Christmas Challenge Day 2: The Book of Broken Hearts

Author: Sarah Ockler

Release Date:  May 21st, 2013
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genre(s): YA Contemporary 
Pages: 352
*Stand alone*
*Part of the Christmas Challenge!*

~SPOILERS ARE HIDDEN! HIGHLIGHT THE PAGE TO SEE THEM! :)~

Summary (Goodreads): 
 When all signs point to heartbreak, can love still be a rule of the road? A poignant and romantic novel from the author of Bittersweet and Twenty Boy Summer.

Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most important thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She’s seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath—with candles and a contract and everything—to never have anything to do with one.

Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she’s spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle—which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude’s fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas?

Jude tells herself it’s strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away—no way would she fall for them. But Jude’s defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she’s speeding toward some serious heartbreak…unless her sisters were wrong?

Jude may have taken an oath, but she’s beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking.

Review:
(Phew, just barely got this review in!)

Wow... just wow.

It seems light and fluffy on the top, but this book is incredibly deep.  

I love Jude as a character.  She's both vulnerable and incredibly strong at the same time.  Her growth in this book is amazing; she goes from being the "accident" child to someone who knows who she is and someone who knows she has a place in this family.  Her bond with her sisters and especially her father is very sweet.  The scenes where her father has his melt downs are heartbreaking. It's not just the contrast between how he had been a few minutes ago and how he's acting now; Jude is just now getting to learn about her father and form that special bond with him that she couldn't form with him before.  It's devastating to know that one day he won't remember this bond they had.  It's also really sad to see how much hope Jude placed on fixing the bike, because even if Jude was blinded by this false hope, we, as readers, can see that nothing is going to bring her father back.  In that sense, this book reminds me a lot of Second Chance Summer because in both cases, you wish there was some miracle drug or something magical to come and fix this situation, but this is life.  It's brutal, it's harsh, but it's beautiful too.

Can I just tell you how awesome Emilio is?  He's a ginormous sweetheart, and I'm so glad Jude had someone like him-so kind and understanding (even if he is a bit flirty ;))- through this rough time.  He helps Jude to actually live, to remember the past but not hold onto it, and to become her own self, and I think that's the best kind of relationship: he's not just eye-candy, and he's not just there for kisses.  He's there for her, and to bring out the best in her, even when everything seems so hopeless.  His own scars teach Jude that it is possible to still remember the past, but to let go of it to live to the fullest.

I love how the book of broken hearts fits into all this.  It's ultimately, I think, a symbol of the sisters' bond- minus Jude.  Jude's always been the outcast in the family, the baby, the one left behind.  When the book is finally given to her, it should have drawn her into her sisters' "Holy Trinity"- but it doesn't.  Jude's broken heart doesn't come from some guy, but from the love of her father who will soon forget who she is. Her summer with her father can't be written with words or handed down/shared, like her old cut offs and t-shirts from her sisters, but it's something of her own and will forever be hers through her memories and who she becomes in the future.  And that ending when she burns it? It's incredible to see how far she's come, from that shaky girl to this woman who knows life's harsh, but she's going to live it to the fullest-just like her father wants her too.

There's more I can say about this book, but none of it will do it justice. The best thing would be to read it ;). It's ultimately about family and about letting go of the past (but never forgetting it) to live.  Heartbreaking and sweet, I guarantee it won't disappoint.

Happy readings! :)
Merry (early!) Christmas everyone :)

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Christmas Challenge Day 1: Revenge of the Cheerleaders

Author: Janette Rallison

Release Date:  October 2nd, 2007
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Genre(s): YA Contemporary 
Pages: 256
*2nd book in series (companion)*
*Part of the Christmas Challenge!*

~SPOILERS ARE HIDDEN! HIGHLIGHT THE PAGE TO SEE THEM! :)~

Summary (Goodreads): 
Chelsea's school year has taken a turn for the worse.  After being dumped by her boyfriend and humiliated at the pep assembly by her younger sister's boyfriend, Rick, she's just concentrating on avoiding any other major embarrassments.
 
That's when Rick and his band debut their new album, complete with a whole set of songs bashing cheerleaders.  Chelsea's humiliation has reached a whole new level now that everyone is walking down the halls singing the words to "Dangerously Blonde."  
 
It's time to make Rick pay.  All he wants is to win the High School Idolaudition, so he can be on his way to rock star fame and fortune. But with the help of her best friends, Aubrie and Samantha, Chelsea is going to steal his victory right out from under him. 
 
The characters from All's Fair in Love, War and High School are back, only this time it's payback.

Review: 

Ahhhh this book is sooo cute!! >.<

I absolutely love Chelsea. She’s HILARIOUS!  Oh my goodness, her subtle quips and snarkiness had me laughing like a lunatic the ENTIRE time (which, btw, brought awkward stares from other people in the waiting room… but whateves.  This book was soo worth it ;-)).  I also love the appearance of Samantha and Logan! They’re so adorable, and I’m glad to see their story didn’t end in All’s Fair in Love, War, and High School.:)

I absolutely adore how even though this book is fluffy and cute, it’s also unexpectedly deep.  Chelsea isn’t just some airheaded blonde cheerleader whose seeking petty revenge (okay, she is seeking revenge, and okay, her revenge is a little extreme: training to beat Rick at a competition Rick's spent his entire life preparing for, but that's not the point LOL); she’s a very caring and loving girl (despite her quirks and sarcasm ;), esp. when it comes to her sister.  Her over protectiveness over her younger sister, despite the way Adrian is acting out, is very sweet, and I think that's the heart of the book: family always and forever.  I could relate with Chels so well, being the oldest child in my family as well.  Despite what our younger siblings think, we do care, and we do love them, but we're human too.  What we might think is best for them might not exactly seem like it's the best (or is the best), but hey, we're trying! :D  

And of course, the romance ;).  NO INSTA-LOVE!!!! *squeal!*

(Yep, gonna mention it every single time;)! It’s like a party in my world whenever I stumble across a book with an actual relationship between the main characters!).

 To be honest, going into this book, I thought Chels was going to fall in love with Rick (in my defense, the blurb didn't mention any other guy! And the love interest didn't show up until like 40 pages in! Usually they appear sooner! Esp. in a Janette Rallison book! And I thought he was a minor character! I didn't know what to assume!).  So at first I was like

UM???

BUT THEN.

Clark Kent Romeo Tanner shows up, and

So, my dear readers, do not be deceived like I was.   

IT WAS A FALSE ALARM.

But I digress.

So.

Back to the romance. ;)

There were many sah-woon worthy moments, but the main thing that stood out to me was how both Chels and Tanner, no matter how strong their attraction was to each other, put family first.  So many books I’ve read in the YA category always have the girl revolving her life around a guy (and usually a guy she's just met).   I absolutely loved how family was the prominent theme here, even if that blurb in the beginning made it *seem* like revenge was.  (In truth, it was a little bit, but even revenge gave way to "family first" (the romance was extra! ;). )    

Oh! And how could I forget Molly and Polly? ;) Chels, at first, reluctantly takes them on so her music teacher would help her with her singing. BUT THEN, Chels gets to know the real Molly and Polly, and let me tell ya, their antics are HILARIOUS as well.  (That scene with that guy Joe!!!! Read the book! You’ll understand!!) xD

Final thoughts?  Belly-laughter funny, cute, and deep.  A great read for a “cold” (read: 73 degrees T.T) winter night.

Thanks for reading!

Rating: 3 out of 5

This review participated in the weekly meme hosted by the wonderful Sherry over at Semicolon!

The Accidental Movie Star

Author: Emily Evans

Release Date:  May 31st, 2012
Publisher: Self-published
Genre(s): YA Contemporary
Pages: 362
*Stand alone*

*WARNING: SPOILERS ARE UNHIDDEN! I REPEAT SPOILERS ARE UNHIDDEN!*

*This review is more of a rant, btw, but either one works IMO. :)*

Summary (Goodreads): 
How did Ashley spend her summer vacation? Imagine the hottest guy in Hollywood. Do you see the girl next to him, the one handing him a cup of coffee? Yeah. That’s her.

Interning on a major motion picture is not all bad. She gets to watch some of the scenes and even offer her opinion. “That kiss looked lame. Laughably weak. There’s no chance at an MTV award with that kiss.” LOL. 

Until the director says, “Hey, Intern. Yeah, you. Ashley. You’re right. So, teach Caspian how to kiss. Oh, and get in front of the camera. We're going to need you in this next shot."

OMG.

Review:
GRR!! That ending!! It frustrated me beyond belief- and not in a good way. Up until then, the book was actually pretty good. But gah! I can't believe Ashley just accepted that guy back without a second thought! What the fruit! The guy went off on a drunken rage about her drugging him, etc, etc.-and all those claims were really, really stupid. It would make more sense for him to accuse her of cheating on him (she was not) or ANYTHING other than her drugging him.  (WHY ON EARTH WOULD ASHLEY DO THAT?!) When he came back to her at the end, she didn't even have one little hissy fit over his sweet talking British self. I mean, yea British accents are cute, but REALLY?! She took him back with, "Yea, well you didn't say sorry. So we are never ever ev- Oooo soft lips. Mmmm cologne. I think you said sorry, but whatever, you're hot. Let's get back together." And another thing: When did they start going out? There was a part where the Realtor mentioned them moving in and raising kids- and you would think Ashley would have spoken up and said they weren't even dating- let alone have kids. But no, she just commented on how they weren't that old.

Um ok. 

And then the realtor called her his girlfriend, which she didn't deny, so it got me all confused because there was no mention in the book about them establishing a bf/gf relationship. Minor hitch compared to that ending though.  -_-* 

But despite everything, it was a good book, very fun, fluffly, and funny.  Ashley was a very likeable character (for the most part), while I had some issues with Caspian (refer above).  I would recommend this book for anyone who loves chick-lit and Hollywood romances- but if you're like me and want some angsty anger at the hot and unreasonable hero who totally had it coming, this is not the book for you;).

Thanks for reading~:)

Rating: 3 out of 5 

Second Chance Summer

Author: Morgan Matson

Release Date:  May 8th, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Genre(s): YA Contemporary
Pages: 468
*Stand alone*
Spoilers are hidden! Highlight the page to see them:) 

Summary (Goodreads):
Taylor Edwards’ family might not be the closest-knit—everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled—but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains.

Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend…and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.

As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance—with family, with friends, and with love.

Review: 

In a word?  Bittersweet.

What I loved most about this book was that it was delightfully deeper than it had initially seemed.  That blurb did NOTHING for this book; it was vague, and it made the book sound like a fluffy cloud of cotton candy.

Was this a fluffy cloud of cotton candy?  No and yes.  

 It was very sweet, but not cutesy sweet.  It was very touching and heartwarming. The second chance part in the blurb was a bit misleading because the second chance the book was talking about did not necessarily mean life (which led to much anguish and tears at the end; I should have known, but I kept holding out for the possibility that there would be a magical cure or something), but it meant a second chance in truly becoming a family before it was too late. I loved all the interactions between Taylor and her family, and I loved how through these small things (like a shared inside joke or watching comets in silence), we were able to see their bond and love strengthening.  There was amazing character growth by Taylor (by everyone actually, but Taylor was the one that stood out the most because she had been affected the most), but it was heartbreaking to know that this growth would not have happened if not for her father’s tragic news.    

This story was so much more than a girl reconnecting with a past love.  It was about family.  It was about getting to truly know your family when it seemed like it was almost too late. Even with all its 468 pages, I felt this book was too short.  I wanted it to last forever because you KNEW what was going to happen at the end.  There was no miracle drug or a magical solution this time.  It was pure life.    

Taylor and Henry’s romance was more of a subplot than anything else. So were the parts where Lucy and Taylor were rekindling their friendship.  I hesitate to use the word subplot, though, because they weren’t really plots.  They were more like quiet scenes of bonding, healing, realizing what it meant to be human, and learning to accept and to give second chances.  

Everything about this book was very subtle.  Thing happened slowly, very realistically, and by the time the book ended, you felt like you’ve grown as well.  There wasn’t really a definite plot; it was heart driven.  I love heart driven novels because they’re so profound, and after you’re done reading, you sit back, and all you can say is “Wow.” 

So now that I've gushed about it, let me address that rating.  It means I loved the book, but I'm probably not going to pick it up again.  There was something about this book that was very final.  I mean, a lot of books are like this, but this book in particular seemed DONE, that if I was to go back and read it again, it wouldn't give me the same emotional impact. Again, you can say that ALL books are like this, but honestly?  Every time I read that scene where Luke dies in The Last Olympian, I feel like I've been stabbed in the gut, and I start BAWLING.  Would I feel like bawling (again) after reading this book again? Hard to say. 

Final thoughts?  It was a beautiful book of family, hope, and second chances, perfect for a one time read during any season. ;)

Thanks for reading!:) 

Rating: 3.5 out of 5   

Unbreak My Heart

Author: Melissa C. Walker

Release Date: May 22, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Genre(s): YA Contemporary
Pages: 232
*Stand alone*
Spoilers are hidden! Highlight the page to see them:) 

Summary (Goodreads):
Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life. 

Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now. 

Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart?

Told in alternating chapters that chronicle the year that broke Clem’s heart and the summer that healed it, Unbreak My Heart is a wonderful dual love story that fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Susane Colasanti will flock to.

Review:

Hey guys!  Sorry I’ve been lagging on the posts again!  I’ve been working hard on my Nanowrimo novel- I’m still a few thousand words behind :( - but I’m getting there! Writeordie.com is super helpful xD. 

In addition to Nanowrimo, this book took me an abnormal time to read because it was so dull.   I was not emotionally involved in it at ALL.

What made the book so dull? Good question.

It wasn’t because this was supposed to one of those “slow stories” (I actually don’t mind slow stories; they’re nice medicine after an intense fantasy book or for a book hangover ;-) ).  It mainly had to do with how little substance there was to this book.  I kept waiting for something to happen or at least a buildup to Clem’s closure with herself, but nothing. ( She did get closure at the end, but it was very abrupt and brushed over.)  I wanted more, and I wanted more of a road to that closure.  There was no build-up. She suddenly decided she’d reached her breaking point, and that was it, after an entire 200-something pages of crying and sulking. To be honest, those flashbacks to her soph. year were the most interesting things about this book- and that’s not saying much.  They were only interesting because there were actually stuff going on.  (A boat seemed like a cool setting, but there was nothing to do on it, and it showed in what Clem and her family did: nothing.  But even if there was nothing happening, the author could have made up for it by describing the scenery or showing the family having beautiful conversations with each other, but that didn’t happen.  I guess it came from Clem being too depressed to notice anything and not wanting anything to do with her family.  That made for a real dull story. )  I suspected the purpose of the flashbacks was to show us the “dynamic and extremely close relationship” between Clem and Amanda, but there was no chemistry. That was THE reason why I was so disconnected from the book: I didn’t care about these characters.  They were all very superficial and not very complex (more on that later).

As with James and Clem, it's the same verdict: no chemistry. Their interactions were boring (all they did was talk and go out on the boat; they didn’t even talk about interesting or deep things), and I really didn’t see what the point was in including James.  He failed as a love interest, so I guess he was supposed to have helped Clem come to closure with herself, but I didn’t see it.  I mean, yes, he told her about his mom, and he was ALWAYS happy (which was actually kinda cute, but even his overwhelming optimism did nothing for the story-but more on that later), but in the end, that was all there was to it.  They really didn’t do anything together except maybe talk, and when they did talk, their conversations were bland and awkward. 

I didn’t hate Clem, but I REALLY didn’t like her because she was so boring.  All she did was sulk and yell at her sweet little sister, who was probably the only redeemable thing about this book. (Her sister was ADORABLE. She was like a mini adult, and her patience and love for Clem was truly amazing.)  Clem had potential to be a snarky/funny teenager, even midst her sulking.  However, she just didn’t cut it- mainly because her snarkiness wasn’t funny but plain old mean.  (She has a legit reason for being so boring/mean/depressed, but there’s no excuse for an absolute lack of personality.)    

If there was one thing I liked about this book (besides her little sister) was how Clem knew that even just flirting and pushing the boundaries between her and Ethan, as well as not doing anything to prevent this from going further, were just as bad as cheating.  I liked how she didn’t just explain it all away by saying they didn’t do anything (physically); she knew what she did was wrong, and she owned up to it.   I also appreciated the emphasis on how everyone makes mistakes, but you learn from them, and life goes on.  What did kind of bother me was the relationship between George and (I almost said Martha! xD)  Ruth.  Okay, fine, in the beginning it was all sweet and dandy, and I was warming up to them.  I still think they were pretty nice people, but what they did (it was implied Ruth stole George away from his first wife)  and how the book showed that it was okay because they were so happily in love really bothered me.  What they did was wrong, and instead of focusing on that, I felt like their actions were covered up with this idea of their passionate love, and because of this love, it was all okay.  (Fine, it was only implied and not for certain. So it isn’t completely fair of me to make this judgment, but I’m still putting it out there.)

James’s unfailing optimism might have been another redeeming point in this book, but that was all there was to him.  He was just really, really, happy.  None of these characters were deep or complex.  We saw different sides of people, but it was all superficial.  They act up every once in a while, and we’re suppose to see that as depth to their character. 

Not buying it.

Final thoughts?  It had potential, but it was too dull for my tastes.

Thanks for reading!

Rating: 1.5 out of 5 

Send Me a Sign

Author: Tiffany Schmidt 

Release Date: October 2, 2012
Publisher: Walker Childrens  
Genre(s): YA Contemporary
Pages: 384

*stand alone*

Spoilers are hidden! Highlight the page to see them!:)

Summary(Goodreads): Mia is always looking for signs. A sign that she should get serious with her soccer-captain boyfriend. A sign that she’ll get the grades to make it into an Ivy-league school. One sign she didn’t expect to look for was: “Will I survive cancer?” It’s a question her friends would never understand, prompting Mia to keep her illness a secret. The only one who knows is her lifelong best friend, Gyver, who is poised to be so much more. Mia is determined to survive, but when you have so much going your way, there is so much more to lose. From debut author Tiffany Schmidt comes a heart-wrenching and ultimately uplifting story of one girl’s search for signs of life in the face of death.

Review:

After brooding over this book for a day or two, I’ve decided to give it a rating of 2.  I usually don’t like to give the rating in the beginning, but after reading over this review, it seemed like I gave this book a 0 -which will never happen unless I hated a book so much I tore it in half (this has yet to happen, and I doubt  it’ll ever happen (books are expensive!)).  

So.

It seems like lately I’ve been getting frustrated with all the books I read.  I’m not usually this nit-picky.  (Really!) I didn’t hate this book, but I was definitely annoyed with it.   My main problem was the characters and all the other drama besides Mia’s cancer (I mean, it’s inevitable to have drama when cancer is involved, but I felt like all this extra stuff overshadowed Mia’s cancer and drew the focus away from it).  It was making me stressed out- I can imagine how much worse it must have been for Mia.

Character-wise I hated everyone (okay maybe not everyone- I liked Mrs. Russo and felt only slight frustration towards Mia, but otherwise I did hate everyone else).   They were all self-centered jerks, from Mia’s mom to her friends to Gyver to Ryan.  I found myself getter more annoyed as the book went on, and by the time I finished, instead of fuzzy feelings for Mia (ahhh they’ve reached a resolution! Group hug!), I wanted to chuck this book across the room.   (Call me heartless- I don’t care.)  Besides the jerkish attitudes of all her family and friends, I hated how in the end everything was resolved so quickly and neatly.  They were all like, “Sorry, I think I was wrong, but you have to understand, it was you not me,” and Mia was like, “Okay, I forgive you! I love you all!”  What?  (Mia wasn’t perfect, and some of the stuff she did was questionable/annoying- her habit of picking out signs is NOT a part of this; I’ll talk about that later-, but c’mon! It was not just her fault too.  Besides, she had cancer and had to deal with chemo- which, goes without saying, is TERRIBLE.  Cut her some slack- the poor girl needs it.) I understand a lot of the characters have bad attitudes because that was their way of dealing with the cancer and Mia’s secrecy, but in the end, instead of having apologies and healing, everything was skimmed over and neatly packaged. 

Instead of an in depth description of why I hated all the characters, I’ll give you a little blurb about my thoughts on them:

Mia:  She was okay.  I was a little frustrated with her for keeping her cancer a secret because it caused all this drama, but I understand why Mia did it though- too complicated to really get into it, but it was SO  MUCH MORE than her thinking her friends wouldn’t understand- so it wasn’t that big of a deal. What I really hated was how Mia just skimmed over things. (Like after the explosion with her mom, I was cheering for her; but then afterwards, cheering turned to booing when they both acted like nothing happened, and it wasn’t really mentioned again.  I really wanted Mia to press the issue, but apparently she didn’t hear me, even though I was practically all up in her business.)  Her quirkiness was enduring, and I enjoyed the scenes where Mia stopped to pick out signs (except for that part with the psychic and the tarot cards; that was creepy).  Even though I personally am not superstitious at all, I related with these scenes because don’t we all sometimes just want a sign?  A sign that things will get better, a sign that this won’t- or maybe will- last forever?  I know I do.  (Life would be so much easier if God would just point out the right way with rainbows lol. ) 

Ryan:  He was a jerk in the beginning, but became sweeter at the end.  I didn’t think it made up for what he said in the beginning though because it looked like he meant it all the way through…

Gyver:  Hello there, Mr. Bipolar.

Mia’s Mom:  She was so mean! Insensitive! I don’t care that that was her way of dealing with the cancer! It was not about her! It was about MIA! Mia, her daughter who was getting so much stress from her and from the cancer!  (Okay, I’ll admit Mia’s mom does change a teeny bit in the end, but that was too late in the game for me.   And though some part of me appreciated her sort of trying, her effort was infinitesimal. )   

Mia’s Dad:  Not as prominent in the book as Mom, so no real opinion about him other than wanting him to really stick up for Mia to her mom. (He did eventually, but it wasn’t as satisfying because that too was just mentioned and skipped over.  It didn’t really do anything to change the relationship between Mia and her mother.)

Mrs. Russo:  She was more motherly to Mia than her own mother.  She was my favorite character, and she gave great advice that everyone chose to ignore.

Mia’s friends:  They were very shallow and very mean/inconsiderate.  I strongly disliked them (hate was way too overused in this review… it was time for a word change!:))

As mentioned before, the book as a whole had so much drama.  I thought this book would focus solely on Mia’s cancer, how she dealt with it, her struggles, etc- and it did but not solely.  Besides the lies and the Gyver/Ryan thing and her mom, I felt like I was the one who was suffocating from all this stuff in the book.   

Overall, I gave it a 2 because I did finish it (I suffered, but I did finish it).   I’ve kept in mind that this was the author’s debut novel, and despite everything, this book did have great potential.  I’ll, as always, be waiting for her next books, which hopefully (and probably) will be much better than this one.

Thanks for reading!:)  

Rating: 2 out of 5

Camp Boyfriend

Author: J.K. Rock

Release Date: July 2nd, 2013 
Publisher: Spencer Hill Contemporary 
Genre(s): YA Contemporary 
Pages: 324

*stand alone (although there is a companion novel)*

~Spoilers are hidden! Highlight the page to see them:)~ 

Summary (Goodreads): 
The summer of her dreams is about to get a reality check.

They said it couldn't be done, but geeky sophomore Lauren Carlson transformed herself into a popular girl after moving to a new school halfway across the country. Amazing what losing her braces and going out for cheerleading will do. Only trouble is, the popular crowd is wearing on Lauren's nerves and she can't wait to return to summer camp where she's valued for her brain instead of her handsprings. She misses her old friends and most of all, her long time camp-only boyfriend, Seth. This year she intends to upgrade their relationship to year-round status once she's broken up with her new, jock boyfriend, Matt. He doesn't even begin to know the real her, a girl fascinated by the night sky who dreams of discovering new planets and galaxies.

But Matt isn't giving her up without a fight. As he makes his case to stay together, Lauren begins to realize his feelings run deeper than she ever would have guessed. What if the guy she thought she was meant to be with forever isn't really The One? Returning to Camp Juniper Point was supposed to ground her uprooted life, but she's more adrift than ever. Everything feels different and soon Lauren's friends are turning on her and both guys question what she really wants. As summer tensions escalate, Lauren wonders if she's changed more than she thought. Will her first big discovery be herself?

Review: 

In a word: Intense (LOL)

To be honest, I thought this book would be a light and fluffy read, something to make me feel nostalgic for the days of summer past.  And it was that- and so much more.  I don’t know if it was because I’d been emotionally strung (that House of Hades omg) when I read Camp Boyfriend, but I found it surprisingly intense.  (Don’t get me wrong- there were parts that were pretty cute and fluffy, but overall, it was much deeper than my initial impressions.)

Let’s start with Lauren. 

I loved her self discovery throughout the book and the awesome message on how being true to yourself doesn’t mean just picking one thing (like a geek or a cheerleader), but being true to all sides of yourself.  She was a likeable character, very realistic and relatable, and that made her a great (and funny!) narrator.  She was just like any other girl, with regular teen problems, and the authors did an awesome job capturing that. 

For some reason, I didn’t swoon over Matt and Seth like I thought I would. (I blame House of Hades. Bob! Scion! Calypso!- but that’s for another review xD). Like Lauren, I was going back and forth between both guys, and even close to the end, I couldn’t tell who she would choose. It could have gone either way.  (At the start, I had been rooting for Seth.  Why?  Matt gave a really bad first impression (he made up for it later, and we see he’s complex character as well), but at the start, I thought Seth would be Lauren’s guy.  (That was of course until he took off and left Lauren alone.))

I loved that Lauren’s choice surprised me.  One of the things that really stood out to me about this book was the unpredictable nature of it.  NO ONE was as they seemed, and it was very refreshing to see massive character development in ALL the characters (not just the main ones). 

Another thing I liked about this book  was Seth’s and Matt’s lack of perfection. The way Lauren painted both of them, one was seen as the better guy (because she has an obvious bias toward Seth in the beginning- not a spoiler, it’s on the back of the book) and one was seen as eh.  As the book progresses, we see that neither one of them is quite who everyone thinks they are.  Both the boys had lots of depth to them, more so with Matt I thought (but I’ve heard the prequel Camp Kiss showed a lot more of Seth), and that was one of the reasons why it was hard to see which guy Lauren was going to choose.   And that process of choosing between Seth and Matt was INTENSE.  (At least for me….xD). 

Final thoughts?  I loved how the authors showed depth in all their characters and the importance of breaking stereotypes. This was shown the best with Seth and Matt and also with Lauren’s quirky friends.  They were cute in the beginning, but as the book went along, they showed their true colors, and NO ONE IS WHAT THEY SEEM.   (Remember that;))

Happy Readings!:)

Rating: 3 out of 5

Elsewhere

Author: Gabrielle Zevin 
Release Date: September 9th, 2005
Publisher: Square Fish 
Genre(s): YA Contemporary?  (This book was hard to place because it feels/reads like a contemporary, but it's about a girl's life in heaven.  I guess it could also be considered Fantasy?)
Pages: 277
*Stand alone*

Summary (Goodreads):

Welcome to Elsewhere. It is warm, with a breeze, and the beaches are marvelous. It’s quiet and peaceful. You can’t get sick or any older. Curious to see new paintings by Picasso? Swing by one of Elsewhere’s museums. Need to talk to someone about your problems? Stop by Marilyn Monroe’s psychiatric practice.

     Elsewhere is where fifteen-year-old Liz Hall ends up, after she has died. It is a place so like Earth, yet completely different. Here Liz will age backward from the day of her death until she becomes a baby again and returns to Earth. But Liz wants to turn sixteen, not fourteen again. She wants to get her driver’s license. She wants to graduate from high school and go to college. And now that she’s dead, Liz is being forced to live a life she doesn’t want with a grandmother she has only just met. And it is not going well. How can Liz let go of the only life she has ever known and embrace a new one? Is it possible that a life lived in reverse is no different from a life lived forward?

Review:

I’ve only read one another book written by this author- Memoir’s of a Teenage Amnesiac- and that was an “eh” read for me as well.   Maybe it’s because I had high expectations for both books.  Both of them had extremely interesting premises, which was why they had both been on the top of my to-read list.  (I finally found Elsewhere at my school library, hidden behind two Twilight books (don’t judge! I wanted to reread Cinder by Marissa Meyer).  I know- I was confused too.)  And both were huge letdowns- at least in my opinion.

Elsewhere was very interesting (the concept and the world), but half the book was bland, while the other half was rushed.  After a certain point, we only see pieces of her life until she finally becomes age 0 and goes back to Earth.  It skipped around a lot, and I really didn’t like that effect because I felt the last third or so of the story was like a summary, rather than a story. 

I guess my problem with this entire book was that the story telling was very detached and shallow (not personality wise, but depth wise).  I expected more out of this book emotionally, and while at the very, very, very end, I had a slight twinge of melancholy, 99% of the book I was just reading it to get to the end.  The tone of the entire book was like:

Liz did this. 

Liz did that.

This is Owen. 

Owen wants a dog.

 I felt no connection to the characters, and I had no sympathy for Liz.  I felt the author could have portrayed Liz better.  I understood her intent was sympathy and understanding from us readers, but Liz came across as annoying and a bit bratty.  She spent a lot of money- lying to Betty even to get that money- just staring at her old life from a far.   Call me heartless, but during that phase, all I could think about was the money wasting.  And there was a lot of telling rather than showing.  I believe every single character had a detailed profile that told us everything about them, instead of us- the readers- getting to know them through their actions and interactions.  I can’t say the characters were cardboard because I got to know them quite well, but it was like reading a straightforward biography about them.  The characters themselves hardly had any emotions as well, which made for a boring read.

The romance was very awkward, not only because of the age thing, but also because it was very abrupt. (Granted, the book was not about the romance, but still.)  The author gave us maybe one chapter on their flirting, if you could even call it that.  It was just them hanging out together so Liz would learn how to drive.  Later, they have an awkward confession, and all of a sudden, they love each other.  (The romance was bordering on insta-love, but at this point, I didn’t care enough for any of the characters to be too peeved about it.)  I wished the author didn’t include the romance in the book because it felt very forced, and I felt it really undermined the message of the book.

Undeniably, the premise was interesting, but the writing and the story falls flat.  One thing I did enjoy was Alvy and Liz’s relationship with each other after her death.  It was very sweet, and I wish the rest of the book could have been like this: sweet, but melancholy. 

Happy Readings~!

Rating: 2 out of 5

The Fault in Our Stars

Author: John Green
Release Date: January 10th, 2012 
Publisher: Dutton Books
Genre(s): YA Contemporary 
Pages: 313
*Stand alone*


~Spoilers are hidden! Highlight the page to see them:)~

Summary (Goodreads):
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Review:

***EDIT: 3/2/15 After reading the book a second time, I take back everything I said in this review.  Every. Single. Thing.  That book was so PRETENTIOUS.  I honestly don't know why I thought this book was the greatest thing since sliced bread.***

Disclaimer: The reviewer is not responsible for what the overload of sappiness she has attributed to this (totally not sappy) book will do to unsuspecting persons.      

There are some books that rudely yell into your face they are a love story that requires oversensitive tearducts; there are other books that smack you in the face with a love triangle plot without giving any warnings.  Then there are books that gently tiptoe into your life, gently coax out a tear or a waterfall, and proceed to float away into the midnight sky.  This is one such book.   

The cancer story itself is common (you know someone is going to die); it's the writing and the voices of both Augustus and Hazel that led me into a pool of tears.... from which I have not fully been able to draw myself out of still yet.   Augustus and Hazel’s relationship is a beautifully intelligent romance (if you want to call it that).   It's mature and thought provoking.  No drama, no dramatic breakups- just an honest procession that didn't emphasize a transcending type of love, but rather a legacy of this love.   Their romance is like an honest flower that continues to grow...  and grow...  and grow… until that flower’s petals fall off one by one, and the only thing left is its essence and a light perfume of nostalgia-- You get the idea :) 

(I know, I know, I sound like a cliche spouting machine or a sappy poet, but I feel like I can't give the book its due justice without bordering- or crossing- into the sappy side; it's that good!)

It isn't just a romance between the two main characters either;  it's a also a romance with the reader as well.  You just fall in love with both of them.  John Green has a way of writing that just makes you feel like you are Hazel-  making it even more body-wrenching when Augustus dies. 

Another thing, besides the writing, the characters, the plot, and the everything,  was that I absolutely love Hazel’s way of  dealing with Augustus’s death.  No cliché “All the tears I had held in came bursting out of me at that moment.”  This cliché line works for a lot of books, I’m not bashing it, but with Hazel’s personality, it would have been totally out of character for her- and totally the reason why so called ‘gut wrenching novels’ have failed to wrench my gut.   (Again, there is nothing wrong with the bursting of tears; it's  just the way she deals with it left me totally unable to hold an intelligent conversion or any coherent thoughts for several hours after.  )  No, Hazel deals with grief in spurts, and slowly recovering as she moves on and live life, enjoying the legacy that person left behind.

The title:
LOVE. IT.
That quote from Julius Caesar is one of my favorite quotes! And I get it  too, you know? Hazel and Augustus know their love is star-crossed, and they know they would have to live with the rest of their lives with their illness.  That is their fate.  Whether they choose to let this fate affect their life is their choice, to be the ‘underlings’ or not.  

 I had absolutely no complaints about this book, though I did read some reviews mentioning their ' overly mature voices.'  To be honest, I truly feel Augustus and Hazel could speak as mature as, say, a 30ish year old.  Why?  It's just THEM, you know?  That's who they are- and yes, it isn't very surprising to me that teenagers are capable of this level of maturity, ( thanks for the faith in our generation guys!) especially teens who have been dragged through nightmare after nightmare and back again. They've experienced things that some adults can't even fathom- and they're still on their feet.  That should be testimony enough to their maturity.  

The only other thing I can say about this book is to just read it. This book is SO worth it.  

And was I the only one who highlighted the WHOLE FREAKING book for all those lovely quotes?

Rating: 5 out of 5