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?

The Sweet Far Thing By Libba Bray (book review)

I'm feeling a bit lazy... and most people have probably heard of this book. If you haven't here is the product description I pasted here off Amazon (no copywrite infringement intended):

"IT HAS BEEN A YEAR OF CHANGE since Gemma Doyle arrived at the foreboding Spence Academy. Her mother murdered, her father alaudanum addict, Gemma has relied on an unsuspected strength and has discovered an ability to travel to an enchanted world called the realms, where dark magic runs wild. Despite certain peril, Gemma has bound the magic to herself and forged unlikely new alliances. Now, as Gemma approaches her London debut, the time has come to test these bonds.The Order - the mysterious group her mother was once part of - is grappling for control of the realms, as is the Rakshana. Spence's burned East Wing is being rebuilt, but why now? Gemma and her friends see Pippa, but she is not the same. And their friendship faces its gravest trial as Gemma must decide once and for all what role she is meant for. "

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now for my (quick) thoughts:

Rating: errrr 3.75 stars

Genre: Historical fiction, ya lit

Okay so I absolutely loved A Great and Terrible Beauty and Rebel Angels. Libba Bray did not dissapoint. She writes her magic into this book. I did find however, that it was extremely long, and I was relieved when I had finished it. There is no doubt it was a good book though. Fans of this trilogy best check it out asap!

Sorry for this quick review.

Frenemies by Alexa Young

Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: pre-teen, ya fiction

(this is the book I won over at WORDforTeens and it was signed too!--Thanks again!)


Avalon and Halley have been friends FOREVER. So now they are throwing a big friends forever bash. After all, they live next door to eachother and their families are friends too. BFFAE and thats never going to change, right?


So what happens when the summer apart leads them to make new seperate friends? They both give each other's new friends a big NO. So they decide to get rid of their friendship and hang with new people. Avalon and Halley battle eachother out over their school fashion column. But they still want that party!


Things get ugly--how could they not when your best friend knows all your secrets and will use them against you?
FRENEMIES it is.

Frenemies was hilarious. Alexa Young hooks you from the beginning with her characters. With fashion to creating new friends this book has all the potential to be the new Clique- type series.
And readers will love the cliffhanger at the end. I would suggest this book for the middle school age. Cute read! You can check out Alexa's blog here

Just In Case By: Meg Rosoff

Rating: 5 stars (OMG!)

Genre: teen, young adult fiction

David Case lives a pretty normal life. But one day his baby brother tries to jump out the window and David Case catches him just in time. That is when he starts believing that Fate has it in for him. So what is the solution for a guy who wants to save himself from fate? He changes. Starting with a change in name, to a change in dress 'Justin' Case does his best to run from Fate. He creates an imaginary greyhound. He falls in love with Agnes Bee, a young woman who loves taking photos of him. As he tries to run from his own fate, Justin winds up in all sorts of places, but he must realize that he can't avoid himself and fate forever.

Wow. This book was fantastic. Meg Rosoff is an unbelievably great writer. Just in Case is spooky yet real, and absolutely amazing. Meg Rosoff switches narrarators in the book between Justin, Fate and Justin's younger brother. Justin's emotions are so real, and his conviction that fate has it in for him so strong that the story was easily believable. Whenever I had to put the book down, I found it hard to tear my eyes away from the page. When I say this was a great book, I mean it. Kudos to Meg Rosoff!

I'll be on the lookout for more of her books.

Bratfest At Tiffany's (Clique #9) By Lisi Harrison

Rating: 4 Stars

Genre: Girly Girl, ya fiction, 9-12 (or me)

Bratfest at Tiffany's is the continuation of the famous Clique series.After a long summer, OCD is becoming BOCD as the Briarwood boys are joining the Octavian girls for a new school year, together. Everyone is thrilled about the merge...that is everyone except Massie. Massie knows the boys will take her spot at the top, and she doesn't want to give it up and become a LBR. So she convinces Alicia, Dylan, Kristen and Claire (or should we say Kuh-laire) that they have to go on a boyfast. That means no boys, no crushes or they are out of the Pretty Commitee. But, is that what they really want?

Lisi Harrison, has of course created another great Clique novel. This is a perfect continuation to this series. When I first started reading this series when it first came out I was closer to the characters ages, and this series was a favorite of mine. But now, I think its a cute and pretty outrageous series (aka easy easy read) but I still love them! I love the problems that they deal with because they can be related to any age. Obviously, this is no hard-core book but a great beach read (yes almost summer!). Cheers to Bratfest at Tiffany's!

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On a sidenote- I heard that this is being made into a straight to dvd movie...not that there is much info about it available, I know its staring Ellen Marlow as Claire and Elizabeth McLaughlin as Massie, as well as everything else on imdb. But not much more info available and I'm curious...anyone know anything??

Uglies By: Scott Westerfeld

Rating: 4/5 stars ( which is high, 5 has to be truly spectacular)
Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Well to be perfectly honest, this book has been on my to be read pile for quite a while, I picked it up a few times and started it but became sidetracked. I only just got around to finishing it now, but I'm glad I did!

In Tally's world, the only things that matter are being Ugly or Pretty. When you turn sixteen, you are changed from an Ugly to a Pretty, and its all that Tally's been waiting for. After her best friend is turned pretty, Tally must wait three long months to join him in his new city. It is at this time, when she makes friends with Shay. Tally can't wait for them to become pretty, and go to parties with all the other pretties. But, Shay doesn't want to be pretty, and when she runs away Tally is told by the Special Circumstances that unless she finds Shay she won't become pretty either.

These are tough choices for a girl of sixteen because whatever she decides will change her life. Along the way, she learns secrets about the past, and lessons about herself.

After the first few pages of Uglies, I was hooked. Although the book at first glance, seems shallow, with all the talk about uglies and pretties and its odd title, I found as I read along I was mistaken. Tally is definetly an interesting character, as I found myself laughing at some of her thoughts, while others were a bit annoying. Yet, the world she lives in is fascinating. Scott Westerfeld vividly creates a world governed by futuristic technologies and a whole new lifestyle, from hoverboards to full body plastic surgery. This was a very cute read, and I hope to lay my hands on the next book in the trilogy, Pretties, pretty soon!

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I'm interested in knowing what others thought of this book...if you read it leave some of your thoughts here :]

Book Review: The Salem Witch Tryouts By Kelly McClymer

Rating: 2 stars -- unless you are 8-12 years and then I'd give it 4 stars
Genre: Fiction, YA Fiction

Most people with happy lives don't want to uproot themselves and move to another place. Well this is no exception for Prudence Stewart. Head cheerleader to-be, with a cute crush, good grades and a great BFF, this is one girl who does not want to leave her life. Except, Pru is a witch, and so is her mom and brother and the time has come for her to get witch training. So where to go but across the country to Salem, Massachusetts?

Not only does Prudence leave her life behind, she has to create a new one, with other witches. Plus to top it all off she just HAS to make the cheerleading squad!

Megan McClymer's: The Salem Witch Tryouts is a cute and funny story about a girl trying to fit in, after a big move. Although I found it relatively predictable, and not so original, I would recommend it for a girl ages 8-12. If you aren't, there are plenty of other better books out there in the world.

Tootles!

Book Review: New Moon By Stephanie Meyer

At the beginning of New Moon, the sequel to Twilight, we find ourselves on the day of Bella Swan's dreaded 18th birthday, for although Edward is excited for her, she does not want to become older than him...because Edward will always be 17. But, after an accident at Bella's birthday party Edward and the rest of the Cullens decide they need to leave Forks for Bella's protection. And so they go, leaving behind Bella who is heartbroken. As Bella struggles to overcome her heartbreak, Edward, she becomes better friends with Jacob. Bella becomes "adventerous" in order to try and 'hear' Edward in her mind.

But, Jacob also has a big secret. And when Bella finds out she must decide whos side she is on...all while keeping her loved ones safe. New Moon is a sequel in which, you can never guess what will come in the future. It's full of unexpected twists. Stephanie Meyer's New Moon will not leave you disappointed if you liked Twilight. A real page turner.

Any thoughts? Feel free to post a comment!!

The Golden Compass By: Philip Pullman

Also known as The Northern Lights, I originally read this book in 2002 and loved it, now that I have found out they are making of movie out of this book I went back to see if this book was as good as I remembered (i remembered it was good...not the plot) and it was just as great. Can't wait for the movie to come out!

Can you imagine living in a parallel world to ours where people have a part of themselves outside of them, but connected to them in the form of an animal? Well in Lyra's world, they do. They are called daemons and every person has one. Lyra is a young girl living in Oxford, growing up in Jordan College among the scholars. Her life involves playing with her friend Roger and the kids throughout the town, and every few months has to clean up nice for a visit from her uncle, Lord Asriel. But when children start disapearing around the country and eventually Roger does too, Lyra knows she has to do something. Using the special device that the Master of Jordan College gives her, she goes off to rescue Roger on what comes to be an adventure.

The Golden Compass, Philip Pullman's first novel in his trilogy His Dark Materials is fantastic. It doesn't matter at what age you read it, its just as great. Pullman manages to draw Lyra through and extraordinarally large amount of people throughout the story, and still make it easy to remember who all the characters are. The parallel world where this story takes place is a very believable place, yet really different. The book is well written, and very interesting. I'd recommend this book for anyone who likes some fantasy combined with a bit of the real world.

Twilight By Stephanie Meyer

Isabella, "Bella" Swan has just moved from Phoenix to her father in Forks, Washington. Everything there seems to be dreary compared to her old life if Phoenix. Especially her high school. Until she meets Edward Cullen. Not only is he completely gorgeous but he is also a vampire. Dangerous though it is, Bella finds herself almost instantly in love with him. And Edward in love with her. Twilight, by Stephanie Meyer is the story of Bella and how her life changes after she meets Edward.

This book is spectacular. Stephanie Meyer is an amazing writer who portrays all the complications Bella encounters while being in love with a vampire in the modern world beautifully. Her descriptions are fantastic. Although I'm not particularly a vampire novel fan, I loved this book. If you are looking for a superb read Twilight is the book for you.

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I have so much to say about this book! Twilight is my favorite book EVER

There is no specific genre to this book but some are: teen, romance, vampires

This book majorly reminds me of the 1st season of the old TV show ROSWELL.

Where Max and Liz are in love with eachother except Max is an alien...and he potentially puts Liz in danger? Well I found the book Twilight and the Tv show ROSWELL really similar. And they are both amazing. After all... "whats so great about normal?"

Laguna Cove- Alyson Noel book review.

For all those Laguna Beach lovers out there, people who love books like the A-List series by Zoey Dean, this is a book for you.

Following her parents divorce, Anne moves into her fathers home across the country in the private neighborhood of Laguna Cove, California. Its quite the opposite of her life in Connecticut. They are all about the surfing...the guys, the girls, the parents. Although it takes time Anne makes friends with everyone...well almost everyone...except beautiful and popular Ellie. Why is it that Ellie hates Anne so much?

I'm not saying anymore about the plot.Its a cute, easy read. Like I said before, if you are into Laguna Beach and books like the A-List novels you won't be dissapointed with Alyson Noel's Laguna Cove. If you don't like that sort of thing...its a waste to read.

Thoughts on Rebel Angels by Libba Bray

My review of Rebel Angels by Libba Bray:

Gemma Doyle is a little more interesting than your average 17 year old girl living in 19th century England. She possesses powers to open the realms, a magical place between life and death, a dreamland. Rebel Angels, by Libba Bray is a great book containing both aspects of fantasy and of life in the 16th century. Although it is the sequel to A Great and Terrible Beauty, it’s easy to read without its predecessor; however I recommend the first novel first.
At the end of A Great and Terrible Beauty, we leave off with Gemma and her friends leaving the realms after a narrow escape, releasing the magic and an unfortunate casualty. So what is next?

Rebel Angels plot begins as Christmas break is approaching. There is a new teacher at Spence and Gemma doesn’t like her all that much. Luckily, Gemma is heading off to England to spend the holidays with her grandmother and family. Her mysterious guardian, Kartik, follows her there to keep an eye on her. Ann and Felicity go to Felicity’s home in London, spending their time going to parties and teas. When all three of the girls are able to meet, they divide their time between visiting their former teacher Ms. Moore, and visiting Pippa in the realms. But, because Gemma smashed the ruins the magic is free for all to use and so there is trouble in the realms. Can she rebind the magic in time?

In this book Gemma deals with living as a 17 year old girl in the 19th century, dinners, operas, and a male suitor, as well as being the one who can change everything in another “world”. I loved this book because although there is a lot of foreshadowing, the sense of mystery is really thrilling. The ending is quite unexpected. Libba Bray keeps you captivated with her writing and waiting for the next book in the series.