Review: Project VanLife by Trevor DeRuise and Sierra Davies

Title: Project VanLife

Author: Trevor DeRuise and Sierra Davies

Publication date: October 31, 2014

Summary:

Get inspired and come along on the adventure of a lifetime. Learn what it takes to step outside of your comfort zone in order to live a life fueled by passion. Join a 22-year-old professional mountain bike racer and his girlfriend as they enter into the world of entrepreneurship in order to keep their dreams and passions alive while they transition from “college life” into the real world. Following their hearts, these two dreamers set out to chase the largest professional mountain bike series in North America during the summer of 2014. The epic journey has them living out of a used van for 90 days as they drive over 15,000 miles on an almost inexistent budget. All the while, they struggle to run several business and philanthropic endeavors from their rolling office in order to fulfill the vision they see for their lives. This book illustrates the devastating heartbreak of defeat and the heavenly thrill of triumph only available to those who dedicate their lives to a purpose greater than themselves. Let these young adventurers motivate you as they lay it all on the line to prove, firsthand, what VanLife is all about.

Review:

A little different from my normal reviews, this book is non-fiction and somewhat autobiographical, as well as being self-published. But stay with me here, because I have nothing but amazing things to say about this book.

While following the adventures of Sierra and Trevor as they trek across the country living out of the back of a van, I laughed, I cried, and I came out the other side feeling wholly inspired and alive. Project VanLife chronicles the stories of two seemingly everyday twenty-somethings with a thirst for adventure, and the determination to make their dreams a reality.  It felt like reading an awesome novel about a summer roadtrip with great characters, but one where you're like, "This would never happen in real life..." - but that's the awesome thing about this book, is that these are two everyday REAL people just trying to get by, while carving out a meaningful existence for themselves. 

This book has a little bit of everything - enthusiasm, adventure, comedy, love, and inspiration.  And by the end, you'll be ready to jump off the couch and go tackle your own projects, make your own dreams a reality. In a time where it seems like all we hear about is the mountains of debt, poor economy, lack of jobs, and generally negative outlook for twenty-somethings today, this book is a refreshing reminder that with a little bit of motivation and determination, you really can do what you put your mind to. Recommended for anyone who has even an inkling of a dream inside that they want to pursue, anyone who wants a little inspiration, or anyone looking to live an amazing adventure vicariously through others ;)

Review: Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Title: Going Bovine

Author: Libba Bray

Publication date: September 22, 2009

Summary: 

All 16-year-old Cameron wants is to get through high school—and life in general—with a minimum of effort. It’s not a lot to ask. But that’s before he’s given some bad news: he’s sick and he’s going to die. Which totally sucks. Hope arrives in the winged form of Dulcie, a loopy punk angel/possible hallucination with a bad sugar habit. She tells Cam there is a cure—if he’s willing to go in search of it. With the help of a death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf and a yard gnome, Cam sets off on the mother of all road trips through a twisted America into the heart of what matters most.

Review:

Oh, man. This book is amazing. It starts off normal enough, with your typical unmotivated high school boy being lazy, smoking weed, sneaking around, etc. I almost stopped reading as I thought, "Oh great, this is going to be one of those depressing books about some unappreciative slacker kid who barely passes high school and ends up nowhere in life." But there was something about the style of writing that told me I should hang in there and it would be worth it, and it most definitely was. After a couple of bad hallucinatory experiences, Cameron discovers he has mad cow disease, and from then on the book just explodes with imagination adventure and takes you on a completely wild ride where you're unsure what's up and what's down.  

While filled with plenty of humor and adventure and a plot that will make you wonder if you might be tripping on something or going crazy as well, Going Bovine also made me take a look inside my own life, at the importance of LIVING instead of just existing, and how the relationships and experiences you encounter can make all the difference. When reading this book, you will laugh. You may cry. You will scratch your head at the absurdity of it all. Ultimately, you will likely come away from it with a new appreciation for life itself, and if like me this is your first time reading a Libba Bray book, you will have found yourself a new favorite author. 

Characters: 9/10

Plot: 9/10

Originality: 10/10

Writing: 10/10

Overall grade: A

Review: Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher

Title: Almost Perfect

Author: Brian Katcher

Publication date: October 13, 2009

Summary: 

Logan Witherspoon recently discovered that his girlfriend of three years cheated on him. But things start to look up when a new student breezes through the halls of his small-town high school. Sage Hendricks befriends Logan at a time when he no longer trusts or believes in people. Sage has been homeschooled for a number of years and her parents have forbidden her to date anyone, but she won’t tell Logan why. One day, Logan acts on his growing feelings for Sage. Moments later, he wishes he never had. Sage finally discloses her big secret: she’s actually a boy. Enraged, frightened, and feeling betrayed, Logan lashes out at Sage and disowns her. But once Logan comes to terms with what happened, he reaches out to Sage in an attempt to understand her situation. But Logan has no idea how rocky the road back to friendship will be.

Review:

I could relate to this book in many ways, namely growing up in a tiny town and having a best friend who was transgendered. Overall this was a great read about the kinds of things that people who fall under the LGBTQ spectrum have to put up with on a daily basis, both from parents and the community around them. 

But I think this book had the potential to be a more powerful read if it hadn't focused so much on Logan's point of view and transphobia. I do think it is very important to address the perspective of those who are homophobic or transphobic, and eventually he does come around, but for the majority of the book I found myself almost hating Logan. There is something to be said for honesty, and I admire that, but it seems like he kept flipping back and forth between being completely closed minded and then changing his mind and wanting to rescue and be with Sage. I think he provided a much needed source of support for Sage at times, but ultimately his wishy-washiness and hesitance caused her to stray away from him, and I can't blame her. 

Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book for all the topics it addresses (self harm, suicidal ideations, transgender/gay issues) and for dealing with all of the feelings involved in both being transgender and how it feels to have fallen in love with someone who is undergoing a gender transition and dealing with so much pain and criticism from all directions. The emotions and pain from both Sage and Logan were so real that I found myself hurting for both of them, and while the ending wasn't completely satisfying, it made sense in a way. I would have liked to see more of the story from Sage's viewpoint because I found it completely fascinating.

Characters: 8/10

Plot: 8/10

Originality: 9/10

Writing: 8/10

Overall grade: B

Review: Rosebush by Michele Jaffa

Title: Rosebush

Author: Michele Jaffe

Publication date: December 7, 2010

Summary: 

Instead of celebrating Memorial Day weekend on the Jersey Shore, Jane is in the hospital surrounded by teddy bears, trying to piece together what happened last night. One minute she was at a party, wearing fairy wings and cuddling with her boyfriend. The next, she was lying near-dead in a rosebush after a hit-and-run. Everyone believe it was an accident, despite the phone threats Jane swears were real, but the truth is a thorny thing. As Jane's boyfriend, friends and admirers come to visit, more memories come to the surface not just from a party, but from deeper in the past. With nearly all her friends a suspect, Jane must unravel the mystery before her killer attacks again. Along the way she's forced to examine her life and change it.

Review:
Although I didn't care too much for the main characters, most of who were the popular, rich, snobby type, I still found myself hooked into reading this book. It starts with a scene from the end and then goes back to the night of the party so we can watch the story unfold. This is one of those books that will keep you on your toes, just as eager as Jane to figure out who's after her and whether or not the strange phone calls and messages she gets are real or just delusions.

Without giving too much away, I'll say that the ending was a real surprise. The person who ended up being the killer didn't make a whole lot of sense to me, especially because I could think of at least two other people who seemed like they had better, more solid reasons. I mean, I don't like predictable books where I can tell who the culprit is right from the start,  but I also like things to make sense, and this ending was slightly confusing in my opinion, but definitely a shocker. It was also slightly annoying how Jane would jump from guy to guy so quickly, especially when she had a boyfriend. Okay, some of them did sound pretty cute, but come on. As her mom says at the end, "That's the third boy she's kissed this week!"

However, putting all of the little annoyances I had with this book aside, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a thrilling novel with many questions to be answered. Even if you're tired of reading about stuck-up popular teenagers like I am, it still makes for an exciting read that you'll have trouble putting down.

Characters: 7/10

Plot: 8/10

Originality: 8/10

Writing: 8/10

Overall grade: B

Received from Book Divas for review.

Review: Hush by Eishes Chayil

 Title: Hush

Author: Eishes Chayil

Publication date: September 14, 2010

Summary:

Inside the closed community of Borough Park, where Brooklyn's Chassidim live, the rules of life – everything from how to dress to whom to marry – are very clear, determined to the last detail by an ancient script written thousands of years before. Then young Gittel witnesses an unspeakable act of violence against her best friend, Devory, an act that goes against everything she's been taught as a Jew. For the first time in her life, there are no guidelines to tell her what to do, so she remains silent. But even inaction has consequences, and sometimes they are deadly...

Now a teenager, Gittel is racked with guilt over the choices she made and those that were forced upon her by the community she once trusted. She must question everything about herself – her own innocence, her memories of the past, and the beliefs of her sect – to find peace for Devory and for herself.

Review:

Honestly, I almost put this book down after the first 15 or 20 pages because it just didn't interest me. Most of chapter two was spent talking about a hat, and filled with sentences that made me feel like I was reading in a foreign language, which left me disinterested and confused. But I made it over that speed bump and continued reading, and I am so, so glad I continued reading. This is easily one of the best books I've read this year.

Part one of the book alternates between Gittel telling the story as a 9-year-old and as a 17-year old, which I felt worked wonderfully as it let the reader get the background story on her childhood but also let us see the kinds of things she struggled with presently. Part two of the book tells about Gittel's life as she gets married and lives with her husband.

Not only did Gittel's story deal with heavy issues such as her best friend's suicide, the unspeakable violence that she witnessed, and her grief for many years to come, but it also took the reader deep into the inner workings of a culture that I knew almost nothing about before reading this book. It was fascinating just to see how children are raised in a community that has such a completely different way of life than most are accustomed to.

While the heavier issues took precedence, there were also many happy moments as it tells the story of Gittel growing up from a mere 9-year-old to graduating high school and getting married. I felt like the author managed to give the book a great balance of heavy subject matter versus everyday life, serious versus enjoyable, and it was all-around a well-written story. Overall, Hush is a powerful, unique book that will stay with you long after you've finished reading.

Characters: 8/10

Plot: 9/10

Originality: 9/10

Writing: 7/10

Overall grade: A

Review: Cold Hands, Warm Heart

Title: Cold Hands, Warm Heart

Author: Jill Wolfson

Publication date: March 31, 2009

Summary:

Two people, two faces, two noses, four eyes, four ears, eight limbs, two livers, four kidneys, 10 liters of blood, 1,300 muscles, 120,000 miles of blood vessels, 200,000 hairs on two heads. Two people, two hearts. But only one of them working.

Dani was born with her heart on the wrong side of her body. In her fifteen years of life, she's had more doctors' appointments, X-rays, tests, and eaten more green hospital Jell-O than she cares to think about. Fourteen-year-old Amanda is a competitive gymnast, her body a small package of sleek muscles, in perfect health. The two girls don't know each other, don't go to the same school, don't have any friends in common. But their lives are about to collide.

Review:

I have very mixed feelings about this book. It had an interesting subject matter that let me learn a bit more about transplants and organ donation, and got me thinking more about the matter of organ donation, but I felt it lacked in many areas. The story is told by alternating between characters, so we get to see both Dani's side of the story - the girl receiving the heart - and Amanda's family's side of the story. It alternates between first and second person, and then includes many side stories such as the viewpoint from the guy who delivers the organs between hospitals, which made it really hard to follow,  in my opinion, especially because it's a relatively short book. While it was an interesting story, it almost felt like the author tried to tackle too many things at once, because not only does it deal with the transplant, but also a romance, Amanda's death, and the grieving of her family. So the reader gets a glimpse of each of these events, which may have been more successful in a longer book, but I felt that as it was, it lacked depth in many areas.

Overall, I enjoyed this book as a quick read on an interesting subject, but felt it was missing a lot. If it sounds interesting to you, I'd recommend picking up a copy through your library, as it was a nice story to read once but probably not something I'd want to go out and buy. 

Characters: 7/10

Plot: 7/10

Originality: 7/10

Writing: 6/10

Overall grade: C

 

Received from Book Divas for review

Review: Something, Maybe

Title: Something, Maybe

Author: Elizabeth Scott

Publication date: March 24th, 2009

Summary:

Everyone thinks their parents are embarrassing, but Hannah knows she's got them all beat. Her dad made a fortune showcasing photos of pretty girls and his party lifestyle all over the Internet, and her mom was once one of her dad's girlfriends and is now the star of her own website. After getting the wrong kind of attention for way too long, Hannah has mastered the art of staying under the radar...and that's just how she likes it.

Of course, that doesn't help her get noticed by her crush. Hannah's sure that gorgeous, sensitive Josh is her soul mate. But trying to get him to notice her; wondering why she suddenly can't stop thinking about another guy, Finn; and dealing with her parents makes Hannah feel like she's going crazy. Yet she's determined to make things work out the way she wants--only what she wants may not be what she needs.

Review:

 I suppose the best thing to say to describe my feelings on this book is that I have very mixed feelings about it. I love all of the other Elizabeth Scott books I have read, and this one was no disappointment. It was nicely written and full of things that kept me entertained, such as Hannah's mother who works as a webcam girl, her father who remains absent in her life except for when he needs to promote his show, and Hannah's job at a call center for BurgerTown. 

But many of the outcomes in this book were predictable, and I found myself very annoyed with Hannah a lot of the time. That's not to say she isn't a likeable character - I enjoyed reading about her quite a bit. But I grew very frustrated when she would talk about how she had no friends and was seen as invisible and a nobody, when it appeared to me that she really wasn't doing that badly. She had her best friend, Teagan, who she spent a lot of time with, and she was able to chat and joke effortlessly with Finn and Josh at her job at the call center. To me, that does not count as not having friends or being seen as a nobody, as all three of these people seemed to enjoy her company quite a bit. She also put zero effort into her appearance, and that annoyed me a bit as well.

However, all that being said, I thought that the book had many small redeeming qualities that when put together made for a worthwhile read. It's definitely worth reading at least once, in my opinion, as even with the predictable and annoying parts it was very well-written and quirky enough to be memorable.

Characters: 8/10

Plot: 7/10

Originality: 8/10

Writing: 8/10

Overall grade: B

Review: Fallout by Ellen Hopkins

Title: Fallout

Author: Ellen Hopkins

Publication date: September 14, 2010

Summary:

Hunter, Autumn, and Summer—three of Kristina Snow's five children—live in different homes, with different guardians and different last names. They share only a predisposition for addiction and a host of troubled feelings toward the mother who barely knows them, a mother who has been riding with the monster, crank, for twenty years.

Hunter is nineteen, angry, getting by in college with a job at a radio station, a girlfriend he loves in the only way he knows how, and the occasional party. He's struggling to understand why his mother left him, when he unexpectedly meets his rapist father, and things get even more complicated. Autumn lives with her single aunt and alcoholic grandfather. When her aunt gets married, and the only family she's ever known crumbles, Autumn's compulsive habits lead her to drink. And the consequences of her decisions suggest that there's more of Kristina in her than she'd like to believe. Summer doesn't know about Hunter, Autumn, or their two youngest brothers, Donald and David. To her, family is only abuse at the hands of her father's girlfriends and a slew of foster parents. Doubt and loneliness overwhelm her, and she, too, teeters on the edge of her mother's notorious legacy. As each searches for real love and true family, they find themselves pulled toward the one person who links them together—Kristina, Bree, mother, addict. But it is in each other, and in themselves, that they find the trust, the courage, the hope to break the cycle.

Told in three voices and punctuated by news articles chronicling the family's story, FALLOUT is the stunning conclusion to the trilogy begun by CRANK and GLASS, and a testament to the harsh reality that addiction is never just one person's problem.

Review:

Fallout is the last book in the Crank and Glass trilogy, and picks up 19 years after Glass left off. It tells the stories of Kristina's three oldest children - Hunter, Autumn, and Summer - now in their teens, as they uncover secrets and stories from their past while dealing with their own issues.

Of the three books in this trilogy, I think this one was the most powerful. I could really see pieces of Kristina in each of the three children as they dealt with their own issues, like Hunter who struggles to be faithful to his girlfriend, Autumn who is filled with questions about the family she's never known and who struggles with an alcohol addiction, and Summer who bounces around foster homes while being exposed to abusive situations.

I had many questions in the beginning about what had happened to Kristina and everyone involved in her life, and as I kept reading, the answers were revealed slowly. It was a bit hard for me to follow three alternating viewpoints at first, but then I got used to it and realized that it was a perfect way to write the last book, as it pretty much ties up everything from the previous ones. Just like all of Hopkins' other books, it's written in the form of stunning poetry with different patterns indicating the feelings of the characters and many hidden messages sprinkled throughout. I'm sad to see the series end, but I definitely recommend Fallout to anyone who has enjoyed the first two books in the series, or even those new to Hopkins' writing, because it is a story that you will definitely never forget once you've read it.

Characters: 9/10

Plot: 10/10

Originality: 10/10

Writing: 10/10

Overall grade: A

Received from Book Divas for review.

Review: Saving June

Title: Saving June

Author: Hannah Harrington

Publication date: November 22nd, 2011

Summary:

Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.

When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going California.

Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.

Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down again.

Review:

Saving June was a very emotional account of the roller-coaster ride that ensues after a loved one has committed suicide. I was expecting this book to be on the darker side with a lot of grief and sorrowful moments, and while it did have its fair share of those, it was also a very fun read. I'm always up for reading a good book about a road trip, and this one was no disappointment. 

There were definitely some interesting characters in the book that I enjoyed getting to know, such as Harper's crazy Jesus-freak aunt, but most of the story focused around three main characters. First, there's Harper, who I felt completely sympathetic towards. I could clearly feel her pain through the snappy, bitter tone she displayed most of the time, and it made my heart ache to imagine being in her situation, always feeling inferior to June while she was alive and then still being compared to her after her death, knowing that she'll never live up to the expectations of everyone around her. Then there's Laney, Harper's best friend whose parents let her pretty much do as she pleases with little expectations, and Jake, who has had his fair share of problems as well, is completely obsessed with music, and holds a mysterious connection to June that Harper can't quite figure out.

There are so many amazing things in this book: the friendship between Harper and Laney, and relationship that forms between Harper and Jake, the music that narrates the story and provides the soundtrack to their road trip, all of the fun touristy things that take place along the way, and the more serious moments that each character experiences. While "saving" June, Harper also learns a lot about herself along the way. With the help of Jake, Harper goes from trying to build up a wall around everything to block out her emotions, to being able to let them out and feel comfortable with what she feels. Saving June was a very powerful and very well-written book that provided a wonderful mixture of heavier issues and fun experiences, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a moving yet fun read. 

Characters: 9/10

Plot: 9/10

Originality: 9/10

Writing: 9/10

Overall grade: A

Received from Book Divas for review.

Review: Far From the War

Title: Far From the War

Author: Jeffrey David Payne

Publication date: August 6th, 2011

Summary:

Economic ruin and partisan rancor have pushed America to the brink of a new civil war. Esther is caught in the middle, serving as a page in the United States House of Representatives when rouge politicians and military leaders stage a modern day coup d'etat. When the coup turns violent, she abandons Washington, D.C. for home. She must learn to survive on her own as transportation and financial networks fail, as the war disrupts food and water supplies. The result is a cautionary tale about political extremism and the true cost of war.

Review:

Honestly, I don't even know where to begin with this review. I expected this book to be a good read, perhaps even average, but I quickly found that it was so much more than that. Far From the War tells the story of Esther, a strong female character and her internship at the House of Representatives as part of her goal to become involved in politics one day. As the government, politicians, and military become completely corrupt and everything pretty much shuts down, Esther's experiences show what an absolutely frightening world this would be and how every person is basically left to fend for themselves with little chance of survival. 

With his writing, Payne creates a shockingly complex yet very believable state of the world for the characters. I think it definitely fits into the category of books you could read over and over again and notice something new each time, because there's just so much going on. I was slightly on edge while reading because honestly it frightened me a bit how realistic it all sounded, and how it seemed that we could very easily end up in a similar situation. Many parts of the book were somewhat disturbing and graphic as they described the violence and corruption taking place, and I could feel my stomach turn a few times while reading, but these scenes were necessary to get the point across and not overdone or exaggerated, in my opinion. Just a warning for those of you who may have a hard time reading about such things. The whole topic of the novel is somewhat disturbing, not in an overtly grossed out kind of way but more in a way that really gets you thinking about the state of things and just one possibility of where we might end up if things ever took an awful turn for the worse.

The first chapter was a bit mundane, but after that it started picking up, and I was drawn in. I found many aspects of the book refreshingly unique, such as the setting of Esther's internship and the overall turn of events that took place. I experienced a whole multitude of emotions while reading, from excitement and happiness about the relationships she formed along the way, to fear and horror when everything seemed utterly hopeless, and even tears of joy at the end. It is very rare that a book makes me feel such strong emotions as this one did, and even rarer that a book will make me cry.

I'd go as far as to say that Far From the War has earned a spot among my top ten favorite books, because it was just that amazing. I am very eagerly awaiting the second book in the trilogy, but sadly it's not due to be released until next July. So for now, I will just have to strongly recommend this novel, as I know it's one of those that will stay in the back of your mind and keep you thinking long after finishing it. I don't even feel like my review adequately captured all of my feelings about the book, but if it sounds at all interesting, please do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.

Characters: 10/10

Plot: 10/10

Originality: 10/10

Writing: 9/10

Overall grade: A+

Review: Into the Wild Nerd Yonder

Title: Into the Wild Nerd Yonder

Author: Julie Halpern

Publication Date: September 29th, 2009

Summary:

It’s Jessie’s sophomore year of high school. A self-professed “mathelete,” she isn’t sure where she belongs. Her two best friends have transformed themselves into punks and one of them is going after her longtime crush. Her beloved older brother will soon leave for college (and in the meantime has shaved his mohawk and started dating . . . the prom princess!) . . .

Things are changing fast. Jessie needs new friends. And her quest is a hilarious tour through high-school clique-dom, with a surprising stop along the way—the Dungeons and Dragons crowd, who out-nerd everyone. Will hanging out with them make her a nerd, too? And could she really be crushing on a guy with too-short pants and too-white gym shoes?   

  

If you go into the wild nerd yonder, can you ever come back?

Review:

As somewhat of a nerd myself, I have to say that I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The writing was fun and more of a laid back, conversational style that I felt conveyed Jessie's thoughts and experiences nicely, in a way that I could relate to. I loved the uniqueness of many of the characters (like Jessie making her own skirts - that's pretty cool) and the relationships between them that developed as the book went on. I especially loved the relationship that Jessie had with her brother, Barrett. He was very supportive of her throughout the whole book and it was great to see such a loving relationship. It was pretty neat to look back after I finished the book and see how much Jessie had changed in terms of relationships, acceptance of herself, and who she associated with.

I found myself smiling and laughing at so many things in this book, but particularly in the last three or so chapters. This book had such a great balance of nerdy, funny, and more serious moments, and I really enjoyed seeing how Jessie dealt with the various situations that came up. I also loved the references to other YA books like Elsewhere, which happens to be one of my favorites.

My only complaint with this book is that the ending seemed a bit rushed and wasn't as satisfying as I'd hoped it would be. I think that could have easily been fixed by adding another chapter rather than ending things in a way that kind of leaves the reader hanging, but oh well. Overall, it was a fun yet realistic read that I would definitely recommend to anyone who's ever experienced trying to find their place among the various high school groups, and especially to those who can appreciate a little bit of nerdiness.

Characters: 8/10

Plot: 8/10

Originality: 8/10

Writing: 8/10

Overall grade: B

Review: After by Amy Efaw

Title: After

Author: Amy Efaw

Publication date: August 11th, 2009

Summary:

Who would leave her own baby in the trash to die? 

Certainly not someone like Devon - straight-A student, soccer player with Olympic dreams, more mature than her own mother. But desperation and panic drove her to do what most people can't even imagine. Now Devon's in a juvenile detention center, charged with attempted murder. If she's tried as an adult, she faces life in prison.

Does Devon deserve that punishment? Your answer depends on whether you believe her story - that she didn't even know she was pregnant. Was she buried in a denial so deep that she was unable to register the seemingly obvious signs of pregnancy? Or were her actions the result of a more devious, premeditated plan?

Review:

I had this book sitting on my bookshelf for a while and I knew it was going to be good, but I didn't have the time to read it until now, and all I can say is WOW. Amazing. The first chapter was a little hard to get through because it literally turned my stomach, but I think it was a great introduction for the story that followed. 

I literally could not put this book down. Every free minute I had, I would pick it up and read as much as I could. I felt I could really relate to Devon, who was a straight-A student with very high expectations for herself, not unlike myself. So of course the entire time I was reading, I was wondering how such a person could even think about doing such a thing.  By the end, I was able to understand it a little better as I became more acquainted with Devon's past and her thoughts.

I only have two complaints about this book: one, the treatment that Devon received from some of the people at the hospital and the detention center during her intake process seemed unnecessarily harsh. Perhaps that's how it is in real life, I don't know, but it was hard for me to believe that people would treat her so coldly and harshly after knowing what she just went through. Not that her actions were acceptable, but with the amount of pain and discomfort that she must have been in, both physically and emotionally, I can't believe that workers would treat her so harshly.

My second complaint is that I felt the book ended a bit abruptly. I felt like there was some closure, and in a way, it did make sense, but given the intensity of the rest of the book I felt that the ending was just a little too abrupt. I'm not sure how else it would have been ended, without creating a sequel, though, and I can see how it shows that it seems Devon finally came to terms with everything that happened, so overall I suppose the ending wasn't that bad. Overall, I absolutely loved the book.

While this book is probably not a good choice for the squeamish because of some of the graphic descriptions of Devon's actions, it was one of the most intense and thought-provoking books I have read in a while and I would definitely recommend it.

Characters: 7/10

Plot: 9/10

Originality: 9/10

Writing: 8/10

Overall grade: A

Review: Break by Hannah Moskowitz

Title: Break

Author: Hannah Moskowitz

Publication date: August 25th, 2009

Summary:

Jonah is on a mission to break every bone in his body. Everyone knows that broken bones grow back stronger than they were before. And Jonah wants to be stronger—needs to be stronger—because everything around him is falling apart. Breaking, and then healing, is Jonah's only way to cope with the stresses of home, girls, and the world on his shoulders.

When Jonah's self-destructive spiral accelerates and he hits rock bottom, will he find true strength or surrender to his breaking point?

Review:

With a summary like that, how could you not want to pick up this book? It's so unique and controversial, something that I find most books to lack these days. Since Moskowitz is a relatively young writer, I wasn't expecting the writing to be great. But I ended up loving it and can't wait to see what other publications she comes out with in the future.

I finished the entire book in one sitting because it was that good. The characters were real and interesting, and the plot was fascinating. As someone heavily interested in psychology, I was intrigued by everything going on in the book. The reasons for Jonah breaking his bones, the conflicts within the family, the relationship between Jonah and his brother... I was just amazed at how well everything fit together.

What made it even more awesome is that it wasn't censored at all. It was raw, with the f-bomb flying all over the place and gruesome descriptions of the bone breaking process. That might turn some people away from picking up this book, but I can't remember the last time I felt so involved in the lives of characters, almost as if I were reading a journal or being a fly on the wall. It's such a powerful book, and anyone with experiences in self-harm will completely relate to it. The author captured it perfectly, which I don't see happen too often with subjects such as this.

The only complaint I have is the ending. I didn't completely understand the way Jonah's reasons for breaking his bones was explained, so it left me with more questions than anything else. I was expecting some phenomenal ending with lots of oomph, but to me it just kind of died out. Regardless of that, I will still hold on to this book and read it again.

Characters: 9/10

Plot: 10/10

Originality: 10/10

Writing: 9/10

Overall grade: A

Review: A Field Guide for Heartbreakers

 Title: A Field Guide for Heartbreakers

Author: Kristen Tracy

Publication date: June 1st, 2010

Summary:

Best friends Dessy and Veronica arrive in Europe with wildly different plans. Dessy hopes to heal her newly broken heart by diving into the creative writing workshop that brought the girls to Prague. Veronica's plan, meanwhile, is to conquer as many hot-dudes as possible in one month--and help Dessy recycle her heart in the process. Her method:

- Dress like you are the party.
- Explore the terrain. (Moderate stalking is totally allowed.)
- Be adventurous. And that means being prepared to hide in your suitcase.

- Ask questions that make your hot-dude feel smart.
- Gloss early, gloss often, and bring bum. Because a kiss can happen when you least expect it!

At first, Veronica's plan is working so well that Dessy thinks she might be a love genius. But soon it's clear that Operation Maneater has a few holes. Like its failure to anticipate crazy mixed signals--and worse, its mysterious tendency to plague a friendship with secrets and lies.

Well, no one ever said breaking hearts was a simple craft.... 

Review:

At first, the cover and summary of this book made it seem like one of those fluffy summer novels with little substance, but something told me to give it a try. I did, and I was very pleasantly surprised. This novel ended up having a lot more depth with the plot and characters than I thought it would. There were lots of interesting twists that kept me on my toes, wondering what had happened or what would happen. At times, I thought the contrast between Veronica (extroverted, loud-mouthed, etc) and Dessy (introverted, doormat-like) was too great for them to be such good friends, but by the end I was satisfied. There were many, many times where I found myself laughing out loud at the things that the characters did and said, particularly with Veronica. There were a lot of great little quirks and such that kept this novel interesting (for example, a crazy homicidal girl in their writing workshop.)

The only complaint I have with this book was that the ending felt a bit rushed. As I neared the end and was caught up in all the suspense, I looked at the remaining 10 or so pages and thought, "That's it? There's no way this whole thing can be wrapped up in just ten pages." It was, but I thought it could've been done a bit better. Overall though, I really enjoyed this book. I read it every chance I got, and will likely read it again in the near future. It was a perfect mix of a fun summer read with some depth and adventure to it. 

Received for review from Disney Publishing.

Characters: 9/10

Plot: 8/10

Originality: 9/10

Writing: 10/10

Overall grade: A

Review: Mackenzie Blue series

Title: Mackenzie Blue

Author: Tina Wells

Summary:

Book 1:

Meet Mackenzie Blue, aka Zee

She has it all—smarts, talent, humor, and style. . . .

Is it enough to survive middle school?

Countdown to a 7th Grade Meltdown

1. Your BFF moves away.

2. Someone steals your diary and reveals your deepest secrets—to the entire class.

3. You have one chance to become a rock star and one chance to totally blow it. Guess what!? All three happened to me! School's a disaster already. Don't get me wrong—I love Brookdale Academy and I have a fabulous crew of friends. (At least, I think I do.) But, if I'm going to survive, I need all the help I can get! 

Book 2 (The Secret Crush):

Mackenzie Blue has a crush!

But how can she get Landon—the cutest boy in school—to notice her? The class's new rock-and-roll musical is her chance.

Reasons why our musical is going to be amazing:

1. I could be the star!
2. Landon could be my co-star . . . which means we'll hang out together.
3. Working on the sets, props, music, script, and costumes will be tons of fun.

There's so much to do, I'd better get started!

Between her crush, the musical, and her friends—not to mention school work—Zee is torn in a thousand different directions. With all the real-life drama going on, will she lose sight of what's really important?

Book 3 (Friends Forever?):

Mackenzie Blue is hitting the trails!

It's time for Brookdale Academy's camping field trip, but Zee has much more to deal with than a lesson about nature. . . .

Pros:
1. My BFF, Ally, is visiting all the way from Paris! Ooh la la!
2. My friends and I are so going to win the environmental scavenger hunt!

Cons:
1. We have to stay in teeny-tiny log cabins. How will we all fit?
2. The legendary (and terrifying) Mountain Man . . . 

Review:

Since this series is geared more towards pre-teens, which is an audience I don't usually review for, I'm reviewing the whole series in one post. Even though my main focus is on young adult books, I'll sometimes review books meant for either a bit younger or older audience. This series looked interesting, so I figured, why not?

There were so many things in these books that reminded my of myself in 7th grade. Zee being embarrassed to have her dad drop her off at school, problems making new friends, first crushes, etc. The series was a really fun and positive one. Something I could definitely see myself reading in 6th or 7th grade. I liked how there were bits of her diary entries and IM conversations included, but sometimes the IMs were a bit annoying because I can't stand chat speak. I also enjoyed the aspect of the band, which ended up playing a big part throughout all 3 books. I was a "band geek" in middle school, so I could really relate to a lot of that. It's refreshing to see a book with groups other than the typical jocks, cheerleaders, etc.

Overall, I think this is a great series for a younger audience. It deals with a lot of problems that girls at that age can relate to, and ultimately a positive solution was found for each of the problems. I'd definitely recommend it to tween girls looking for something cute to read.

Characters: 8/10

Plot: 7/10

Originality: 7/10

Writing: 7/10

Overall grade: C

Review: Lifted

Title: Lifted

Author: Wendy Toliver

Publication date: June 8th, 2010

Summary:

Being bad never felt so good.

Poppy Browne never stole anything in her life before moving to Pleasant Acres and meeting Mary Jane and Whitney. But when Poppy walks out of the mall with her two new friends and her first pair of stolen jeans, she's hooked.

Before long, Poppy is lifting whenever she gets the urge--it's never about the merchandise, it's always about the thrill. But when her secret gets out, Poppy's clique turns on each other. As she watches her life collapse around her, Poppy must decide where her loyalties lie...and how far she'll go to protect herself.

Review:

This book had a great way of showing two important lessons: 1) People aren't always as nice or mean as they might seem to be; and 2) Trying something just once, even if on accident, can lead to a spiraling addiction. I absolutely loved this book. Poppy seemed like someone I would get along with great, minus the shop lifting, of course. It just goes to show how easily someone can be influenced by peer pressure when they're trying to fit in in a new place. Watching Poppy get into shoplifting and then becoming fully addicted to it was interesting and eye-opening. It's amazing how quickly something that seems innocent at first can escalate into a huge problem.

The fact that Poppy attended a Baptist school threw me off at first. Until the shoplifting started, I was wondering how in the world that would be incorporated into a book that seemed so pure otherwise. But everyone at Calvary High seemed to have their own little secrets, which was really interesting and made me think twice about my view of religiously oriented schools. Addiction and peer pressure can influence anyone, no matter how "pure". 

I loved a lot of the characters, but my opinions of some of them were changed drastically by the end of the book. At times, it became almost like a mystery trying to figure out who was doing things with good intent and who wasn't. But of course in the end it all fell together, and I was happily satisfied with the ending. There was something about the style of Wendy Toliver's writing that I loved, and I can't wait to read more of it.

Characters: 9/10

Plot: 10/10

Originality: 9/10

Writing: 10/10

Overall grade: A

Review: Auf Wiedersehen

Title: Auf Wiedersehen
Author: Christa Holder Ocker
Publication date: July 21, 2009

Summary:
Auf Wiedersehen by Christa Holder Ocker tells the story of World War II through the eyes of a young German girl. As she and her family move around from place to place trying to avoid the Russians, they wonder how they will ever survive through the war. Their last hope is to find a way to America.

Review:
As someone studying German, I really loved this book. It was a gripping account of one family struggling through World War II. German phrases and words were incorporated throughout, which I felt really added to the feeling of the book. It could have been a bit longer near the end I thought, but overall it was a great read. I felt as if I was right there with the family while I was reading it, experiencing all their struggles. Anyone interested in World War II or Germany would enjoy this compelling autobiography.

Overall grade: C

Book received from bookdivas.com

Review: The Straight Road to Kylie

Title: The Straight Road to Kylie
Author: Nico Medina
Publication date: May 22nd, 2007

Summary:

Life is fabulous for Jonathan Parish. He's seventeen, out and proud, and ready to party through senior year with his posse of best girlfriends. But the year starts off with the wrong kind of bang when Jonathan -- in an inebriated lapse of judgment -- sleeps with a friend of his...a girl friend!

When word gets around that hot-but-previously-unavailable Jonathan might be on the market, the school's It girl approaches him with a proposal: pretend to be her boyfriend, and achieve popularity like he's never known. But popularity isn't what Jonathan wants. And suddenly, going back into the closet becomes Jonathan's only way to get what he's after -- a trip to see Kylie Minogue.

Review:

The only GLBT young adult book left on my shelf that I hadn't yet read, I decided to pick this one up for this month's GLBT April Mini-Challenge. It didn't disappoint one bit! Jonathan seemed like such a great, fun guy. There was never a dull moment because there was always some kind of excitement or trouble going on. I hear lots of girls wishing they had a gay guy as a best friend, and Jonathan was perfect for that role, especially with his best girl friends in the book. I'd love to hang out with him in real life; he seemed like so much fun to be around. This book had an amazingly real feel to it, almost as if I was reading about an account of someone's life. Potential readers be warned though, there's a lot of talk about sex, lots of drinking/partying, and lots of cursing. If that kind of thing bothers you, this is definitely not a good book to pick up. But with all of the drama, hilarity, and awesome characters I got to know, this book was a very enjoyable read, especially if you're into GLBT literature.

Characters: 8/10
Plot: 8/10
Originality: 8/10
Writing: 7/10
Overall grade: B

GLBT March Mini Challenge: Review: First Love Sisters #1

Title: First Love Sisters vol. 1
Author: Mizuo Shinonome
Publication date: December 15th, 2007


Summary:

During a fateful visit to Tsunojo Girls’ School, Chika Matsusato meets the girl of her dreams--cool upperclassman Haruna Kanzaki. Even though they spent only one short day together, Chika will never forget Haruna’s kindness, and has made it her life’s goal to study hard and get accepted into Tsunojo Girls’ School so that they can be together. But will Haruna share Chika’s feelings...?


Review:
While I usually don't review manga on my blog (though I do occasionally read it), this was read for the GLBT March Mini-Challenge. I've read it previously, but reading it again for this challenge reminded me how much I enjoyed it and how sweet it was. Some of the relationships between the other characters were confusing to me; I wasn't sure who was just being friendly and who might've been more involved, as the main characters were. While reading, I was constantly smiling, being reminded of how giddy and happy a first crush/love can make you. This manga was really cute, both the drawings and storyline, and I'm eagerly awaiting volume two to see what happens! Of course it left off with sort of a cliffhanger. But the publishing of volume two and subsequent volumes has apparently been put on hold due to rights issues! This greatly disappoints me, because I'd really like to continue with the series.

Overall grade: B