Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have) Review

Title: Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have)

Author: Sarah Mlynowski

Number of Pages: 304
Genre: YA Contemporary

 Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication Date: June 21st, 2011

My Edition: Kindle Book

Reading Level: Young Adult

Bought From: Amazon

Author's Website: sarahm.com

Summary from Goodreads:
2 girls + 3 guys + 1 house – parents = 10 things April and her friends did that they (definitely, maybe, probably) shouldn't have.

If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn't jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe "opportunity" isn't the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1: "Lied to Our Parents"). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up "Skipping School" (#3), "Throwing a Crazy Party" (#8), "Buying a Hot Tub" (#4), and, um, "Harboring a Fugitive" (#7) at all is kind of a mystery to them.

In this hilarious and bittersweet tale, Sarah Mlynowski mines the heart and mind of a girl on her own for the first time. To get through the year, April will have to juggle a love triangle, learn to do her own laundry, and accept that her carefully constructed world just might be falling apart . . . one thing-she-shouldn't-have-done at a time.

Review: 

Ten Things We Did definitely proved to be more than just your average silly story of a high school girl, who is both party and boy crazy, and told the story of a girl struggling to get over her parents' divorce and just through life in general. The story tells the tale of all the various crazy things April did after her father lets her move in with her best friend, instead of moving far away from her hometown boyfriend, friends, and school. I loved how the author set up the story by intertwining the past events with the current events to show the reader what had happened in the past while maintaining the story in the present.

When I saw that the Kindle book was only 99 cents, I knew I could not resist buying it, and I'm so glad I did! I started reading it on my phone one night before going to bed and just couldn't stop reading. I ended up reading until 4 in the morning, it was just that hard to put down. I just wanted to keep reading and reading because the story was too funny and irresistible to stop. I finished it the next day and wished it hadn't ended. The ending ultimately surprised me, but overall, I liked it a lot. The last paragraph of the book was definitely the perfect, also ironic, way to end the story.

As a whole, Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have) had the works—funny, interesting characters, and a back-story with depth and not just your average story-line. It definitely would make for a great summer read or a quick, fun book to read in your free time. I do recommend! This was my second book I've read by Mlynowski, and it certainly will not be my last. I look forward to reading more by her, and hopefully, those will be just as good.

Rating:

Such a Pretty Girl Review

Title: Such a Pretty Girl

Author: Laura Weiss

Number of Pages: 212
Genre: YA Contemporary

 Publisher: MTV Books

Publication Date: January 2, 2007

My Edition: Bargain Book Paperback

Reading Level: Young Adult

Bought From: Amazon

Author's Website: laurawiess.com

Summary from Goodreads: 

They promised Meredith nine years of safety, but only gave her three.

Her father was supposed to be locked up until Meredith turned eighteen. She thought she had time to grow up, get out, and start a new life. But Meredith is only fifteen, and today her father is coming home from prison.

Today her time has run out.

Review: 

Such a Pretty Girl surprised me in many ways—altogether it was a powerful story about a teenager who is just trying to live and survive in a world with the father, who sexually abused and harassed her, once he is let out of prison six years earlier than she expected. It definitely surprised me by how much I was disturbed and disgusted by the little acts of unwanted affection Meredith's father displayed towards his daughter. I could never imagine being in that type of situation, which is one reason I love literature because it transports you to a world where you can experience the emotions of the characters you read about, without having to live them for yourself. I, however, would never wish this upon anyone to go through her type of situation, and I feel so sorry for those who have experienced this situation firsthand.

The story can easily be read in one sitting, which I tried to do, but it was hard to do so when the father just kept creeping me out so much. It is a very short book with very few characters and hardly any external plot going on but does have a lot backstory and underlying details that make the story very good but hard to enjoy because of the tough topic. Meredith was a strong female character who stood up for herself and had the support of her neighbors to do so, which without the love and support from them, she might not have ever been able to get out and most likely would have been abused again.

Overall Such a Pretty Girl turned out to be a novel that wasn't exactly fun or pleasant to read, but one where it tells an important tale of a strong girl who would not stand to be mistreated or abused again by her father or mother. This is the second book I have read by Laura Weiss, and I look forward to reading more of her books! Especially Ordinary Beauty which came out this past summer.

Rating:

Swoon Review

Title: Swoon

Author: Nina Malkin

Pages: 425
 Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publication Date: May 4, 2010

My Edition: ARC Paperback

Reading Level: Young Adult

Recieved From: Nina Malkin
Author's Website: ninamalkin.com

Summary from Goodreads: 
This year, Essie Green’s life is going to be different. She’s made the cheerleading squad and caught the eye of the captain of the football team
...more Torn from her native New York City and dumped in the land of cookie-cutter preps, Candice is resigned to accept her posh, dull fate. Nothing ever happens in Swoon, Connecticut...until Dice's perfect, privileged cousin Penelope nearly dies in a fall from an old tree, and her spirit intertwines with that of a ghost. His name? Sinclair Youngblood Powers. His mission? Revenge. And while Pen is oblivious to the possession, Dice is all too aware of Sin. She's intensely drawn to him -- but not at all crazy about the havoc he's wreaking. Determined to exorcise the demon, Dice accidentally sets Sin loose, gives him flesh, makes him formidable. Now she must destroy an even more potent -- and irresistible -- adversary, before the whole town succumbs to Sin's will. Only trouble is, she's in love with him. What do you do when the boy of your dreams is too bad to be true?
A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.
When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year,...more  
Review: 
Throughout Swoon, Nina Malkin described and wrote an interesting and a definite swoon-worthy paranormal story with many colorful and enjoyable characters. Right from the start, I was engaged in the story and then became instantly hooked because of the unique beginning. However after reading the first 200 pages or so, I suddenly became a tad bored and thought it just kept dragging on and on which explains why it took me about a week to finish. Despite the dragging, I highly enjoyed the story and the paranormal romance aspects. By the end, it did speed up and did wrap everything up which is why I finished the end pretty quickly.

Candice aka Dice and the girls of Swoon with their single syllable nicknames surely made the story of the town of Swoon highly amusing and intriguing. After moving from her hometown New York, Dice is accepted only because of her über popular cousin Pen because she isn't a perfect blond like all the other Swoon girls. When Pen falls from a tree causing a vengeful spirit from over 200 hundred years ago to possess and take over her mind and body, the whole town starts to dramatically change. Dice finds herself instantly falling for the spirit, Sin, after she realizes what he is and that he's in her cousin. Sin's spirit is then released after a failed exorcism and begins to wreck havoc on Swoon for revenge of the death of his former love on the family members of those responsible for his death. The story continues through the very complicated back story of Sin and the messy relationship between Dice, Pen, and of course Sin.

I thought the girls' single syllabled nicknames were pretty funny and cute and also loved the name Sin as the definition pretty much describes his character completely. The town name, cover, and tagline were all just perfect! I also loved Dice and Sin's relationship but wish Dice could have had the perfect relationship with Sin in the end because I really liked her character. The ending wrapped up the confusion of Sin's past and even resulted in the conclusion of his unrest over his death and the unsolved murder. The ending was definitely much faster paced and had some very surprising moments.

Overall, Swoon was a great story but could have been a little better if it wasn't as long and had moved along a little faster. If you want to swoon like me and the rest of the girls from Swoon, then I would pick up a copy of Swoon today!

Rating:

The Naughty List: A Debut Author Challenge Mini Review

Title: The Naughty List

Author: Suzanne Young

Pages: 272
 Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: February 4, 2010

My Edition: ARC Paperback

Reading Level: Young Adult
Challenge Read For: 2010 Debut Author Challenge

Won From: Story Siren - Feb DAC winner

Summary from Amazon: 
This year, Essie Green’s life is going to be different. She’s made the cheerleading squad and caught the eye of the captain of the football team
...more As if being a purrfect cheerleader isn’t enough responsibility! Tessa Crimson’s the sweet and spunky leader of the SOS (Society of Smitten Kittens), a cheer squad–turned–spy society dedicated to bringing dastardly boyfriends to justice, one cheater at a time. Boyfriend-busting wouldn’t be so bad . . . except that so far, every suspect on the Naughty List has been proven 100% guilty!

When Tessa’s own boyfriend shows up on the List, she turns her sleuthing skills on him. Is Aiden just as naughty as all the rest, or will Tessa’s sneaky ways end in catastrophe?

The Naughty List. Is your boyfriend on it?

A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.
When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year,...more  
Review: 
The Naughty List was a funny and unique debut book and such a pleasant surprise! The plot wasn't like anything that I have read before and since it was light and also funny, it made for the perfect book for my reading mood. Moving along quickly with several unexpected events, I bonded with the characters right from the start and just loved the premise of the story. Once I started reading, it was just so cute and good I didn't want to stop, so it didn't take me very long to finish. Despite how unique the plot was and it also very unrealistic that a cheerleading squad would form a society that catches boyfriend cheaters, but it was enjoyable so I didn't mind that it was unrealistic.

Overall, I highly enjoyed reading about the funny and charming SOS cheerleaders! I recommend The Naughty List to any girl who wants revenge for a former cheating boyfriend or just wants to read a story about girls catching the dirty cheaters. I can't wait to get my hands on the second book in the series, So Many Boys! 

Rating:

Queen of Secrets: A Debut Author Challenge Review

Title: Queen of Secrets

Author: Jenny Meyerhoff

Pages: 240
 Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Publication Date: June 22, 2010

My Edition: Hardback

Reading Level: Young Adult
Challenge Read For: 2010 Debut Author Challenge

Received From: Henry Holt InGroup

Summary from Goodreads: 
This year, Essie Green’s life is going to be different. She’s made the cheerleading squad and caught the eye of the captain of the football team
...more This year, Essie Green’s life is going to be different. She’s made the cheerleading squad and caught the eye of the captain of the football team. However, she didn't expect her estranged cousin to join the football team. Micah is instantly branded a freak for praying during games, and Essie doesn’t want anything to do with him. As the football team’s teasing of Micah shifts into hazing, Essie is forced to make a choice between the boy she might love and the cousin she barely knows.
A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.
When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year,...more  
Review: 

Queen of Secrets was a sweet and honest novel about a young teen torn between her best friends, her new boyfriend, her cousin and the popular crowd. The characters and storyline were a tad cliche but nonetheless very enjoyable to read about. I finished basically the entire book in a day while at work during breaks and was very sad when I finished, partly because I loved the characters and also because I didn't have anything else to read. The story moved along quickly through Essie's story and her many secrets and troubles. The ending ended a little too perfectly, but I liked that Essie, her friends, and her family were all happy and that she no longer had to keep any more secrets.

I liked Essie's character, but at some points I just didn't understand how she could be such a follower, naive, and secretive mainly about keeping that the weird, new kid is actually her cousin. She is a good girl but just makes several mistakes along the way of growing up. I liked the relationship between Austin and Essie a lot because Austin always was loyal and kind and also very different than the popular crowd. The back story of her family and dead parents was very troubled and sad, and I could never imagine going through both parents dying then growing up with my grandparents as my guardians.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading about all the great characters and story. I recommend Queen of Secrets to anyone looking for a fast paced, relatable, and fun story with some high school relationships and cliches. Meyerhoff's debut YA novel was a pleasant surprise, so I'm looking forward to hopefully more YA novels by her soon! 

Rating:

Dark Flame Mini Review

Title: Dark Flame

Author: Alyson Noel

Pages: 336
 Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date: June 22, 2010

My Edition: Hardback

Reading Level: Young Adult

Borrowed from: the Library

Summary from Goodreads: 
At the start of this mesmerizing new installment of the Immortals series, Ever is helping her friend Haven transition into life as an immortal. But with Haven drunk on her new powers and carelessly putting them all at risk, their friendship becomes more and more strained. At the same time, Ever delves deeper into magick in order to get control over her enemy Roman and free Damen from his power. But when the spell she casts on Roman backfires, she’s bound to her deadliest enemy. Frantic to reverse the spell the moment the moon enters a new phase, she finds her efforts are fruitless—there’s a strange, foreign pulse coursing through her, one that propels her toward Roman. Desperate to break free of this terrible curse before Damen or the twins can discover what she’s done, she turns to Jude and delves deeper and deeper into dark magick, ultimately risking everything she knows and loves—including Damen.

A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.
When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year,...more  
Review: 

Dark Flame was another great edition to the Immortals Series with a lot more drama and even a major quad love triangle between Ever and her men: Damen, Jude, and Roman. The plot flowed pretty slowly for the most part, but Ever was very dramatic and her trouble & drama were there every step of the way which made the story much more interesting. Between Haven becoming an Immortal & her infatuation with her new powers and Roman and also Ever's many struggles to gain the cure from Roman and to stop her dark side, there was never a dull moment.

The end was super surprising and definitely not at all what I expected. I have become a little bored with the series, but I will continue to read them because I just love Ever and Damen and wish they could finally have their happyily ever after. I hope the last two are better than the last three and as good as the first, so I'm excited to read Night Star when it comes out this November 16th, 2010!

Rating:

My Blood Approves: A Debut Author Challenge Book Review

Title: My Blood Approves

Author: Amanda Hocking
Pages: 266

Publisher: lulu.com

Publication Date: May 5, 2010

My Edition: Paperback
Genre: Paranormal

Reading Level: Young Adult

Received from: Amanda Hocking for review

Summary from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Alice Bonham's life feels out of control after she meets Jack. With his fondness for pink Chuck Taylors and New Wave hits aside, Jack's unlike anyone she's ever met.

Then she meets his brother, Peter. His eyes pierce through her, and she can barely breathe when he's around. Even though he can't stand the sight of her, she's drawn to him.

But falling for two very different guys isn't even the worst of her problems. Jack and Peter are vampires, and Alice finds herself caught between love and her own blood...

Review:

My Blood Approves tells a unique story of a vampire romance with a twist pretty different than most of the vampire stories I've read. Since the tremendous success of the Twilight saga, the popularity has brought tons of literature and movies that involve immortal and fantasy characters. Since then, every book I read that includes vampire characters seem to be rip offs or very similar to Twilight. Stories about vampires are definitely not at all new  and Twilight is also definitely not the most original either. So with that said, My Blood Approves' vampires had some very unique characteristics but the plot had several similarities to the saga. Besides the similarities, the story was very good and very hard to put down because of the romance, drama, and suspense.

The story is about Alice who's saved by a mysterious, older boy while in a sticky situation who later turns out to be a vampire. He attracts everyone around her except herself until she meets his family and they all start to bond over their unusual situation. With the knowledge of their true selves, her life turns upside down and results in her and the two vampire brothers to be in a very messed up love triangle. The stress of their messy relationship was so much fun to read, and I really enjoyed trying to figure out who Alice would end up with, either Jack who is lovable and kind or the one she is meant for the irritable and confused Peter. I loved Jack because he was so funny and nice, but I rooted for Peter and Alice together because her blood is meant for him.

The writing was good but there were several grammatical mistakes which did take away from the story. Besides that, I highly enjoyed My Blood Approves and really need to read the next two in the series. Unfortunately I don't have an ebook reader to read them on, otherwise I would buy them. The covers of the series are absolutely gorgeous and just love the clouds and trees on the vibrant background colors. Hopefully I can read Fate and Flutter very soon. You can buy the ebook of My Blood Approves for only 99 cents at Amazon, so I would recommend buying it right away. Thanks to Amanda for providing with a copy in exchange for a review!

Rating:

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella Review

Title: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner:
An Eclipse Novella
Series: Twilight Saga

Author: Stephenie Meyer
Pages: 192

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: June 5, 2010

My Edition: Hardback

Reading Level: Young Adult

Borrowed from: the Library

Summary from Goodreads:

Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily powerful senses, superhuman reflexes and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood... life before she became a vampire.

All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has few certainties and even fewer rules: watch your back, don't draw attention to yourself and, above all, make it home by sunrise or die. What she doesn't know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out.

Then Bree finds an unexpected friend in Diego, a newborn just as curious as Bree about their mysterious creator, whom they know only as "her". As they come to realize that the newborns are pawns in a game larger than anything they could have imagined, Bree and Diego must choose sides and decide whom to trust. But when everything you know about vampires is based on a lie, how do you find the truth?

Review:

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner was a very interesting and unexpected addition to the Twilight Saga. I was pretty hesitant to read a story about a very minor character in Eclipse but was very surprised by how much I enjoyed reading from Bree's perspective. When starting to read the novella, I started to finally remember Bree's character and how she is destroyed by Jane at the end of the battle. The plot was a little slow at first but was really exciting towards the end. It was a very short book hence being called a novella but did take me awhile to finally finish because I always was distracted while reading it. The style seemed very similar to the other Twilight books but also very different and unique, since it was from an unbiased point of view who knows basically nothing about the Cullens, vampires, or werewolves.

The story involves Bree and her life in a crazy house full of newborns that "she" made and Riley who is in charge of them. Bree and her fellow newborns know absolutely nothing about the rules of being a vampire and also fight and kill each other constantly. They also kill humans relentlessly and carelessly while breaking the vampire code. Bree is much smarter than the others and is starting to find out that Riley is keeping things from them. She starts to befriend and bond with a fellow older newborn, and they together learn that Riley and their mysterious female maker are keeping secrets. The story ends with the final battle, and Bree's life is ended.

It was pretty weird reading about a character who I started to really like but then know she must die by the end. It was a very satisfying read, so I highly recommend reading this Eclipse novella to any Twilight fan and even those who have never read any of the Saga. Some will be disappointed and discouraged to read a story that doesn't involve much of Bella, the Cullens, or the werewolves but believe me Bree's story was very entertaining and unique to read. I look forward to reading more from Stephenie Meyer in the future either about some of the minor characters or a whole new storyline.

Rating:

Flawless Review

 
Title: Flawless

Series: Pretty Little Liars Book 2

Author: Sara Shepard
Pages: 352

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: February 19, 2008

My Edition: Paperback

Reading Level: Young Adult

Bought from: Waldenbooks in box set 

Summary from Amazon:

Spencer stole her sister's boyfriend. Aria is brokenhearted over her English teacher. Emily likes her new friend Maya ... as much more than a friend. Hanna's obsession with looking flawless is making her sick. And their most horrible secret yet is so scandalous that the truth would ruin them forever.

And why shouldn't I tell? They deserve to lose it all. With every crumpled note, wicked IM, and vindictive text message I send, I'll be taking these pretty little liars down. Trust me, I've got enough dirt to bury them alive. 

Review:

Flawless was if possible even better and juicier than the first in the series. I didn't know what to expect after finding out lots of the girls' secrets but wow much more was revealed in the second book. I read Flawless pretty quickly in one day because it was truly too good to put down. Reading the books in the Pretty Little Liars series is definitely never dull, and there is always a new secret.

The story picks right back up after the last where the girls' are still receiving the mysterious messages "A" and several people from the past come back into the girls' lives. Also finally, you will find out the truth about the "Jenna Thing" and believe me, it is an insane secret that really good destroy their perfect lives.

I felt so bad for the friends at times: Emily because of her mean ex-boyfriend taunting her, Spencer when her parents and sister find out her secret, and also for Hanna by the end with her parents. The ending was so surprising and definitely not expected at all. I really couldn't believe what happened many years ago between Toby, Jenna, Allison, and Spencer. I'm really looking forward to reading the next book Perfect very soon! 

Rating:

Pretty Little Liars Review

 
Title: Pretty Little Liars 
Series: Pretty Little Liars Book 1

Author: Sara Shepard

Pages: 304
 Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: August 21, 2007

My Edition: Paperback

Reading Level: Young Adult

Bought from: Waldenbooks in box set 

Summary from Goodreads:

Everyone has something to hide—especially high school juniors Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna. Spencer covets her sister's boyfriend. Aria's fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily's crushing on the new girl at school. Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful. But they've all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished.

How do I know? Because I know everything about the bad girls they were, the naughty girls they are, and all the dirty secrets they've kept. And guess what? I'm telling.

Review:

Pretty Little Liars was filled with mystery, secrets, lies, four former best friends, and even worse someone who knows everything. It was very, very hard to stop reading and very addicting. Some parts in my opinion were a little unrealistic because I never would have done any of the stuff the friends did in seventh grade and wouldn't even do now e.g. drinking and smoking. Other than that, I can't wait to read more about their secrets and watch the show that comes on this Tuesday on ABC Family!

The former friends stories are all very different but all have major secrets that could ruin their lives. Their best friend Ali disappeared three years ago and now in the present, they are getting weird messages from the mysterious "A" who apparently is set on ruining their lives and revealing their secrets. They all share a hideous secret and all is starting to fall apart. The story was pretty out there but was very interesting and enjoyable to read about the girls' lives. Parts were very juicy with gossip and drama, and it also was pretty easy to keep up with all the characters. I liked that each chapter was based on only one of the girls at the time, so it was easier to understand what was going on with each character.

I loved the first book in the series, so I can't wait to devour the others! I really enjoyed the story and characters, so I know I will definitely finish the other books in my box set quickly. I've actually already started the second book and can't believe the secret they all have kept for so many years. If you've seen the preview on ABC Family for the Pretty Little Liars and have been pondering whether to read the series or not, I definitely recommend that you do! Also, if you are just looking for a juicy, scandalous mystery then this series is for you too.

Rating:

The Summer of Skinny Dipping Review: A 2010 Debut Author Challenge Book

Title: The Summer of Skinny Dipping

Author: Amanda Howells

Pages: 304
 Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Publication Date: June 1, 2010

My Edition: ARC Paperback

Reading Level: Young Adult
Challenge Read for: 2010 Debut Author Challenge

Received from: Sourcebooks for review

Summary from Goodreads: 
"Sometimes I still wake up shivering in the early hours of the morning, drowning in dreams of being out there in the ocean that summer, of looking up at the moon and feeling as invisible and free as a fish. But I'm jumping ahead, and to tell the story right I have to go back to the very beginning. To a place called Indigo Beach. To a boy with pale skin that glowed against the dark waves. To the start of something neither of us could have predicted, and which would mark us forever, making everything that came after and before seem like it belonged to another life. My name is Mia Gordon: I was sixteen years old, and I remember everything...."

After getting dumped by her boyfriend, Mia is looking forward to spending a relaxing summer in the Hamptons with her glamorous cousins. But when she arrives she find her cousins distant, moody, and caught up with a fast crowd. Mia finds herself lonelier than ever, until she meets her next-door-neighbor, Simon Ross. And from the very first time he encourages her to go skinny dipping, she's caught in a current impossible to resist.

Timeless in feel, The Summer of Skinny-Dipping is a poignant, literary coming-of-age romance that will live on long after summer has ended. 

Review: 
The Summer of Skinny Dipping was much different than I was expecting but in a very good way. I didn't expect the great and emotional story and definitely not the sad and dramatic ending. The writing and story line was very detailed and easy to follow. I read it fairly quickly and even cried pretty hard at the ending. It is a perfect summer read which is good since summer is approaching quickly! I've loved basically every debut novel I've read so far this year, and this has held up as a really great one also.

The story begins with Mia who was just dumped by her first boyfriend and is going to spend the summer in the Hamptons with her family at her aunt's and cousins' beach house. She used to have a close relationship with her cousin but when she arrives she finds her cousin changed, distant, and moody with major issues. When Mia meets the boy next door Simon, everything starts to change. They start to form a close relationship as friends and then bond over late nights. The story focuses on solving family problems, finding first true love, and most importantly learning how to trust and how to be a friend.

The story moved along quickly from each night to the next and had absolutely no dull moments. I enjoyed reading about the late night swims Mia and Simon went on and especially enjoyed once they started to really bond and open up to one another. Mia's cousins were very irritating at times since they were total snobs, but as I found out more about their situation, they became more tolerable to read. At the beginning of the summer, Mia was a troubled teen with many family and self issues, but by the end of the summer, she finally found her true self and experienced the best summer of her life. 

The Summer of Skinny Dipping reminded me a lot of Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler because of the similar themes, but both had a very different storyline. If you liked Ockler's book or want to read a fun summer book, then I would definitely recommend reading The Summer of Skinny Dipping. Since I really enjoyed Howells's first YA novel, I'm looking forward to reading more YA stories by her in the future! 

Rating:

Titus and Atreus Review

Title: Titus and Atreus: 
Series: The Angel Saga Book One

Author: Meridi Myers

Pages: 336
 Publisher: Hero Publishing

Publication Date: December 1, 2009

My Edition: Signed Paperback
Genre: Fantasy

Reading Level: Young Adult

Received from: Meridi Myers for review

Summary from Amazon: 
Grief-stricken by the loss of his parents, Titus Attwater is convinced his life will never improve. His older sister ignores his calls, his grades in school have plummeted, and his house, once a place of warmth and security, is now lonely, cold, and alien. But when a young man appears one night in Titus's house, claiming he came in upstairs through the full-length mirror, Titus's life gets turned upside-down. For, as Titus soon discovers, this intruder is not from Earth. Against his will, Titus is kidnapped and taken to another world, a place like Earth but markedly different. It is here where he will befriend angels, face assassins, and help a young prince unravel a prophecy that proves much darker and more twisted than any of them had imagined.

Review:

Titus and Atreus was an interesting fantasy novel that was very unique and different than many other YA fantasy novels. I really liked the idea that each person has a twin soul living on another planet. Also, it was very cool how Atreus's and Titus's lives were connected even though they lived on two very different planets: their girlfriends have the same birthday, they lost their parents on the same day, broke their leg at the same time, and many other same occurrences. The characters were all very intriguing and special in their own way, and I really loved all their unique names.

The plot was slow at times but was very easy to read and follow. It took me awhile to finish only because I just got distracted with other books I was reading. The only problem I had was I kept mixing up and even forgetting who some of the characters were, but I really liked how the author switched up the locations in the book because it always kept things interesting. A little romance was in the book (which I always love reading about), and the end especially was filled with it. The angels in Titus and Atreus were very funny and entertaining, and I really enjoyed the relationship they had with the main characters. My favorite characters were Juno who is Atreus's and eventually Titus's bodyguard and Myra who is Atreus's love because they were nice, strong, good characters!

The ending was just so perfect and happy. I loved it because it just was the best ending possible for the book. It was very surprising and finally revealed the outcome of the prophecy between Atreus and Titus. I really enjoyed Titus and Atreus, so I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the saga when it's released. Meridi Myers did a fantastic job on her debut novel, and I really recommend reading her first book!

Rating:

Private Books 7 and 8: Ambition and Revelation Mini Reviews

 Titles: Private Books 7 and 8: Ambition and Revelation Author: Kate Brian
Pages: 279 and 288
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: May 6, 2008 and September 16, 2008
My Edition: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult
Borrowed From: the Library

 

Ambition (Book 7) from Amazon:
The higher you climb, the farther you have to fall.... Reed Brennan knew being elected president of exclusive Billings Hall would change her life. What she didn't count on was being dumped by her boyfriend, Josh Hollis, or being held responsible for a fire that destroyed Easton Academy's oldest building.

And now the administration wants to shut Billings down. Forever. As president, it's up to Reed to save Billings Hall. What better way to win over the head­master than to host a glam fund-raising event in New York City? Everyone needs a date, and the newly single Reed is the most eligible girl on campus. All of Easton's hottest boys are angling to take her out, and for once, Reed's biggest problem is which one to choose.

Reed has never felt so popular or powerful -- until the police start asking questions about Cheyenne Martin's death. Excited party buzz quickly turns to whispered rumors and dark moods, and one thing becomes clear: There is someone who wants to see Billings, and Reed, go down. And they will do anything to make it happen. 

Revelation (Book 8) Summary from Amazon: 

The biggest mystery of all...and Reed is dying to learn the truth. Two months after Cheyenne Martin was found dead in her Billings House dorm room, exclusive Easton Academy is rocked by another stunning revelation: Cheyenne was murdered. No one knows who the killer is, but everyone agrees that Reed Brennan, who took over Cheyenne's role as Billings's president, gained the most from her death. Once the most powerful girl on campus, Reed is now powerless to stop her classmates' accusing whispers. Rumors begin to swirl that she killed Cheyenne.

And just like that, Reed is kicked out of Billings. She's lost everything -- her friends, her home, her boyfriend -- and Reed knows the only way to get it all back is to figure out who really murdered Cheyenne. And she has to do it fast because the killer is still out there. The more Reed investigates, the more she uncovers. And as any Billings Girl knows...secrets can be deadly. 

Review of both books: 

Oh my, how much I'm I addicted to the Private series? I'm so addicted that I read both in less than a day and read each in less than two hours! I just got the 7th and 8th at the library last night and finished them this morning during school. I just love all the drama between Reed, her friends, psycho murderers, schoolmates, and the Billings Girls. The cliffhangers at the end of all of them are very hard not to have the next to read right away. 

Luckily, there are several out right now I haven't read yet, and all of them are at the library just waiting for me to check them out! I'm definitely going to the library to get the next few, and then I will read the second book in the spin off series, Privilege. I know the Private series may not be for everyone, but I really recommend giving them a try! 

Ambition and Revelation were just filled with tons of unexpected events. Unfortunately for Reed, the presidency turns out to be the worst thing that could've happened to her. The mystery of who killed Cheyenne is solved and so is the totally unexpected revelation of who the murderer/stalker really is and who she is related to. Of course each ending just left craving for more, so that is why I finished them so quickly. The ending of Revelation was totally crazy, and it left off with a very dramatic and scary way. I'm so excited to read the ninth one in the series, Paradise Lost! 

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