For Keeps
"What does he think went down overnight? A cockroach wedding?"My favorite line in the whole book.
Forget You
I seem to have a hard time relating to Echols's female characters, but I was extremely fascinated with Doug in this book. And also with the town the story was set in. Echols is certainly a champion at writing teen angst. I think she has it down pat. There were too many times I wanted to shake Zoey because I felt like a lot of drama could have been avoided if she'd just told the truth. But then again, I can see why she hid some things. Her father wasn't exactly supportive. He was a total prick. I liked the book well enough, but I had a hard time getting interested in Zoey. I was way more into what was going on with the people around her.I like Echols's writing. I think she does a good job of setting the scene and describing the setting without going overboard. It was easy to visualize the sea, to see the earrings lying in the junkyard, and to smell the chlorine in the pool.
Anna and the French Kiss
TOTALLY lives up to the hype.I knew this book was good when I was so engrossed that I almost missed my train stop last night.It started off a little bit slowly--but that's just because I am impatient with descriptions and things. A personal thing of mine, nothing wrong the author did. In fact, when I go to reread it, I know I'll be glad to read the descriptions of Paris. The beauty of this book is that it can be read quickly, then reread for savoring purposes.Lots of funny things, complicated and complex relationships. Nothing was easy or simple. I liked that. I did feel like Amanda the Villain was a bit cliched, but the author acknowledged it and kind of made fun of that. I can respect an author who pokes fun at herself and her works.I loved that the St. Clair/Etienne wasn't this one dimensional perfect boy. He had a temper. He was also super kind. He made dumb decisions. But he was loveable just the same. He was REAL and 3-dimensional without being a total jerk. Plus, he was British. Yum!Anna is the kind of girl I'd love to hang out with. She just seems super cool. And definitely not a Mary Sue.I was satisfied with the book. Contemporary, thick, and complex. :) I look forward to reading more from this author.
The Aristobrats
I promised Jennifer that I would review this months ago, and I am finally following through. Sorry for taking so long, Jennifer!I'm going to be the first to say that I am not the world's best reviewer. I used to have a "book review blog" years ago, way before they became popular, and I didn't keep up with it because I realized it's not my strength. (Get me blogging about Disney World, on the other hand....) Still, I am going to give it my best shot.At first glance, it may seem that The Aristobrats is another one of those "bitch-lit" stories like Gossip Girl or The Clique. (And don't get me wrong, I LIKE the few Gossip Girl books I've read a lot.) I was pleasantly surprised it wasn't. The characters are warm and fun to read about. They're not perfect, but that's OK.I loved Parker's interactions with her mom. I was laughing out loud at a lot of it. They were hilarious. But my favorite story was Ikea's. YAY person of color!! And YAY person of color who struggled with things that I did when I was younger as far as fitting in, trying to be like the other girls. Her story was dear to me. I don't want to give away spoilers, but she is so strong. I was pumping my fist and yelling 'you go girl' at many points!I loved that this book wasn't overly positive or negative. It just was. And that was refreshing. :)
Prophecy of the Sisters (Prophecy of the Sisters Trilogy, Book I)
I can already tell that I'm going to be in pins and needles waiting for the second one.
My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters
Chapter 11. Read the book for that alone. It had me in tears I was laughing so hard.
Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia
I found this book VERY easy to read and in fact, read the whole thing in one night. Very fantastical and beautifully written. I loved that the main character had a voracious appetite.
Fever 1793
The scene at the tea... BRILLIANT. It's funny, but really not. I'd LOVE to see it acted out. My favorite part of the book hands down.
Sleepaway Girls
I really enjoyed this book!I got it free from a Book Divas tweet, and was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. It took me way back to when I spent 3 days at camp for a 6th grade camping trip, and it made me wish I'd gone to at least one sleep-away camp for a summer. I liked the ending a lot and I'm HOPING, really hoping that a sequel is in the works.
Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go
This book is extremely clever. I got a lot of good giggles out of the certain references, and I'm sorry, but poop is always funny. This book pushes the limits just enough, but it's also educational. I love the character growth, and the fact that the kids are learning things about themselves during this crazy journey. I was happy with the ending, and I am eager for the next installment! :)