Books I Read in July 2008

Books I Read in July 2008:

1. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

2. Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen

3. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

4. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

5. Cindy Ella by Robin Palmer

6. Hot Mess: Summer in the City by Julie Kraut & Shallon Lester

7. The Outsiders by S.E Hinton

8. How To Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, & Lauren Myracle

9. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

Goal for Aug: 10.

NBA Charlotte Bobcats from Fanzz

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

Title: The Truth About Forever

Author: Sarah Dessen

Number of Pages: 374, paperback.

Released: 2004.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

It was: awesome!

Summary: Macy Queen’s summer is going to be pretty low-key. She’s going to work at the library, filling in for her boyfriend Brian who is away at Brain Camp. However the summer takes a twist when she has to spring into action when the caterer her mother hired for a work dinner is in total disaster mode. The company is called Wish Catering. It consists of Delia: so pregnant she’s about to blow, Monica: slow-walking and monotone, Bert: total sci-fi fanatic, Kristy: with her scars and beauty, and Wes: the good-looking artist that Macy connects with most. What was a once-in-a-lifetime experience of catering to save her mom’s dinner turns into a job Macy truly loves… especially more than the library where she clearly doesn’t belong. Her mother, however, thinks Macy should continue what she’s been doing during the beginning of the summer: studying for the SATs and working at the library. But Macy realizes that there’s more to life than being an A+ student. Living life, for real, is so much better. Her relationships with her friends from Wish teach her that. Macy’s mother however, doesn’t concur. But what does she know if she doesn’t even grieve Macy’s dad’s death correctly, taking everything that reminds her of him from the house like he wasn’t even there? This summer Macy is going to learn a lot more than what she bargained for.

My Thoughts (contains spoilers, seriously): This was truly an amazing book. I loved Macy’s character because she is so realistic… I feel like she could be walking the streets even when she’s just a character. I felt so good when she left the library. I was like “you go, girl!”. Kristy is really cool and confident. Wes, wow, I totally fell in love with him. Him and his angel statues are beautiful. He is so sweet and so perfect with Macy. I was so aggravated at Brian when he sent the email to take a break, I was like “what the heck, what kind of boyfriend does this?”. Macy’s mom was the character that got me the angriest. I was mad when reading her parts, wishing she could’ve read the book I’m reading in Macy’s point of view. She works so much and expects so much from Macy… she’s just a teenager, let her relax. In the end I was so happy Macy and Wes ended up together because they deserve each other.

Teen Tuesday (7.29.08): Hey Teen Tuesday! (Vanessa)

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*Teen Tuesday is the day we set aside for teen book lovers to visit with each other to find out what’s being read in the world of young adult literature. You can comment whether you are a participant or not. Visit all the posters at teentuesday.blogspot.com*

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Hi guys.

I was wondering what the heck happened last week? No one posted? I was really lost…. and scared. But anyway. It’s Tuesday! Yay.

In the past two weeks I’ve read a whole lot!

I’ve read 13 Little Blue Envelopes, Cindy Ella, The Outsiders, & How To Be Bad. All have been “blawsome” aka, not 5 stars. They range from 3-3.5 stars. I was really disappointed in some, I wish they could’ve been better. However, they still had good messages and were nice reads. I guess I’ve been wanting a super amazing read (one to add to my pitiful “Favorites” list in Shelfari that only contains 7 books) and haven’t got any. I’m reading The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen and am hoping that it is the super amazing read I’ve been waiting for.

There is only one four-star book I’ve read in the past two weeks and its Hot Mess: Summer in the City by Julie Kraut & Shallon Lester. It had enough drama, laughter, and friends forever for a summer read. This book is something you should read over the summer (obviously, hehe). It’s easy to read, fast, and cute. I loved the main character, Emma Freeman, because she’s like most of us on Teen Tuesday… has a journal, likes to write, makes good grades, has good friends. She’s likable and although she’s doesn’t get the best summer ever she’s still got great friends.

I’m in Canada visiting my mom and she likes to spoil me with presents every time I see her. Of course whenever I go visit her or she visits me it means a STACK-FULL OF NEW BOOKS! I love how bookstores smell.. ahh. These are the books I bought with her:

1. Audrey, Wait!
2. The Luxe
3. The Outsiders
4. The Truth About Forever
5. The Book of Luke
6. Saving Zoe
7. When It Happens
8. My Mother is a French Fry and Further Proof of my Fuzzed Up Life
9. The Mrs. Marriage Project

I can’t wait to read these! Don’t got much to say, other than that. If you want to read the full reviews of the books I’ve read head on over to my blog whatvanessareads.wordpress.com and if you haven’t already go join Like OMG Teens Read (likeomgteensread.com), the coolest message board ever, where we just added a Manga section alongside everything it already has then go do that.

Have fun reading,

**Vanessa

–Cross-posted at teentuesday.blogspot.com and whatvanessareads.wordpress.com—

How To Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Myracle

Title: How To Be Bad

Authors: E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynoski, Lauren Myracle

Number of Pages: 321, hardcover.

Released: 2008.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

It was: blawsome. 😦

Summary: Three girls: Jesse, Vicks, and Mel. One roadtrip. Jesse is very religious, but knows that nothing can save her mama’s cancer. She hasn’t even told her best friend, Vicks. She thinks lots of what Vicks does is wrong and something God would look down upon, but she’s still her best friend and should tell her. Vicks on the other hand, is more careless and tough. She’s hard as nails and can tough out every situation put at her… but her boyfriend now is at the University of Miami and is barely returning her calls. Just flimsy, whatever texts, making their relationship suffer. Mel just moved to Niceville. She’s smokin’-rich. She lives in a huge house and looks to have everything she would want except she’s not as perfect as she seems. Her sister is the one who is pretty in her family and she’s always the monkey in the middle, making final decisions because she’s the middle child. However, a guy comes in to change her mind. This roadtrip is full of tears, angriness, happiness, laughter, and most of all, friends forever.

My Thoughts (may contain spoilers): Nice book. I really expected a lot more. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Lately I’ve just been expecting a great book of everything and haven’t read something that is utterly amazing and I haven’t come by it. Of course, this book had charm and sweetness. It was very dramatic and cute. It was predictable. Not the Brady part, which was a good reason. I feel bad for Marco with it being awkward with Vicks afterwards. I wish it could’ve been better. Jesse’s religiousness is rather annoying, I guess because I don’t believe so in depth like that. It was nice though. I liked Old Joe. I liked how Mel felt good afterwards about her looks. I liked that they wrestled a gator, it was funny. Cheesy cute ending.

The Outsiders by S.E Hinton

Title: The Outsiders

Author: S.E Hinton

Number of Pages: 180, paperback.

Released: 1967.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

It was: Blawsome.

Summary: Ponyboy Curtis is a greaser. Greasers barely have money, own no madras jackets, and drive no Corvettes– unlike the Socials. The Socials, or Socs, have everything you can think they’d want. Yet their number one hobby is beating up the greasers. Ponyboy has to be careful of Socs when he walks the streets, that’s why he and his friends have each other’s backs. His brothers, biological or not… Soda, Darry, Dally, Johnny, Two-Bit, and Steve will do anything to keep each other safe from Socs. One night however, after picking up a couple of the Soc’s girlfriends, the Socs come back to beat up Johnny and Ponyboy, taking things too far. Johnny kills a Soc, trying to save Ponyboy from being killed. Now Johnny and Ponyboy are being chased by the cops. The murder sticks to Ponyboy, who no longer is proud of the fact that Socs and greasers fight. More unbelievable acts occur, shaking the greasers. Ponyboy asks himself, why do we fight, if all we do is cause more hatred?

My Thoughts (may contain spoilers): Good book. Easy, short read. I thought it was going to be better though. I don’t know, I’m weird. I liked That Was Then, This Is Now better than The Outsiders. Ponyboy was real. I was very sad that Johnny and Dally died, more Johnny because he was sweet and liked when Ponyboy read to him. I think Darry’s and Ponyboy’s relationship was real, since Darry was like the guardian taking care of Soda and him. I kinda wished something happened between Ponyboy and Cherry, they were cute when they spoke together. Again, good read, but I thought it would’ve been better.

Hot Mess: Summer in the City by Julie Kraut and Shallon Lester

Title: Hot Mess: Summer in the City

Author: Julie Kraut & Shallon Lester

Number of Pages: 336, paperback.

Released: ’08.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

It was: AWESOME.

The perfect: summer read.

Summary: Emma Freeman has her summer planned out. She’s going to lifeguard with her boyfriend. This doesn’t stay the plan due to her boyfriend’s lack of faith when he goes to his college orientation, another girl answers his phone. Now Emma has to switch plans, taking the summer internship her dad had been nudging at her for a while. She takes her best friend, Rachel, along and they head to the city. As in… New York City. They must find a place to stay for 2 months and end up living with Jayla, a super glam girl who’s probably kissed more A-Listers than you can think of. However, Emma’s job is not so glam. Her boss, Derek Dorfman, is a nightmare. He recites 90s rap songs and asks Emma things like “are you sad because you don’t have a boyfriend?” even though he doesn’t know anything about her life. Out of this, Rachel thinks of the idea that she should write a book about her crazy boss. No summer read is finished without some love, so Emma meets a guy at a club named Colin who she ends up lying to for a long while about her age and her job (she really has no actual job, she’s an intern). This summer isn’t coming out to be what she planned, becoming a hot mess… but in its own way its everything she wanted it to be.

My Thoughts (may contain spoilers): Such a cute summer read. I really liked it a lot and couldn’t stop readin–on the subway, bus, my mom’s apartment. I really liked Colin and didn’t like how Emma lied to him. It was funny, mostly. I’m not easily made to laugh from a book but it got me more than twice. Derek Dorfman wasn’t that incredibly funny. Whenever Emma told her stories to Rachel and Jayla I didn’t think they were that book-worthy. Jayla was great, even though she was a little over-dramatic with the Carter thing. I’m glad for Jake. I think Rachel got annoying… with all her JDates and stuff. I liked the ending… it was nice that she got something out of the summer. Again, cute, light, summer read.

Cindy Ella by Robin Palmer

Title: Cindy Ella

Author: Robin Palmer

Number of Pages: 264, Paperback

Released: ’08.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

It was: BLAWSOME.

Summary: Cindy Ella Gold is an anti-princess. She thinks the prom, alongside half of the city she lives in, is superficial. She writes a letter to the editor of her school paper explaining how she thinks the prom sucks, ya-da ya-da. Everyone at school thinks she is a weirdo. However, she has support from her best friends: India, who is vegan and beautiful, and Malcolm, who is gay and fabulous. Cindy is having a little trouble in the dating department. She’s more jeans and a t-shirt and doesn’t wear makeup. She resides in an L.A home with her dad, stepmother (who rather call her Cindy Ella… after the fairy tale character), Spencer (her half baby brother who rather be naked), and the Clones (her twin stepsisters who are like totally c-o-o-l). She is boyfriendless… and has never been kissed (well, properly… the one and only guy who thinks he’s a rapper doesn’t count). Cindy is juggling between three crushes–all who seem to be her soulmates. Super-popular and hot Adam Silver, mature and sophisticated tutor Noah, and playlist-making dream-boy (who lives 3000 miles away) BklynBoy. At the end of course, you have a happy ending.

My Thoughts (may contain spoilers): I liked this book somewhat. I thought it’d be better. It barely made me laugh, even though its supposed to. It’s not a timeless book with all pop culture comments. I liked Noah’s character. I think Cindy is character very easy to relate to… she has her friends but she’s not like the most popular girl ever. However, some of the music (Bob Dylan… etc) I don’t really know… and that was kinda big in the book. BklynBoy is so nice. I loved the ending… it was so unexpected (although I knew there’d be some kind of happy ending, I didn’t expect that exact one). It was weird with the kissing in the end. But I liked the ending. However, I just give it 3 stars, it got kind of boring at times and didn’t keep me on the edge.

Teen Tuesday (7.15.08): V Has Been Reading! (Second Post)

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*Teen Tuesday is the day we set aside for teen book lovers to visit with each other to find out what’s being read in the world of young adult literature. You can comment whether you are a participant or not. Visit all the posters at teentuesday.blogspot.com*

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Wow! It’s already been a week since my first post!

Well, hi guys. I’ve been reading lots (last week it seemed like I didn’t have much to say). I finished The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart on Wednesday. The book got off on a slow start but by halfway I could not stop! I love Frankie, she’s my new idol, haha. The review is here. I certify the book an AWESOME. 🙂

I also read 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson. I bought it when it first came out in 2005 (and I was 12.. haha) and got halfway in and stopped reading. So I reread it completely and I mean, I thought it was good and all… but it’s more of a 3-star. I just thought some things were really predictable and carbon copied on every book (for example, when Ginny is pushed to sing karaoke…. if you’ve read the book I think you know what I mean). I certify the book a BLAWSOME and the review is here, no podcast as of yet.

I have to say, flying to Canada was a lot more uncomfortable than I thought. My head hurt a lot, my ears kept popping, and my tummy hurt a little. So I was all plastered on the seat with my brother (wooo, I flew as an Unaccompanied Minor!) rather than reading.

It was hard to focus on my planned read… Cindy Ella. But I’m reading it now. Cindy Ella by Robin Palmer is okay so far. I think its very Cinderella-y (even though it’s kinda of supposed to be) but yeah… I hope something happens with BklynBoy.

My next book will be How To Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Myracle (I can’t believe I remember all their names).

Keep checking out my blog for new reviews, etc here. And while you’re at it check out Like OMG Teens Read, the message board I run (alongside some familiar faces on Teen Tuesday) which now has a domain at likeomgteensread.com. Join today to talk about everything reading and books.

Have good reads this week!

*Vanessa.

–Cross-posted at teentuesday.blogspot.com and whatvanessareads.wordpress.com—

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Title: 13 Little Blue Envelopes

Author: Maureen Johnson

Number of Pages: 319.

Released: ’05.

Rating: 3 of 5.

It was: BLAWSOME.

Summary: Shy, average Ginny has been sent 13 little blue envelopes by her deceased aunt, Peg, to go on an adventure/game through Aunt Peg’s carefree life. Aunt Peg has given instructions for Ginny to follow: don’t bring guidebooks, you can’t call home, you can’t bring maps, etc. Ginny has to retrace the steps of her artist aunt’s life, one city at a time, traveling all over Europe. Along the way Ginny meets some interesting characters: Aunt Peg’s idol Mari, Richard (who Aunt Peg was roommates with), she finds herself living with the robotic family of the Knapps and Australians going as they pleased around Europe as well. She meets a boy, Keith, as well, who is a Londoner whom she falls for. Throughout the trip Ginny has to comply with specific tasks described in the envelopes her aunt wrote. At the end, Ginny has grown as a person and will see herself in a whole different way.

My Thoughts (may contain spoilers): 13 Little Blue Envelopes is a charming book. Some parts are less great than others and some parts are very predictable and used a lot in books (Ginny being pushed to sing on karaoke even though she’s shy, etc). We didn’t see much of Keith, which I wanted more of. The Knapps were kinda weird and the Australians were whatever. The Richard part was baffling, kinda. I liked the 13th envelope, although the happy ending was kind of random. I wonder what happens to Ginny in the end (with Keith and all).

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

Title: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

Author: E. Lockhart

Number of Pages: 342

Released: ’08

Subject(s): Drama

It took me: 3 days

Rating: 4 ½ out of 5

It was: AWESOME

Summary: Frankie Landau-Banks has always just been Bunny Rabbit. Known as harmless and adorable to the people around her. She attends Alabaster, a boarding school that her dad thinks more of a way of making connections for after you graduate rather than for its magnificent education system. Frankie comes back for her sophomore year a new woman… she is prettier and has grown boobs. Of course, big man on campus Matthew Livingston notices this when he stumbles on her having fallen over her bike. They begin a relationship. But this relationship is not ordinary. Matthew is keeping secrets from her. The loyalty he has with the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds is greater than a 2-month-old relationship. Since Matthew doesn’t seem to want to tell Frankie about this secret society, Frankie tries to find out herself. And what she does after that is more than any other Basset has ever done (which have all been males, by the way). Frankie has always been underestimated and in this way she thinks to prove to everybody what she is capable of. However, what happens when things get more complicated?

My Thoughts (may contain spoilers): Great book! I mean, it took me around 60 or 70 pages to really get into it. But then on it was nonstop action. It made me laugh (once) even though it’s not supposed to. I really didn’t like Matthew much. He was so ugh, acting as though he didn’t remember her from freshman year, etc. I wished something happened with Alpha. However, this book kept me on the edge of my seat as I was reading. Frankie is really something and I admire her character. I think I’ll start using neglected positives from now on, haha.