Overview: Halley and Scarlet are best friends, and have been since they were eleven years old. Halley could always could count on Scar for anything; until Scarlet's boyfriend dies in a motorcycling accident, sending them both into shock. Now, Scarlet is the one who needs to lean on her best friend. When Halley gets a call from Scarlet at sisterhood camp, she knows this is serious. After getting back to Halley's home town to see Scarlet, the book takes off into an emotional rollercoaster.
My Thoughts: I found the book to be quite pleasing; Halley and Scarlet are wonderful characters and very hard not to like. I thought the book was very realistic and fasinating. The crazy home life Scarlet survived in and the odd relashionship between Halley and her mother was somewhat addictive. I loved it, and would suggest it to anyone who would read it.
Three stars: ***
Overview: This intriguing story is about two girls from the same country, same city, but know little about each others lives, cultures, and family life. This is due to the fact that Amal is a Palestinan and Odelia is an Israeli; and the outbreak of war that has been going on for over fifty years in the middle east. Throughout the book, you learn much about each side of the looking glass; political views, traditions, and dreams of both young women.
My Thoughts: I thought this book was very different from most of the books I've read lately, and I liked the contrast. I had little, or to be quite frank, no knowledge of the war in the middle east before it was assigned reading for history class. Now, I've formed my own opinions about the situation over there and I think once you read the book, you will too. I found that learning different customs about their people on both sides very interesting, and I found myself comparing my american life to theirs. It is a book that everyone should just look at, it taught me a lot. And, it's a plus that it was written by teens like us.
Two Stars: **
Overview: Reed Brennan fantasied about attending the Easton Academy, an ultra exclusive and expensive private school in Connecticut. Suddenly, she is overjoyed when she is awarded a scholarship there for her academic and athletic ways. Hoping to leave her miserable home life behind, she packs up her things and leaves her town with a smile on her face. However, she soon realizes things are much different on campus then in the halls of Croton High. In this fabulous world of designer clothes and perfect hair, she sees the Billings Girls; poised and gorgeous with stellar grades and popularity like Reed has never seen before. However, the realization that the picture perfect walls of Billings may be hiding something ugly sets in; and Reed doesn't know whether she wants to become apart of it. Meanwhile, her boy toy Thomas Pearson seems like the ideal boyfriend; until she sees him dealing prescription pills to some of the upperclassmen. From there on, the lies one by one become exposed. But hey, things are looking up; she becomes a Billings girl.
My Thoughts: The book was clever and overall really good. I found it hard to put down. The romantic tension between Reed and Thomas was addicting; I was constantly prying to read about it. However, it really disappointed me when Kate tossed in all the crazy scenarios; like the party in the woods chapter where he had asked her to come to talk. Instead of talking, he went on a drunken rant. I felt sorry for her. He is an obvious schmoozer and all talk. I was somewhat relieved to know that he dissapeared at the end of the book. My thoughts on the Billings Girls are mixed. I know for a fact that you cannot trust them, but I wanted too so bad. I found myself saying, "If I was in that situation, which I'm glad I'm not, I wouldn't be able to handle it." Just when I thought Reed won them over, they were challenging her with something that was obviously against school codes. I was so happy, yet eerily worried when at the end of the book, Noelle and the other Billings Girls except her into their inner circle. I have a feeling the next novels will give this awesome book a run for it's money.
(Are you a Private Fan, too? Go to www.privatenovels.com to watch exclusive online private shows & chat about the book!)
Four Stars: ****
Overview: Jane and Scarlet are polar opposite BFF's, moved from Santa Barbara to L.A. where they plan to start their lives; her as an intern at a prestegious event planning biz while Scarlet goes to U.S.C. While trying to have a good time in an awesome L.A. club, they are discovered by a reality producer and the book picks up from there - or should I say goes down. The girls meet their co-stars, Gabby & Madison, go to fabulous clubs, and live their lives on-screen. It seems too good too be true! However, you could believe that it was. Soon, the cameras are everywhere the girls DON'T want to be. It seems that everybody loves to love you - but, they love to hate you even more.
My Thoughts: It was a pretty good read, considering it was a quirky comedy with relatable characters. Out of all the characters, Scarlet was my favorite. She knows what she wants, doesn't take any crap from anyone, and was level-headed in any situation. Although, those are all nothing compared to the admiration I held for her when she was the only one who realized that her L.A. type A, blonde, air-headed co-stars Gabby & Madison were nothing but trouble. The very end of the book made me laugh, it seemed very clever of Lauren to end it this way. There is a plan for a two more L.A. Candy books, sequeling this unique tale. It was overall, a decent read.
Three Stars: ***
Overview: When her and her enemy/cousin team up together, they put they're minds to destroy Alicia's twin cousins' dream of being in the music video for !i! Where, all along, the dream that Alicia wanted to come true, (meeting & shooting with the hawt spanish star) seemed vastly overrated when you discover @ the end, her annoying stalker LBR Nigel, is actually !i!, in which case she obviously admits she is crushing on him, too.
My Thoughts:Forgive me, Alicia is the only Clique book that seemed to slip my mind, but I just finished it & decided to write a review. I thought it was the ultimate truimph; to watch her cousins follow around some fat stand in for !i! as her, Nigel, & Nina watched. Ha. Take that, bitches!
Three Stars: ***
Overview: The story about an early 19th century family growing up in the Brooklyn slums. It is a heart touching novel with all the twist and turns of life squeezed into five hundred pages. Francie, an impressionable little girl and her brother Neely are subject to poverty, sickness, a hard-working mother and an alchoholic father.
My Thoughts: Overall, reading 'A tree grows in brooklyn' wasn't a bad experience. If you don't think about the overdrawn story line and slow moments, you enjoy the humorous and some-what intriguing experiences Francie and the Nolan family endure. For A 500 page book about the life of a 19th century brookyln girl growing up in the slums from birth to college, this is as good as it gets. It was a cute and charming tale; it was life. Nothing other than pure realness. I tip my hat to Betty Smith because she did an awesome job. She made me fall in love with the modest characters of the story - Sissy imperticulary. I thought she had the most sad, yet positive outcome by the end of the book. I enjoyed reading about her the most. And of course, when Francie became older and started taking up dating and such. It was a decent summer read.
Three Stars: ***
Overview: A long story about one summer of Lily B's boring life: Her abnormally unentertaining parents, absent best friend, & droning nieghborhood. Her life is one bored-fest. However, when @ attending a wedding, she meets her cool cousins: The LeBlancs. While Lily tries to break into their family circle, they use her for their latest con scheme; knowing how well Lily wishes to please them. While Lily documents her naivet'e ways, she realizes that maybe her parents may be boring but are very wise.
My thoughts: This book, if not being accounted as under it's age market, boring, and ultimatly a waste of three hours of my life, I thought that Elizabeth Cody Kimmel did a fair job of portraying the situations that occured, but it didn't interest me. I personally didn't like it. I thought her relashionship with her best friend was very odd, and I couldn't quite understand why she had no other friends; it didn't mention anyone else. I did appreciate the message it sent about always listening to your parents, but it didn't do a very good job. I'd only read this to pass time, not for enjoyment.
One Star: *
|
RSS Feed