Things I Like! (03)

So, if you follow me on Twitter (particularly on Thursday nights!) you know of my teensy, little, GARGANTUAN obsession with the TV show, The Vampire Diaries. Well, the trio has become the latest cover for Entertainment Weekly and I've been staring at these cover images all week!

I do think they are a tad... racy for a show that features "teenagers" and is aimed at, from all I know, at actual teenagers but don't Paul and Ian look yum???

Do you have a favorite cover?

Romance Round-up: February 2012

 

Here are the romance books I've reviewed lately! I hope you'll decide to take a chance on one of them.


Bodywork by Marie Harte
Feral by Sheri Whitefeather
Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors by Molly Harper
Miss Hillary Schools a Scoundrel by Samantha Grace
Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas

Have you read any romance books lately? Feel free to share what you liked or didn't like!

Review: The Ivy: Rivals by Lauren Kunze with Rina Onur

The Ivy: Rivals by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur is the third book in the Ivy series. It picks up right where Secrets left off and if you remember how Secrets left off, you'll be very anxious to see how Rivals opens! But lo and behold (and I'm sure you aren't surprised) the drama is not over for Callie, Gregory and company.

Synopsis: Callie will face some of the toughest choices imaginable: in friendships, in loyalties, and in love. The pressure to pick a side—and a suitor—has never been higher. But will she and her friends choose well? (Goodreads.com)


Yet again, the drama and prestige factor of these books draw me in. Yes, you heard it right. I enjoy the trials and tribulations of the filthy rich, those who have a pedigree reaching back to Plymouth Rock and the Pilgrims. Callie may not have all the wealth or pedigree but she does have an inside look into the world of the ivy league college. 

This is not a book series that relies on deep characterization. These characters are pretty much what you see is what you get. Alexis Thorndike is the bitch with no layers of anything nice or kind about her. Gregory is the vulnerable rich boy who is madly in love with Callie (come on now, you all know it!), Callie is the "good girl" who keeps making bad decisions but somehow, things work out for her. I like this about this series though. It's the same reason I've watched a lot of bad television. There's something fun about being able to put your foot into this world without making any of these bad decisions yourself.


As I've said in my previous reviews of these books, either you will love them or you will hate them. For me, these are the fun, frothy gateway books into something deeper in the YA world. It's like a Gossip Girls or Clique series only set in college where I can feel somewhat better about crushing on Gregory. This is a great series for reluctant readers since the language is easy and very readable. There is a gossipy, salacious tone to the book that lends itself well to real life teenage antics also.


Rivals is an easy and fun story. It does rely a bit on the actions from the previous stories but honestly, it would not be too difficult to jump into the series at this point. At points, the book was a bit slow and there was a lot less Gregory than I would have liked (like I said, yep, I have a crush!) and Callie is still oblivious to the fact of how much he likes her but there were other things that drew me in. I liked seeing Callie, Mimi, Vanessa, and even Dana slowly bonding. I don't think they'll ever be great friends with Dana who is a bit less enthused with the party scene but it was nice to see them include her. Also, I liked seeing Callie becoming a bit more of a writer, of taking journalism a bit more seriously. 

There are some new, clearly duplicitous characters in the story who add more gossip and subterfuge to the story. All in all, Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur still have me hooked on The Ivy series. I can only hope that certain characters will finally get their comeuppance in future books! There is something deliciously decadent about the goings-on of these college students! It's like my addiction to Beverly Hills 90210 when I was a kid. It's not necessarily healthy reading but it's pure fun and that's exactly what I expect with this series. Fun and flirtation!

Rivals will be available on March 6, 2012 from Greenwillow Books.

ARC provided by publisher for review.

Review: Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

Can I just say how much epic fun I had reading Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday?? The fabulous Gail told me I had to read it and while I don't always take her suggestions, I'm so glad I did with this book! If you're looking for a book with a main protagonist that is a cross between Veronica Mars and Tessa from Suburgatory (particularly with all her talk of just what the suburbs are), Hartley is your girl!

Synopsis: Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he's pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren't enough, now he's depending on Hartley to clear his name. Seriously? Not cool. 


But as much as Hartley wouldn't mind seeing him squirm, she knows he's innocent, and she's the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school's resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer's next victim. (Goodreads.com)


I loved Hartley as a main character. She is a great combination of humorous mistakes, sarcasm, and genuine concern. She is definitely an amateur detective and makes some decisions that I would normally categorize as just plain dumb but given the context of the book and the character I was getting to know, it worked. Yeah, she probably SHOULD NOT HAVE gone and met an informant at midnight on the football field but in the name of information, that's just what she had to do. There is something really likable about Hartley. You sympathize with her because her boyfriend cheated on her certainly, but she also stands out as just a fun character, someone you'd really meet in high school I think. She has a good relationship with her best friend, she is a friendly teen, and she's not body perfect.

I'm not a passionate mystery reader but I did manage to figure out the killer before the end. That in no way ruined any enjoyment I had in the story. While this is about a murder investigation, it's also about finding something (even unwittingly) that you are passionate about, it's about taking care of your friends, and yep, helping others. Even Veronica Mars had to help classmates she did not quite like.

The writing is very appealing and snaps with a lot of great dialogue and introspection from Hartley. She has sarcasm down to an art! The writing is witty and it has great reluctant reader appeal. I don't think it will date itself too quickly, even with some of the label dropping. Some of my favorite lines include:

"Well, I think we kinda proved it wasn't the Batcave." (p. 48)

Upon describing some of the library customers utilizing the internet stations:

"I settled down at a station next to a white-haired woman looking at pictures of her gradnkids on Photbucket (letting out the occasional coo at how cute they were) and a guy wearing three coats, two pairs of socks, and a week-old beard. I made sure to sit upwind from the overdressed guy..." (p.75) (These are totally normal library users by the way!)

"I just think you can handle this one on your own. Go, young grasshopper, show me what you've got." (p. 171)

And so many more! There were just so many great lines in this book that gave me a good laugh.

And oh yes, did I mention the bad boy? Chase isn't quite as full-bodied of a character as Hartley. Since we only seem him through her eyes, there is a distance there and he does not develop quite as much as Hartley or even Sam. But yes, he is intriguing!

Mostly I just liked all the snappy comebacks, the laughs I got from the story, and seeing Hartley bumble and stumble her way through the investigation. Hartley is smart and yes, she does make some rookie mistakes but she also tries to honestly investigate, to think like a detective and to find alibis and reasonable motivation for the people she finds suspicious. I cannot wait to read Hartley's next adventure, Social Suicide, coming out in April 2012.

You can hand this to reluctant teen readers who like sarcasm and humor and who don't mind a bit of murder in their high school reading! It does have sexual content (more like someone see's someone having sex) and it's not necessarily a "clean" read but it has high appeal value, despite the cover which just isn't my favorite. But, consider this, it's in paperback which makes it a relatively inexpensive purchase for most libraries!

Deadly Cool was one of my top reads for January 2012. I hope you'll consider giving it a try! Deadly Cool is available now.

Other reviews:
Ticket to Anywhere reviews Deadly Cool
Mindful Musings reviews Deadly Cool
Book Blather reviews Deadly Cool

Meet Me in St. Louis!

I'm heading to St. Louis this November for YALSA's YA Literature Symposium! This is an utterly fantastic conference. I had the chance to attend in 2010 and it's really, really worth it if you are a reader, supporter, and fan of young adult literature. It's basically where all the cool kids are going to be. :)

And hey, while you're there, you can see me, along with my cool friend Scott, present! Our topic? Make it Pop! How to Use Pop Culture in Your Library. We are both big fans of all things tv, books, movies, and anything pop culture really so we are both very excited to be presenting on a topic that we both enjoy talking about. I hope you'll consider attending our session!

You can find out about the full array of presentations by visiting the symposium website. Truly, this is a fabulous conference, close to my very favorite because the focus is not about books, those tangible things we dearly love, so much as it is about great ideas, predicting what's next (hence the theme, Hit Me With The Next Big Thing), conversing about the issues that surround young adult literature and spending time with so many people who are devoted to these wonderful authors and books, characters and stories. Basically it's the best thing ever!

So here's hoping I'll be seeing YOU in St. Louis!

Review: Radiate by Marley Gibson

Radiate by Marley Gibson has a really powerful message about a teen overcoming cancer (yes, it's another one of those stories) but there was so much about this book, in terms of its characterization and dialog that I have a difficult time in fully embracing this story.

Synopsis: Hayley Matthews is determined to be the best cheerleader she can. She works hard and pushes herself 110% all the time.Then Hayley finds a lump on her leg. The diagnosis is cancer. The prognosis is unclear. She could lose her leg. Or maybe her life.At first Haley is scared, terrified. In an instant, everything she’s worked for seems out of reach. But Haley is strong. She’s going to fight this disease. She will not let it take her life or her dreams. (Goodreads.com)


Hayley is a cheerleader and believe me, she reads like one. Not in a vacuous or shallow way just that she is very cheerful. Even in the face of all her adversity, she is incredibly cheerful and doesn't stay down for too long. This is not a bad thing because I do believe hope and optimism have healing powers when it comes to cancer. But all that being said, I became tired of the cheerleading and how it was used. I know this totally makes me sound like a grumpy person but after awhile it just became rather tiresome. The message of inspiration became rather uninspiring as the book progressed. I think I could have handled it better if other elements of the story worked better for me.


Much of the problem for me was this read like a book of how adults THINK teenagers act and what they say, rather than what teenagers ACTUALLY think and say. I did not find Hayley and her friends were all that believable of teenagers. Phrases like "what's your glitch?" "I am on him like white on rice," and other rather clean, oddly used phrases that teens (at least the teens I know) would never use. Interspersed with all these odd phrases are swear words. A lot of them frankly. It was just a very odd combination of phrases that read from like the 1950s to me and then hardcore swearing, as if to prove the teens were contemporary characters. Hayley and her friends just felt very un-teenager-like.


The relationship Hayley gets into with the cool, popular guy is of course doomed to failure and it is obvious from the very first few pages of when they meet. The "perfect" guy is waiting for her and it is no surprise how their relationship progresses. Everything on this book was so on the surface that there just was not much character development or even story development beyond the main plot lines.


This was not a book that really engaged my emotions and in a story that is about a girl suffering from cancer, that seems impossible to say but it is true. I tend to cry easily but I was so disengaged from Hayley's struggle that it was very difficult for me to empathize with her. Yes, I felt bad for her and I was impressed with how she persevered in spite of all the hardships life was throwing at her but it just did not work for me, at all. There are stronger stories of teen cancer survivors out there in the publishing market right now (in fact, there seems to be a gluttony of them) that this book is merely passable.


There is a note at the end of the book from the author that talks about her own daughter's struggle with cancer and how cheerleading helped and I think that is part of the reason I was actually turned-off by this book, as odd as it is to say that. The author did not seem removed enough from her story. I feel like I'm going to be definitely in the minority on this book since, given the topic, I think it will make many people uncomfortable to criticize the book but the fact is, this book just did not work for me. From the characters to the dialog, much of this book felt forced and unrealistic. 


There is one thing that I can say in this book's favor and that is that in YA books, too often the cheerleaders are seen as rude, mean and cliquish. In this book, even if it was a rather "through rose colored glasses" look at cheerleading, the group truly did band together to help Hayley and she did her best to help them. There was one rather stereotypical mean-girl teenage cheerleader, but on the whole, I felt like this was a positive representation of the cheerleading experience.

Radiate comes out on April 3, 2012 from Graphia.


Other reviews:
Marjolein Book Blog reviews Radiate
Debra's Book Cafe reviews Radiate


Book reviewed from Netgalley.

Month in review: January 2012

Well, can you believe January 2012 is over and done with?? It went by SO QUICK! I don't think I accomplished all that much in January but I certainly had a good reading month. Here's what I read in January 2012:


1. The Summer I Learned to Fly by Dana Reinhardt (1/3/12) (Audio)
2. Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu (1/3/12)
3. The Silence of Murder by Dandi Daley Mackall (1/6/12)
4. Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom (1/7/12) (Debut)
5. Scrumptious by Amanda Usen (1/7/12)
6. Putting Makeup on Dead People by Jen Violi (1/8/12)
7. The One That I Want by Jennifer Echols (1/9/12)
8. You Know When the Men Are Gone by Siobhan Fallon (1/14/12)
9. Cinder by Marissa Meyer (1/14/12)
10. Bodywork by Marie Hart (1/15/12)
11. Angelfall by Susan Ee (1/15/12)
12. Feral by Sheri Whitefeather (1/17/12)
13. Miss Hillary Schools a Scoundrel by Samantha Grace (1/17/12)
14. I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella (1/19/12)
15. The Bro-Magnet by Lauen Baratz-Logsted (1/20/12)
16. Freshmen Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin (1/21/12)
17. With a Name Like Love by Tess Hilmo (1/21/12)
18. Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King (1/22/12)
19. The Bride by Julie Garwood (1/24/12)**
20. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson (1/25/12)
21. Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos (1/27/12)
22. The Survival Kit by Donna Freitas (1/28/12)
23. May B. by Caroline Starr Rose (1/28/12)
24. Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors by Molly Harper (1/29/12)
25. Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday (1/30/12)

Favorite book read: Putting Makeup on Dead People by Jen Violi and Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday
Most Disappointing book read: Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King
Book outside my comfort zone: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson (that was much more fantasy based than I usual read).

In January 2011, I only read 19 books so I'm on a roll already for the year! I hope I can sustain this momentum for the rest of the year to reach my 200 books goal.

Did you reach your reading goals in January? Did you have a favorite book read? Please share in the comments!