Review: Belles by Jen Calonita

Goodreads Summary:
Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she's ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn't go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn't thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates' Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls' lives forever.

Release Date: April 10, 2012
Publisher: Poppy
Pages: 356 (Hardcover)
Series? Belles #1

REVIEW:

This is a back-to-school book. This is a book that will appeal to all those of you who (like me) are completely fed up with the rich spoiled brats (sorry, I know - language!) at your school that just won't stop behaving like rich spoiled brats ;)
It is a book, though, that most contemporary readers (no matter how rich or poor) will enjoy because you get to see two girls growing up, trying to do the right thing and growing into their own person.

I could identify with Izzie pretty much from the first page but even if you can't the book will have you in - at the latest after the first chapter. Belles starts as a very special type of feel - good novel because you can somehow feel how happy Izzie is with her life. It is hard, of course but her personal confidence and strength really transforms the reader, too.

What I liked about Mira's family was how none of them was a really flat character -and most of the time they weren't your cliche Gossip Girl kind of family. Mira's mom was a bit superstitious and clothing-obsessed, but at the same time she had a heart and you could see that she cared about her kids - and Izzie - a LOT.
Mira's dad was exactly what you would imagine a politician to be like but at the same time he was also the most stereotypical dad you could think of - and that made him totally unique. He was a bit naive, a bit clumsy when it came to emotions and very loveable!

Don't get me wrong. Belles is on the edge of being a very predictable chick-lit, girly read. BUT it isn't because the story is a tad too deep for it and because the characters are a little too realistic and unique for that.

All in all, Belles is absolutely enjoyable because it doesn't make you sad, but it makes you think and it doesn't make you choke from cheesiness but still has that comforting, feel - good touch to it.

RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties

Review: The Princesses of Iowa by Molly M. Backes

Goodreads Summary:
What does it mean to do wrong, when no one punishes you? A smart and unflinching look at friendship, the nature of entitlement, and growing up in the heartland. Paige Sheridan has the perfect life. She's pretty, rich, and popular, and her spot on the homecoming court is practically guaranteed. But when a night of partying ends in an it-could-have-been-so-much worse crash, everything changes. Her best friends start ignoring her, her boyfriend grows cold and distant, and her once-adoring younger sister now views her with contempt. The only bright spot is her creative writing class, led by a charismatic new teacher who encourages students to be true to themselves. But who is Paige, if not the homecoming princess everyone expects her to be? In this arresting and witty debut, a girl who was once high-school royalty must face a truth that money and status can't fix, and choose between living the privileged life of a princess, or owning up to her mistakes and giving up everything she once held dear.

Release Date: May 8, 2012
Publisher: Candlewick
Series? No
Pages: 464 (Hardcover)

LONG STORY SHORT:

If you didn't like contemporary until now, The Princesses of Iowa will most certainly change that. It's not even like there was a ton of stuff happening, but the way you can connect to the characters and how the story is so close to life really make the novel something unique and special. Perfect for Back to School, by the way!

REVIEW:

The one struggle most contemporary books face - in my opinion - is to stand out. If you can remember the characters and their stories for longer than three hours after you finish the book, that's good. Or if you have to keep reading and you don't really know why, because there's actually not that much happening in the story. That's also a very good sign.

The Princesses of Iowa was that and even more. Although the plot line sounds so ... generic and usual and like ALL the others, what's inside the book will most likely stick with you. I think the write word for what I was feeling while I read the book would be: joy. I simply enjoyed this story.

The characters had their part in entertaining me, too. The main character, Paige, was very sympathetic. She was a normal teenage girl, falling and standing up again and learning lessons in life and someone whom I got to like more and more as the book continued. Her development from beginning to end was amazing!

The rest of the characters somehow could have deserved a bit more attention, though. There's so much I still want to know about Paige's friends and her family. I did really care for them, as well!

And then the plot did something I absolutely didn't expect: It surprised me. Okay, so it wasn't a big time turn out BUT it gave the novel something special and me a topic to think about.

All in all, I would recommend The Princesses of Iowa to pretty much everyone - well, except if you really hate contemporary with a passion...

RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Favorite Authors In X Genre

I chose contemporary! Because apart from Fantasy this is my favorite genre and I definitely have been reading a LOT ore contemporaries than fantasy books :D

1) Sarah Dessen

...because her books have just been lifesavers for me throughout those last few years. She's amazing!

2) Meg Cabot

...because her books have made me laugh harder than anyone else's. She taught me not to take life or myself too seriously and even though I don't relate to her books AS much anymore I still think I wouldn't have survived my tween years without them...

3) Gemma Halliday

...because she's the Meg Cabot of my late teen years. Hilariously funny books, always make me laugh.

4) Sarah Ockler
...very new on my list! I've only read Twenty Boy Summer but can only recommend that amazing novel!

5) Sara Shepard
...because her books have that DELICIOUS mixture of girly gossip and creepiness!

6) Gayle Forman
I have only ever read If I Stay, but it was so. freaking. beautiful.

7)Katie McGarry

see above. Oh my.

8) Ellen Hopkins
Because I find it scary how real her stories always appear to me.

9) Molly M Backes

Because The Princesses of Iowa was so much like I expected it to be but a lot better than I ever thought it could have been done :)

10) John Green
ALTHOUGH I wasn't a big fan of Looking for Alaska which is the only book of his I've ever read. I feel like  have to reread it soon, though. I'm pretty sure the reason I wasn't very impressed is that I didn't really get it.

Monday Motivation

Good Morning everyone (if you're reading this in the AM)!
As you might have noticed if you're not THAT sleepy anymore, Books of the Week just got a title change. And this change actually MEANS something.
Now, you're probably thinking "How awesomely original...Monday Motivation...I'm guessing NOONE EVER thought of that one...".
I decided to do this although it's been done by probably almost every single person out there before.
Because I have a really hard time getting up on Monday mornings, focusing on school or work...do anything but go back to my warm and comfy bed again.
So these posts will start with a little...

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE:


“Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.”
― Albert Einstein

I love reading one - only ONE - quote in the morning and then let that be my mantra for the rest of the day.

This is followed by a...

MOTIVATIONAL MOVE (one activity you should do this week and just have fun with it!)

It's the fall time! Curl up under a blanket, consume a ton of hot chocolate/sweet tea and read through an epic fantasy novel!

MOTIVATIONAL GOAL:

Mine is to read a LOT of books this week so that I can make progress on my challenges before my fall break is over. What is your goal?

And finally...the books you could treat yourself with after working through your Monday Morning blues/ the week/ the things you want to accomplish:

All New Stories:





Sequels:



Paperbacks:

Words of the Week

MY LIFE

Back - in good old Germany. Still not settled in, though, as I have to admit. This blog is still a crazy mess - so much to catch up on, bot also so little time!

Books - I'm SO behind on reading. I've read like...two books so far this month. In addition to that I put even more pressure on me by bringing home tons of library books that I need to finish before October ends - as I said, it's a mess!

Moving - I am. Moving, I mean. Or I should be once this week's Thursday comes around. The good thing is it's only a five minute walk to our new apartment. The bad thing is that I STILL have to carry more than 200 books. Oh yippieh!

BOOKS

The Casual Vacancy - which I've read while I was in Poland...different, oh yes, but I liked it. Not as much as I liked Harry Potter but to that I have to say that if TCV was an epic 7-books series with accompanying epic movies maybe I would love it as much as HP :)

Reckless 2 - by Cornelia Funke just came out in Germany a few weeks ago...and I'm so hesitant if I should read it. I remember liking Reckless, but not being oh-so-thrilled by it. Anyone thinking of reading the English version when it comes out?

And the new books I got this week? Nada! And I'm quite proud of that...but maybe I can show you one of the library books I got...

 which is Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Fall Into Reading Goals

 Yay! I'm participating in my very first reading challenge (apart from the GR challenge). I can't believe it, either, but 2012 is slowly coming to an end and as I am looking forward to gingerbread cookies and Christmas songs Goodreads tells me I'm SEVEN books behind on my goal of 100 books and I see the promotion posts for SO many new books and sequels coming out next year while having a nagging feeling of nervousness in my tummy...
Anyway, that's why I decided to participate in the 2012 Fall Into Reading challenge and the books I plan to read are these:

Books that are collecting dust on my shelf:

1)All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
2)Beastly by Alex Flinn
3)Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
4)Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
5)Enclave by Ann Aguire
6)Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maburry

Series I want to catch up on:

7)Frostbite (Vampire Academy Series) by Richelle Mead
8)Crossed by Ally Condie
9) Entice by Jessica Shirvington
10)Gone by Michael Grant
11)Dearly Departed by Lia Habel
12)Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick
13)Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
14)Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor



Books published in 2012:

15)Cinder (Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer
16)Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
17)Winter White by Jen Calonita
18)Lucid by Adrienne Stoltz
19)Ten by Gretchen McNeil
20)Dearly Beloved by Lia Habel
21)Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
22)The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

New releases:

23)Live Through This by Mindi Scott
24)Reached by Ally Condie
25)The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
26)Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Okay...I hope I haven't forgotten an important one. If so, please tell me in the comments section. Like...if there's a book you absolutely loved in 2012 that I have to read before the year comes to an end or if there's a new release or something...I might be a cheater and change the list :)
To complete my Goodreads challenge I still have to read around 30 books. I didn't  mention 30 on here, though, because there are also a few German books I have on my TBR pile :)
What about you? What are you going to read this fall??

Feature & Follow Friday

Today's question is:

What book do you think would make a great Halloween movie? Please explain in graphic detail of goriness…

Wohooo! I'm finally back :) 

And...I don't have an answer. Because I - seriously - have never read a Halloween - worthy book in my life. Ever. So, I'm asking you guys: Do you have any recommendations for books I could read for Halloween?