Review: The Pencil Test by James Guilford

       My summary:

When Kendry Clare's drug-addicted mother Doris loses her job to her habit, she must move Kendry to East Atlanta--more than a few steps down from their life and home when Doris was at the peak of her career. But instead of disappointed, Kendry is excited to leave behind her non-existent social life at Crestman in hopes of being accepted at her new school; in hopes of getting in good with the girls she's seen on the train--the black girls.

Willing to do almost anything to win the hearts of the black girls, Kendry tells a life-altering lie on her first day at school that weaves a web of falseness around her world and ultimately affects the lives of everyone around her..

The Pencil Test was definitely something different for me. It is a novel that is dark, but in it's own beautiful way and it struck up emotions, thoughts and interests in me that I've never gotten from any other book.

My initial reaction to Kendry was that I could not relate to her. While I can understand the human need to fit in and to belong somewhere, especially considering Kendry's history, her fascination with the black girls came off as too obsessive for me to relate to.

On another level however, I could see myself in her shoes: On her first day at PLD (her new school in East Atlanta) she is the only white girl in the classroom, and says she feels "blaringly white." Being in an interracial relationship myself, it was easy (when we first started dating--now I'm used to it and know everyone) for me feel like I stuck out like a sore thumb when surrounded by my boyfriend's family/friends, so therefore I definitely found myself relating to her on that note.


As the book went on, I began to dislike Kendry more and more, and by the end of the book I all-out despised her. She was extremely fake and I felt like the fact that she joined the black movement group was really disrespectful, considering her true race. I was hoping for her to get caught in her lie.

Despite hating the main character, I can't say I disliked the book itself. I love how race fit into the plot. The black rebels group and Rastafarian segments made the book unique, which is great, but also left me slightly lost due to my lack of knowledge on the subject...but at the same time it left me wanting to learn more about it. The Pencil Test sparked a new interest in me and I can honestly say that's not something I get from every book I read.


I give The Pencil Test 3.5 stars and would recommend it to those who like the more dark drama young adult novels.

See my interview with James here.

Review: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

        My summary:

In a world hundreds of years more advanced than our own, Tally Youngblood is finally about to be turned pretty--what happens to all sixteen year-olds on their birthday. An operation will turn her from a normal "ugly" into a perfect, beautiful, and stronger being and she will finally get to move over the river into New Pretty Town where it's nothing but carefree fun 24/7.

But a few weeks before her birthday, Tally meets Shay. Her new friend has decided she doesn't want the operation and therefore she runs away before she is made pretty. The "special" pretty authorities step in and send Tally on a mission to find her delinquent friend. Should Tally refuse to cooperate, she will remain an ugly forever.

Torn between betraying a friend or giving up her long-awaited operation, Tally's choice ultimately reveals secrets about the Pretties that will change Tally's way of thinking--and her life--forever.


I had heard such great things about this book but for whatever reason, I was always skeptical to read it. Now I can't believe I passed by it so many times and never picked it up. It immediately sucked me in--a mere 15pg. into the book and I was already hooked--intrigued by the mentioning of things like the "toothbrush pill," talking bridges that kept out intruders, voice-automated elevators and interface rings. This was my first science fiction/dystopia genre book and I loved thinking about what our world could be hundreds of years from now.

I will admit that in the beginning of the book I was clueless as to what was going on. Talk of interface rings and other ridiculously high-tech inventions had me baffled and feeling lost. Luckily everything ended up being explained pretty quickly or was easy enough to decipher even with little info given.


Tally's journey is filled with action and with the outcome of her choices comes plenty of suspense. Both the characters and the settings in Uglies were described quite vividly--I could see pretty much everything in my head while reading, which is important to me in any book. Westerfeld's writing is put together nicely and I can't find anything negative to say about it!


Overall I was very, very unexpectedly pleased with this novel. It ended up being the perfect book for me to start with in it's genre because it leaves me wanting to read more dystopic (is that even a word?)-type books. I will definitely read it's sequel, Pretties, as well as others in the science fiction area.


I definitely recommend Uglies, even if it isn't your type of read. I was skeptical at first and I loved it. You won't be disappointed!

Review: Confessions of a Serial Kisser by Wendelin Van Draanen

            My Summary:

After reading a romance novel found under her mom's bed, Evangeline Logan sets out on a mission to "live her fantasy" and find the perfect kiss. What she ends up finding is ear-lickers and fish lips, among other not-so-perfect kissing encounters. But when her reckless kissing starts to take it's toll on both her reputation and her relationships, what Evangeline learns brings much more value than a kiss ever could.

I picked this up at my library on a whim, simply for the pink cover (yes I can be quite the cover judge at times), plus I thought it looked like a cute read although it's not my usual type of novel. I liked the short, to-the-point chapters and ended up enjoying the whole book.

Overall, Evangeline was an upbeat and likable character. However, a few minor things about the writing bothered me. As I've found with a couple other chick-lit books I've read, there was an overuse of exclamation points in this book. They made Evangeline seem just a little too perky and animated. While I'm sure that's the personality Draanen wanted Evangeline to come off as having, it still just rubbed me as a little too over-the-top. I also was slightly annoyed by the word "dweeb," used four or five times throughout the book, but that's not too important. It's just not a word I'm used to seeing in my usual reading.


There were many entertaining parts in this book and I was kept pretty amused throughout. Surprisingly the ending was not too predictable (usually a common factor for romance books, in my opinion at least) and I was kept guessing the whole time about whether or not she would find her "crimson kiss," and which one of the many boys she would end up with.


Confessions of a Serial Kisser was pretty fast-paced, and maybe too much so at times. For example, when Evangeline gives herself a makeover, her transformation is just too rushed to be believable, and the same can be said for some of her kissing encounters. I mean, who walks up to some random guy in Starbucks and grabs and kisses them? But I guess that sort of thing is common in a lot of chick-lit romances.



Overall I would say that this would be the perfect read for those who really enjoy light, girly, romantic chick-lit books. It's filled with amusing characters and a good moral ending. I definitely recommend it, like I said, to any chick-lit fans looking for a cute and entertaining read.

Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

       Summary from the book's website:

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.


Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.


Thirteen Reasons Why was one of those books I added to my TBR and just couldn't get out of my head. So when I pulled it from my hat (that's how I used to choose what to read next; now I use random.org) I was excited to finally read it. That being said, I obviously had high expectations for the book.

One thing I liked right away was that the chapters were split into each side of a tape. Chapter one (after the prologue) was cassette one, side one, and so on. I thought this to be a very unique way to split up chapters; I've never seen it done quite the same way in other books I have read.


However when I first started reading, I found it confusing how the dialogue was written. One paragraph, in italics, would indicate Hannah speaking over the tape, and the immediate next paragraph would be back to the voice of Clay Jensen (the boy listening to the tapes Hannah sent him). I found it hard to keep up with the flip-flopping back and forth between story lines. For example: Clay would be discussing a friend named Tony, Hannah would come on (different topic), and immediately after, Clay would come back talking about Tony again. I found myself having to skip back a couple paragraphs to remember who Tony even was. I will say that I got used to the style of writing though, after about 40-50 pages into the book. After that, it wasn't a problem anymore.


I'm really neutral about the voice of Hannah in this book, as I explain in the next paragraph down. As for Clay: of course he's very much needed in the story, and he was slightly likable at times, but I just found him bland. I suppose he wasn't meant to be too developed--Hannah is our main character, after all--but it still would have been nice to know just a little more about him as a person, and maybe his background too.


Through most of the book, I kind of kept waiting for something big to happen to Hannah, to just make her snap. A lot of what she goes through throughout most of the book just seems petty to me. I felt like it was typical high school--rumors get spread, friends turn their backs on you, it happens--and I honestly felt like she was just...for lack of better words, being a huge drama queen. I do hate that she committed suicide, and while two main things did end up happening that make her snap, she purposely put herself in one situation even though she already knew the outcome, so she really can't blame anyone but herself for that. She really made me mad at that point.


In conclusion, I was expecting more from Thirteen Reasons Why. I can't, however, bring myself to label it all-out disappointing. It's just that anytime I start reading a book, I'm longing for that "can't put it down" dialogue and plot, and if I have to put it down, I want it to be that book that I can't stop thinking about until I pick it up again--and unfortunately I just didn't find that in Thirteen Reasons Why.

-Review: Killing Britney by Sean Olin

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER MY GIVEAWAY, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!

Summary from back cover:

Britney is the girl everyone loves to hate.

 
Ever since Britney transformed herself from freak-and-geek to the most popular girl at school, her life has been touched by tragedy. First it was her mom, who drowned on a family rafting trip. Then her hockey-star boyfriend, Ricky, was killed in a hit-and-run.

 
When the deaths continue to pile up, everyone fears for Britney. Sure she's popular, blond, and fabulous. But is that enough reason for someone to want to...kill her?

***SPOILER WARNING*** My following review contains major spoilers, but trust me, you don't want to read this book anyway :\ If you do decide to go against my advice, don't read this review, I give away the ending. If you could even call it an ending.

Even as I was only a few pages into Killing Britney, I knew just from Olin's writing style that it was going to be hard for me to get into it the book.  The sentences were entirely too simple compared to what I'm used to--perhaps it may have been more enjoyable for young teens, middle school level possibly--and the whole story in general was just painfully undeveloped. It leaves the reader simply needing...well, more. Or better yet still, an entirely different book.

I'm going to be blunt and hopefully quick with this review, because I honestly disliked this book enough to not even want to discuss it any more than necessary.

Britney's mom dies in a rafting accident before the book even begins, and Britney is convinced it's all her fault. Her boyfriend Ricky is murdered in an intentional hit-and-run, and Britney is convinced that's also her fault. Pretty much everyone else in the story gets murdered and, [insert whiney voice here], Britney is convinced it's all her fault! Who would've guessed.

Of all the people in the book, you would think Britney's character would be the most developed, but it was quite the opposite. I knew everything about every other character, but knew close to nothing about Britney herself. One part of the book that especially pissed me off was a section (no more than a couple paragraphs) of conversation by one of her friends, saying "Britney is so dark after her mom died, I'm worried for her, She's got major issues" (not exact quotes from book but you get the idea) but then we aren't even shown enough of Britney's personality to know what the heck they're talking about! They just change topics. No explanation, no elaborating, not squat.

In the end, we find out it's Britney whose really killing everyone. It actually had potential to be a mediocre ending to a terrible book, but it's no surprise Olin couldn't even manage that. The ending concept was only described in 3 or 4 pages and frankly I was lost.

Why I'm even giving this two stars, I have no clue. Maybe I'm too frustrated from wasting my time on this book to think straight.

-Review: Legacy Of Lies by Elizabeth Chandler

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER MY GIVEAWAY, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!

           My summary:

When Megan's grandmother whom she's never met suddenly writes her a brief note summoning her to come visit her home in Wisteria, she couldn't be more surprised--or curious. Although she's never been to the house, she immediately recognizes it when she arrives. She's had peculiar dreams about the exact same house ever since she was a little girl.

That's not the only strange thing--her "almost cousin" Matt acts like he hates her before they even speak, objects are being moved and misplaced around the house, and Megan's dreams are getting weirder and scarier.

She finds herself wondering why she was even invited in the first place, until secrets are discovered and lies are uncovered, and Megan will do whatever it takes to put the pieces together.

My first Elizabeth Chandler read has definitely left me wanting to read more of her work! This ghost story was put together perfectly. It's fast-paced but not fast enough to accidentally leave out significant details or descriptions.

Our main character in this book is Megan who can't, for the life of her, figure out why her Grandmother has commanded her to her home when she's never even met the woman. As far as relating to her as a character, I must first say really don't understand why she puts up with some of the rules and comments her Grandmother inflicts on her--I know, we're supposed to respect our elders and all that goodness, but it's not like she's being forced to stay there... if my Grandmother would have treated my with that kind of coldness I would've turned around and left the same day I got there! Maybe you could say I have issues with authority, maybe I just have a bad attitude, haha who knows? Either way I couldn't relate to Megan after that point in the story.

Regardless of her Grandmother's attitude, Megan can't help but let her curiosity get the best of her so she sticks around Wisteria, determined to find out exactly what's going on. She's especially interested after finding the grave of Avril, Grandmother's sister, who apparently died when she was Megan's age (coincidence?), almost exactly sixty years earlier.

As I got closer to the last pages, with still no ending in sight, I had to wonder if the author would be able to adequately sum up the book in only 30 short pages. While the concept of the ending turned out nicely (and completely unexpected!) I found it's events somewhat confusing and rushed. I think the ending could have been better explained and stretched out longer to fit those explanations.

 

 1/2

There are many more things going on in the story but I don't want to give too much away, so I'll wrap this up by saying Legacy Of Lies was nicely pieced together. Even at 182 pages short, Chandler managed to leave nothing missing. It had me guessing what the heck was going on with this girl, which kept me hooked throughout the whole book. 

I definitely recommend this, especially to readers who enjoy paranormal/ghost stories.

-Review: Snitch by Allison Van Diepen

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER MY GIVEAWAY, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!

                   My summary:

In a city and school split into two groups, the Bloods and the Crips, remaining neutral is not only hard--it's dangerous. Say the wrong thing around the wrong gang and it could cost you your life.

But Julia DeVino has always has her mind set on excluding herself from the deadly and fast-paces lifestyle of the gangbangers. In addition with her struggle to stay indifferent, she also hasn't had much luck with relationships--the 1st boyfriend she had also became her last when the relationship went all wrong.

But when sexy and mysterious Eric moves into town, Julia finds herself not only questioning her beliefs about relationships, but the morals she's lived by all of her life.

***SPOILER WARNING*** My following review contains minor spoilers for Snitch. They're not major enough to ruin the book for anyone planning to read it, but if you'd rather just experience it for yourself, you might just want to skip this review. Don't worry, I'll forgive you ;]

I found out about this book on Amazon.com and it caught my eye as I've had interactions with gangs and gang members myself. I thought I might be able to relate to it a bit, and I did to a certain extent. Since the book takes place in New York and I've been raised in the south, there were small differences in the gangs down here and the gangs up north. Things like rituals and initiations varied a bit, but all in all, the majority of it was the same old.

Though I could relate to a lot of the events in the book, I couldn't relate myself to Julia as a character. I could sympathize for her when her so-called "true friends" she'd known for years abandoned her after she told Eric he was going to be jumped outside the club they were at. I can understand she was lonely, with her dad never at home and her friends shunning her, and was desperate to fit in somewhere. However I lost a lot of respect for her after she chose to join the Crips. I admired her at the beginning of the book for standing up so strongly for her opinions. o when she ended up joining a gang I felt like she was kind of weak for just forgetting all her beliefs she'd supposedly felt so strongly about her whole life.

The ending was surprising--definitely not expected. Wanna know what happens?

Sorry, can't tell you!  Ha ha ha.....

1/2

 Overall I enjoyed this story. I haven't given away too much details so if it sounds like the kind of read you're interested in then go right ahead. I'd recommend it.

-Review: The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

      My summary:
The Chosen One is the story of a thirteen-year-old girl, Kyra, and her life in a polygamous religious community. The leaders of the community--"The Prophets"--have all control over her community and what they say goes. So when one Prophet has a vision from God--Kyra becoming her sixty-year-old uncle's seventh wife--everyone tells her she will have no choice. Kyra dreams of freedom but also finds it hard to choose between a new life and her family (after all, she does have 3 mothers and 20 siblings) who she is so close to.


One word: 

Wow.

I loved Kyra. It seemed to me she might have been the only one in her family with any sense--or at least that used it. You can tell some of her family feels like there's more to life than just having children and following the Prophet's every order, but everyone except Kyra is too afraid to speak up. Her family won't try to escape with her because they believe the outside world is filled with Satan--from people's blue jeans and belly shirts to their books, they truly believed if you lived in the "outside world," you were going to Hell.


Kyra sneaks off every week to check out books from the Ironton County Mobile Library On Wheels, which is of course a sin in her community, and the driver of the bus was definitely my favorite character in the book aside from Kyra. I don't want to give too much away...Ugh this is frustrating, haha, I just want everyone to read this, seriously.


This book brought up so many different emotions in me. I couldn't believe some of the things Kyra was subjected to--from physical and emotional abuse to being forced to marry her sixty-year-old kin. I think what really hit me with this book is that somewhere, there are girls like Kyra in communities just like the one in the book, right now as we speak. There were times in the book I was to the point of tears. ...I want to say so much more but again I don't want to spoil the book for anyone.


Honestly, I hadn't expected to enjoy The Chosen One as much as I did. It made me look at my life and be grateful for how I was raised and the freedom I've been blessed with. I VERY highly recommend this book, and give it 5+ stars.

-Review: Remembering Raquel by Vivian Vande Velde

Fourteen-year-old Raquel Falcone is, as one of her classmates puts it, the kind of kid who has a tendency to be invisible. That is until the night she's hit by a car and killed while walking home from the movies. In brief, moving chapters, we hear about Raquel from her classmates, her best friend, her family--and the woman who was driving the car that struck her. The loss of this seemingly invisible girl deeply affects her entire community, proving just how interconnected and similar we all really are. -summary from goodreads

Well Remembering Raquel was really like a short story for me, and at only 137 short pages, I honestly felt like just about everything in the book could have been more developed. When I first read the summary, I liked the idea of the book, but after reading it I must say I am utterly disappointed... I don't even know where to begin...

I did like the originality of some of the points of view shared in the book (example: the custodian who cleaned out Raquel's locker at school). Some other people who shared: her best friend, father, a teacher, the woman driving the car who hit her, etc. I also liked the idea of a chapter with excerpts from Raquel's blog, but I'm not satisfied with what excerpts the author chose to write about.

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but Raquel's character wasn't developed enough for me to even care if she got hit by a car or not. The only things I really feel like I knew was that she was shy, overweight, and liked playing a fantasy game on the internet. I think maybe the book should have started with a chapter from Raquel's point of view of her life, because no one in the book really knew her either, except her best friend...

Which brings me to the fact that half of the time, it seemed like whoever was sharing their point of view would get sidetracked and most chapters ended up feeling like ramblings as opposed to anything related Raquel.

The book ended abruptly; there was no resolution and the whole book basically led up to...well, nothing.

 I guess this could have been a good book if the author would have elaborated more on Raquel and made the book longer...I don't know this just didn't do it for me. 

 

-Review: Beastly by Alex Flinn

I am a beast

A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly. [summary from the book]

I loved this book! Alex Flinn cleverly retells the story of Beauty and the Beast in a modern time, set in New York City. It follows the classic tale closely but with new-fashioned twists.

The beast, who is telling the story, is a high school freshman named Kyle Kingsbury. He is the son of a newscaster, very rich, and the most popular kid in school. After a witch, Kendra, witnesses his extremely superficial and judgmental attitude, she casts a spell on him to make him a beast on the outside the way he is on the inside. He then has two short years to break the spell by finding a girl to look past his outward appearance and fall in love with him.

I was appalled at the way Kyle was treating people at the beginning of the book. The part of the book which takes place in his high school had me picturing my high school days and thinking of the people I knew who were like him. I was happy to see him get a taste of his own medicine.

Possibly my favorite character in the book was Will, the blind tutor who Kyle's dad hires at Kyle's request. He was so kind-hearted and helpful to Will. I also like Magda, the maid who lived with Kyle both before and after his transformation.

Of course we all know how the story ends, so that was no surprise--however there were a few twists added to the ending to keep it from being too typical and too expected.  I really do recommend this book, especially for anyone who enjoys re-told fairy tales.

-Review: The "Private" Collection by Kate Brian

The Private Collection consists of the first four books in the series, although there are now 10 total.

My summary:

Reed Brennan is so excited to be accepted into the prestigious Easton Academy, but she soon learns is more to the school than just great academics and a beautiful campus. The girls of the Billings House always go on to become great things, but looks can be deceiving and she soon realizes that some privileges aren't worth the secrets that come along with them.

The covers for these books aren't the worst, but I will say they give off the wrong impression of the series. If I were to judge by the covers I would say that these books are like the Gossip Girl series (and the many other similar series) but there is much more to the Private novels than just little rich girls spending daddy's money--they're filled with mystery and twists and turns that will keep you hooked.

I really enjoyed Reed's character, even though I cannot relate to her in the least. I would never do some of the things she did just to be accepted. I feel for her, for some of the things that happen to her, and found myself wishing she could just catch a break. When she's first introduced, she's very much a follower, and as the series progressed and I saw her start to stand up for herself, I was proud of her. By the end of the fourth book I felt like I knew her in real life.

I've loved Kate Brian ever since I read Privilege. When I read it I had no idea it was a spin-off series of Private. I read somewhere (a blog, maybe?) That 'you should read the first four Private novels before reading Privilege' to better understand the plot. I found this to be true, however I was still able to understand and thoroughly (and I mean thoroughly) enjoy the first two Privilege books--it's become one of my favorite series.

I loved these four books almost as much as I did the first two Privilege books. It was spoiled a bit since I accidentally read Privilege before Private, but I did enjoy them anyhow.

-Review: The Devouring by Simon Holt

 .

The Devouring by Simon Holt

  .

When Reggie finds an old journal and reads about the Vours, supernatural creatures who feast on fear and attack on the eve of the winter solstice, she assumes they are just the musings of some lunatic author. But soon, they become a terrifying reality when she begins to suspect that her timid younger brother might be one of their victims.

  .

Risking her life and her sanity, Reggie enters a living nightmare to save the people she loves. Can she devour own her fears before they devour her?

.

Bone-chilling, terrifying, thrilling...what are you waiting for?

.

So I was really intrigued when I first read about this book. I'd started seeing reviews around and I'd heard it was really creepy. I read blogs by some that said it actually scared them and I decided I would have to read it.

.

My first impression once I started reading was that I immediately related to and felt connected with Reggie, our main character in the book. When the scene in her high school took place, the author describes her status in school as not on the a-list, but not complete loser either. She was in the comfortable middle of the popularity food chain, and just blended in, which was totally me in high school. I truly felt for her family for the situation they were going through with their mother abandoning them. As I got farther along in the book she grew on me even more. She has got to be one of the bravest characters I've ever come across. I also especially loved Eben, Reggie's elderly boss at her job.

 Reggie and the rest of the characters in the book (Henry, their father, Aaron, and Eben) weren't entirely developed but it worked with this book--the Vours were described best of all and that's what mattered most.

 .

As for the book being creepy, I'll definitely second that opinion. Simon Holt's ability to describe the spooky scenes had me actually picturing them vividly in my head, like watching a movie. I, too, was scared at points.

.

This is the first book I've read by Simon Holt and I really enjoyed his writing. I've heard him compared to both Stephen King and R.L. Stine and I now see why, but at the same time he also has his own writing style. Overall it felt really good to read such a good book after being so disappointed with the last book I read. I will definitely be reading the sequel!


Some quotes I enoyed:


"Reggie considered it unethical, immoral, and illegal. Aaron agreed and looked at it as valuable preparation for the real world." pg. 15


"Fear, like death's icy grip, froze her in place. One of the demons smiled and brushed her bloody cheek with a long, grotesque finger."  pg. 59
 

Another cover for The Devouring:

 

-Review: The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

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The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

.

All Chloe Saunders wants is a life like any normal teenager – the chance to get through school, make friends, and maybe meet a boy. But when she starts seeing ghosts, she knows that like will never be the same again.

Soon the ghosts are everywhere, demanding her attention. When Chloe finally breaks down, she’s admitted to a group home for disturbed kids.

.

At first Lyle House seems okay, but as she gets to know the other patients – charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek; obnoxious Tori; and Rae, who has a ‘thing’ for fire – Chloe begins to realise that something strange and sinister binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual ‘problem kid’ behaviour.

.

And they’re about to discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home, either… -summary from the book jacket

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I can't believe I finally finished this! It seriously took me forever, partly because I've been so busy with the baby, & partly because I just couldn't get into it.

.

I had mixed feelings about this book from the moment I picked it up at the library. I was expecting a typical "I see dead people" cliche ghost book. After the first chapter, I thought surely that my assumptions were correct, but as I read on, I saw that there was more to the story than just ghosts.

.

This book moved way too slowly for me. I really could not make myself get into it, and there were a couple times I thought about just putting it down, but I kept hoping the pace would pick up & I would get hooked. Unfortunately that didn't happen until the last 100 pages of the book. I finally got into the story as there was more suspense towards the end.

.

I liked the characters in the book probably more than anything else, and that's not saying much because they weren't the cream of the crop for me either. I began to enjoy them more too towards the end of the book, mainly Derek's character. The first 300 pages, all minor characters (everyone but Chloe) seemed kind of bland to me. I began to understand them more as the plot picked up.

.

Overall, if the whole book had been as intense and fast-paced as the last 100 pages, I would have enjoyed it much more.

.

Still undecided about whether or not I will read the second, The Awakening. The ending leaves me wanting more, but only if it picks up at the speed this book left off. Then it may be possible I could enjoy the sequel more than the first, but if not.......I just don't think I could sit through that whole thing again! Just a slow, slow process for me, reading this book. :\

.

Another cover for this book:

-Review: The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger

The Catcher In The Rye-J.D. Salinger

The Catcher in the Rye is the story of teenager Holden Caulfield's turbulent last few days before his Christmas vacation. During these days, Holden leaves Pencey Prep, a boys' school he's been kicked out of, and takes off for a few nights alone in New York City. ~bookrags.com

I finally gave in and read Catcher In The Rye after my dad begging me to read it forever. I was hesitant to read it for a couple of reasons...first, I remember some teachers making their students read it when I was in high school (I never did like those books, because I hate being forced to read something, I'd rather choose to do so on my own--authority issues, lol). I was also skeptical because I felt like it was so far out of my usual genre-even though all I knew about it was it was written in the 1940s-I'm more accustomed to modern, young adult books.

I must admit that I had the wrong idea about Catcher In The Rye, though. I love the main character, Holden Caulfield-he was very entertaining, sarcastic, and witty. When I first started reading, I was worried that since the book was written so long ago, it would be written in a very old-fashioned style, but it was actually refreshing & fun to read some of the lingo & such from that time, & it wasn't too extreme or used annoyingly.

 - Some parts were quite boring-overall, it was J.D. Salinger's style of writing, and Holden's humor & way he tells the story, which kept me reading. Good book, though! ;]

-Review: The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

The Notebook is an epic love story centered around an older man who reads aloud to an older, invalid woman whom he regularly visits. From a faded notebook, the old man's words bring to life the story about a couple who is separated by World War II, and is then passionately reunited, seven years later, after they have taken different paths. Though her memory has faded, his words give her the chance to relive her turbulent youth and the unforgettable love they shared.

As teenagers, Allie and Noah begin a whirlwind courtship that soon blossoms into tender intimacy. The young couple is quickly separated by Allie's upper-class parents who insist that Noah isn't right for her. Several years pass, and, when they meet again, their passion is rekindled, forcing Allie to choose between her soul mate and class order. ~newline.com

Well it's not very often I end up liking a movie more than the book, but this is one of those situations.

The Notebook was a great book, no doubt, but I wish it would have went more in-depth into Noah & Allie's past (the summer that they met). That is one reason I like the movie more: you actually get to see what happened that summer and how it came about that they fell so in love & remained that way for the rest of their lives. The book just BARELY skimmed over the details of their first summer & mostly focused on the later years, when they meet back up, & their old-age years.

It did make me cry, just like the movie, though ;]

 - Romance novels aren't really my thing. I guess I just prefer watching sappy movies to reading sappy books. *chuckle* However it did keep me interested throughout, for the most part..

-Review: The Secret Lives of Fortunate Wives by Sarah Strohmeyer

The Secret Lives of Fortunate Wives by Sarah Strohmeyer

Pampered Hunting Hills, Ohio, socialite Marti Denton never realized she was madly in love with John Harding until he impulsively married Claire Stark, a beautiful but socially awkward newspaper reporter to whom a "coming-out" party is a controversy, not a tradition.

It's not until the Hunting Hills wives are plunged into a series of explosive scandals that the two women reach a new understanding of each other and what it means to be a fortunate wife in the twenty-first century.

In The Secret Lives of Fortunate Wives, Sarah Strohmeyer has written a Stepford Wives for our time--funny, wise, and eye-opening. ~summary: banesandnoble.com

Eh. This book wasn't all that I hoped for. I picked it up at my library b/c it reminded me of the TV show Desperate Housewives and, I can't really explain why, but it kinda got on my nerves at times. I think the first half of the book was okay, but by the time I got halfway through I was only reading to get it over with. It is similar to Desperate Housewives, but not nearly as exciting, in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, there are some catchy sub-plots going on here, & some funnies also (i.e. erections lasting long enough to make one lose one's job, lol) but overall...bleh. I think one reason might be that I can't relate so much to these older women (the book was in the fiction section) as much as I can relate to young adult books.

 - Like i said, bleh..