Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Dream Dancing


  Title: Someday Dancer (In England it's called: Dreamer
                                      Ballerina; Germany: Ein Traum und zwei Füße- A Dream
                                      and Two Feet; The Dutch call it: Dansen tussen de sterren-
                                      Dancing Among the Stars)
                                      # of Pages: 256
                                      Author: Sarah Rubin
                                      Previous Work: None.

                                      Summary:  The year is 1959 and Casey Quinn knows she is
                                      meant to dance. Working hard to save up money, she goes to
                                      New York for an open ballet audition. New York is the city
                                      of dreams, so maybe even a farm girl like her can succeed.

                                      Rating: This is a 2.5.
                                      Awards: None

                                      Opinion: This book was an interesting fun read with well
                                      developed characters. However, now, months later, I
                                      remember little of the book. There were some interesting
                                      scenes and ideas explored, but the overall plot was lacking.

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Food, Food, Glorious Food

 Title: Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff That Made Me Famous
                                      # of Pages: 234
                                      Author: Kathryn Williams

                                      Previous Work: (YA not done under her pen name)

                                     The Debutante

                                     The Lost Summer
                                       
                                     Summary: Sophie Nicolaides has worked in her family's
                                     Greek-Italian Restaurant all her life. She feels like she ready
                                     for a new challenge- becoming a "real" chef.  The reality
                                     show Teen Test Kitchen will give her the chance to prove her
                                     mettle as a chef. However once the show starts, distractions
                                     are everywhere. Can Sophie rise above it all to win the
                                     competition?

                                     Rating: This book is a 4. The recipes definitely made it.
                                     Awards: None

                                     Opinion: I chose to review this particular book because
                                     everyone knows Thanksgiving is all about food. So what
                                     better Thanksgiving book can you have, than one about a
                                     cooking competition? The book was kind of like a cross
                                     between Masterchef Junior and Food Network Star. I really
                                     liked the recipes in the book and it was a quick read. It was
                                     nice and thankfully not frustrating, like certain competition
                                     books. My one complaint is that it really wasn't about love
                                     like it was advertised.

                                                              ********Bonus********
                                                         Interview with Kathryn Williams:

                                    1. What would you say is your favorite book, short story, or 
                                    essay that you've written in your entire life?

                                    That's kind of like asking a mom which is her favorite kid,
                                    which is impossible:) Working on a book is hard because I
                                    love it, clearly, or I wouldn't be writing it, but then I also
                                    kind of hate it, especially by the time I'm on my tenth draft.
                                    But then when I'm done, I can't help but have some affection
                                    toward it.That said, I probably think most fondly of my
                                    second book, The Lost Summer. Maybe because it's set at a
                                    summer camp, which was a special place to me growing up
                                    (still is). But I had the most fun writing Pizza, Love, and 
                                    Other Stuff that Made Me Famous. My research essentially
                                    involved messing around in the kitchen, watching TV, and
                                    stuffing my face.

                                    2. What was your favorite childhood book?

                                   Another hard one. I loved Anne of Green Gables. I was just
                                   talking about that series with a friend because I'm going to
                                   Nova Scotia this fall and want to go to Prince Edward, where
                                   it's set.

                                   3. What is your favorite book as an adult?

                                   It changes often and as I read more books. There's a book by
                                   Donna Tartt called The Secret History that I think is amazing
                                   -- suspenseful, dark, and beautifully written.

                                  4. What was your inspiration for "Pizza, Love, and Other 
                                  Stuff That Made Me Famous"?

                                  I love to cook, and I also love watching cooking competition
                                  shows. In another life, I would have been a chef.

                                 5. Since this post is being published around Thanksgiving,
                                 what is your favorite part of the feast? If you don’t have 
                                 a feast for Thanksgiving, what traditions do you have?

                                 I'm from the South originally, so I have to say sweet potato
                                 casserole (no marshmallows) and green bean casserole (lots of
                                 fried onions).

                                6. What are you most thankful for this Thanksgiving?

                                I am getting married (or will be married, when this comes out!)
                                in October, so I am thankful for my new hubby. He's pretty
                                awesome.

                               7. Is there anything else you’d like to say to readers of your 
                               books?

                               I'd like to say "thank you" about a million times over. I also 
                               encourage readers, if they enjoy a book, to reach out to the
                               author, like you did. For many of us, meeting readers through
                               email or in person (or snail mail -- I love getting written letters 
                               and pin them above my desk) is the best part of the job. 

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Shark Girl

 Title: 
                                                 Shark Girl

                                                 Formerly Shark Girl

                                      Author: Kelly Bingham
                                      Previous Work: None

                                      Summary: Jane Arrowood has her life pretty much figured
                                      out. She has a huge crush on a guy named Max (which she
                                      knows won't ever lead to anything) and she's going to be an
                                      artist when she grows up. Then she is attacked by a shark,
                                      forcing the doctors to amputate half of her right arm. Jane
                                      starts to doubt her goals in life, and begins to wonder if it
                                      isn't time to be more realistic.

                                      Rating: 3.
                                      Awards: (For Shark Girl)
                                   
                                     Oprah's Book Club for Kids

                                     Best Books For Young Adults Nominee

                                     The Schneider Family Book Award Nominee

                                     Iowa Teen Choice Book Award Winner

                                     And many more!

                                     (For Formerly Shark Girl)

                                     Bank Street's Best Books For Children List

                                    Opinion: I normally don't like books that are written as
                                    poetry.At all. I usually find them incredibly depressing with
                                    plots that are hard to follow. The poems just don't lend enough
                                    substance. However, I make an exception for these particular
                                    books. The poems actually tell what is happening, not just
                                    Jane's feelings. I like the plot line, and Jane's struggles with
                                    herself and those around her. These were good books; they just
                                    lacked something to make them great.
                               

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Birthday Part 3

 Title: Willow Falls Series:
                                               
                                               11 Birthdays

                                                Finally

                                               13 Gifts

                                               The Last Present

                                      Author: Wendy Mass
                                      Previous Work:

                                                       Twice Upon a Time Series

                                                       A Mango Shaped Space

                                                       Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

                                                       Every Soul a Star
  
                                                       The Candymakers 

                                                       And too many more books to list

                                       Summary: 
                                     
                                      11 Birthdays- Amanda and Leo have been best friends
                                      their entire life, but they have a horrible fight for a year
                                      before their eleventh birthday. Amanda just wants to get
                                      her first birthday without Leo done and over with. When
                                      she wakes up the next day, it's her birthday again. What's
                                      going on?

                                      Finally- Rory has been waiting her whole life to turn twelve.
                                      When she turns twelve she can do all the cool things she
                                      wants to. Like sitting in the front seat, or getting her ears
                                      pierced. But seemingly, everything on the list goes wrong
                                      and Rory is beginning to think growing up isn't what she
                                      thought it would be like.

                                      13 Gifts- When Tara tries to steal her school's goat, she's sent
                                      to Willow Falls to do her penance. She finds herself indebted
                                      to Angelina D'Angelo, who gives her a list of wacky items to
                                      gather. With the help of new friends David, Rory, Amanda,
                                      and Leo, she might find the items she needed- and possibly
                                      more.

                                     The Last Present: Amanda and Leo need to travel to the past
                                     to save Grace, who is in a coma. They must place a
                                     benediction on her three times to save her- or so Angelina
                                     D'Angelo says. All is not as it seems, and the two must
                                     decide what is the right thing to do.
                                     Rating: This series is (overall) a 4.
                                     Awards: 
                                     (For 11 Birthdays- wins, not nominations)

                                     2010 Northborough  Southborough Children's Book Award

                                     2011 Massachusetts Children's Book Award

                                     2011 The Black Eyed Susan Award

                                     2011 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award

                                     2012 South Carolina Children's Book Award

                                     2012 Oregon Readers’ Choice Award

                                     2012 Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Award

                                     2012 Pacific Northwest Young Readers Choice Award

                                     2012 Tennesee Volunteer State Book Award

                                     2012 Young Hoosier Award

                                     2012 William Allen White Children’s Book Award

                                     2012 Alabama Camellia Children’s Choice Book Award

                                     2013 Maud Hart Lovelace Award

                                     (For 13 Gifts)

                                     2014 Garden State Children’s Book Award

                                     Opinion: These books were really popular when I was
                                     younger, but I was never interested in reading them. Their
                                     popularity dimmed and I stopped hearing about them.
                                     One day I was in the library, and saw Finally. I thought,
                                     "Why not?". I read it  and never went back. Wendy Mass
                                      has a way of weaving memorable stories and characters
                                      that grab you and don't let go. I've now read seven of her
                                      books total and can't recommend them more.



                                   

Saturday, August 30, 2014

In a Well-Ordered Universe

 Title: Since You've Been Gone
                                    # of Pages: 449
                                    Author: Morgan Matson
                                    Previous Work: 

                                                      Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

                                                      Second Chance Summer

                                    Summary: Emily's best friend Sloane disappears just before
                                    the best summer of their lives. All she leaves behind as
                                    explanation, is one of her lists of crazy tasks, that she used to
                                    make when Emily went on a trip. Now Sloane is gone and
                                    Emily is convinced if she completes the list, she'll find her.
                                    With the help of honors student Frank Porter, Emily is
                                    determined to finish the list- even if it means facing some
                                    of her greatest fears.

                                    Rating: This is a five!
                                    Awards: None (at least not yet)

                                    Opinion: This book quickly became one of my all time
                                    favorites. It seemed like it would be aggravating, but it wasn't.
                                    The book  was funny and real. By the end, I felt my heart ache.
                                    This is the story of pride getting in the way of a great
                                    friendship. It is the tale of not giving up on someone, no
                                    matter the cost. In short? It was absolutely amazing.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Summer Romance Reads Part 2

 Title: Catch a Falling Star
                                     # of Pages: 300
                                     Author: Kim Culbertson
                                     Previous Work: 

                                                     Songs for a Teenage Nomad

                                                     Instructions for a Broken Heart

                                                     The Liberation of Max McTrue 

                                    Summary: Carter "Hobbit" Moon likes it in her town of Little,
                                    California. She doesn't mind Hollywood coming to film, but she
                                    isn't starstruck. When she gets an offer to be paid to pretend to
                                    be movie star Adam Jake's girlfriend, she agrees to the job. Her
                                    family needs the money. But what will happen when the lines
                                    between real and fake are blurred and Carter starts to fall for
                                    Adam?

                                   Rating: This is a 4.
                                   Awards: None.

                                   Opinion: This book was a lot better than I thought it would be.
                                   It was kind of predictable, but I still liked it. My favorite touch
                                   was the blog post at the end of each chapter. All in all a good
                                   summery romance.

Monday, June 30, 2014

Summer Romance Reads Part 1

 Title: The Selection Trilogy-
                                      The Selection
                                     The Elite
                                    The One
                                   (There are also three novellas: The Guard, The Prince, and (soon
                                    to come out) The Queen)
                                   Author: Kiera Cass
                                   Previous Work:
                                                   The Siren
                                                    In the Clearing (short story in Brave New Love)
                     
                                  Summary: America Singer has never wanted to be "selected".
                                  To compete for a man she's never met and a crown she doesn't
                                  want,while 35 other girls fight desperately for the same goal. It
                                  would mean leaving her family and her secret love Aspen. And
                                  what if she ends up wanting her new life more than the old one?

                                  Rating: This is a 4.5.
                                  Awards: None

                                 Opinion: I really enjoyed this series. I had been thinking the
                                 whole "love triangle thing" was overdone, but this one worked. I
                                 loved America's personality, and the two guys were great.
                                (Although I have to say, I'm partial to Maxon, the Prince.) I also
                                 liked that the book wasn't entirely about the romance. That can
                                 be tiring. People compare this book to Matched or Hunger
                                 Games, but personally, I think it stands on its own merit.

Friday, May 16, 2014

Repousser

 Title: Belle Epoque
                                      # of Pages: 336
                                     Author: Elizabeth Ross
                                     Previous Work: None.

                                     Summary: Maude Pichon feels trapped in her life in
                                     Brittany. She runs away to Paris, only to find she can't make
                                     enough money to live. The Durandeau Agency provides
                                     interesting opportunities for plain or ugly women- of which
                                     Maude is.  They can be paid to be a companion to a socialite,
                                     called a foil, making them seem more attractive. Maude
                                     becomes a companion to Isabelle Dubern, but Isabelle doesn't
                                     realize Maude is being paid to be her friend. The longer the
                                     deception goes on, the more Maude has to lose.

                                     Rating: 2.
                                     Awards: 

                                     Junior Library Guild Selection

                                    2014 William C. Morris Award Finalist

                                    Opinion: This book was just okay. The premise was
                                    interesting.The historical timing was nice (who knew people
                                    thought the Eiffel tower was an eyesore?). The characters
                                    and ending, however, were predictable and forgettable. This
                                    can pass a rainy day, but you won't remember much about it
                                    afterwards.

Monday, April 21, 2014

Pandora's Box

 Title: Doomed
                                     # of Pages: 472
                                     Author: Tracy Deebs
                                     Previous Work: 
                                                    
                                                      Tempest Series

                                                      The International Kissing Club
                                                      (As Ivy Adams with Shellee Roberts and Emily
                                                      McKay)

                                     Summary: With a mom in Alaska and a dad who's been
                                     absent most of her life, Pandora is craving birthday wishes.
                                     So when she finds an attachment with pictures and birthday
                                     wishes from her dad, of course she opens it. This unleashes
                                     a computer virus on the world, which can only be solved by
                                     playing a virtual reality game made by Pandora's dad. Is he
                                     a genius or a maniac? Pandora needs to find out.

                                     Rating: This is a 3.
                                     Awards: 
                                     YALSA
                                     Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers Nominee, 2014

                                    Opinion: This book was nerve-racking, romantic, and
                                    really good.  I didn't like that Pandora
                                    didn't carry her own weight. She keeps telling Eli and Theo
                                    that she can take care of herself, but she really can't. I also
                                    disliked a heavy environmentalist message and way too
                                    many characters from Greek Mythology. The author really
                                    needs to get her own monsters. If it weren't for those facts,
                                    this would be an exceptional book.

Monday, March 17, 2014

Love and Loss Part 2

 Title: Legend Trilogy-
                                            Legend
                                            Prodigy
                                            Champion
                                   Author: Marie Lu
                                   Previous Work: She has not written any other books.

                                   Summary: The United States has been split into two countries,
                                   the Republic and the Colonies. June is born into privilege and
                                   Day is a legendary criminal. When they fall in love, can they
                                   work together to save each other- and the Republic?
                                 
                                   Rating: This is a 5.
                                   Awards: (For Legend)

                                   New York Times Best Seller

                                   (For Prodigy)
                               
                                   Goodreads Choice Award Top 20

                                   (For Entire Series)

                                    Best Books of 2013 Kirkus Reveiw

                                    Opinion: This series was amazing. It holds your interest
                                    the entire time and has a wonderful bittersweet ending.
                                    You need to read this series!

Friday, February 14, 2014

Love And Loss Part 1

 Title: Just Like Fate
                                     # of Pages: 294
                                     Author: Cat Patrick
                                     Previous Work: 
                                     
                                     Forgotten
                                     
                                     Revived
    
                                     The Originals
              
                                     Author: Suzanne Young
                                     Previous Work:

                                     The Program Series

                                     A Need So Beautiful

                                     A Want So Wicked

                                     The Naughty List Series

                                     Summary: Caroline's Gram is about to die. Since her
                                     stroke, the family has been anxiously waiting to see if she
                                     will make it. Caroline's best friend Simone wants her to
                                     live a little, and go to a party, but Caroline isn't sure if she
                                     should. In this book you get to read what would have
                                     happened if she had stayed with her Gram- or if she had
                                     gone to the party. In both instances she  finds love in the
                                     midst of her grief. There is only one happy ending.

                                     Rating: 4.5.
                                     Awards: None.

                                     Opinion: This book was really good. My only problem with
                                      it is that no one would really leave their grandmother at
                                      their deathbed. Other than that it was a really good book
                                      about the consequences of your actions.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Labels

I've added labels to all of my posts to make it easier to find books you like. Find your favorite labels (ex: high school) and click on it to find more books with that theme in it!

Friday, January 17, 2014

I Spy a Lie Part 1 (Part 2 Will be Released at a Much Later Date)

 Title: Gallagher Girls Series:                                            
                                           
                                             I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You

                                             Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy

                                             Don't Judge a Girl By Her Cover

                                             Only the Good Spy Young

                                             Out of Sight, Out of Time

                                             United We Spy

                                        Author: Ally Carter
                                        Previous Work: This was her first series, But she also writes
                                        the Heist Society books.

                                        Summary: 
                                       "When you're a spy your life isn't defined by the lies you tell,
                                        but by the truths. A lie wouldn't change anything."
                                        This story is all about Cammie Morgan's life at the Gallagher
                                        Academy.What really happened to her father? Will she ever
                                        fall   in love? What will she do with her life when she
                                        graduates high school? And most importantly- Why is it so
                                        hard for a girl called "The Chameleon" to be normal?      

                                     
                                        Rating: I'd give this series a 4.5
                                        Awards: 
                                       (For I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You)

                                        Texas Lone Star Reading List

                                        Georgia Peach Book Award Runner-up

                                        Kansas Notable Book

                                        Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award

                                        Amelia Bloomer Book Award

                                        Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award

                                      (For Don't Judge a Girl By Her Cover)

                                        Romance Writers of America Rita Award Finalist, 2010

                                        Opinion: This series is very good. It is full of spying and
                                        romance, but most of all, friendship. Throughout the series,
                                        no matter what is going on Cammie's friends have her back.
                                        This series is amazing, but I can't tell you too much, or I'll
                                        give too much away.