Big Mouth and Ugly Girl by Joyce Carol Oates

I haven't written in a while (I'm lazy)... but now I am! So yay for that.

Big Mouth and Ugly Girl by Joyce Carol Oates

Review: 4 stars

Genre: teen

Matt is a jokester. He always makes his friends laugh and he talks a lot. So why is he being arrested for saying he was going to blow up the school?

Ursula an her alter ego Ugly Girl are tough. She doesn't care what anyone says about her and she likes being different. And she knows that Matt is being falsely accused.

When everyone else turns their back on Matt when he is accused of a crime he didn't commit, Ursula comes forward to help although she is not friends with him. With many twists and turns an unlikely friendship evolves between Matt and Ursula.

Its really hard to describe this book... just when you think its over, the plot thickens. Matt is falsely accused but then alienated by his peers and nothing goes back to how it was beforehand, like he thought it would. Its a hard book to descrbie because so much happens in a short time span. Joyce Carol Oates is a great writer. I immensly enjoy her style of writing. Ursula's alter ego is a very interesting aspect of the book. You can see what Ursula really thinks and what she wants herself to think. The books quirky but fun.

I also recommend Freaky Green Eyes by Joyce Carol Oates-- its also really great!

Meme'd

I was tagged by The Book Brat
so I realize everyone has already done this one, but I'm going to do it anyhow!

Rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence
.4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people and post a comment to the person who tagged you once you've posted your three sentences.

Ok the nearest book was Zig Zag by Ellen Wittlinger (since I just reviewed it.)

Anyways, here are the lines from Zig Zag page 123:
"He and Glen thought you were sixteen."
"They did? Did you tell them I wasn't?"

I think I actually started at the fourth sentence but whatever.

Everyone seems to have been tagged by this so if you read this and weren't tagged, I've just tagged you. Mazel Tov! (congratulations!)

Zig Zag by Ellen Wittlinger

Rating: 4.5

Genre: General teen fiction, road trips

Robin has her summer all planned out. Its her last summer with her boyfriend, Chris, before he goes off to college so they are going to hang around together. But then Chris's parents buy him a trip to Rome for the summer and Robin is angry. Really angry, since it is her last summer with him. Then Robin's Aunt Dory calls and asks her to come on a roadtrip across the Western United States with her and her two kids, Marshall and Iris. Reluctantly as Robin thinks that her cousins are snobs, Robin agrees. Robin's aunt and cousins just lost their father/husband and are going through a tough time. As the trip progresses Robin learns to deal with her family and she learns a few things about herself too.

Well, Zig Zag was a hard book to summarize. So much happens, yet in so little time, as the book only takes the time span of a few weeks. It was a hard book to put down once I started it. I think I might be a little biast, because I love books that are about roadtrips and this one was most definitely about a roadtrip. I think books about road trips are kind of refreshing and inspiring, because the characters always learn so much about themselves and they always leave you a satisfying ending.

This book was no exception. Although at the beginning, I found Robin to be a real winer and annoying because she kept moping about her boyfriend, within a few pages my mind was changed. Robin really changes throughout the story. Ellen Wittlinger's writing really etches the characters into your heart and you really start to care about them. Plus I absolutely adore the title of this book Zig Zag. I mean really, how cool!!

This book was a really great, and easy read. I really enjoyed Ellen Wittlinger's style of writing and if I have the chance I will pick up another one of her books. I recommend you put it on your summer reading list! Roadtrip stories are great. Anyone else agree?

Vegan, Virgin, Valentine by Carolyn Mackler

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Genre: ya fiction

Mara Valentine knows what she is doing in life. As a straight A senior student, she takes extra classes at the college so that she will be able to graduate early. She is a vegan (although she often craves cheese) and a virgin ( hence the title). But V, Mara's niece who is only one year younger than Mara is the complete opposite. And Mara can't stand her. V is slutty, smokes, and LOVES meat. So when Mara's parents invite V to come live with them when V's mom decides to move Mara is pretty annoyed. Especially since V manages to snag Mara's ex on her first day in school. Mara hates V. Then things start to change. And V and Mara eventually they realize they have more in common than they think and just maybe they might understand each other.

I really enjoyed this book. Although it was a very quick read, it was enjoyable. Carolyn Mackler manages to suprise you when you least expect it throughout the book. It was funny and quirky. I also liked that this book wasn't so over the top sappy with a happy ending. Sure things turn out well but realistic. The characters change a lot throughout the story. I don't want to spoil anything but I highly suggest this book for a quick read.