[Review: Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas]

"Ask Again Later"
Author: Liz Czukas
Series: None
Pages: 336
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Date Published: March 11th, 2014
Publisher: Harper Teen
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

 Despite what her name might suggest, Heart has zero interest in complicated romance. So when her brilliant plan to go to prom with a group of friends is disrupted by two surprise invites, Heart knows there's only one drama-free solution: flip a coin.

Heads: The jock. He might spend all night staring at his ex or throw up in the limo, but how bad can her brother's best friend really be?

Tails: The theater geek...with a secret. What could be better than a guy who shares all Heart's interests--even if he wants to share all his feelings?

Heart's simple coin flip has somehow given her the chance to live out both dates. But where her prom night ends up might be the most surprising thing of all...

-Goodreads 

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Ask Again Later,

First off, you get one of the funniest open letter titles yet.  So thanks for having a name like yours.  Guess we make quite a team.  Also, thanks for all the laughter.  I enjoy a good laugh and you really pulled out all the stops on that front.  Also for a book that only really took place on one night, you did a good job with the cute, swoony, slow burn romance.  Well done, book, well done.  I think your efforts for being awesome should be confirmed with an epic slow clap, of which I will start right now...

-The White Unicorn

Ask Again Later is the stuff that dreams and nightmares are made of.  No, not devil baby nightmares, but the ones where you're naked in front of your class, giving a speech and everyone else is wearing clothes, nightmares.  Yes, the funny kind.  Pretty much everything about this book was a riot and just a all around good time.  Czukas knows how to deliver humor like a champ.  She infuses her story with all the correct elements: snark, awkward situations and a world that is out to derail Heart's perfect prom night.  She gets just how unsettling a night like prom can be and then expands on that idea.  Yep, she just goes ahead and doubles the fun.  Giving us, not one, but two horrendous prom nights.

Yes, this book is "let's make Christianna laugh uncontrollably and loudly in pubic so people stare" funny, but it's also wonderfully clever.  Heart's friend asks a Magic 8 ball which guy Heart should go to prom with and when the piece of plastic fails by telling them to ask again later, she takes things into her own hands and depends on a coin to tell her what to do.  Maybe the whole point is that we shouldn't trust inadament objects with life decisions?  Anyway, this gives Czukas the perfect tool to tell Heart's story.  It bounces us back and forth between Heart's night as it would go if she picked Troy and what her night would be like if she picked Ryan.  Both give us so many awkward moments that it works out great for the reader.  

Oh, the awkward moments.  Heart sure does get into her fair share of them in both scenarios.  Broken zippers, girl fights, water wars, broken cars, crazy boys and much more end up happening to her on the night that she thought was going to be epic.  She thought things were going to be simple when she decided to go with her friend group, but these two, very different boys come on the scene and throw everything off course.  You have to feel for her.  It was interesting to see a girl who didn't want to date in a contemporary novel.  It made Heart as unique as her name and honestly created more trouble for her than all the trouble that she thought it would save her.  She was a relatable heroine with enough of a sense of humor that you didn't find her annoying or full of self pity.  She grabbed the odd adventure that was her prom, by the reins, and just went for it.  You gotta love a girl like that.

I loved that Heart's group of friends were used in both story lines.  In fact the whole cast showed up in both versions of the night.  I loved that.  Also, there was this really sincere and awesome slow burn romance.  This book takes place over one night.  I don't know how Czukas did it, but she made the romance seem nothing like the horrid thing called insta-love.  So BRAVO!  Schroeder was adorable and the best guy ever.  Hello, new book boyfriend.  Okay, so he needed to speak up, but other then that, he's a winner in my book!  I mean, just shut up and kiss her already.  Am I right, or am I right?  (Sorry to those of you that haven't read this yet and have no idea what I'm talking about...)

If you've ever had a prom night that was out to get you, if you've never gone to prom but want to know what could/could have happened, or if you just want a grand laugh at the expense of some awesome characters, Ask Again Later is the right book for you!

Rating:

       4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!

[Waiting On Wednesday: Flirty Dancing]

Waiting On Wednesday happens every week on Wednesdays (hence the name) and is hosted by Breaking The Spine.  It's were people talk about the books they want to read about that aren't out yet.

My pick this week is...

"Flirty Dancing"
Author: Jenny McLachlan
Release Date: July 3rd, 2014

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Summary:

Bea Hogg is shy but fiery inside. When national dance competition Starwars comes to her school looking for talent, she wants to sign up. It's just a shame her best friend agreed to enter with school super-cow Pearl Harris. Bea will fight back! But when school hottie, Ollie Matthews, who also happens to be Pearl’s boyfriend, decides to enter the competition with Bea, she will have more than a fight on her hands.

This warm, nuanced, hilarious story about friendship, fortitude . . . and dancing is impossible not to fall in love with. Jenny’s voice is fresh and convincing, and she handles both darker and lighter elements of the story with equal panache.

-Goodreads

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This book sounds amazing!  I love that the dance competition is called "Starwars."  I mean, come on, how great is that.  Also, I love all things dance related, so there is no question about whether or not I'll be reading this one!

 

What are you waiting on this week?  I wanna know!   

[Review: Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski]

"Don't Even Think About It"
Author: Sarah Mlynowski
Series: None
Pages: 320
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Sci Fi,
Date Published: March 11th, 2014
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via NetGalley) for honest review

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Summary:

Contemporary teen fiction with romance, secrets, scandals, and ESP from the author of Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have).

We weren't always like this. We used to be average New York City high school sophomores. Until our homeroom went for flu shots. We were prepared for some side effects. Maybe a headache. Maybe a sore arm. We definitely didn't expect to get telepathic powers. But suddenly we could hear what everyone was thinking. Our friends. Our parents. Our crushes. Now we all know that Tess is in love with her best friend, Teddy. That Mackenzie cheated on Cooper. That, um, Nurse Carmichael used to be a stripper.

Since we've kept our freakish skill a secret, we can sit next to the class brainiac and ace our tests. We can dump our boyfriends right before they dump us. We know what our friends really think of our jeans, our breath, our new bangs. We always know what's coming. Some of us will thrive. Some of us will crack. None of us will ever be the same.
So stop obsessing about your ex. We're always listening.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Don't Even Think About It,

The fact is, I think that a lot of people are going to think about you book.  I think a lot of people are going to want to pick you up and read you.  And I hope that most of them like you better than I did.  The thing is, I just didn't connect with you.  Maybe I'm too old for you?  Because, I didn't think you were terrible and you got pretty cute near the end, but we didn't click, did we?  No, we didn't connect at all.  Sorry about that... or am I?

-The White Unicorn 

I'm a huge fan of satire, a huge fan.  So I was excited to read this book.  It sounded like the perfect book for me.  Kids get a flu shot and then they can hear everyone around them.  Sounds perfect.  I'm not gonna say that this book didn't have a lot going for it, because it did, but I also have to tell you that most of the book irritated me.  Satire is hit or miss and for some reason I didn't click with the brand that Mlynowski came up with.  I think that it has to do with the confusing narration and really young elements of the plot.  Which makes me think that this book is going to be a hit with younger readers.

There are so many lead characters in this book and then a collective "we" who seems to be telling the story.  I want to tell you that this worked for me, cause I love when people throw a different form of narration at me, but it just felt confusing and jumbled.  We were in so many people's heads, seeing so many different things all at the same time that it got too chaotic.  I just couldn't connect with any of them on a personal level.  Sure, they were entertaining and they added to the plot, but there was wall there for me, that I couldn't break through it, no matter how hard I tried.  

Also, all these girls were attracted to jerks.  Okay, they weren't all jerks and not all the girls had clean slates either, but I wish that there would have been some version of a healthy relationship.  I mean, one showed up near the end that made me swoony for a total of 3 seconds, but over all I found all the relationship toxicity to be more than a little overkill.

I did like the idea that there wasn't a main villain.  The kids were each others villains and that actually really worked for me.  It created some pretty funny, yet juvenile moments.  They just couldn't hide from each other, ever.  This was probably the strongest element of the plot and I've got to hand it to Mlynowski for thinking outside of the box.

So, in the end I didn't connect with this one for all the reasons I mentioned above and the parts that did work were smothered in all the other things that didn't work for me.  Does that mean you shouldn't give this one a try?  No, you should, if you want to.  I believe this one has it's place.  It's place just isn't with me.

Rating:

  2 Unicorns = It was okay, but something just didn't work for me!

[Review: The Fault on Our Stars by John Green]

"The Fault in Our Stars"
Author: John Green
Series: None
Pages: 318
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Date Published: January 12th, 2012
Publisher: Dutton Books
Format Read: Gifted eBook

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Summary:

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To The Fault In Our Stars,

So, thanks for taking my heart strings and turning them into a huge pile of scrap metal.  That was so nice of you book, super nice of you.  But who am I kidding, I refused to read you for years (literal years) which was one of the most ridiculous things I've ever done in my life.  Sure you demolished my heart, but you also brought so much laughter and joy and one of the best book boyfriends that I've ever read in my life to my door.  But let's not forget about Hazel and how awesome she was too.  Honestly, I have no complaints about you, at all.  Okay, the heart shattering wasn't cool, but I get it, so I'll let that slide.

-The White Unicorn

Why haven't I read any John Green books before.  This man is a genius with words and even better then that he's the master of dialogue!  Seriously, the conversations in this book were perfect.  They were real and they made you feel all the feelings in your soul.  It takes a really talented writer to handle dialogue like Mr. Green and I'm glad that I finally gave in and read TFiOS.  Sometimes being a rebel comes back to bite you in the butt, that's all I'm saying.

TFiOS deals with cancer, but it's how Green deals with it that really makes this book something special.  He doesn't soak the book in depression, sure he dips it in every once in awhile, but that's to be expected.  The thing is that this book is full of insurmountable amounts of hope and laughter and snark and reality that will blow your mind away.  This book is hilarious, like hold your gut and gag on air funny.  These characters are witty as all get out.  It's really a beautiful thing, on so many levels.

I also have to thank Green for creating one of my favorite contemporary male leads ever.  Augustus Waters is as close to perfect as it comes!  He's snarky, he's funny, he's got just the right amount of "hero complex" without it getting out of hand and he's the sweetest.  He was the perfect other half for our girl Hazel.  And I'm pretty sure that he's been stealing the hearts of girls all over the world.

Speaking of Hazel, she's someone who I'd be friends with any day.  Being inside of her head for the whole book was really a privilege.  She was the perfect voice for this story.  She wasn't afraid to try to live her life as all of the side affects of dying were trying to get at her, but she also knew that her time would come at some point.  She had so much dignity as well as huge amounts of correctly used dark humor.  

But those two aren't the only people who will warm your heart in this book.  Hazel's parents are the coolest book parents I've ever read.  I loved that her dad cried so much.  And Issac was the best friend these kids could have had.  And how can we forget about Patrick and his ball-cancer?  

TFiOS is character driven to the max and it's executed so well that it still has a lot of action happening too.  Trips to foreign countries, blind video game playing and more exciting things get covered in the story.  Honestly, if you haven't read TFiOS, take a tip from me and dive right in.  Don't let the fact that you'll need a whole box of tissues make you miss out on this wonderful book!

Rating:

   5 Unicorns = Get your hands on this NOW! 

[Review: Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill]

"Being Sloane Jacobs"
Author: Lauren Morrill
Series: None
Pages: 352
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Date Published: January 7th, 2014
Publisher: Delacorte
Format Read: ARC won from publisher

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Summary:

Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life.

Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she’s playing the worst she’s ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over.

When the two Sloanes meet by chance in Montreal and decide to trade places for the summer, each girl thinks she’s the lucky one: no strangers to judge or laugh at Sloane Emily, no scouts expecting Sloane Devon to be a hero. But it didn’t occur to Sloane E. that while avoiding sequins and axels she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It’s not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you’re someone else might be more difficult than being yourself.

-Goodreads 

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My Thoughts:

An Open Letter To Being Sloane Jacobs,

Okay, so first off thanks for being so dang cute.  Seriously, you were one of the cutest books that I've read in a long time.  You gave me these two Sloane's who were totally different and yet both filled to the max with their own versions of snark.  You gave me dreamy boys and interesting skating details.  But most importantly, you gave me a great and warm and fuzzy story about two girls finding themselves and what's not to love about that?  Nothing, the answer is that nothing is not to love about that!

-The White Unicorn

I'll say it right now, I'm a huge fan of Lauren Morrill as an author.  Have I read her other book yet?  Nope, but I feel like I need to get on that in a hurry.  Contemporary books aren't my personal favorite, but every once in awhile one comes along that just makes me laugh and smile and feel all the happy feels!  Being Sloane Jacobs did all of these things while also delivering a really cool message at the same time.  The book is really about finding yourself and Morrill isn't afraid to make the journey amazingly fun along the way.  Plus, she puts so many awesome pop culture references in the pages that you find yourself wanting to high five her when she writes about Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

The novel is one part Parent Trap, one part The Cutting Edge and one huge helping of originality.  Morrill gives us two girls that seem really different at first glance, even if they do have the same name.  It's a genius idea to have both of the girl's names be Sloane Jacobs.  It's creates the perfect, yet predictable mix up that gives the girls a chance to switch places.  They are both running from things and both have a lot resting on their selected summer camps.  And then in a split second they are swapping hockey jerseys for skin tight Lycra and vice versa.

Sloane Devon was a feisty one.  She had so much snark in her bones that she always had me laughing.  Sure she's got a huge chip on her shoulder and a a reason to want to get away from her life, but she's still really likeable.  It was a blast to see her trying to fit into Sloane Emily's high class, figure skating life.  I honestly couldn't stop myself from laughing at most of the things she said.  Morrill created her with some great comedic timing.

Sloane Emily appeared to be the weaker character to me in the beginning, but pretty soon I found myself liking her as much as Sloane Devon.  You'd get to the point where you were just about to write her off and then she'd do or say something that was brilliant and funny and awesome.  She had a sneakier approach to her snark that totally worked for her.  Because her life isn't as peachy as it seems either.  She comes into her own as she teams up with the other hockey players and she builds a thicker skin.  It's awesome to watch.  In the end I ended up totally digging both of them.

There is a bit of romance in the pages, but it doesn't overwhelm the plot line.  Which I thought worked for the book.  I felt like since the romance wasn't the main focus, both seemed a little bit rushed, but overall it worked for me.  Plus, Morrill knows how to pack a swoon punch, so even with the little bits of rom/com she threw in, you still got that "how sweet" feeling in your stomach.

All in all I say give this one a shot.  It's one of the cutest books I've ever read and I'd highly recommend it!

Rating:

    4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!

[Waiting On Wednesday: Let's Get Lost]

Waiting On Wednesday happens every week on Wednesdays (hence the name) and is hosted by Breaking The Spine.  It's were people talk about the books they want to read about that aren't out yet.

My pick this week is...

"Let's Get Lost"
Author: Adi Alsaid
Release Date: July 29th, 2014

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Summary:

Five strangers. Countless adventures.One epic way to get lost.

Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named LEILA. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most.

There's HUDSON, a small-town mechanic who is willing to throw away his dreams for true love. And BREE, a runaway who seizes every Tuesday—and a few stolen goods along the way. ELLIOT believes in happy endings…until his own life goes off-script. And SONIA worries that when she lost her boyfriend, she also lost the ability to love.

Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila's own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth— sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you're looking for is to get lost along the way.

-Goodreads 

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Even though I really have no idea what this one is about, it sounds like a winner to me.  I also like that the summary is really long and yet it leaves you with a lot of questions.  That makes me think that there will be a bit of a mystery hanging over the whole book and there is nothing wrong with that.  

What are you waiting on this week?  I wanna know!  

[Waiting On Wednesday: Wish You Were Italian]

Waiting On Wednesday happens every week on Wednesdays (hence the name) and is hosted by Breaking The Spine.  It's were people talk about the books they want to read about that aren't out yet.

My pick this week is...

"Wish You Were Italian"
Author: Kristin Rae
Release Date: May 6th, 2014

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Summary:

 Pippa is in Italy for the summer and, despite her parents’ wishes, she has no intention of just studying the local art! She has a list of things of her own to do: from swimming in the Mediterranean Sea to getting a makeover – and falling for an Italian boy! As Pippa explores the dramatic ruins of Rome and Pompeii, she is swept into her own drama with two guys: an irresistible local she knows is nothing but trouble and a cute American archaeology student . . . Will she find her true love?

The perfect reckless romance to enjoy whether you are home or abroad.

-Goodreads

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This book sounds like the perfect summer read!  Who doesn't love a book about travel in the middle of the heat and what not.  Plus this one sounds really really cute!

What are you waiting on this week?  I wanna know!   

[Waiting On Wednesday: Vivian Divine Is Dead]

Waiting On Wednesday happens every week on Wednesdays (hence the name) and is hosted by Breaking The Spine.  It's were people talk about the books they want to read about that aren't out yet.

My pick this week is...

"Vivian Divine is Dead"
Author: Lauren Sabel
Release Date: June 3rd, 2014

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Summary:

 In this fast-paced adventure set in Mexico, teen celebrity Vivian Divine goes on the run after receiving a death threat, and discovers that everything she thought she knew about her charmed life—and the boy she loves—is a lie.

-Goodreads 

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So, this one sounds awesome!  I'm a fan of the fact that this girl has no idea what her real life is actually like.  It sounds like it's going to be heartfelt and also really messy.  I really enjoy messy contemporaries, so hopefully this one doesn't disappoint?!

What are you waiting on this week?  I wanna know!   

[Review: Olivia Twisted by Vivi Barnes]

"Olivia Twisted"
Author: Vivi Barnes
Series: None
Pages: 352
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Retellings
Date Published: November 5th, 2013
Publisher: EntangledTeen
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher for honest review

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Summary:

Olivia

He tilts my chin up so my eyes meet his, his thumb brushing lightly across my lips. I close my eyes. I know Z is trouble. I know that being with him is going to get me into trouble. I don’t care.

At least at this moment, I don’t care.

Tossed from foster home to foster home, Olivia’s seen a lot in her sixteen years. She’s hardened, sure, though mostly just wants to fly under the radar until graduation. But her natural ability with computers catches the eye of Z, a mysterious guy at her new school. Soon, Z has brought Liv into his team of hacker elite—break into a few bank accounts, and voila, he drives a motorcycle. Follow his lead, and Olivia might even be able to escape from her oppressive foster parents. As Olivia and Z grow closer, though, so does the watchful eye of Bill Sykes, Z’s boss. And he’s got bigger plans for Liv…

Z

I can picture Liv’s face: wide-eyed, trusting. Her smooth lips that taste like strawberry Fanta.

It was just a kiss. That’s all. She’s just like any other girl.

Except that she’s not.

Thanks to Z, Olivia’s about to get twisted.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

Olivia Twisted is an interesting retelling that flips Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist into something more assessable to the modern teen.  It stays fairly true to the original, though Barnes doesn't make it quite as dark as the original.  (which can either be a good call or a not so good one, depending on how dark you like your books)  It's got a lot of the same themes and yet also provides a high dose of romance, which ended up working better than I thought it would.  I can't tell you that I'm well versed in Oliver Twist, the novel, but I am familiar with the musical and a few of the movies.  I just can't get into Dickens' writing style and trust me, I've tried.

This book also played into my nerdy side.  It was cool that Barnes decided to use hacking instead of normal everyday theft and it was a brilliant decision.  She also managed to keep it all on a level that made it easy to understand for everyone, which is a good thing in my eyes.  It was kinda fun to see a whole bunch of teenage hackers running around a mansion stealing money.  It made sense for the retelling and it really worked for the plot as well.

Olivia was an interesting character.  She was primarily a good girl who just couldn't get out of a bad situation.  Seriously, weird stuff followed her around.  Barnes really had fun playing with her internal conflict and it really worked and helped you get to know her main character.  Plus, once the love story comes in Olivia really gets twisted (as in she doesn't know what she really wants)

Z was the bad boy with a heart of gold.  He's also a player.  I think it would have been a bit interesting is he would have been a bit more of a bad boy, but at the same time that might have been a little weird.  He was interesting and caused a lot of internal conflict in Olivia and himself.  Plus the way he liked to stick his foot in his mouth was always entertaining.

The book is told in duel POV, switching between Z and Olivia.  It worked here, better than I would have guessed.  The voices were distinct and really blended well to tell the story.  Plus, I think it made the romance feel a bit more real.  Cause Z was a tough nut to crack and it was nice to be able to see what he was thinking.

The rest of the characters filled their roles well too.  You had Bill and Nancy and a handful of other hackers who filled the roles of the other thieves from the original tale.  It was cool to see more female roles placed into things.  

Overall Olivia Twisted was a great retelling that hit all the right notes and will introduce a whole younger generation to one of the classic stories in literature.  

Actual Rating: 3.5

 

    I liked it a lot, but it had it's issues!

[Review: Miss Fortune Cookie by Lauren Bjorkman]

"Miss Fortune Cookie"
Author: Lauren Bjorkman
Series: None
Pages: 279
Genre: YA Contemporary
Date Published: November 13th, 2012
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Format Read:Finished hardback received through ARCycling

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Summary:

Meet Erin. Smart student, great daughter, better friend. Secretly the mastermind behind the popular advice blog Miss Fortune Cookie. Totally unaware that her carefully constructed life is about to get crazy.

It all begins when her ex-best friend sends a letter to her blog—and then acts on her advice. Erin’s efforts to undo the mess will plunge her into adventure, minor felonies, and possibly her very first romance.

What’s a likely fortune for someone no longer completely in control of her fate? Hopefully nothing like: You will become a crispy noodle in the salad of life.

-Goodreads 

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My Thoughts:

I can't tell you that I loved this book, because I didn't, but I thought I'd start this review by telling you things that I did like, cause there were some really cool things happening in there.  I loved that Erin isn't actually Chinese, she American/Irish but she grew up in China and has Chinese friends.  It keeps things interesting.  I also loved the advice column that she writes and with a name like Miss Fortune Cookie how can't you love it.  Also the protest that they put on at Lowell High School was awesome!  It was great to see all these kids and their parents standing up to Westboro Baptist Church and standing for equality, all the kinds of equality.  The protest actually happened in San Fransisco and I love when history sneaks into fiction.

I actually think that Bjorkman had a great basis for her story.  She had lots of little details that I loved from interactions with the homeless people on the San Fransisco streets (I go there often and it's pretty true to life) to Erin's donkey collection.  You could tell that she really took her time building the world that held her characters, which I fully appreciate.  She definitely created something unique.

Sadly her characters and some of the craziness of her plot didn't hold up for me.  So much so that I couldn't give this book a higher rating.  Though the book kept telling me that Erin, Mei and Linny were all 18, or close to it, I just didn't buy it.  They all read like they were no older than 16, max.  My brain couldn't connect with them, cause it couldn't wrap itself around the fact that they were older then they appeared to be.  Their immaturity grated on me to no end.  Half of the "big conflicts" of the story could have been avoided had these girls actually talked to each other, like the adults that were trying to be.  They all wanted to make me *head desk* on more than one occasion.  

That being said I did like that Bjorkman actually wrote about family relationships.  I loved the relationship that Erin and her mom had.  It was refreshing and cute and loveable.  And even the harder one between Mei and her mom was realistic.  

The shining star of the book for me though was Lincoln.  He becomes a part of the book when the crazy starts to happen, aka when the plot gets really random and weird, but I loved him.  Seriously, this 9 year old little boy stole the show for me.  He almost made the random worth it, almost.  Also, the love interest was pretty cool, even if he was as all over the place as Erin was herself.  There was some major insta-love, but it actually kinda worked with the strangeness of the over all plot.  

So even though Miss Fortune Cookie had its complete ups, it also had its downs and sadly the downs got in the way of my enjoyment of this book.  Though I can see younger YA readers totally connecting to the characters in a way that I couldn't!  

Rating:

     2 Unicorns = It was okay, but something just didn't work for me!       

[Review: The Chaos Of Stars by Kiersten White]

"The Chaos of Stars"
Author: Kiersten White
Series: None
Pages: 288
Genre: YA Contemporary, Mythology, Retellings
Date Published: September 10th, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher (via Edelweiss) for honest review

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Summary:

Isadora’s family is seriously screwed up.

Of course, as the human daughter of Egyptian gods, that pretty much comes with the territory. She’s also stuck with parents who barely notice her, and a house full of relatives who can’t be bothered to remember her name. After all, they are going to be around forever—and she’s a mere mortal.

Isadora’s sick of living a life where she’s only worthy of a passing glance, and when she has the chance to move to San Diego with her brother, she jumps on it. But Isadora’s quickly finding that a “normal” life comes with plenty of its own epic complications—and that there’s no such thing as a clean break when it comes to family. Much as she wants to leave her past behind, she can’t shake the ominous dreams that foretell destruction for her entire family. When it turns out there may be truth in her nightmares, Isadora has to decide whether she can abandon her divine heritage after all.

-Goodreads 

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My Thoughts:

This book sounds epic right?  White poses the question of what would it be like if Egyptian gods still lived today and were popping out babies like they popped pop corn.  It's an interesting concept.  It presents some really funny moments and also gives the story an extremely dramatic flare.  In those ways I totally dug The Chaos of Stars, but in some ways it was nowhere near my favorite book.  Sure I enjoyed it while I read it.  I thought it was clever and that the characters were full of snark and humor, but something about it also grated slightly on my nerves in a way that was distracting from the heaps of enjoyment the story was giving me.

My favorite part of the book was the way that White weaved the mythology of Egypt into the book.  Every chapter begins with a little history lesson of the gods in a really engaging and witty way.  It makes what some would call an "info dumb" blend in with the rest of the story.  Isadora always added some little insider family secret into these stories that made them seem personal to the rest of the book.  It was like she just wanted to make sure you knew what was going on and then she added these little moments that only she would know about.  It was fantastic!

It was also hilarious to see these ancient gods interacting with a normal human teenager, even if she was their offspring.  It presented some really funny and humorous moments that I simply adored.  Anubis smells like embalming fluid (I'm sure that's pleasant) and Osiris has a magical male body part that his wife Isis had to build him when she brought him back to life, cause a fish ate his real one.  It's just stuff that you'd never think about, and it's great.

I enjoyed the book when we were still in Egypt, but something got a little weird when the story shifted to San Diego.  I still enjoyed the Egyptian tie ins but Isadora started to be that thing I mentioned that grated on my nerves.  You see she didn't understand what her immortal parents were doing for her, and she got a major case of the angst.  I'm a huge fan of the teenage angst, but this teetered on being so stubborn that she was causing her own problems that weren't even there to begin with.  I wish her brother Sirus would have had a chat with her much earlier in the book, cause then I don't think I would have had an issue with her.

There is also a bit of a romance, which I thought was done really well!  There was no insta-love guys!  But at the same time Isadora was really not helping Ry at all in the "lets be a couple thing".  I liked Ry's part in the book.  Gotta love a hunky Greek guy (Greek power!) and he caused some really cool conversations to take place.  

All in all I really did enjoy The Chaos of Stars.  I've always had a thing for mythology and I think that White has done a wonderful job in using and infiltrating this book with it.  I only wish that I would have loved all of the characters as much as I loved the concept and humor filled moments.  I'm definitely interested in checking out more books from White.

Rating:

    3 Unicorns = I liked it a lot but it had it's issues!

[Review: The Trouble With Flirting by Claire LaZebnik]

"The Trouble With Flirting"
Author: Claire LaZebnik
Pages: 336
Genre: YA Contemporary, Retellings
Date Published: February 26th, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format Read: Received from ARCycling 

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Summary:

Franny's supposed to be working this summer, not flirting. But you can't blame her when guys like Alex and Harry are around. . . .

Franny Pearson never dreamed she'd be attending the prestigious Mansfield Summer Theater Program. And she's not, exactly. She's working for her aunt, the resident costume designer. But sewing her fingers to the bone does give her an opportunity to spend time with her crush, Alex Braverman. If only he were as taken with the girl hemming his trousers as he is with his new leading lady.

When Harry Cartwright, a notorious flirt, shows more than a friendly interest in Franny, she figures it can't hurt to have a little fun. But as their breezy romance grows more complicated, can Franny keep pretending that Harry is just a carefree fling? And why is Alex suddenly giving her those deep, meaningful looks? In this charming tale of mixed messages and romantic near-misses, one thing is clear: Flirting might be more trouble than Franny ever expected.

-Goodreads 

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My Thoughts:

I have to admit that Mansfield Park is one of my favorite Jane Austen novels, but I haven't read or watched it in forever.  That being said, I was as excited as a small child sitting on Santa's lap when I got my hands on a copy of this book.  I definitely lets you know that it is based on Austen's classic novel, but also takes some different turns.  I mean, there aren't things like marriage proposals or war or affairs that ruin marriages.  I mean it is set in High School for goodness sakes.  But Mansfield itself makes an appearance.  It's like "hey I'm a college called Mansfield, wonder where that name came from..."

LaZebnik gives us all the things that you love about the story, but tweaks it in ways that makes it available and relatable to teens!  Plus, it's just so darn cute that if the book had a face, you would want to pinch its rosy cheeks.  

I loved that acting and the kind of drama that goes with it played a large role in this book.  A whole load of teens from all over audition to participate in Mansfield College's acting program and our main girl Franny ends up going, not as an actor, but for her summer job helping her Aunt make costumes.  Of course Franny and her Aunt don't get along the best, even though they can still tolerate each other.  But Franny doesn't mind much, because she gets to eat with and interact with the other kids in the program, when she's not sewing what they are all going to be wearing on stage, that is. 

She quickly realizes that her old pal Julia and Julia's sexy brother Alex are in the program, which gives her an in to the "it" crowd.  Of course there are a slew of other cool kids that mesh into their group.  Lawrence, Isabella, Vanessa, Marie and our other fellow of the novel Harry.  The friendships and awkwardness that happen during the book were depicted well.  Sure it was a little over the top, but I enjoyed the craziness of all of these guys lives.  The drama world can be vicious and it was a great plot tool.  Plus you got to learn about some really interesting versions and settings for Shakespeare plays.  That's always a plus!

Of course there was a triangle.  Yeah, the love kind.  But, there was even one back in the Austen novel, so it worked really well.  I liked how LaZebnik was able to take a triangle with really adult themes and give it the high school once over without loosing much.  I think it got a little over dramatic at times, but you just had to let it go and then go with it.  Plus, Alex and Harry weren't always what they seemed to be either.  The way the romance was weaved kept you interested in what was going on.  It had the epic summer camp feel to it.  The kind of romance that would be over too soon, but was still worth reading about.

And Franny, well Franny was pretty great, even if she was sometimes really frustrating.  I happen to like when a character frustrates you a bit and then gets all their ducks in a row by the end and you think that they're pretty great by that point.  What's that called?  Character development?  Yeah, that's it and Franny had a lot of that going on with her character!  She made you cringe and then made you want to give her a high five.  All in all I dug it.

So, would I suggest this to Austen fans?  Yes, yes I would.  But even if you've never touched anything of Austen's in your life, it's still a darling book.  It's full of figuring out who you are and what you want.  It's a delightful summer camp story that will make you want to go hang out with a whole bunch of actors and it's just a load of good old fun!

Rating:

         4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!

[Review: Famous Last Words by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski]

"Famous Last Words"
Author: Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
Pages: 288
Genre: YA Contemprary
Date Published: July 2nd, 2013
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co
Format Read: Finished hardcover

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Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Samantha D’Angelo has death on the brain. Her summer internship at the local newspaper has her writing obituaries instead of soaking up the sun at the beach. Between Shelby, Sam’s boy-crazy best friend; her boss Harry, a true-blue newspaper man; and AJ, her fellow “intern scum” (aka the cute drummer for a band called Love Gas), Sam has her hands full. But once she figures out what—or who—is the best part of her summer, will she mess it all up?

As Sam learns her way around both the news room and the real world, she starts to make some momentous realizations about politics, ethics, her family, romance, and most important—herself.

-Goodreads 

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My Thoughts:

This is the 2nd book by Doktorski, her first novel (How My Summer Went Up In Flames) was a big hit with me and so I went into this one expecting greatness.  It lived up to my expectations, even if it wasn't fully what I was thinking it would be.  I have to tell you that I think Doktorski comes up with some of the most interesting and fun details and plot tools for her novels.  Placing our lead, Sam, in a local news paper and forcing her to write about dead people every day was a genius idea.  And there are large heaps of 80 references throughout the novel, as well as shout out to one of my favorite musicals "Rock of Ages".  (Though in all honesty Jennifer could have been eluding to the 80s song of the same title?)

It was fun to watch a writer learn how to write a good story.  And that's what we get while watching Sam.  She got a job at the local paper because she liked writing, but as the story unfolds and she learns more tools of her trade, it's fun.  Seriously, Sam makes writing about dead people seem like fun.  I also really enjoyed how she would sit down and write obituaries for the living people around her when they pissed her off or when they did something worth noting.  It made those moments stand out.  All in all, I liked Sam.  I think she was definitely in transition, which made some of her antics a little nerve grating, but as she grew and got comfortable in her own skin, she also grew on me as a reader.  She starts out so young and angsty, but she's also really strong.  She doesn't do anything that she doesn't want to do.  And it's when she realizes that it's okay to be different, while being surrounded by a ton of people who are different, that you really see her grow up and grow into her already oddly mature persona.  Plus, she really is clueless about boys.  I guess I liked her so much, because I could see a lot of teenage me in her character.

The side characters sometimes take the spotlight away from Sam, but I like that her personality stands out in a subtle way.  Her best friend Shelby is sure something.  Where Sam is very introverted and clueless when it comes to the man characters, Shelby knows what's up.  She feisty and spunky and not at all what you would guess Sam's bestie would be like.  As the novel progresses it's sad to see them grow apart, but they are both growing up and figuring things out.  I thought that Doktorski explored that aspect of redefining a long running friendship really well.

There are two boys in the novel, but I liked the way the triangle (if you could call it that) was handled.  While one attraction was slow burning and developed over the course of the book, the other was instant crush material.  I like how the whole thing was handled.  No one was professing undying love or pulling ridiculous gestures, it was honest.  I thought it was cool that they were both so different too.  A.J. is nerdy and has a pony tail and plays drums in a band.  While Tony (Coma Boy) is the rich, hot guy who is Sam's competition.  The only thing I wish is that Doktorski would have gone into both guys background a bit more.  They seemed interesting, but not as fleshed out as I would have liked.  Some deep stuff was hinted at, but never really explored.

I also appreciate the fact that Doktorski doesn't make things easy on her main characters.  Not only that, but the way that she does it.  There is always something really funny lurking in the background, ready to pounce and ruin a romantic moment, or something completely serious.  She also managed to weave in a whole Nancy Drew thread, that would have seemed weird, but somehow worked in Famous Last Words.  It helped wrap things up nicely and added some extra tension to the plot, cause sometimes teenage angst just isn't enough.

If you like contemporaries with quirky characters, strange plots and laugh out loud moments, then Famous Last Words might just be the right book for you.  I know it worked for me!

Rating:

        4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!  

[Review: Drangonfly by Leigh Talbert Moore]

"Dragonfly"
Author: Leigh Talbert Moore
Series: Dragonfly #1
Pages: 265
Genre: YA Contemporary
Date Published: June 6th, 2013
Publisher: Self published
Format Read: eBook provided by author for honest review

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Summary:

“Gossip Girl meets VC Andrews in this contemporary family saga. Love, lies, and betrayal become the new normal when Anna enters the world of Jack and Lucy Kyser.” –Magan Vernon, international bestselling author of The Only Exception

Three bad things I learned this year:
-People you trust lie, even parents.
-That hot guy, the one who’s totally into you, he might not be the one.
-Things are not always how they appear.

Three good things I learned this year:
-Best friends are always there for you, even when they’re far away.
-That other hot guy, the one who remembers your birthday, he just might be the one.
-Oh, and things are not always how they appear.
Anna Sanders expected an anonymous (and uneventful) senior year until she crossed paths with rich-and-sexy Jack Kyser and his twin sister Lucy.

Pulling Anna into their extravagant lifestyle on the Gulf Coast, Lucy pushed Anna outside her comfort zone, and Jack showed her feelings she’d never experienced... Until he mysteriously withdrew.

Anna turned to her internship at the city paper and to her old attraction for Julian, a handsome local artist and rising star, for distraction. But both led to her discovery of a decades-old secret closely guarded by the twins’ distant, single father.

A secret that could permanently change all their lives.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

This book was the perfect fluffy and fun summer read.  It's got a few hard hitting moments, but mostly it's about a girl trying to fit in around people she doesn't understand and learning about a family secret that doesn't belong to her or her own family.

I think what I love the most about Moore's writing is that even though she writes steamier novels, she somehow manages to do so without making me, or any of the rest of her audience uncomfortable.  She folds the romance into the story, instead of letting the romance take everything over.  It's refreshing and most importantly it's not distracting.  It gives her room to build characters and make you feel connected to them.

I thought that Anna was an interesting protagonist.  She stuck between two guys, her best friend and the mysterious rich kid.  Yes, it's a love triangle and one of the relationships is destructive, while the other is sweet, but in the end the story is about Anna learning self control.  It was nice to see a girl make the choices that Anna did, even though sometimes she didn't actually follow through.  I have to admit that as much as I liked Anna she also drove me up the wall at times.  She just hasn't figured life out yet, but this being a series I can't wait to see where she actually ends up.

And the boys.  Girls the boys are so swoony!  Jack is the blonde, rich and all over the place emotionally guy.  He's nice and all, but there is something off about him and as the story unfolds, you uncover some of those things.  Julian on the other hand is your tall, dark, artist.  He's talented and driven and knows what he wants.  While one has had to work for what he wants (Julian) and one has been given everything and doesn't know what he wants to do with his life (Jack) they both have a huge amount of chemistry with Anna.  In all honesty I couldn't fault her for falling for either of them.

The book also focuses on family.  I adored Anna's parents and her grandma.  Their relationship was refreshing and actually existed.  Both of the boys parents are also heavily featured in the plot.  And Jack's sister Lucy brings a lot of drama and light into Anna's life.  

Knowing that Dragonfly is just the beginning of this series by the sea leaves me excited for more.  A big secret is revealed at the end of the book, which makes you want to pick up the second book Undertow right away.  The fact is you never know who is going to end up being someone that you can't avoid for the rest of your life!  Dragonfly was a blast to read and I highly suggest it to anyone looking for something fun and summery with a high dose of drama and some romance!

Rating:

           4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!

[Review: Past Perfect by Leila Sales]

"Past Perfect"
Author: Leila Sales
Pages: 306
Genre: YA Contemporary
Date Published: October 4th, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Format Read: Finished copy from the library

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Summary:

All Chelsea wants to do this summer is hang out with her best friend, hone her talents as an ice cream connoisseur, and finally get over Ezra, the boy who broke her heart. But when Chelsea shows up for her summer job at Essex Historical Colonial Village (yes, really), it turns out Ezra’s working there too. Which makes moving on and forgetting Ezra a lot more complicated…even when Chelsea starts falling for someone new.

Maybe Chelsea should have known better than to think that a historical reenactment village could help her escape her past. But with Ezra all too present, and her new crush seeming all too off limits, all Chelsea knows is that she’s got a lot to figure out about love. Because those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it…

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

This book had be giggling like a little school girl on each and every page, which either means that it was genuinely hilarious or that I'm in the middle of a nervous breakdown.  I seem to be doing fine, so I'm going to go with the fact that this book was actually laugh out loud funny.  Everything about Past Perfect screamed "perfect summer read" when I first heard about it, and I'm happy to say that it lived up to the potential that I projected on to it.  Leila Sales is a master of blending funny dialogue with actually progressing a plot at the same time.  

Take a war, two historical reenactment theme parks across the street from each other and a girl trying to figure out how the world works and those are the things that make this book tick.  I can't even handle how awesome the Colonial and Civil War reenactment parks were.  It's one of the most interesting plot tools that I've uncovered lately and I was so glad that it was just as fun and laugh inducing as I had hoped.  Sales adds references to history and shows what it's really like in the eyes of a high schooler who has grown up between a normal life and a historically accurate Colonial town.  The things that Chelsea saw and told you as a reader were amazing!

I really loved Chelsea's voice.  And even though some things about her grated on me, she grew, she grew so much in the course of her summer at Essex.  Seriously, some of her mooning over her ex Ezra was nerve grating, but the way Sales wraps up the story, totally redeems all of that.  Chelsea's large amount of snark and calling it how it was made her the perfect narrator for this book.  It was fun to watch her go from someone who didn't want to work in Essex another year, to a war leader!  Chelsea and her best friend Fiona's relationship was real.  It was messy and full of little bits of drama, but in the end they were there for each other.  Pointing out each others delusions and working through their life issues and over all just growing up.  Plus Fiona always had a good one liner in her back pocket! 

The boys of the novel introduced me to some of the swooniest moments that I've ever read.  Ezra, well let's just say that I thought he was a total tool and that I was right.  But he had his place in the story.  He had purpose and the purpose that he had (even though I can't tell you what it was) really pulled the plot together for me.  And good old Danny boy.  Well, Dan brought us that moment of Swoon that I already mentioned.  I love how Dan was a part of the Civil War reenactment.  Which causes a whole bunch of drama since Chelsea is the right hand man in the war effort to beat them.  Let's just say that they have issues, but that I really liked me some Dan!

Which brings us to the most ridiculous/most brilliant part of the plot.  The war between the teenagers who work in the opposing reenactment villages!  It's gets ugly, but it keeps things equally fluffy and dramatic at the same time.  It's a creative plot tool, brought to us out of the folds of Sales' mind and in my opinion it was a great move on her part.  The pranks and the black eyes all end up being worth it in the end.

This is one of the most creative summer stories that I've read in a long time.  If you're looking to laugh out loud and read a novel with a descent amount of meat on it's bones, this one could be the one for you.  Plus who doesn't like to read about Colonial grave yards...

Rating:

               4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!