2010. It’s pretty average. Nothing unique on it. How about anyone else? What’s your New Years Resolutions?

In Arizona, as I’m writing this, it is 11:35. Twenty-five minutes until the New Year. Though, I’m sure in many other places it’s long passed that. ;) So happy New Year everyone.

Bloody Bookaholic

It’s midnight. On a school night. And I’m writing a post. Amazing, right? Well, coffee isn’t the best thing to have before going to bed. My excuse: I was cold and the only warm drink within reach was coffee. A piss poor excuse? Absolutely! But that’s just me.

So, the actual purpose to this post is to spread the word about Bloody Bookaholic’s Christmas/Hanukkah/Whatever You Believe in Blowout! And what do the winners receive? Well this is my favorite part. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a contest this big. Anyway, back to the prizes.

* 3 Winners *
Winner Number 1 Gets 3 Books, A Ninja Gift Card... And a Borders gift card with 30$ or more.
Winner Number 2 Gets 3 Books Plus a Ninja Gift Card.
Winner Number 3 Gets 1 Book Plus a Ninja Gift Card.
That's not all...
Random winners will be drawn at the end. Though it's a mystery how many will be drawn and what the prizes will be.

So, yes. This is a very big contest, and if I were you, I would head on over to her website and learn how to enter for a chance to win. Click here for Bloody Bookaholic’s page.

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend. Unfortunately, it’s over and we all go back to school/work/reality tomorrow. *sigh* I wish weekends could go on forever. I would spend my days reading, drinking Starbucks, and writing whatever came to mind. All my favorite things. :)

~Brianne

Books, Books, Books...

At the moment, there are many books on my shelf that are crying for attention. I plan to read them soon, but I really can’t help my excitement when I hear about a new book that really catches my attention. Some are or have been in bookstores for a while now, but others haven’t come out yet.

Books that I’m excited to read, though they’ve been out for a while:


Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher-

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers. (Side Note - The cover alone had me curious. Then I read the synopsis and was hooked. I need to read this book.)


I know it's over by C.K. Kelly Martin-

Pure. Unplanned. Perfect. Those were Nick's summer plans before Sasha stepped into the picture. With the collateral damage from his parent's divorce still settling and Dani (his girl of the moment) up for nearly anything, complications are the last thing he needs. All that changes, though, when Nick runs into Sasha at the beach in July. Suddenly he's neck-deep in a relationship and surprised to find he doesn't mind in the least. But Nick's world shifts again when Sasha breaks up with him. Then weeks later, while Nick's still reeling from the breakup, she turns up at his doorstep and tells him she's pregnant, and with his emotions and hopes crashing in around him, Nick finds himself struggling once more to understand the girl he can't stop caring for, the girl who insists that it's still over. (Side Note - I’ve always been curious about how a guy would react in such a situation as this. Which is mainly why I’ve been wanting to read this book. But I read a couple reviews on it and heard that Nick has a powerful voice, which is a huge plus.)


Waiting For You by Susane Colasanti-

Derek is clearly the boy Marisa has been waiting for, but there's just one problem. He has a girlfriend. Nash, Marisa's neighbor and childhood friend, is totally geeked out, with zero boyfriend potential. So of course Nash wants to take his friendship with Marisa to the next level. Beyond her boy drama, Marisa is 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 hooked on his underground podcasts, seems to get what Marisa's going through. But she has no idea who he is...or does she? (Side Note - I realize this sounds average, but Susane Colasanti is amazing. In her first two books, Take Me There and When is Happens, her characters amazed me. The writing, character development, and unique voice of each of her characters make her one of my favorite authors. I think I may write a review of When if Happens, though I read it a while ago. Still, I feel that it’s necessary to give such an amazing book credit for simply being amazing.)


Okay, these are some of the books that have yet to come out, but I’m definitely excited for them.

Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Shroeder-

Restless souls and empty hearts Brooklyn can't sleep. Her boyfriend, Lucca, died only a year ago, and now her friend Gabe has just died of an overdose. Every time she closes her eyes, Gabe's ghost is there waiting for her. She has no idea what he wants or why it isn't Lucca visiting her dreams. Nico can't stop. He's always running, trying to escape the pain of losing his brother, Lucca. But when Lucca's ghost begins leaving messages, telling Nico to help Brooklyn, emotions come crashing to the surface. As the nightmares escalate and the messages become relentless, Nico reaches out to Brooklyn. But neither of them can admit that they're being haunted. Until they learn to let each other in, not one soul will be able to rest. (Side Note - This looks amazing. I really just can’t wait. I’m sure it’s going to be amazing.)



But really, I need to be focusing on my book shelf books. They look at me with such sad eyes. I feel guilty; like I’m cheating on them with newer books. ;)


Oh, I’ve also signed up for the 100+ Reading Challenge. If you’d like to sign up for the 100+ Reading Challenge, head over to J. Kaye’s Book Blog.

It's time to start using my Library card more, too! I'll be overlapping this challenge with the Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge. You can find more information about this challenge on J. Kaye's Book Blog.

Fun challenges over there!

~Brianne

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

I do believe the last time I was one here, I promised to post more. Well, that was back in September. I am definitely disappointed in myself for not making more time for this. I always have the excuse of homework - which is true - but it sounds so lame. The problem is laziness. I am reading a lot and making mental notes in which to go over in future reviews, but that does no good if I never write them. So, - though my promises are no longer worth anything - I am going to start posting more. To start off, I have my Catching Fire review.


Title: Catching Fire
Author: Suzanne Collins
Number of Pages: 391
Rating: 5/5
Strongly Recomended


Summery: Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumours of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Review: If you read The Hunger Games, then you already know what an amazing writer and story teller Suzanne Collins is. But the question isn’t whether she can write a good book. The question is whether she can satisfy her readers with a sequel. The answer is yes. She can not only satisfy her readers, but go above and beyond.
Catching Fire was better than what I was expecting. The second book in any series is generally not as good as the first. But Catching Fire is an exception. The same amount of passion, anxiety, and adventure is in this installment in the series as the very first. Similar to the first book, the twists and turns in plot are completely unexpected. Usually adding to the overall suspense.

I really don’t want to give anything away if you haven’t read it, but a comment on the ending is a must. If you’ve read The Hunger Games, then you know about the insane cliff hanger ending. Expect the same thing when reading Catching Fire. It will infuriate you. The need to know what happens next will eat away at you until insanity overtakes you. ;)

This book is recommended above everything else. If you haven’t read The Hunger Games, I would advise you read that first and then continue on to this one. Whether or not you like to read doesn’t even matter. The story, characters, writing, - everything! - is simply amazing. Everyone should read this series. Everyone.

So Long

It has been such a long time sense I’ve posted anything. Summer laziness got the best of me. I never did finish the books I started. Those include: Tweak by Nic Sheff, Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, and The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I will eventually finish all three of them, but I get off task trying to read so many books at one time. So I left those three aside and read a two other books instead. When It Happens by Susane Colasanti, and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

I’ll be sure to write reviews on both of these fabulous books as soon as possible. Obviously, school is back in session and high school does not take pity on those who have no free time, what with all the homework that is given out. *sigh*


Oh, I’ve decided this blog won’t be just about books. I’m adding anything really that interests me and that may interest other people.Example: TRUE BLOOD.

I have to say, after watching season two, I am even more in love with it. Season one was amazing, but season two… Words do not describe. Much more blood, drama, and humor. The creativity in this season is so off the wall. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend watching it! It’s addicting, really. I can’t stop watching it.

Technically, True Blood was a book first, but you get the point. ;)
I’ll write the review for Catching Fire soon. Probably tomorrow if I have time.


~Brianne

My Reading List

It’s becoming ridiculous, really. My book list is huge. The more I check up on other book bloggers, the longer the list gets. There are just so many good books out there. I was hoping to finish my book list this summer, but I know now that it won’t be possible. There’s just not enough time. It’s safe to say that the list will spill into the school year.

Right now I’m reading Tweak by Nic Sheff. It’s a true story about a drug addict. I’m only eighty pages in and there has already been some very disturbing content. It’s to be expected, so I shouldn’t be too surprised.

The next book I’ll be reading is Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. I know, I know, it’s an older book. I just got around to buying it at Changing Hands. It was deep discount, which is mainly why I bought it. I heard some goods things about it and just thought, “What the heck. Why not.”

After that, I plan on buying The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I am most looking forward to this. It looks amazing…

Audrey Niffenegger’s innovative debut, The Time Traveler’s Wife, is the story of Clare, a beautiful art student, and Henry, an adventuresome librarian, who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-three and Henry thirty-one. Impossible but true, because Henry is one of the first people diagnosed with Chrono-Displacement Disorder: periodically his genetic clock resets and he finds himself misplaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity in his life, past and future. His disappearances are spontaneous, his experiences unpredictable, alternately harrowing and amusing.

The Time Traveler’s Wife depicts the effects of time travel on Henry and Clare’s marriage and their passionate love for each other as the story unfolds from both points of view. Clare and Henry attempt to live normal lives, pursuing familiar goals—steady jobs, good friends, children of their own. All of this is threatened by something they can neither prevent nor control, making their story intensely moving and entirely unforgettable.

I’m excited to read this. It looks original and fresh.

Anyway, review of Tweak will be coming soon.