MINI Review: Hide and Seek by Sara Shepard

MINI REVIEW:

The forth installment of the The Lying Game Series was just as creepy as the first three books, although I have to say that at some points I got a bit fed up with all the random suspicions that made Emma freak just until she noticed the person she thought killed her sister - ooops - couldn't have done it. The major plot twist at the end made up for it, though, as I absolutely didn't see THAT one coming and am now on the edge of my seat again.

The romance in the book was a tiny little bit annoying, too. That constant back and forth between Thayer and Ethan made me skim a few passages here and there because it got boring, but the girly aspect (aka detailed description of outfit, designer, brand, perfume everyone was wearing) and the way the girls supported each other as friends made it up for me.

All in all, Hide and Seek is a guílty pleasure novel for me - not exactly brilliant, but fun!

Have you ever read a Lying Game novel? Or Pretty Little Liars? Are you as addicted as I am? Or do you think they get repetitive?

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Goodreads Summary:
Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend’s restless spirit.
In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multiple-award-winning Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia’s descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery.

Release Date: March 19th, 2009
Series?no
Pages: 278
Publisher: Viking Juvenile


LONG STORY SHORT:

This is a book on a very difficult topic which makes it very difficult for me to write a review for it. I have to say I didn't love Wintergirls. Of course, it's not possible to enjoy a book like that but I also didn't love the way the topic was presented. I would say you can read it and you will probably be satisfied and many people liked it quite a lot, but I hope to find a book that tackles the topic of anorexia a bit better than this one did.

REVIEW:

I won this book in a Giveaway, but I could  choose which one I wanted to receive and I decided it should be Wintergirls because I've heard so much praise for Laurie Halse Anderson and especially this book that I wanted to check it out.

I have to say I was disappointed. I mean I raced through Wintergirls in one setting but that was more because I wanted to know how everything would turn out. You know, like you stay in the hospital to find out if your friend is recovering. I didn't read it in one sitting because of the writing style or the plot or the characters or anything, really.

As far as the characters go - yes, they are realistic. That's what I'm always looking for in characters - usually. But I just didn't warm up to Lia - not one bit. She was a stranger to me until the end. The fact that we got to know about her past in flashbacks did not change that. I mean, it showed me how the eating disorder evolved, how she got into the mess she found herself in. But I didn't know Lia as a person. She always seemed to be driving around with her car, without any reason.

That made the plot a fail for me, too. It was already very slow, not much happening, many thoughts. But then there were the flashbacks thrown in too and while I found some of those very important - some also were completely pointless.

When she started seeing Cassie it was too much for me. I felt like there were too many issues Lia had to face to put into one book and some things were clearly missing for me.

And then there was that guy. One word: weird.

All in all, I think this book was okay but I was hoping for a lot more. I thought I'd cry or maybe at least be so involved in the story, feel sorry for Lia, but  Wintergirls just didn't affect me the way I expected it would.

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: Perfect by Ellen Hopkins

Goodreads synopsis:

Everyone has something, someone, somewhere else that they’d rather be. For four high-school seniors, their goals of perfection are just as different as the paths they take to get there. Cara’s parents’ unrealistic expectations have already sent her twin brother Conner spiraling toward suicide. For her, perfect means rejecting their ideals to take a chance on a new kind of love. Kendra covets the perfect face and body—no matter what surgeries and drugs she needs to get there. To score his perfect home run—on the field and off—Sean will sacrifice more than he can ever win back. And Andre realizes that to follow his heart and achieve his perfect performance, he’ll be living a life his ancestors would never have understood.
Everyone wants to be perfect, but when perfection loses its meaning, how far will you go? What would you give up to be perfect? A riveting and startling companion to the bestselling Impulse, Ellen Hopkins's Perfect exposes the harsh truths about what it takes to grow up and grow into our own skins, our own selves


Release Date: September 13, 2011
Pages: 622 (Hardcover)
Series? #2
Publisher: Margeret K. Mc Elderry Books

REVIEW:

Perfect is the sequel or companion to Impulse. What surprised me and what I really liked was how it was set at the same time as Impulse, featuring other characters. Among others, Conner's sister Cara and their family and his ex-girlfriend Kendra and her family.

Perfect was in many ways different from Impulse. For one, it didn't take place in a mental facility, but in a small town where the four characters lived.
With that came the aspect of what I'd call a bit more "normal" than Impulse. Although the four characters all struggle with something, most of the time the pressure of being perfect, the majority of them does not have to look back on a truly disturbing childhood.

Which then again, doesn't mean that they are a bunch of happy kids. Kendra has to deal with anorexia in this book, Cara finds herself in a family where noone really cares about anything concerning her - apart from her academical success maybe. Andre has trouble deciding if he should follow his parents' expectations or decide for himself what he wants to do with his life and Sean chooses the wrong way to get where he wants to be.

All these problems, though, felt a bit more identifiable to me, because I think the light versions are what every teen has to go through.
Another reason I could identify with the stories was, of course, again Hopkin's amazing writing style that transports you directly into the characters' skin and lets you become a part of the story.

All in all I think Perfect was another great, deep Ellen Hopkins novel. I'd recommend reading Impulse first, although if you think the stories in Impulse are more than you could handle, it might be a good decision to read Perfect first, because as I said I find it to be a little bit easier to read.

RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties

Review: Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

Goodreads synopsis:

Sometimes you don't wake up. But if you happen to, you know things will never be the same. Three lives, three different paths to the same destination: Aspen Springs, a psychiatric hospital for those who have attempted the ultimate act -- suicide. Vanessa is beautiful and smart, but her secrets keep her answering the call of the blade. Tony, after suffering a painful childhood, can only find peace through pills. And Conner, outwardly, has the perfect life. But dig a little deeper and find a boy who is in constant battle with his parents, his life, himself. In one instant each of these young people decided enough was enough. They grabbed the blade, the bottle, the gun -- and tried to end it all. Now they have a second chance, and just maybe, with each other's help, they can find their way to a better life -- but only if they're strong and can fight the demons that brought them here in the first place.

Release Date: January 23, 2007
Pages: 688 (Hardcover)
Series? #1
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderrry Books

LONG STORY SHORT:

Impulse didn't surprise me as I was told how brilliant it is so many times before. Nevertheless, I surely couldn't put it down and have to say I admire the author for writing such a deep, sad, disturbing story and creating three very realistic, likeable characters.

 REVIEW:

I was told so many times how Ellen Hopkins was brilliant and a genius and other awesome things so I thought it was about time for me to try her books. I must say, it overwhelmed me. In every way possible.

First of all, it was brilliant. I had to get used to the verse writing, but it didn't take me that long and after a couple of pages it wasn't a problem at all. What makes Hopkins so brilliant, I believe, is her ability to form those incredible three-dimensional characters. They seem so real and the further you read the more you get the feeling that you know them like you'd know real friends.

Also, some authors have a talent of displaying nothing but true life on their pages - and  that's what Hopkins does, too. Sometimes, good things happen. Another time, bad things happen - and you can never predict it because that's just how life goes.

I noticed before I read Impulse that none of Hopkin's books featured light and easy subjects and Impulse doesn't, either. It's set in Aspen Springs, a clinic for teens who struggle with all kinds of mental diseases or drug abuse or other really bad issues. The good thing is that the three characters we take a closer look on in Impulse all seemed weird to me at first and I was a bit frightened to know how they got themselves in the situation they were in - but then their stories were so unique and suddenly made me understand them in a way I never thought I would. Hopkins did a wonderful job here on creating troubled teenagers AND showing the reader what they are like on the inside.

Then again, that's also what I struggled with. After I finished Impulse I did need a little reading break just to get my mind off of the problems and issues the teens faced. Now, I  think that it's important to read about heavy stuff like this from time to time. I can say for myself that it gave me the impulse to look at things from another angle - or to look at things at all, really, but everyone should decide for themselves if they feel ready to read about these kind of things or not.

All in all, Impulse was a fantastic novel all around and I would recommend it to everyone who thinks he or she can handle issues like abuse, violence or cutting.

RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties

Summer Reading Review: Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Goodreads Summary:

According to Anna’s best friend, Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there’s a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there’s something she hasn’t told Frankie–she’s already had her romance, and it was with Frankie’s older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.









Pages: 290
Series? No
Release Date: June 1, 2009

LONG STORY SHORT:

Twenty Boy Summer had me in on the first page! Characters who could not only be the boy or girl next door, but whom I'd also love to have as my best friends had to deal with the death of a very important person - but even more - with growing up and saving a friendship from the effects of that process - wonderful story, the perfect feel - good novel!


REVIEW:

I'm sorry, Sarah Dessen. I was convinced there would never be something or someone to rob you the number one spot in my reading heart. I'm sorry, I was wrong...
Well, not quite. I still love Sarah Dessen's writing, but I would say Sarah Ockler is the first contemporary writer that I adore just as much. Their ways of telling a story are rather different, I guess, but both amazing.

I was very worried to start Twenty Boy Summer because I luckily have never lost someone close to me and my problem with grief books is that I usually don't get them, I can't identify with them.
I didn't have to worry, though. Twenty Boy Summer brought a smile on my face on the very first page and that smile revisited throughout the whole book.
Anna, the main character, had a great personality but also found herself in the middle of growing into her own person and making her own decisions.
As was Frankie, Anna's best friend. She just tried to find herself in a totally different way. That growing-of age part of the novel especially appealed to me because both characters were described so realistically. I think most teens could identify with either the rather quiet, thoughtful Anna or the rebellious and wild Frankie.

Realistic is also what I'd call the conflict the two girls had to work out. I mean, not all of us have to deal with overcoming the death of a brother and best friend, but the tension between the childhood friends, Anna's worries about keeping something from her best friend for the first time in her life and how her secret will affect the rest of their lives and their friendship - I think most girls go through that phase sooner or later.

The boys in this book...came rather random, I think. They were more of an accessory, necessary for the story, but they kept appearing and disappearing whenever they were needed without really playing an important role.
Much more important were the parents - especially Frankie's and that's also where I have to criticize a bit. I really would have liked to see if and how Frankie can solve the problems with her parents.

All in all, though, Twenty Boy Summer is a really great coming-of age story with excellent funny, emotional writing written by an author who - I would assume - definitely knows how teens feel :)

RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties

Review: The Eyes of the Desert Sand by Edwin Wolfe

Goodreads Summary:

How many parents would believe their thirteen year old son who told them that two vampires and a hooded stranger had tried to abduct him? Strange thing is, young Ethan Fox is convinced his parents, George and Betsy do believe him. Could it have something to do with the mysterious poem he wrote in his sleep? Or maybe it has something to do with his past, the past he cannot remember before his eighth birthday. Something strange is afoot, and it is about to turn Ethan’s world upside down.While vacationing with his parents, to get away from the crazy events of the previous two weeks, Ethan encounters a young girl named Haley Hunt who he is strongly drawn to… and the feeling is mutual. Together, Ethan and Haley are lured to The Residence, home of the Caretakers, an organization of intelligent beings sent to earth to nurture the human race and protect them from un-earthly influences.Armed with special abilities, including the power to evolve any earthly creature, the Caretakers take in their unexpected guests. They have been watching young Ethan Fox, and are curious as to why the Grimleavers, their mortal enemy on earth, would want to abduct a young human child. Together, Ethan and Haley journey to magical worlds, make new friends, and help the Caretakers unravel the stories greatest mysteries. Along the way, they learn that the Caretakers have been here since the beginning of human history and have played a key role in shaping human lore. In their world, vampires, werewolves, trolls, and even Medusa herself really do exist but have been kept hidden from the human world around them. Ethan is the key as they ultimately discover the Grimleavers true intentions, to unlock the four portals to the elemental worlds of the Chrysalis.

Pages: 320 (Hardcover)
Release Date: January 11, 2012
Series? The Chrysalis Chronicles #1

LONG STORY  SHORT:

This book is just absolutely cute and sweet. Then again, it also is a very well thought - out fantasy story. I'd recommend you read it if you're up to something a bit different, funny and if you don't mind younger characters in YA all that much.

REVIEW:

I didn't know what to expect with The Eyes of the Desert Sand. Just by cover and synopsis I guessed it would be targeted towards a slightly younger audience, maybe thirteen year olds and I think I was right with that. This might have to do with the main character's age as well.

What I didn't expect was that this book would make me smile on almost every page. And it wasn't even particularly funny in dialogue or anything. It's just that the author did a wonderful job with world building. All the different creatures and settings and devices she invented were so easy but at the same time fantastical and magical and just very, very sweet.
The story itself was slightly predictable but somehow still original.
The writing, I suppose, could've been a bit more fluent and the dialogue was a bit stiff at times, but that was not a big matter to me.
But it's really not about the details with The Eyes of the Desert Sand - it's about the world you enter, those tiny little details that are so weird. It definitely reminded me of the fairytales I loved when I was younger.

All in all, I guess I'd recommend this book to a younger audience or to older people who don't mind reading a book that is a bit simpler, a bit lighter and just ... innocent :)

RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties

Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Goodreads Summary:

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. 
Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. 
Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined

Release Date: August 7, 2012
Series? Yes! #1
Pages: 416 (Hardcover)



LONG STORY SHORT:

If this was school and I was the teacher and had to grade Throne of Glass it would get an A- from me and I'd smile, pat the book on the shoulder and say "Very well done." Or - to sound a bit less freakish - I'd tell the author that. Because Throne of Glass is just that: very well done. Realistic, developed and developing characters, well figured-out plot, interesting relationships, one or two fabulous twists and a showdown ending. The only thing that's missing is the blow that throws me off my feet.

REVIEW:

Throne of Glass is a great fantasy story that will keep you entertained from beginning to end. Although the main character, Celeana was a bit strange to me at first I liked her more and more the further the story went, the more I got to know the character and her history and the more of her personality was revealed. Celeana is incredibly strong, has her own opinion on things but on the other hand shows this girly side that makes her love puppies and everything that has to do with fancy dresses and balls and all that good stuff.

I know that many people were let down a bit by the love interests in this book and their lack of personality and development and I must say, thinking back now I get what they mean. The guys really just appeared, had their scene and left it and didn't really show any flaws or edges or anything. They were a bit flat, I'll admit that, but the thing is I didn't even notice because I fell in love with one of them (okay, Dorian) immediately and was concerned about nothing but their happy ending throughout the rest of the book.

Anyway, if there is a happy ending you have to find out yourself and I highly recommend you do, because Throne of Glass is the kind of book that you might not keep thinking of days after you finished it, but you definitely are sad to leave the characters and move on to another story.

All in all, if all this hasn't got you convinced just yet, let me tell you the finale is the bomb as I couldn't put the book out of my hands until I knew how it ended. Oh, and the plot twists that totally caught me by surprise? One more reason to read Throne of Glass.

RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties

Summer Reading Review: A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

Goodreads Summary:

Whitley Johnson's dream summer with her divorcé dad has turned into a nightmare. She's just met his new fiancée and her kids. The fiancée's son? Whitley's one-night stand from graduation night. Just freakin' great.
Worse, she totally doesn't fit in with her dad's perfect new country-club family. So Whitley acts out. She parties. Hard. So hard she doesn't even notice the good things right under her nose: a sweet little future stepsister who is just about the only person she's ever liked, a best friend (even though Whitley swears she doesn't "do" friends), and a smoking-hot guy who isn't her stepbrother...at least, not yet. It will take all three of them to help Whitley get through her anger and begin to put the pieces of her family together.
Filled with authenticity and raw emotion, Whitley is Kody Keplinger's most compelling character to date: a cynical Holden Caulfield-esque girl you will wholly care about.



LONG STORY SHORT:
If you find yourself kneeling in front of a bookshelf in your favorite bookstore on the hottest day of summer trying to find just one, single book that fits the weather and your exhausted - because boiling - brain cells you should pick this book up. And I promise you will devour it, forget the energy your brain needs to come up with to read and even let the pool wait for hours :) If - for any reason - you don't find yourself in the midst of summer right now you might not be able to enjoy it as much, but nonetheless Kody Keplinger wrote a fantastic novel here!

REVIEW:

This review is going to suck. I know it. Because from the very first pages of A Midsummer's Nightmare I had one sentence in my mind that this review should be based on. I read on and added thought after thought to this one sentence...I wanted to say how much I loved Whitley's dad's new family and their house and how welcoming they were and how Bailey's first steps in her teenager-shoes were described and how the dialogue was just so realistic and how everything could've happened just the way it did and - and this is the point! - I wanted to tell you guys that all these things would've made the novel perfect if it weren't for the main character and the fact that I could absolutely not stand her - and not relate to her at all.

Well...that was a silly thought for me to want to begin a review with. Because, you know what? Characters can grow. And Kody Keplinger not only knows how to make her characters grow and develop - she has the ability to make them grow on you!
For me that meant that throughout a huge part of the book I tried to ignore Whitley and her mean commemts and her stubborn attitude because I was convinced I hated her and that everything else in A Midsummer's Nightmare was totally awesome.
Until - all of a sudden - I couldn't deny it anymore. I liked Whitley. Or rather I liked the girl behind the facade, the girl that we got to see as soon as some people came into her life and ripped her mask off. Beneath I saw the great personality that she has and the good friend she can be.

To cut this short I must say: Even if Whitley and the voice with which she tells her story turn you off at first as they did turn me off - give her a chance and don't start hating her by page 3. Then again, you probably won't be able to put the book down anyway because the story just flows in front of you, never comes to a boring hold and especially during the second part I learned quite a lot of things about my life and the way I deal with  people and how a real parent should behave - AND I even found one thing - or rather a person - I really, honestly do not like. Whitley's dad. Even at the end (which - of course I won't spoil) I still hated him and probably wouldn't speak to him any more than necessary for the rest of my life.

All in all, I would suggest you buy this book as long as summer is still with us - I think this just screams hot weather and a pool or beach and it wouldn't be the same if you read it in winter :)

RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties

Summer Reading Review: Someone like you

Hey guys! Just a quick side note before you get your review: Some of you might have noticed that I post this Summer Reading on Wednesday instead of Monday. The simple reason is : I've got too many posts right now and I had to reorganize things a bit. Just to not confuse you: the rest of the Summer Reading is going to go up on Wednesdays now. 

Goodreads Summary:

Halley has always followed in the wake of her best friend, Scarlett. But when Scarlett learns that her boyfriend has been killed in a motorcycle accident, and that she's carrying his baby, she's devastated. For the first time ever, Scarlett really needs Halley. Their friendship may bend under the weight, but it'll never break--because a true friendship is a promise you keep forever.

LONG STORY SHORT:

Out of all the Sarah Dessen novels this is the funniest, most entertaining, roller - coaster like one I've read so far. If you need the feel - good novel with super likeable characters and a fast paced plot that ends with a wonderful message you have to go out there and buy this book right this second.

REVIEW:

I was very hesitant to start Someone Like You because the premise just didn't appeal to me at all. It seemed like this was so not where I am or ever was in my life - how am I supposed to identify with any of these characters???

How wrong was I? Someone like you was an awesome novel that I enjoyed from beginning to end. I can't even decide what I loved most...it was definitely fun! The main character was given a great voice but I think the unique side characters contributed to the fun factor as well. Halley's dad was awesome, his reluctance to come between the two women in his house is so realistic and somehow very cute. Apart from that, I really liked Halleys mom, too. She seems nice and caring and even though Halley just finds herself at a point where she stops seeing her mom like that - I still found Mrs. Cooke very sympathetic.

Scarlett is the best friend you'd wish for. She is another part of this novel that I really liked. She seems very ahead for her age anyway, but she still goes through a lot of character development. As does Halley. Again, we're talking about a rather short Sarah Dessen novel, but it features quite a long period of time. You might think those two wouldn't go together that well, but this way of building up the story lets the writer put emphasis on those important moments in life. I at least didn't miss those moments when a character just sits on the couch at night, having a glass of milk, thinking things through.

It's interesting how you see Halley make her experiences and comparing her personality at the beginning and the ending of the book.
Also, if you're like me and the premise made you think "Oh noooo, not a troubled teen novel with a bunch of endless, pointless discussions and unnecessary crying AGAIN", you're absolutely wrong! Someone like you is nothing like that!

All in all I'd say if other Dessen books were too slow for you or you found them boring you should definitely try Someone like you. I find that it's a lot more entertaining and a very quick read that I will probably pick up again not too far from right now.



Cover Comparison:

Okay, so I actually don't own any of these covers (purchased the British version again), but If I had to choose I'd go for the new one (on the left). I mean, it's not like any of these two covers had something to do with the story (at least I can't see it) but the new one looks way more modern and girly and all. And - let's be honest here - I'm a bit tired of almost every Sarah Dessen cover featuring a beach. Oh, well...not every one, but....you know....

Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

 

Goodreads summary:


"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.
So wrong for each other...and yet so right.
No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.


Pages: 384 (Hardcover
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Series? No


LONG STORY SHORT:

You will love this book. Trust me. You are going to want to be Echo's best friend, you are going to want to marry Noah or at least want Noah to marry Echo. The plot might seem a bit slow to you at first and you might feel guarded because this is another story about troubled teens, but trust me this book is so heart wrenching, the story so beautiful that you won't forget it in a long time.

REVIEW:

I requested Pushing The Limits from Netgalley because the story sounded interesting to me and because after all that Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy and Dystopia that I've read in spring, I needed a break, something different.

Oh my, how I got that break. Pushing The Limits caught me totally off guard - I didn't expect a story so difficult, I didn't think my heart would be in it as much as it was eventually. I fell in love with not one or two but all the characters, they felt so real!  It was hard for me - after I had finished the book - to just put it down and move on.

It's been a long time since I've felt the need to write fanfiction to a certain book or movie or anything but Pushing the Limits almost brought me to do it as I could not stop thinking about how Echo and Noah's story might go on.

Their relationship was so pure and developed in exactly the right pace. No rushed insta love, but the author didn't let the reader wait too long or brought in too many predictable hurdles along the way.

Noah and Echo alternate while telling the story which is a method that doesn't work with every book but with PTL it totally did! You could see both sides of the story, both their emotions towards things and - a big plus as well - Noah and Echo had their own very specific voices.

At last, I need to give some credit to MrsCollins - a very important side character that totally rocks and a shrink I'd love to have at my school, too. Together with her comes my last praise for this book: the humor that came through  from time to time - we actually had characters who didn't forget to laugh even in the darkest moments of life!

There's nothing more to say. Read this book, guys!

RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties

Summer Reading Review What happened to Goodbye

Who is the real McLean? 
Since her parents' bitter divorce, McLean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move-four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, McLean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, McLean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out. 
Combining Sarah Dessen's trademark graceful writing, great characters, and compelling storytelling, What Happened to Goodbye is irresistible reading.







LONG STORY SHORT:

What happened to Goodbye is one of those Sarah Dessen novels that I really like because of the identifying - element. I found the main character so relatable, I didn't have any problems understanding her emotions and why she acted the way she did. Also, I really enjoyed the setting in the story and the weird family constellations. This is a very cute read that I'd recommend for those who want a lighter Dessen - read, a bit different from books like Just Listen or Lock and Key.

REVIEW:

What Happened to Goodbye was my second Dessen - book after Lock and Key and I read it way before I started this blog. I think it was almost a year ago. What made me buy it was the synopsis, a girl that wakes up every few months, pretending to be a completely new person? That's what I've tried and failed to do for years and years!

Usually, in Sarah Dessen books I don't care for the guys that much. Especially in the ones I read more recently. I hated Dexter from This Lullaby, I couldn't really understand Sumner from That Summer...but for some reason I loved Dave. He was so cute and weird and awesome and so real - I couldn't stop smiling whenever he entered a scene.

Also, the friendships McLean makes during her last stay are so great. The people she meets - all so different and unique with great character traits and huge flaws! They're funny and nice and you want them to be your friends, too.

As for her family - it's difficult, no questions asked. She barely talks to her mom and there are some things she hasn't figured out with her dad, yet, but again the issues aren't that heavy. Of course, it's hard when your parents divorce after so many years and it might even be normal how McLean treats her mom after that but that's all problems that can be figured out, you know what I mean? She wasn't abandoned by her mom and noone in this book is dealing with depression or eating disorders which makes this book a bit more beach read for me.

I could go on and on about how much I loved What Happened To goodbye. I think it's even more so in retrospect because I remember all the fun characters and want to enjoy the story all over again.

At last I need to mention Dave's parents. They are hilarious.

All in all, I really liked What Happened to Goodbye and can only recommend it. It's based on a great idea and features awesome characters and of course - Sarah Dessen once again is able to display exactly what I believe most teens feel sometimes :)

As this book hasn't gotten a new cover (at least, that's what I think) I decided to compare the US cover with the UK cover (which I accidently bought).



Although I always try to buy the American covers (because...you know...I'm weird like that) this time I must say I'm glad I didn't pay more attention when I ordered the book. I feel like every Dessen book has a girl with an accessory on the cover so it's refreshing to have that British cover with all the colorful junk in the suitcase :)

RATING: 3 out of 3 Smarties!

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 :)