Summer Reading Review -That Summer by Sarah Dessen

Goodreads Summary:

For fifteen-year-old Haven, life is changing too quickly. She's nearly six feet tall, her father is getting remarried, and her sister—the always perfect Ashley—is planning a wedding of her own. Haven wishes things could just go back to the way they were. Then an old boyfriend of Ashley's reenters the picture, and through him, Haven sees the past for what it really was, and comes to grips with the future.













LONG STORY SHORT:

I liked That Summer but I did not enjoy it as much as some other Sarah Dessen books. The main character was quite likeable but a bit flat sometimes. I was missing some of her emotions and thoughts at times and I found that the focus was a bit too much on everyone else. The problems, though, that Haven had to face were very relatable and realistic and especially the second part of the book really got my attention and was quite entertaining and a bit heartbreaking at times.

REVIEW:

Sarah Dessen was one of the first authors whose books I read in English which makes her one of the first YA authors I've gotten to know - and love. I'm pretty sure there will ever be a  Dessen novel I won't like at all which was why I picked up That Summer a few weeks ago.

I wouldn't say I was disappointed with this book but also not as excited about it as I thought I would be. What I liked about the book was the situation Haven found herself in, that phase of changes that hits you unexpectedly and that brings so much confusion and insecurity with it.

There were some scenes where you could see very well how Haven felt like she did not fit in anywhere and how noone could understand her and how she wanted everything to stay the way it always has been, but then again there were so many other characters and their stories that Haven's own development got neglected. There is Haven's best friend who comes back from summer camp and starts having some issues with her parents, there is Haven's dominant older sister Ashley, there is Haven's mom and her dad and every character could have had their own book, but instead they were all crammed into one.

This,  I guess, is why Haven's development, that turning point, came pretty surprising and rushed to me. It was more like a sudden realization that she had while I would've wanted to see progress a bit...slower and step by step.

However, That Summer is by far not as long as most Dessen books and Haven with her fifteen years is a lot younger than most of Dessen's characters. I'd recommend this book to younger teen girls, maybe thirteen and up, because it's a great read about dealing with that point in your life when you start seeing things clearer and growing into your own person. Older teens and adults might find that this book doesn't go into as much depth, but it can provide a great message - especially the one that some day we all wake up knowing a bit better who we are, leaving those weird times behind us :)

RATING: 2 out of 3 Smarties



Now on to the covers...



Again, I think it's very difficult to decide on which one I like more. I think the fact that you can see parts of the story reflected in the new cover (the boy and girl in the background are - I guess - Ashley and her former boyfriend Sumner) is a plus for cover no. 2 while the original cover is a bit random. I mean, the girl is probably supposed to be Haven, but otherwise it could belong with any other book that mentions the word "beach". So - also for those cool sunglasses - this time I'd vote for the new cover and regret for a while that I bought the old version :)

Happy Summer Reading!!!

Tess, Terrorist and the Tiara by Terry Baldwin

Goodreads Summary:


Thirteen-year old Tess has never been able to compete with her “perfect” older sister, but now she must—if she wants to inherit her grandmother’s priceless tiara. The two girls have been invited to their grandparent’s lake house for the summer to help take care of Grandma who’s been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The sister who earns the most “helpful points” wins the former beauty queen’s crown.

"It’s not easy for Tess, who seems to always get things wrong despite best intentions. And who is that mysterious stranger who’s just moved next door to their grandparents’ summer cottage?
Does he know that Tess’ grandmother was once the winner of a famous patriotic beauty contest? Or that she keeps her tiara where anyone can steal it? And why doesn’t he have a face?

Pages: 212 (Paperback)
Expected Release: August 10th
Series? No


LONG STORY SHORT:
This book was a lot better than I expected it to be just by reading the synopsis. I was afraid the lesson provided by the book - about tolerance and the danger of prejudice- would be too much, but it turned out a quick, nice read that I would recommend for younger teens - actually even younger MG readers, because to the majority of the teenagers it might be too "childish".

REVIEW:
When I accepted the book for review I did that only because I was really interested in how a story could contain terrorists, a tiara, prejudice, and Alzheimer's syndrome - and not turn a massive amount of lecturing. 

I was surprised, though, how the author was able to not only write a very cute story with an adorable main character but also bind the message into the story. Tess was such a nice girl, standing in the shadow of her older sister and not having a very high opinion of herself. Then again,she's not whiny or anything and she tries to do the right thing. The little accidents that happen to her are really funny and make her a very sympathetic little girl.


Which brings me to an element of this book that I did not like. Throughout the whole story Tess - at least to me - seemed much younger than thirteen. She was quite naive and  didn't know about a lot of things - facts that should be common to a thirteen year-old girl. That didn't hold me from enjoing the story, though. I just imagined her being no older than maybe nine or ten which is no problem because apart from the synopsis her age is never mentioned in the novel.


The plot itself was nothing uber-special. I mean, the events were very unexpected - but also kind of unrealistic so that should keep the balance :)
It did help,though, to deliver the message of the book. Tess made some mistakes and learned from them and I think that's what readers of this book would do, too.


All in all, Tess, Terrorist and the Tiara was a quick read I'd recommend for Middle Grade readers or everyone who is in the mood for a light children's novel with a valuable message.


I want to thank the author of this book and the publisher Middleton Books for offering me a digital review copy of Tess, Terrorists and the Tiara. That, of course, does not influence my view on the book :)

Summer Reading Review - Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Sarah Dessen Summer Reading Special!!
I just felt like this was nessecary. Sarah Dessen is one of my absolute favorite autors and provides great summer reads AND all of her books got new covers a few weeks ago so I thought I'd voice my opinion about those and commit every Summer Reading Review in July to a Sarah Dessen novel :)

.

Goodreads Synopsis


Last year, Annabel was "the girl who has everything"—at least that's the part she played in the television commercial for Kopf's Department Store.This year, she's the girl who has nothing: no best friend because mean-but-exciting Sophie dropped her, no peace at home since her older sister became anorexic, and no one to sit with at lunch. Until she meets Owen Armstrong. Tall, dark, and music-obsessed, Owen is a reformed bad boy with a commitment to truth-telling. With Owen's help,maybe Annabel can face what happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends




LONG STORY SHORT:
This story is so thoughtful, so heartwarming, so difficult. And so non-cliché. It leaves you with a great message, it teaches you a lesson about friendship and family and life in general without you even noticing. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that this is quite a long book and it will take you a while to get through. Don't try to devour it, enjoy it with patience.

REVIEW:
I got this book in a box set for christmas, pretty much only because I knew it'd be ridiculous to only add one Sarah Dessen at a time to my shelf. I seriously love all the books I've read so far and will continue buying them probably until my life is over.

Dessen's books are a guarantee for any teenage girl to save some money she'd otherwise spend on a therapist. Next to Meg Cabot's, I think her books should be handed to any fifteen-year- old female wandering around on this earth. She's a bit different from Meg, though as her novels are rather deep and thoughtful and not as funny and quirky. Just Listen is the perfect example for that. I loved this book especially for the thoughtful messages it provided.

Annabel, the main character, was a girl I could immediately identify with. Some family issues combined with misunderstandings and some best- friend drama and she's all alone on this crazy planet, trying to survive by giving her life to others. She also has to deal with some heavy issues apart from her sister's anorexia or her loneliness at school. Annabel is a well-rounded character with a thousand different character traits that make her as unique as all of Dessen's heroines.

Another thing I love about Just Listen is how there's never a right or wrong. You sit there, staring into the sky and try to figure out what would be the right thing to do for Annabel, her way out but you don't know. And then, in the end, you get presented a solution that fits the character and her story but it doesn't necessarily mean that it is right for everyone. I feel like Just Listen shows in a very careful way how every human being faces different issues and has to deal with them but instead of pointing the way to the "How exactly?" it appeals to the reader to get moving and figure it out for his or her life.

As I said, I found Annabel herself a very sympathetic character. However, I fell in love with her family, too. Her two sisters - each so different - and her parents did have their struggles and problems in life but it was heartwarming and inspiring to see them work things out bit by bit.

Of course, in a Dessen novel I have to mention the guy - and as always I'm not too impressed. I don't really like those nice, caring guys and I know this does sound weird but these silent, thoughtful boys who look like criminals and then - when you get to know them - turn out being the most sensitive people around? Not my type. Then again, Owen probably could make almost every other girl swoon, so I'll just shut up at this point :)

The plot is rather slow but it's by no means a bad thing. I think you need the time the novel offers you to get the whole experience, to take a part of the book with you for your own life.

All in all, Just Listen is a pretty sad Sarah Dessen novel, but at the same time it is heartwarming and beautiful. It's one of those books that make you cry out of sadness and out of joy at the same time. I haven't even talked about the whole friendship-drama that Annabel is going through and which makes the novel even more complex! I definitely recommend Just Listen to every girl out there - especially if you read and loved Dessen's The Truth About Forever!

COVER:




I don't really know with this one. We have the headphones on the new cover, the MP3 Player on the old cover...and a girl in jeans and t-shirt...I think I like the old cover better, though - the top is cuter :)

Review #18 Abandon - Meg Cabot

Goodreads summary:

Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone... because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.
But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.
Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away... especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.
But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.


Release Date: April 26 2011
Pages: 307 (Hardcover)
Genre: Mythology (retelling)
Series? yes, #1


LONG STORY SHORT:

The important advantage this book has is that you fly through it in no time. I felt like I didn't even notice I was turning the pages until I reached the end. Then again, the story itself was actually not that gripping or funny or anything. I think Meg Cabot's writing is great in this book and that - combined with the complex characters and great setting -  definitely makes up for the rather predictable and not very original ( it's a retelling-duh!) plot.

REVIEW:
I actually thought my Meg Cabot phase was pretty much over. Like that game you loved to play as a kid but avoid when you're older because you know you wouldn't be into it as much as you used to and it would only destroy memories. Well, with Meg it's not quite like that.

As I mentioned above I found this book - like most stuff Meg writes - to be a very quick read. You just open it during your lunch period and then wonder where it's gone by the time you arrive home at night. The setting of Abandon was very cool, as well. That island with its creepy cemetrey and the school Pierce goes to? I could totally picture it in my head! The main characers were so well figured out this time. Pierce but also Alex and the rest of their family had very interesting - and sometimes troubled - pasts which also gave Abandon a mucn  darker touch I didn't really expect to find.
The side characters definitely lacked some depth for me, though. I felt like some of them only had one or two appearances in the book while there should have been way more and especially Pierce's uncle and grandmother - who are such big influences on the plot and Pierce's life came too short for my taste.
Then there's John. Oh well. To me, he's a bit pale, too. I have that feeling that I don't really know him although he was such a big part of the novel,as well.

What I found really confusing was the beginning of the novel. Cabot jumped back and forth in time a lot which sometimes made it difficult for me to keep track. Also, I think she put a bit too much information into this first book of the trilogy and not enough action. I will, of course, continue to read the trilogy, but I don't know if someone who doesn't see Cabot as their childhood heroine would feel blown away enough to pick up the next two books.

Abandon is not an epic fantasy read that will keep you glued to the pages and on the edge of your seet. It's that Cabot - like mix of contemporary and completely unrealistic (Princess Diaries), supernatural (The Mediator) or - like in this case - mythological elements.

All in all, the darker background and Meg's to-the-point writing style make Abandon a book that older Cabot fans (I am seventeen) will probaly enjoy, too. You just shouldn't expect a whole lot of action, although I liked the surprise at the end.

RATING: 2 out of 3 Smarties

Summer Reading Review: One Moment - Kristina McBride

Goodreads summary:


"This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie's life. Now it's the one she'd do anything to forget." Maggie remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party. She remembers climbing the trail with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can't she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below-dead? 
As Maggie's memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?
The latest novel from the author of "The Tension of Opposites," "One Moment" is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.

Pages: 272 (Hardcover)
Release Date: June 26th 1012
Publisher: Egmont USA


LONG STORY SHORT:
This book was a joyful read. It was not outstanding and if it was a bit longer than it actually is I don't know if I had read it till the end. The characters were likable, but even now I feel like I don't really know any of them very well. The story idea itself is not that new or original which is why I missed a unique twist from the author - be it through plot, language, ending, whatever. All in all I would say this book is okay, but not very special.

REVIEW:

I got One Moment from Netgalley and was quite excited to start reading it. I'd seen a few positive remarks and reviews from other people about it and as I usually like mystery novels I felt like this one might be the one for me.

As I can't really decide if this book gets a negative or a positive review (it's kind of in between) I'm going to start with what I liked best about One Moment: the language and dialogue. I think it means a lot if an author has that ability to make a protagonist's thoughts and the dialogue in the whole book - from beginning to end (duh!) - so real you feel like he or she just transports it from reality to the pages. Kristina McBride is such an author and I think she earns applause for that aspect of her book.

Some things, though, made this a rather boring, slow read for me.
The main problem I had with One Moment was how predictable everything was. In a mystery I usually expect a little bit of creepyness, I want to keep guessing what happened or what will happen. I definitely missed the surprise in this book. Whenever Maggie got back a piece of her memory I was like: "Who cares? Wasn't that what you assumed had happened??" To cut it short, if One Moment is a mystery, the mystery is pretty much nonexistent in this novel.

If it is a contemporary novel, I think the character development was not as good as it could have been. It took me ages to remember who is who in this book because everyone was just quickly introduced and I didn't have a clear picture of the personality that person had. Then, in the end of the book I felt like all those pretty flat characters didn't change at all, they didn't learn, they didn't grow. Even the main character, Maggie seemed pretty flat to me.

I said above that One Moment was predictable. It was, I guess, because the story was missing some kind of unique element. Michele Jaffe's Rosebush - for example - had a great message and strong characters and a very surprising twist at the end. The Deadly Cool Series is completely unrealistic, but a hilarious feel - good novel that I could reread over and over again. One Moment was the story of a girl who lost her boyfriend. Period. All in all, I wished there was more to the story.

I want to thank EgmontUSA for giving me the chance to read the e-galley for One Moment. This review states my honest opinion on the book.

Summer Reading: Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry

Goodreads summary:

A year after graduating from high school, nineteen-year-old Emma Ward feels lost. She has spent most of her life trying to please her frigid, miserable mother - studying hard, getting good grades, avoiding the whole teenage rebellion thing - and now she feels she has no identity beyond that. Because she spent so many years working hard and planning every moment of her life, she doesn't have any friends, has never had a boyfriend, and basically doesn't know who she is or what she really wants from life. Working two part-time jobs to save money for college hasn't helped her make decisions about her future, so she decides it's time for a change. She leaves home to live with her free-spirited, slightly eccentric Aunt Daisy in a small town that makes Emma feel like she's stepped back in time. When Emma meets Nicholas Shaw, everything changes - he's unlike anyone she's ever met before, the kind of man she didn't even know existed in the 21st century. Carefree and spirited like Daisy, Nicholas teaches Emma to appreciate life, the beauty around her, and to just let go and live. Between Daisy and Nicholas, Emma feels like she belongs somewhere for the first time in her life, and realizes that you don't always need a plan - sometimes life steers you where you're meant to be.
Life is wonderful, an endless string of blue sky days, until Nicholas is diagnosed with cancer, and life changes once again for Emma in ways she never thought possible. Now it's time for her to help Nicholas the way he's helped her. Emma will have to use her new-found strength, and discover along the way if love really is enough to get you through.


LONG  STORY SHORT:

This book was not for me. I do understand that some people actually really liked it but I found it dull, cheesy and totally unoriginal. The first half was just straight up boring, the turning point exactly what I expected and the ending unnecessarily dramatic and - again - predictable.

REVIEW:

I wanted to have Blue Sky Days for a while because the synopsis really appealed to me and then I was so happy when I got it for a really good price on Amazon. Also, I've read a pretty good review about it that encouraged me even more.

This is the first review that I'm writing that I'm afraid will probably turn into a rant. I was so disappointed with the book. Not only with the plot but with most characters, as well. I did finish it but I found it boring and even annoying which is why I'm trying to cut this review short.

PLOT:
Nothing unexpected happened. The author informs the reader about a thousand times of the evil that the protagonist's mother is and gives several examples for that. Then we can see how as soon as the main character moves in with her aunt and her life turns perfect in a sec. She makes friends, gets along with her aunt. You won't believe it but even the people she meets on the sidewalk are  so much nicer than those in her hometown! Her new room and clothes and food and the weather - everything is great now that she left behind her mean mom!

Characters:
One word: Flat. Okay, maybe I'll give you a little more than that. They were also perfect. Her boyfriend was EVERYTHING you could wish for in a boyfriend, her aunt was understanding, carefree, happy, a great friend and adult and the total opposite of mean mom. Then there's her boyfriend's dad who also is perfect and the friends she makes (whom we almost never see in the first half of the book because they seem to be working 24/7 - literally!) and they have a perfect relationship, as well. Did I forget someone? Oh. Yes. Perfect dad.

THE ENDING:
So, so cheesy. And totally expected. I would turn around and tell my mom (who was sitting next to me, listening to my complaints) what I think would happen and it totally did - every single time! And it was so cheesy - I couldn't even believe it!

WHAT I DID LIKE, THOUGH: The title. It fit the story perfectly!

HOWEVER:
This is only my opinion. The opinion of a ranty, sarcastic highschool-girl without any life experience. I thought this book was a waste of time and money - that doesn't mean you're going to think this, too. Maybe this is exactly the type of book some people with different taste love. I'm even sure there are (people like that, I mean), because Blue Sky Days has gotten pretty good ratings on Goodreads (3.75 at the moment) and because there are some very positive reviews for it, like here.




I'm afraid this book won't get a Smartie from me.

Review #17 Evermore - Alyson Noel

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch.   Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste . . . 

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition.  He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets.  Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head.  She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is.  Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.


Published: 2009
Pages: 306 (Paperback)
Genre: Paranormal Romance

LONG STORY SHORT:

Although I tend to be disappointed by every Paranormal Fantasy novel I read, I fell in love with Evermore. I liked how you didn't need to pay attention so much to any kind of background information, the story was easy to understand. I didn't like some of the characters but all in all they were okay and I especially liked the plot and how reasonable the ending turned out to be. This is a series I'd turn to whenever I want a contemporary with a paranormal twist and a cute love story that doesn't become overwhelming and over the top.

REVIEW:

I bet everyone who has ever set a foot in the world of YA literature has heard of Alyson Noel and her Immortals series at some point. And so have I. I was skeptical at first, again bought the book only because I got  it for a very good deal and then found myself so glad that I eventually picked up Evermore, Blue Moon and Shadowland.

I know myself. I know that I was not a fan of the Twilight Saga, Hush Hush or Evernight. Why now do I like Evermore? The reason is plain and simple: It wasn't too much. With the paranormal Fantasy novels I mentioned above my biggest problem was how there were two persons and the male character was sarcastic and after some time they fell in love and were happy together and - of course - couldn't live without each other and then have to (live without each other, I mean) because otherwise the book would end after the first 50 pages.
Evermore was different in that way that the above happened here as well, but the author didn't forget that the characters were still normal (okay, almost) human beings. Noel ( I have not the slightest idea how I can do the two dots on the e) created a love story and still considered that the world surrounding the love birds might actually keep existing. And that there was a Before.

Apart from those romantic elements there were also some really tough issues not only the main character, Ever, but also her friends have to face. They have a life. And things happened and still happen that they have to deal with. A big part of especially Ever's story didn't even involve Damen, her love interest.

What I didn't like so much, though, was how Noel approached the problems the side characters had - especially Haven - but never went further. While Ever was able to develop and grow I felt like Haven just had some problems but she never came a step further to solve them and I thought that made her a bit more flat than she would've had to be. Then again, Evermore is only the first novel in a series of six ( I believe).

Talking about the plot the action really picked up at the end and a few times I wondered who to trust which I never had to with other Paranormal Fantasy novels I've read. Everyone's motives weren't always clear and - most importantly - the ending of the book wasn't clear. I kept guessing how everything would turn out until pretty much the last page.

All in all I liked Evermore a lot more than I expected, because it was different from other Paranormal Fantasy novels. As much as I loved the depth that the plot and Ever's character development had,  I would've wished for more of said depth in the side characters.

RATING: 2 out of 3 Smarties

Summer Reading: The Summer I Turned Pretty - Jenny Han

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.






Published: May 5th 2009
Pages: 276 (Hardcover)
Genre: Contemporary

LONG STORY SHORT:
This is it. The book you take to the beach, take out while you're tanning, read a chapter, dose off and think about love and growing up and family and boys and how bitter-sweet summer can be. Other than that this is a novel that has a nice coming-of-age story, many cute male characters, a rather sad subplot. If you're looking for the perfect book to read while you spend quality time sunbathing, this is for you. If you plan on reading it in one setting with all your attention focused on the story and not on the boys in front of you playing volleyball (shirtless) you might get bored.

REVIEW:

I wanted this book because everyone has already it. And its sequel. And the third book. I also wanted it because I really liked the summary on the back which promised a contemporary featuring a girl that seemed so much like me. And of course, I wanted a nice summer read.

What do they always tell you? The first impression someone has of you matters? So true! I found this book was very easy to get into, the first scene (brother and sister teasing each other) sooo familiar! My reviews most of the time turn out a lot better when I feel like home in the story during the first few pages. So yes, it was easy to get into The Summer I Turned Pretty and that I liked a lot.
Other than that, the setting, a beach house in a cute little beach town, was wonderful. I wanted to be there! So badly! I was so jealous of Belly! You do get into that summer-y feeling (that also makes you stop doing your homework although you're not out of school for summer yet...) .
The way the story was told with the flashbacks to past summers and the fact that there always seemed to be something happening kept it interesting and made it fluent, so that you could just go along with it.
I especially liked Susannah, Belly's mom's best friend, who was such a nice and caring person that I wished I knew her personally. The rest of the characters were very cool, too. Jeremiah, one of Bailey's friends is such a funny and cute guy! I also liked that - although she didn't appear - in this exact summer we got to know Belly's best friend Taylor through the flashbacks.
The way family was brought into the book was a plus for me, as well. I like when it's not always about love and crushes but also the problems you face at home with your parents as you're growing up.

The only thing that bothered me a little bit was the main character herself, Belly. She not only whines about how she is treated like a baby a lot throughout the book - more often than not she also acts like a baby. Sometimes I just wanted to roll my eyes at her for her noisyness and the way she would listen to adults' conversations that really weren't any of her business. All in all she was likeable, but there were times when I thought her behaviour was much more childish than most people act when they pass the age of three. So, yes, that was a bit too much, I believe.

It's mostly just the whole of the story that made me enjoy it. I could name detail after detail that made this book perfect for summer, but I will just leave you with the statement that it is - in my opinion.

What bothered me a little bit was the sometimes rather stiff dialogue and some scenes that appeared forced, as though the author wanted that scene to happen so badly that she just threw it in there without thinking twice about the question if it'd fit the characters.

All in all, this book is great if you want something light for summer that won't make you think much, but that will make you feel a nice mix of summer-y emotions

RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties



Perfect for Summer? Yes, take it to the beach/poolside, open it up, enjoy.

Summer Reading - Summer Of No Regrets

So, three weeks ago - when I got the idea to provide a review of a summer read every week for you guys - it seemed very original to me. Well...after seeing all those summer reviews, giveaways, challenges whatsoever I understand that several people see themselves affected by summer and summer vacation. Anyway, Summer Reading will be a weekly feature I plan to do every Monday of June, July and August to put everyone (including myself) in a summer-y mood! Enjoy :)


The day Brigitta accidentally flings herself into the lap of a guy she's never met, her friend Natalie is convinced he's Trent Yves, egotistical heartthrob-in-hiding. When the boy, who calls himself Luke, is nearly eaten by a cougar, Brigitta finds herself saving his life, being swept into his spectacular embrace and wondering if she wants Natalie's fantasy to be true.

As the two spend the summer together raising orphaned cougar cubs, Brigitta still can't be sure of his true identity. But then again, since her grandparents' death, her father's sudden urge to give away all their possessions and become a shaman, and her own awkward transition from girlhood into a young woman, she isn't sure of anything. What is the truth? More importantly, can she accept it?




LONG STORY SHORT:
What you see is what you get? So not with this book. The cheesy cover? The I-feel-like-I've-already-read-this-book summary on the back? The title? I was so sure I'd know exactly what this book would be about and then pretty soon-ish noticed that it was nothing what I expected. The good thing about that was of course the originality the book provided with every aspect. Be it characters, storyline, storyworld, the ending. On the other hand a light funny summer read with a bit of heartbreaking and a bigger portion of cheesyness was not only what I expected but also what I wanted. And I found myself putting the book down quite often and wishing for something else, something less thoughtful to sooze my sunburned mind...

REVIEW:

I mentioned on the blog that I bought this book because I read a guest post by Katherine Grace Bond, the author, during a blog tour on the topic of finding yourself that I really enjoyed. I found it so inspiring and helpful! After that I checked the summary for this book and thought I'd spoil myself with a sweet, but not flat summer read a la Sarah Dessen. Yeah. It didn't completely work out.

I had a love - hate relationship with this one. What I loved most about the book was its originality, the fact that you got a very deep story, a very different setting. The summary on the back turned out to be only one of the few subplots that lead through this novel. Yeah, there is a guy and a girl, but there's also the girl's family and their problems and the girl's problems with another guy and the difficulties she has with her best friend and her troubled relationship with her dad and so on and so forth. You get the point. There was a lot happening in this book. Not that it was very fast paced. It was just that different from most contemporaries this one didn't just show one aspect of the girl's life but it felt like you experienced every little emotion, fight, struggle, doubt she felt, too.

It is really difficult for me to express what I mean by originality. I think it was partly the setting but I don't want to give you guys any spoilers, so I won't go into greater detail now. Also, how Brigitta always thought about religion and spirit was something I didn't expect from a novel like this. Then there was the whole plot around Luke and the question if he really is or isn't what he pretends to be. Let's just say that there were many elements in this story that I really didn't think would be in it.

What I didn't enjoy was - the originality I didn't expect. I found the whole story background rather confusing and as I was looking for something much lighter I wasn't really in the mood to get behind things as much. It sounds totally ridiculous, I know, but there was just too much depth in the story for me. Too much detail, too many plots - and most of all - too many difficult issues to cloud my mind. This book honestly made me think too much.

Don't get me wrong, I would definitely recommend this book to everyone out there. Good writing, original plot and characters and - or but - the author really makes you think. It is not all that funny. It is romantic. But it is also serious -and sad- at times. You should keep that in mind while you're reading it.

RATING: 2 out of 3 stars

Review #16 - Social Suicide by Gemma Halliday

Goodreads summary:

Twittercide [twit-er-sahyd]: the killing of one human being by another while the victim is in the act of tweeting.

Call me crazy, but I figured writing for the Herbert Hoover High Homepage would be a pretty sweet gig. Pad the resume for college applications, get a first look at the gossip column, spend some time ogling the paper’s brooding bad-boy editor, Chase Erikson. But on my first big story, things went... a little south. What should have been a normal interview with Sydney Sanders turned into me discovering the Homecoming Queen-hopeful dead in her pool. Electrocuted while Tweeting. Now, in addition to developing a reputation as HHH’s resident body finder, I’m stuck trying to prove that Sydney’s death wasn’t suicide.

I’m starting to long for the days when my biggest worry was whether the cafeteria was serving pizza sticks or Tuesday Tacos..

Published: 2012

Pages: 277

Genre: Mystery

LONG STORY SHORT:

I will confess that I did have some sequel-trouble with Social Suicide, although it was nothing major. Readers who loved the (continuosly) snarky voice in Deadly Cool might be a bit disappointed (as I was) because I felt like the plot and character development took higher priority in this one than language, but pay attention to my choice of words. Everything I loved in Deadly Cool - Hartley and her easy view on things/ her snarky voice, the not-lovey-dovey romance, the suspense in the end and the complete confusion over who killed whom - where still there. The emphasis on some aspects was just (in my opinion) different from the first book. All in all a fun novel that I will definitly reread when life gets tough!

REVIEW

After reading Deadly Cool - the first book in the series - I was convinced I would never be able to read about anything but Hartley and her great, funny, dangerous (well...kind of) mystery stories. I was so into her world and her character and her voice - it was amazing! So amazing that I had to preorder Social Suicide immediately, couldn't wait to start it and didn't want it to end.

Honestly, Deadly Cool and Social Suicide are amazing novels that make me laugh and forget reality. The perfect mix of fluent sarcasm and everyday situations that everyone knows so well result in a book that teaches you to "just deal with it" and that everyone else goes through the same things you do (like meat(ish) loaf and a paranoid mom).

I feel like I'm repeating myself, but what I love most about Social Suicide is Hartley's attitude towards life. Being more of a pessimist myself, I'm always inspired how she can freak over minor things just as teenagers do but always stays positive in a way. It's hard to describe. Like, she has that ability of staying happy, laughing about things that get thrown in her way instead of being grumpy about it.

Apart from that, I couldn't figure out the mystery in this one which really is a good thing. They took so many different directions in an effort to find out how Sydney died that I was too confused to work on it with my own brain. Again, this is not a negative aspect! I hate when you can tell what happened to the victim after the first few pages or so. The ending itself came so unexpected! I would never have guessed that! Also, we do see some development with Hartley and Chase but it's not too over the top and although this is a sequel - there is no love triangle! Yay! Sam was as amazing as ever - the best friend you could wish for!

The only thing I missed was how Hartley did not - not one single time - get the secret can of ice cream out of the fridge. I was so disappointed by that!

 Overall, I would say I had a little bit of sequel-trouble with this one, but I expected that to happen. My expectations towards most sequels are usually way over-the-top so that I always get a bit disappointed with seconds in series. Which should not mean that Social Suicide was a disappointment. I missed the snarky language from Book One a little bit (it wasn't as consistent-but-not-obvious) and sometimes I felt like the events were a bit rushed and fewer places to go and things to find out would've made it too, but most things I loved about Deadly Cool were still the same.
There's only one thing I really don't like about Social Suicide: the fact that it's already over.
Everyone: get it, read it, see new sense in life.
To the author: I want more! Please, please,please! And fast!

RATING: 3 out 0f 3 Smarties

Review #16 City Of Lost Souls - Cassandra Clare

Goodreads summary:
The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace has been freed from her captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive to rescue him, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing–but so is the boy she hates, Sebastian, the son of her father Valentine: a son determined to succeed where their father failed, and bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.



No magic the Clave can summon can locate either boy, but Jace cannot stay away—not from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith’s dying magic has wrought—Jace is no longer the boy she loved. He and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become what he most feared: a true servant of Valentine’s evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. Will the Shadowhunters hesitate to kill one of their own?


Author: Cassandra Clare
Pages: 534 (Hardcover)
Release Date: May 8th 2012
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series? Yes. No.5



LONG STORY SHORT:

The Mortal Instruments Series - at least in my opinion - gets better with every new installment. This one now really drew me into the Shadowhunter world, made me want all the characters to exist in real life so I could experience their sarcastic dialogues first hand. City Of Lost Souls made me laugh and cry, provided some great messages. But most of all I'm starting to wonder if it is possible to invent a story like that - a story world like that. I'm almost convinced Cassandra Clare has some bonds to the Nephilim because otherwise I couldn't explain how she fabricated that work of art that COLS is.

REVIEW:

Why I bought City Of Lost Souls? Is that a question? I mentioned before that I wasn't a big fan of the first installments of the series. It got better with number three and I felt at home for the first time in the Shadowhunter world in City of Fallen Angels. Seeing how huge (page wise) City of Lost Souls was I couldn't wait to get into it.

I have to admit I haven't read other people's opinions on this book yet so I don't really know how the general view on this book is. I love the atmosphere Clare puts into her novels, like she knew the characters personally and simply describes what she remembers. Also, she put great twists into this book that kept the suspense high until the end and that made me race through it way too fast because I was dying to find out if and how they could solve all the problems that came up.

I don't think I have to talk about if I liked the characters, because - hey, I was reading the fifth book here! - of course I did. What really caught my eye this time was what I missed last time: how each and everyone grew up. They all reach that time of your life where you start knowing what you want in life and what you are willing to sacrifice. Besides all the Shadowhunter action that happened you could see how everyone made decisions that were important for their lives and how almost all of them stopped thinking like enthusiastic teenagers, but more like young adults who know that nothing is forever and that all of your actions come with certain consequences.

The only thing that bothers me - and that has always bothered me - is Clare's tending to stop reasonable world building when it would just be very important. I have been a bit disappointed of every Mortal Instruments installment until now, because at the end I feel like she moves things into the direction she wants them to go without having a real explanation for why this or that is possible all of a sudden. As I read the last few pages I caught myelf thinking stuff like "Okay, that could've happened right at the beginning - without the 500 pages in between!", so that was a little sad.

Overall, if you like the Mortal Instruments I think you will definitly devour this book! As I said, I enjoyed entering this world again so much that I couldn't even focus on some flaws the book might have had. The only thing I noticed was how easy Clare always makes it for herself in the end. She thinks of this amazing, twisted but very reasonable plot throughout the whole novel and then the (round about thirty pages long) epilogue disappoints me. Other than that, I loved it!

RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties

Review #14 Evernight-Claudia Grey

Published: 2009
Pages:
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Long Story Short: Not really my cup of tea...
Goodreads synopsis:

Bianca wants to escape. 
She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in. 
Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him. 
"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would." 
But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed.


I got Evernight for free on Amazon.com but the cover drew me in immediately. I started reading it and actually really liked the main character and the author's writing style. In the end, the plot and Lucas didn't make it for me.

I did enjoy this book for like...the first half of it. I could identify with the main character, Bianca, really well. Whatever she was feeling, her character traits and her relationship with her parents were so familiar! I loved that there was a child-parents-relationship that wasn't troubled throughout puberty.

As the story unfolded, the plot started really bothering me, though. What I expected was a nice, dangerous fantasy novel with a cute romantic love story thrown in. What I got were two hundred pages describing two teenagers falling in love who have some telling-the-truth struggles along the way in a fantasy environment that doesn't actually matter much for the development of the story.

I figured by now that I shouldn't have been disappointed. I tried Twilight, I tried Hush Hush, now I tried Evernight. I should know by now that books that only deal with the relationship problems paranormal elements can cause and not the dangerous life and humanity threatening issues Fantasy and High Fantasy novels offer just won't do it for me. Ever. I'm not that interested in relationship issues that I'd read a whole book in order to figure out if they stand through the suffering or if they die out of love sickness.

The other major thing I didn't like was Lucas, one of the love interests in this book. Although in the end it was explained why he acted the way he did, I just couldn't feel okay about it. Not only that he was very mean in the beginning. What annoyed me was how boldly mean he was. As if the author wanted to scream in my face: "Look! He's hiding something! Look! See? See?" It was way too obvious and ruined my sympathy for that character pretty early.

Okay, I understand that I haven't said a lot about Evernight until now. And I won't. I think that a lot of people liked it and it is likable. As I said, most of the characters (apart from super-rude Lucas) were very nice and the overall story idea and especially the easy writing and the fast flow of the story really drew me in. The story itself, though, just wasn't for me.


RATING: 1 out of 3 Smarties

Review #14 Rosebush-Michele Jaffe

People often forget that there are always two sides of a medal. Being popular means having a bunch of friends. It also means that when hit by a car there are a bunch of friends who could be blamed for your near-death experience....



Published: 2010
Pages: 326
Genre: Mystery
Long Story Short: After the first 20 pages or so? Amazing!

Goodreads synopsis:


Instead of celebrating Memorial Day weekend on the Jersey Shore, Jane is in the hospital surrounded by teddy bears, trying to piece together what happened last night. One minute she was at a party, wearing fairy wings and cuddling with her boyfriend. The next, she was lying near-dead in a rosebush after a hit-and-run. Everyone believes it was an accident, despite the phone threats Jane swears were real. But the truth is a thorny thing. As Jane's boyfriend, friends, and admirers come to visit, more memories surface-not just from the party, but from deeper in her past . . . including the night her best friend Bonnie died.
With nearly everyone in her life a suspect now, Jane must unravel the mystery before her killer attacks again. Along the way, she's forced to examine the consequences of her life choices in this compulsively readable thriller.


I've always wanted to try one of Michele Jaffe's books so when I saw this one in a bookstore I had to pick it up. It sat on my shelf for a while. Then it sat on my nightstand for a while. Then I started it, put it back on the nightstand and read something else. I started it again, made it through the first twenty pages and felt addicted. So, yes. I loved it.

Let's start with the bad things. Which is actually only one thing. As you can tell from the first paragraph of this I found neither the cover nor the blurb very convincing. My disliking the beginning of the book was the real problem, though. It didn't draw me in within the first few seconds which is why it took me so long to continue reading it. I just found all the hopping back and forth in time very confusing and also the whole lot of characters and character history that was thrown in from the first page on. I didn't understand what was important and what wasn't and what the whole story was about.

After I got over those pages and saw myself gliding into the actual story, I couldn't put this book down anymore.It got better with every page and at the end I was amazed. Michele Jaffe is one of my new favorite authors now for several reasons. The first is her way of telling a story. She describes emotions exactly how they feel without adding cliché and totally unnecessary adjectives. Then there was the actual plot. I at least couldn't figure out the ending until the very last page. There were so many twists and turns and all of them were reasonable and well thought out. Also, the characters were very likable and unique. No stereotyping and wonderful backgrounds for all of them. The main character grew a lot during this book but her development worked slowly, step by step. You could see how it was influenced. Lastly, the message of the book was amazing. I didn't really expect one at all but this one was so simple yet so important and just...just...AWESOME!

If you haven't noticed I loved this book and I'd recommend it to EVERYONE! I'd even go as far as to say that it changed my life in a way. Or at least my view on some things in life.

RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties

Review #13 Insurgent - Veronica Roth

Published: 2012
Pages: 505 (Hardback)
Genre: Dystopian
Long Story Short: Amazing! So much happening! Great story world!

Goodreads synopsis:


One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.


Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.


New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.


In this first paragraph I usually say why I bought this book. This time? One word: Divergent.

Yes, I loved Divergent. I'm not a big dystopian fan, but I loved Veronica Roth's writing, how easily you could slide into the world she created. I liked the different factions, the main character Tris, the fast paced action, the different twists and turns the story took.

For the first time in a while, I wasn't afraid to read a sequel. Usually, I am disappointed with sequels. Whenever I loved a first book, my expectations towards the second one are so high - no author could possibly fulfill them. Insurgent, though, was not a problem at all. If anything, I liked it even better than Divergent.

The points I mentioned above - why I liked Divergent so much - are still true for Insurgent. It is as action-packed and suspenseful. The one thing that made it even better - in my opinion - was the way the story world expanded, how you got to know so much more about factions and the characters and the different relationships. Again, after the first few pages, I felt like I was in the story and I love when books do that.

What I also liked was the love story that was there but only slightly, in the background. Tris and Four's relationship developed like it would probably have in real life. I was so glad Insurgent didn't turn into one of those the-world-around-us-doesn't-matter-anymore-because-we're-in-a-relationship kind of way.

There was nothing actually that I didn't like about this book. Amazing. Simply Amazing. Everyone, really, should go and pick it up now :)


RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties

Review #13 The Selection by Kiera Cass

Published: 2012
Pages: 327 (Hardback)
Genre: Dysopian
Long Story Short: A great dystopian for everyone who doesn't love dystopians :)
Goodreads synopsis:


For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.


But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.


Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

I read some reviews about this book complaining how this wasn't a dystopian novel and therefore boring and not what they expected and just a simple love story with a huge cliffhanger. I think all these things are true. And they're what I loved about The Selection.

I have to say I had my problems with America's personality at first. Or ... the whole time actually. She seemed to me like a very forced, unreal copy of Katniss Everdeen. This whole oh-I-don't-want-to-marry-the-prince-and-live-a-carefree-life-and-support-my-family-attitude? I don't know. I just didn't really believe that. The way it was written, I mean. I still don't know who America is. She wanders through life and feels torn between an amazing prince and a guy she knows she can't have. In addition to that, she is - of course - a total tomboy and loves life at its simplest. She doesn't care about pretty dresses, maids, luxury, anything. She has no clue how to interact with girls (they're all way too bitchy and girly and mean!).

As you can see I found the main character pretty annoying. Which is usually bad. I really enjoyed reading this book, though. The story idea itself got more and more appealing to me. Other than Mer, I am a girly girl and I love stories about princes and palaces and dating shows and just all that kind of stuff. And my problem with most dystopians is that instead of girly stuff they often povide much violence and war and suffering. The Selection was what I would consider I dystopian for either first-time-dystopian readers (although it might give you the wrong idea of a dystopian novel) or people who (like me) have not really caught up with the dystopian band-wagon yet.

All in all, this book certainly isn't for everyone but if you are looking for a light, rather different and pretty exciting read without deaths and brutal fights this would be the book for you!

RATING: 2 out of 3 Smarties

Review #12 Deadly Cool - Gemma Halliday

A boyfriend who is cheating on you? - Sucks. A boyfriend who is cheating on you and accused of having committed a murder? - Really Sucks. But watcha gonna do about it???



Published: 2011
Pages: 303 (Paperback)
Genre: Mystery
Long Story Short: Loved it! Especially for the language...

Goodreads synopsis:

Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he’s pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren’t enough, now he’s depending on Hartley to clear his name. 
But as much as Hartley wouldn’t mind seeing him squirm, she knows he’s innocent, and she’s the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school’s resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer’s next victim.


I bought this book mainly because of bookshelf tours I watched (and it seemed to appear in every single one), but also because I have never read a mystery. I just didn't think I'd like that kind of story, but Deadly Cool made me change my mind. Because it was amazing.

What I loved most was the language. Deadly Cool is told from the main character, Hartley's point of view and she's the most snarky, sarcastic girl I've ever read of / met. The great thing is the consistency of the tone. It doesn't just appear in special situations, but the whole story is told like that and that does not only round it up very well. It also kept me grinning and laughing the entire time.

Hartley was a great character. She just went along with everything that got in her way. She was never whiny, never annoying but confident most of the time which I love in characters. She was not the typical high school stereotype that either does stupid things and is popular or makes wise decisions and is considered a freak and social outcast.

Normally, I would list some negative aspects in this section of my review, but I just can't find any - I loved this book just so much. All the characters were so sympathetic, the mystery was (at least for me) not easy to figure out and the relationship/love interest aspect pretty much doesn't exist which I found to be refreshing.
The book is fast paced. You start reading, you stop reading and somehow notice there's only five pages left.

As for the love aspect in the book - it was there. And that was perfect. So refreshing to read about a teen girl that cares about boys but not ALL the time. I hate when in contemporary books every other thought of a girl is about the boy that you just KNOW she will end up with in the end. In Deadly Cool there were some - very cute - boys but they weren't the main focus.

All in all, I enjoyed this book a lot. It saved me from moving into a reading slump after being so disappointed by Dark Storm and kept me laughing. I'd recommend it to really everyone!

RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties

Review # 10 Dark Storm by Sarah Singleton

When life stabs you in the back and you feel like you're drowning in sadness - isn't it a life saver to have someone hold you above the waterline? Then again - too bad if that someone is not really alive anymore, either...


Goodreads synopsis:

Ellie is staying with her maternal grandparents for the summer, while her recently bereaved dad takes off on holiday with his new girlfriend. Upset by his apparent callousness, missing her mother, and jealous for her dad's attention, she begins to spiral into depression. Her grandparents suggest she joins a local theatre group, to meet people her own age and get away from the dark thoughts that threaten to engulf her. But then she gets roped into a seance at the theatre, and is the only one who actually sees a real ghost. Now a spirit is contacting her from beyond the grave - and as the dead boy's story unfolds, Ellie finds herself falling in love with him. But if she solves his mystery and helps release his soul, will he be lost to her forever?


What drew me to this book was mainly the cover, but also the synopsis. I liked the mix of contemporary with a slight bit of paranormal and was interested in where the story might go. My journey with this book was very different from ordinary, but not exactly in a good way. After having read the first 30 pages I was so amazed by it that I was tempted to run and tell everyone I know about it and make them read it. I read further, discovered something and experienced the main part of the novel to be pretty disappointing.

First, though, I want to talk about why I loved the book in the beginning. The author had this great talent of jumping right into the story without overwhelming the reader. Really, I started this book five minutes before I had to get out of the bus and by the time I threw it into my backpack to get up, I was already completely into the story and couldn't wait to continue reading. This fast pacedness leads the reader through the whole book, so on the one hand this is a huge plus.

On the other hand, this plus became smaller for me with every page. What made me dread this book after a while was mainly the absolutely stiff dialogue. Usually, I don't even pay much attention to dialogue and I don't think I've ever mentioned it in any of my reviews, but I found the way the characters talked to each other just straight up annoying. I felt like they started a conversation, told each other the story of their lives although they had known the other person for  no longer than two minutes and then they were like "bye" and Ellie literally ran anywhere. She was running to so many places, never stayed anywhere for long and when she did, the author turned to summarising everything that happened so as if she just wanted to get it over with.

Another thing that really annoyed me was how simple everything the author wanted to happen just happened. Ellie got to know people in this book, they became friends and that was the end of it. They had barely ever talked, but Ellie told everyone immediately how she felt about the loss of her mother. Somehow, though she doesn't seem to be able to talk about that - or anything other than food - with her grandparents.
Same with the love interest, Harry the ghost. Ellie falling in love with him is a fact not a process. You turn the page and from one moment to the other she just goes on and on how she can't live without him. By the way, the fact that he is a ghost does not seem to be a problem at all. She's not turned off by it or scared or finds it weird or anything. She just goes with it.

The only thing I continued liking a LOT was the general plot of the novel. Just how everything happened and how Ellie developed throughout the novel was totally reasonable and there were some things in the story I just didn't expect at all.

To put it in a nutshell, I was turned off by this book pretty fast and almost considered not finishing it. I'm afraid I can't even say I'd recommend it to anyone. Except maybe, if someone doesn't care much about language and storytelling but only about the plot, because as I said before that was what I liked very much. Overall, a disappointing read for me.

RATING: 1 out of 3 Smarties