Quad by: C.G. Watson

Quad by: C.G. Watson

Published: May 10, 2007 by Razorbill

Summary:

Everything led up to this moment—the point when the teasing, the cruelty, the pressure all became too much. And someone finally snapped.

Now six students, from six different cliques, are trapped in the student store while a shooter terrorizes their school. The shooter's identity is teased out through the students' flashbacks until the reader breathlessly reaches the final page. It's only there that he discovers the shocking answer to the question: Who is shooting out in the quad?

This gripping thriller by educator C. G. Watson is inspired by observations made in her own high school. Quad examines in heartrending detail how even the most casual cruelties can tear people apart.

Review: Quad was a very surprising read that was filled with such anger, that by the end I wanted to punch a couple of characters in the face.

Forced to seek shelter after shots are fired at their high school, Ranger, Ken, Maggie, Sage, Calvert, and Christopher are forced to take shelter in the school store. All six kids are from six different cliques. They know that it has to be one of their friends. Could it be Stone on a steroid rage? Or Perry the choirboy with a vengeance? Or Rufus, the freak with a score to settle?

I didn't expect much from this with Quad since I didn't hear much about it,but it really blew me away. I would find myself scrambling through pages to find out what would happen next. With this book, you are brought back and forth from the past and the present. I really loved this because it gave you more insight on what happened to the character before and what was happening in the quad. I could really see this becoming a movie.

There were a ton of POVs for this, but I felt that most of the characters were highly developed. My favorite would probably be Ranger, I found him to be funny and the kind of person I would hang out with. I also liked Paisley, Sage, Hayley, Ken and Theo. These people were all normal, nice people and when I needed to, I sympathized them. I hated Maggie the most I think. She was a loser who thought she was different but was just like the mean guys. Speaking of the mean kids, boy oh boy, what I would give to slap Brittany and Nicole! Gosh, these girls took mean to a whole new level! And Stone...let's just say by the end I wanted to kick him where the sun don't shine.

The only problem I had with this was the ending. Yes, I never saw it coming, but it left me with so many questions. I felt that there should have been an epilogue or at least one more chapter.

Overall: 4.5 stars

You can find out more about the author and book here.

The Aristobrats by: Jennifer Solow

The Aristobrats by: Lauren Solow

Published: September 1, 2010 by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Other books in this series: Stay Pretty Wallingford (coming out June 1, 2011)

Summary:

Parker Bell has been waiting her whole life for Eighth Grade – she’s finally at the very top of the populadder at Wallingford Academy and her Facebook Friend count has never been higher. A second generation Wally (what most people call an “Aristobrat”), Parker is determined to use her status to champion the underpopular. But when Parker and her three best friends are mysteriously assigned to produce the highly academic (and seriously bleh) webcast, she watches in horror as their spot on the populadder plummets.

The girls will do whatever it takes to save their reputations, even if it means masterminding a plan to get kicked off the project. But when their predicament gets even worse, they just might realize that true friendship means more than status.

Review: I was scared to get into The Aristobrats. I thought it would be a The Clique rip-off, but while it was different, it still had a Cliquey feel. Overall, though, I was very surprised with this.

This is they year for Parker and her friends to shine. Finally, in eight grade, Parker, Ikea, Kiki, and Plum are ready to make it their best year yet. But their plans are soon canceled when their principal,Ms. Hotchkiss, names them the producers of their school's broadcast. Almost immediately, their population drags down dramatically. All of the people who they used to call friends ditch them and start making fun of them. So much for the best year ever.

The Aristobrats was a great book. I have to say, I fell in love with all of the characters. I also loved how the main characters were very different. Parker, the girl with money problems struggling to stay in Wallingford, Ikea, the smart one, Kiki, the fashion-forward one,and Plum, the tom-boy. I loved how through their differences they were still best friends. Now, I'm going to say it, I think one of my favorite characters in this was Kenneth. He made me laugh so hard whenever he came into the book. I wish he was in it more though.

The only problem I really had with this was the slow beginning. It took me a couple of chapters to really get into this and I just really didn't think too much of the girls in the beginning. I thought that they were annoying and just like The Clique! But when you get deeper into this, you find out that they are actually N I C E. They aren't bitches and actually behave like girls my age. Which is a huge up in my book.

Overall: 4 stars

You can learn more about Jennifer Solow and The Aristobrats here.

The DUFF by: Kody Keplinger

The DUFF by: Kody Keplinger

Published: September 7,2010 by Poppy

Other books by this author: Luststruck (coming out somwhere this year) and A Midsummer's Nightmare ( 2012)

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Review: The DUFF was an amazing read. It felt raw and emotional and left me begging for more.

Bianca has never felt like the prettiest girl,especially when she's with her two gorgeous best friends, Casey and Jessica. She's just fine with this fact until her school's play-boy Wesley,calls her the DUFF. DUFF, which stands for "Designated Ugly Fat Friend." Bianca just pours her drink over him and tries to forget about it,but she can't. Soon the nickname and family troubles get to Bianca's head and she leans on Wesley for support. Soon, Bianca finds herself actually falling for Wesley.

This book was amazing, Bianca has to be one of my favorite female protagonists that I read about this year. Her I don't care attitude never got annoying and I found her sarcasm to be really funny. I really loved all of the characters in this. Wesley may have been slimy but I still couldn't help myself to sympathize him. Casey and Jessica were great friends who I totally would love to meet. Not only did I love Bianca, but I really felt bad for her. As much as I hated her mom, I still felt bad for her and Bianca's dad melted my heart.

I really loved the narration in this, too. Bianca felt very realistic. All I was expecting from The DUFF was a mis-matched romance but it was a lot more than that, which made me really happy.

Overall: 5 stars

*And yes, this does have a lot of sex and cursing. I was a bit nervous to read it because I usually shy away from books that have sex in them, but I was fine with this.

That Was Then, This Is Now by: S.E. Hinton

That was Then, This is Now by: S.E. Hinton

Published: 1971

Other Books In This Series: The Outsiders

Summary: Ever since Mark's parents died, he has been living with Bryon. The boys are more like brothers than mere friends. They've been inseparable--until recently. Something seems to be changing between them, and Bryon can't figure it out. Is it Cathy, Bryon's new girlfriend? Is Mark jealous? Bryon is also tired of the street fighting, but Mark seems unable to quit. And where is Mark getting all of that money? In That Was Then, This Is Now, one of her most admired novels, S. E. Hinton paints a richly textured portrait of two boys at a crossroads in their friendship. With careful, intimate strokes, Hinton reveals a boy struggling over whether to protect his best friend or whether to follow his own beliefs about right and wrong. The ending will surprise readers, challenging them to puzzle over Bryon's dilemma in their own hearts.

Review: Bryon and Mark may not be brothers but they may as well should be. Since Mark's parents were killed when he was nine years old, they have lived in the same house with Bryon's sick mother. Now 16, they seem to be growing apart. Mark has been going out more lately and making large sums of money. While Bryon has been spending more time with his girlfriend, Cathy.

That was Then, This is Now was honestly a huge letdown. The Outsiders was one of the greatest books I have ever read, I was expecting this to be great too, but it went Low below my expectations.

This was my second time reading That was Then, This is Now. The first time I tried reading this I only got up to 40 pages or so and stopped. This starts off really slow,taking about three chapters to really get started. The first three chapters just mainly talk about Bryon's daily life.

The only character I really liked in this was M&M. He was smart and mellow, but not a big part in the book, seen only barely until the end. I just didn't feel for Bryon or Mark. I didn't have any sympathy or even liked them for that matter. I'm not sure how to explain why though. It was just something about them that threw me off of them. I guess they weren't my cup of tea. I also really didn't like Bryon's girlfriend, Cathy. I felt that she was, honestly, a smart-ass. I hated her! Ponyboy was only really in this for about two pages! I really wanted him in this more! :(

The ending...I saw a part of it coming, but not all of it. I felt that while it was still an ending, it was not complete. After reading this I felt very depressed,cold. I really wasn't expecting it.

Overall: 2 stars

Belle of the Brawl by: Lisi Harrison

Belle of the Brawl by: Lisi Harrison

Published: October 5, 2010 by Poppy

Other books in this series: Alphas and Movers & Fakers

Summary: Eccentric billionaire Shira Brazille founded the super-exclusive Alpha Academy to nurture the next generation of exceptional dancers, writers, musicians, and inventors. It's a dream come true for one hundred lucky girls, but those not measuring up will be sent home at any time, for any reason. The one left standing will win worldwide fame. Who will it be?



Skye Hamilton arrived at Alpha Academy ready to dance circles around the competition, but she's having a hard time feeling the beat. Her newest HAD (Hope and Dream): less stress, more fun. Now Skye's torn between what kind of Alpha she wants to be, and which über-hawt Brazille boy she wants to be with.



Charlie Deery can invent practically anything--except girlfriends. But now Allie A. is warming to her, and Charlie wants to keep it that way--even if it means helping Allie A. land Darwin. But will hooking up her ex-crush end up crushing her?


Allie A. Abbott is serious-leh relieved she hasn't been sent home yet, especially now that everyone knows she's more faux than a St. Tropez spray tan. Can she prove she's a true Alpha after all? Or will she go from beautiful to beta-ful?



If at first you don't succeed, you're not an alpha.

Review: Skye, Charlie, and Allie have gone through a lot at Alpha Academy, but their adventure has just started. Sydney,one of Shira's five sons, starts liking Skye. But Skye really doesn't like Sydney, she likes Taz, his brother. But if she breaks Syd's heart, Shira will expell her from Alpha Academy. Charlie still likes Darwin. The good news? He likes her back. The bad news? Allie still can't get over Darwin. The solution? Get Allie to start liking Darwin's other brother, Melbourne. Allie is ready to get back to business but the real Allie J is making this very tough on her by making a whole album based on her identity theft and now she is making everybody hate her at Alpha Academy (well except for Skye and Charlie) What's an alpha to do?

Belle of the Brawl may be the third book in the series but it still shows that the Alphas series hasn't lost its spark. It still delivers so many twists and turns it makes your head spin.

In the last book, Movers & Fakers, I wasn't a big fan of the characters,especially Skye, but I really liked them in this. In the last book, Skye was so snotty I really just couldn't take her anymore, but I really liked her in this book. I loved her determination to be the best in her dancing class. Charlie's relationship with Darwin is so Cute! I loved how she made sure Allie was over with Darwin before she made a move for Darwin. I think Allie is my favorite of the three. I loved how she bounced back quickly from the Allie J experience.

I also loved the minor characters Triple, Ophelia, Tweety, and all five of Shira's sons. If I had to pick my favorite son I would have to pick Sydney, I love my poets. :)

I did have a few problems with this though. I thought that some of the stuff Lisi Harrison wrote were very hard believe. I don't know about you, but can you imagine an "A" shaped boat? Also in the book it always describes Allie as having blond hair then why is she a brunette on the cover? Is it her or her when she is Allie J?

Overall: 4 Stars

The last book of the Alpha series, Top of the Feud Chain, comes out in May 2011.

The Outsiders by: S.E. Hinton

The Outsiders by: S.E. Hinton

Published: 1967 by Puffin

Summary: According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers--until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a soc. The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his bifurcated world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser. This classic, written by S. E. Hinton when she was 16 years old, is as profound today as it was when it was first published in 1967.

Review: Ponyboy's life has always been tough. His parents are dead, he and his older brother Darry fight all the time, and their rival gang,the Socs,have been on his gang's tail. Little does Ponyboy know that his and his friends' lives will soon change forever.

The Outsiders is an AMAZING book. Even though it is a bit of an old book, it still feels so real. All of the characters were amazing. By the end, I was at tears. Which I don't really understand since I already read this, while I still thought it was really good, this time it blew me away.

The Greasers (Ponyboy's gang) is made up of Pony, Darry, and Soda-Pop( Pony's brothers) Dally, Randy,Two-Bit Matthews, and Johnny. I have to say I loved them all. But, my favorite characters would have to be Ponyboy, Johnny, Dally, and Two-Bit Matthews. I loved them from Dally's heartless attitude to Two-bit's awesome sense of humor. I also really liked the conversations between Cherry and Ponyboy ( Very Cute!)

S.E. Hinton's writing is amazing. Ponyboy is reallt realistic and so is the other characters. The end had me at tears and wouldn't let me stop reading it. The Outsiders was amazing.

Overall: If it had me cry then it's amazing.

5 stars

Love Sucks! By: Melissa Francis

Love Sucks! by: Melissa Francis
Published: July 27 2010 by HarperCollins

Other books in this series: Bite Me!

Summary: AJ Ashe is moving on. Sure she still has not-so-sisterly feelings for Ryan, her ex-boyfriend-turned-step-brother, but there’s a new vampire in town and his name is Alexander Archer. Caught between the desire to move forward with Sexy Lexy and being drawn to her past with Ryan, AJ thinks life couldn’t get anymore complicated. Yeah, right. When her mother’s pregnancy is threatened, it looks like AJ’s long lost father is the only person who can save her. But Dad’s help comes with a price. AJ is forced join the evil side of her family, and a very creepy shape-shifting demon is there to make sure AJ cooperates. All this and she’s still got to plan the prom. Being a teenager is tough, but being a teenage vampire just flat out sucks. Pun totally intended.

Review: Just when A.J. thought all her worries were over her father comes back into her life. To protect herself and her family her auntie Tave hires her nephews Robbie and Lex, to help train her. But A.J. finds herself falling for Lex while still trying to get over Ryan. With prom just around the corner and a new prophecy brother or sister on the way A.J.'s life is back to being crazy and unexpected.

Love Sucks! was a great sequel to the Bite Me! series. It felt just like Bite Me! but I still had a few problems with it.

I felt that this book was more slower than Bite Me!. I would pick this up and then put it back down and stop reading. Also, I really wasn't a fan of "sexy Lexy" a.k.a Aunty Tave's nephew. I felt that there wasn't any chemistry between A.J. and him. I also found him a bit stalkerish, like reading A.J.'s thoughts? That was a little creepy and annoying. Another character I just did not like was Bridget, A.J.'s best friend. She would just annoy me, but she really wasn't in the book until the end.

Except for those two characters, I loved the rest of them. A.J. is always headstrong and doesn't complain about her problems. What's not to love about Ryan? He's cute, nice, and funny. I also really liked Malia and Robbie. I think they should have been in the book more.

Although this book was slow, it was addicting. Melissa Francis' writing draws you right in. I thought the ending was amazing. It made me laugh one minute and the next made me gasp with surprise. I can't wait to read more from this series.

Overall: Love Sucks! is a slow but great book in the Bite Me! series.

3 stars

My Little Phony by: Lisi Harrison

My Little Phony by: Lisi Harrison

Published: August 3, 2010 by Poppy

Other books in this series: The Clique, Best Friends For Never, Revenge of the Wannabees, Invasion of the Boy Snatchers, The Pretty Committee Strikes Back, Dial L for Loser, It's Not Easy Being Mean, Sealed with a Diss, Bratfest at Tiffany's, P.S. I Loathe You, Boys R Us, These Boots are Made for Stalking

Summary: Sugar, spice, and everything lice.

Massie Block: The holidays are just around the corner, and the only thing Massie doesn't want for Christmas is a lip-kiss from her ninth-grade crush, Landon. Not that she'd ever admit it, but she's nervous! To distract herself, Massie focuses on getting revenge on Claire for ditching the Pretty Committee. But when the plan to bug her ex-BFF backfires big-time, she may find herself headed for a Merry Kissmass-whether she likes it or not.

Alicia Rivera: Promised her parents she wouldn't shop at awl between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Her reward? An all-expenses-paid trip to the Spanish Riviera. But what happens when she sees the cuh-yutest pair of Ralph Lauren sunglasses? No pain, no Spain.

Dylan Marvil: After going overboard at the Westchester Mall, Dylan isn't worried about the size of her clothes . . . but she is worried about the size of her clothing budget. Cuh-redit denied!

Kristen Gregory: Is sick of being the only poor girl in Westchester. But misery loves company, and maybe, just maybe, she won't be the only broke member of the Pretty Committee for long. .

Claire Lyons: When Massie scares off her new drama friends with a fake-lice scare, Claire decides she's done letting Massie bully her. The alpha may have exterminated Claire's social life, but what goes around comes around. The raid is on, and it won't be over until the fat ladybug sings.

The Clique . . . the only thing harder than getting in is staying in.

Review: It's been the last straw for Claire! After Massie shaves Todd's head and convinces her ninth grade friends that she has lice, Claire forms a rebellion. With Layne, Claire forms Claire-a, a rebellion group against the Pretty Committee. But Claire-a is the least of Massie's worries. After her friends steal her phone and tell her ninth grade crush, Landon that she wants to kiss him, he agrees! Now, Massie is freaking out on how to make their kiss seem perfect.

It's always sad to see your favorite series end. Even though there is still one more book in the series, I felt like this was it. One of my favorite YA series is ending and it makes me feel old.

In These Boots are Made for Stalking I hated both Claire and Massie, but this time it was just Massie getting all the hate. Claire actually (finally!!) stands up to Massie with her group, Claire-a. I found the friendship between Claire and Layne to be refreshing and funny. Massie is a total bitch in this. Whenever I thought she wouldn't do something that mean, she did. I really hated her in this.

I lost basically all of my respect for Alicia, Kristen, and Dylan. There was one part of the story when Massie says some very hurtful things to them, but like three days later, after ignoring her, THEY apologize to HER and only because they needed backup. Massie would treat them like dirt and they would come crawling back to her. Meanwhile, Claire's boyfriend, Cam, was so swoonworthy! He would support Claire no matter what she did and was so sweet! I love him and the other boys in this series even though they weren't even in this one.

My Little Phony was so addicting. I love the details Lisi Harrison would put in for just everyday things and make them seem so much more funny and silly. Also, most of her characters are so lifelike. I would love to be friends with everyone of them (except Massie). I will definitely be looking out for the next and final book.

Overall: Very addicting and fun.

4 stars

The last book in this series, A Tale of Two Pretties, will be coming out on February 15, 2011.

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

What's Your Status? By: Katie Finn

What's Your Status By: Katie Finn
Published: July 1, 2010 by Point
Other Books in this series: Top 8

Summary: Madison MacDonald thinks things are finally working out!

Followers: 300

Status Updates:

mad_mac Nate and I have been together for two months, and it’s wonderful! Life is good!

mad_mac Well, except for the fact that I still might be failing history.

mad_mac And I no longer have a BFF.

mad_mac But aside from those things!

mad_mac Okay. So, um, apparently I’ve just been put in charge of the school’s priceless heirloom.

mad_mac And the assistant headmaster has a vendetta against me.

mad_mac And it seems I’m being blackmailed.

mad_mac Gathering together a crew. I’m going to try and pull off a heist. Without getting caught. Or expelled. Or arrested.

mad_mac Also, I think I may have just accidentally wrecked my relationship. . . .

Madison MacDonald is trying not to panic.

Review: Madison MacDonald's life is finally perfect. Her relationship with Nate is amazing,she is getting along greatly with her friends,and prom is just around the corner. Then, everything unravels. A simple hand gesture causes Nate to think that Madison wants to take their relationship to the next level, Kittson leaves Madison in the custody of the school's most priceless possession,and she is being blackmailed!

What's Your Status? was a great sequel and better than Top 8.

I love the use of the internet in books. I like seeing a characters' profile because it's a lot more interesting than, "Debbie has light brown hair and brown eyes" to me. Also, it makes reading shorter, which I hate to say, but it helps me get in more pages in before I go to bed. This made the book a lot more funner to read.

I love the characters in this book. I feel like I could be friends with anyone of them(well,except Sarah). They felt so realistic and some of the things they did made me laugh out loud. Madison was a fun main character, who I never got annoyed of.

What's Your Status? was so addicting. I could not stop reading this. It felt like every chapter ended with a cliffhanger. I did not find it slow like I did for Top 8.

Overall, I really liked this book. It was amazing. I can not wait until the next book in the series.

My Life in Pink and Green By: Lisa Greenwald

My Life in Pink and Green by: Lisa Greenwald
Published: March 1,2009 by Amulet Books
Other books by this author: Sweet Treats and Secret Crushes (coming out Nov.28)

Summary: Twelve-year-old Lucy Desberg is a natural problem solver. After the local homecoming queen shows up at her family’s struggling drugstore with a beauty disaster that Lucy helps to fix, Lucy has a long line of makeover customers for every school dance and bat mitzvah. But all the makeup tips in the world won’t help save the pharmacy. If only she could find a way to make the pharmacy the center of town again—a place where people want to spend time, like in the old days. Lucy dreams up a solution that could resuscitate the family business and help the environment, too. But will Lucy’s family stop fighting long enough to listen to a seventh-grader? This book is a funny and sweet debut featuring an unforgettable narrator who knows what she wants, whether it’s great makeup, a killer business plan, or a better world.

Review: Ever since Lucy was a little girl, her family has owned The Old Mill Pharmacy. Now Lucy is twelve and the pharmacy is in danger of closing. While trying to figure out a way to help fix the store,Courtney Adner, the it-girl of her high school,comes in with a hair disaster that needs some serious fixing. Lucy gives her some hair products and before she knows it, girls from all over town are going to the Pharmacy for make- overs and hair tips. Could Lucy be the one to save the Pharmacy?

My Life in Pink and Green by: Lisa Greenwald is a pretty cute read but by the middle/end,I was staring to get tired of it.

Lucy was relatible to me,but she got very annoying, For example,one minute, she would tell Sunny how beautiful she looked and then the next she would be like, "Your hair looks greasy. Use this conditioner." Sometimes, I felt like she was a walking ad for the Pharmacy.Sunny, Lucy's best friend, was a person I could see myself being friends with. She would always be so nice and give so much to the pharmacy. I have no idea why she would put up with Lucy.

Another problem I had with this book was how they put in the Relaxation Room, a room that Lucy made just for the Pharmacy was only mentioned twice after it was made. I hate when books do that.

However, I have to admit that the writing was so cute! I loved the little romances they put in this. Also, at the beginning of every chapter there is a little tip on how to take care of your body which I found very useful.

Overall, My Life in Pink and Green was a cute read, but the main character was not my cup of tea.

2.5 stars

Bad Girls Don't Die by: Katie Alender

Bad Girls Don't Die By: Katie Alender
Published: April 21,2009 by Hyperion

Other books in this series: From Bad to Cursed (Coming out June 2011)

Summary: Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunctional high school existence. Dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy twelve-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own anti-social, anti-cheerleader attitude.

When a family fight results in some tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunction into danger. Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green sometimes; she uses old-fashioned language; and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her strange behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in.

Alexis wants to think that it's all in her head, but soon, what she liked to think of as silly parlor tricks are becoming life-threatening--to her, her family, and to her budding relationship with the class president. Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey -- but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?

Bad Girls Don't Die was a kick ass great read that leaves you wondering what will happen next.

Alexis has a not so normal life. Her parents hardly pay attention to her, she's sure her sister is not sane, the cheerleaders are out to get her, and she has feeling for a boy who's not even her type. When her sister starts acting weirder than she normally does, Alexis knows that something is up, that something must be controlling her sister,but what?

I was so surprised with this ...more Review: Bad Girls Don't Die was a kick ass great read that leaves you wondering what will happen next.

Alexis has a not so normal life. Her parents hardly pay attention to her, she's sure her sister is not sane, the cheerleaders are out to get her, and she has feeling for a boy who's not even her type. When her sister starts acting weirder than she normally does, Alexis knows that something is up, that something must be controlling her sister,but what?

I was so surprised with this book. I was expecting just a creepy, suspenseful book but it was far more than that. It felt like it could happen to almost anybody, it was so realistic. Alexis had to be my favorite part of the book. She was so funny, awesome, and had that I-don't-care-about-anything attitude that wasn't overdone.

Carter was so swoon-worthy. I felt bad at some of the stuff but Alexis was only doing it for his own good. Megan I also really liked too. I really just didn't like Kasey but she didn't ruin the book for me. There was some parts that made me creeped out by her and some where I got angry at the girl.

This book was so awesome, I wonder how the next one's gonna be like.

Overall: Kickass awesome!

5 Stars

Give Up the Ghost by: Megan Crewe

Give Up the Ghost By: Megan Crewe
Published: September 15, 2009 by Henry Holt

Summary: Cass McKenna much prefers ghosts over "breathers". Ghosts are uncomplicated and dependable, and they know the dirt on everybody... and Cass loves dirt. She's on a mission to expose the dirty secrets of the poseurs in her school.
But when the vice president of the student council discovers her secret, Cass's whole scheme hangs in the balance. Tim wants her to help him contact his recently deceased mother, and Cass reluctantly agrees.
As Cass becomes increasingly entwined in Tim's life, she's surprised to realize he's not so bad — and he needs help more desperately than anyone else suspects. Maybe it’s time to give the living another chance...

Review: Give Up the Ghost was a book I had great expectations for but it fell a bit short for me.

Cassie McKenna started seeing ghosts when a tragedy struck her family four years ago. To some people, this might come off as annoying, but Cassie uses this for her own advantage. She uses the ghosts at her school to get the the dirt on all her classmates. Everybody thinks Cassie is nuts because they see her talking to "no one" in the halls, but Tim figures out her secret. When Tim asks her if she would help him talk to his deceased mother just one more time, she surprisingly says yes. What surprises her the most though, is how much Cassie likes Tim. Maybe it's time to give humans another chance...

I thought this would be a five out of five book, but instead it was far from it for me. The writing was beautiful, but I had a hard time really getting into this. The first 100 pages were a torture for me. The only thing that kept me going was the writing. I didn't really like Cassie, actually I was surprised by her. I thought she would be quiet and somewhat nice, but she was bitchy and cold for a good amount of the book. Yes, I understand you want to get revenge on your ex-friends and I would probably do the same thing, but she did it to people she hardly knew too. And the way she was to Tim was just ridiculous! She was so cold to him and he was so nice to her!

I did like Tim, the vice president of the school and the boy Cassie is trying to help. He was so sweet,nice and surprisingly bad-ass. I also liked Norris, Cassie's ghost friend. You don't get to know how he died though. I wish we got to know more about him. Also, Bitzy, Cassie's other ghost friend only shows up like five times in the book, plus, you don't get to know much about her.

The last 100 or so pages were pretty amazing and addicting. Cassie became nicer and I wish the whole book was like that but, it was not. I still enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to supernatural fans.

Overall: Very dissapointing but not bad.

3 stars

Notes From A Totally Lame Vampire by: Tim Collins

Notes From a Totally Lame Vampire by: Tim Collins

Published: August 24, 2010 by: Aladdin

More books by this author: The Little Book of Twitter: Get Tweetwise!, The Northern Monkey Survival Guide, Behind The Lost Symbol, and a lot more!

Summary: Like Edward Cullen in "Twilight", Nigel Mullet was transformed into a vampire when he was still a teenager, and will remain this age forever. Unfortunately, Nigel became a vampire at the awkward age of fifteen, and must spend eternity coping with acne, a breaking voice, and an ineptitude with girls...In this, his excruciatingly funny diary, Nigel chronicles his increasingly desperate attempts to be noticed by the love of his life, Della Sparrow, the constant mortification caused by his vampire parents (not to mention the worry that they might accidentally eat one of his friends), and the frustration one feels when you've got the whole of boring eternity stretching out in front of you and you can't even have a lie in (vampires don't sleep). Forced to hang out with the Goths and emo kids due to his pale skin and social awkwardness, and constantly battling his embarrassingly overwhelming desire to sink his fangs into Della's neck, will Nigel ever get his girl? Fantastically witty and hugely enter taining, this fun and accessible diary will appeal to any fan of "Twilight" or "Adrian Mole", teenage or otherwise...

Review: Notes from a Totally Lame Vampire was a totally awesome, funny read that made me tear through the pages.

Nigel may look like a normal teenage boy physically but really he is an 100 year old vampire. Yeah you read me. A Vampire in England. Now Nigel is only trying to survive middle school, get the girl of his dreams, and,oh yeah, try to hide his fangs.

I ate up this book. I love books with a diary set of writing. They may look big but really they only take a day or two to read. This book was hilarious. I love Nigel's poems. Some of them took my breath away they were so amazing.

Nigel was a funny character. His illustrations were fantastic and I found the way he drew his friends to be hilarious. I sympathized with Nigel about his crush on Chloe. Sometimes, though I would be pissed off that he would just ask her out already. Day after day, he would be like "I'm going to ask her today" and then he never does. Sure, I know that it must be frightening to ask out a girl but grow a sack and just ask! The worst thing she could do is say no!

Chloe (or Della in the British version),Nigel's crush, got me so annoyed at times. She was just too grown up for her age and she knew it. She would tell Nigel that they were the most mature kids in their school. How old are you? Like 13? Live your life. Be mature when you are actually an adult. That's what I'm doing. I didn't see much chemistry between Nigel and Chloe ether. She seemed to be O.K. But I think she was bad for Nigel.

The last 100 pages were completely unsuspected. I loved it! I didn't think what happened would happen. It was amazing.

Overall: A great unexpected read.

4 stars

The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet by: Erin Dionne

The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet by: Erin Dionne

Published: February 4, 2010 by Dial

Other Books by this author: Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies and Elsie Wyatt Loves/Hates the Marching Band

Summary: To die or not to die of utter mortification . . .

Hamlet Kennedy just wants to be your average, happy, vanilla eighth grader. But with Shakespearean scholar parents who dress in Elizabethan regalia and generally go about in public as if it were the sixteenth century, that’s not terribly easy. It gets worse when they decide that Hamlet’s genius seven year-old sister will attend middle school with her— and even worse when the Shakespeare project is announced and her sister is named the new math tutor. By the time an in-class recitation reveals that our heroine is an extraordinary Shakespearean actress, Hamlet can no longer hide from the fact that she—like her family—is anything but average.

In a novel every bit as funny as her debut, Erin Dionne has created another eighth grader whose situation is utterly unique—but whose foibles and farces will resound with every girl currently suffering through middle school.

Review: The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet was a cute,quick read that I would recommend to fellow middle-schoolers.

Hamlet Kennedy has just started 8th grade and she already knows that it's going to be a bad year for her. Hamlet's genius little sister who is only seven is going to eight grade with her,she discovers an embarassing new talent, someone is leaving oragami pigs in her locker,her parents are going to be teaching an English class about Shakespeare, and on top of that she is failing pre-al!

Having read Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies I was expecting a cute,funny read which was exactly what a got but with great character flaws. TTTGNH was such a humorous read. Most of the characters I found realistic but annoying.

I liked Hamlet most of the time but geez,girl could not take a joke! Anytime a guy would make a joke towards her she would freak out. i could understand if she got angry every once in a while but like every time someone would make a joke about her name-expecting her to laugh-she would lash out on them. Saber and Mauri, the antagonists of the book, I hated of course. Dezzie I was a little confused with. I can understand her being a kid genius but how can she skip high school but have to go to eight grade and college? I hated Hamlet's parents also. They were COMPLETELY CLUELESS about Hamlet and her life. It made them seem that they were never kids before. They ruined parts of the book for me.

Overall: Sometimes, parents ruin all the fun.

4 Stars

Jennifer's Body By: Audrey Nixon

Jennifer's Body by: Audrey Nixon
Published: June 1 2009 by HarperTeen
Pages: 208

Summary: Someone needed to put a stop payment on Jennifer Check.

Some people find it hard to believe that a babe like Jennifer Check would associate with a dork like me, Needy Lesnicki. But we had history. We'd been the Wonder Twins since we were preverbal, and sandbox love never dies. Or at least that's what I thought.

But after that night in the woods, Jennifer was different. She looked different. And then the killings began. . . .

A lot of people ask me if I'm sorry I did it. I'm only sorry I didn't do it sooner.

Review: Jennifer's Body was a bloody good read that leaves you flipping through the pages.

Jennifer's Body tells the story of Anita "Needy" and her best friend Jennifer. After narrowly getting out of a fire at a bar, Jennifer goes into a van with the band who just played. Anita, after repeatedly telling Jennifer not to go into the van, goes home. The next day at school, Jennifer seems not like herself plus there has been a link of gruesome killings all over her tiny town of Devil's Ke ...more Jennifer's Body was a bloody good read that leaves you flipping through the pages.

Jennifer's Body tells the story of Anita "Needy" and her best friend Jennifer. After narrowly getting out of a fire at a bar, Jennifer goes into a van with the band who just played. Anita, after repeatedly telling Jennifer not to go into the van, goes home. The next day at school, Jennifer seems not like herself plus there has been a link of gruesome killings all over her tiny town of Devil's Kettle and Anita thinks Jennifer might have something to do with it.

I really want to see this movie now that I read the book! It was so addicting,funny and gruesome all rolled into one. I read this in one sitting since it's only almost 200 pages. I found Anita funny and I liked her tough-girl personality.

Anita was annoying in the beginning though. She thought she was the shit and was very conceited at times. Jennifer was the "it-girl". She was the girl who had it all, friends, boyfriends,and most importantly, looks. I didn't like her beginning. middle, and end. Of course, I sympathized her, but bitch saw it coming. Also, the book is highly predictable, thanks to the beginning.

Jennifer's Body was a fantastic read even though it was predictable. I can't wait to see the movie!

Overall: I know what I'm getting the next time I go to blockbuster.

3.5 stars

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by: Ann Brashares (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants #2)

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by: Ann Brashares
Published: December 24,2004 by Delacorte

Summary: Teens who loved Ann Brashares's The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2001) will cheer its equally riveting sequel The Second Summer of the Sisterhood. As in the first novel, four teen girls who have known each other since birth (their moms shared a pregnancy aerobics class) further forge their bond of friendship through a pair of thrift-store jeans that magically, impossibly, fits them all perfectly.

Like the summer before, Carmen, Bridget, Tibby, and Lena share their individual adventures with the Pants collective, creating an engaging, kaleidoscopic narrative of four voices. This summer, Tibby attends a film program in Virginia and Bridget (Bee), whose mother has died, impulsively jets off to Alabama to get reacquainted with her estranged grandmother. Lovely Lena tries to protect herself from the heartbreak of loving her long-distance Greek god boyfriend Kostos, and Carmen deals (poorly) with her mother dating again and having the nerve to borrow the Pants!

The Second Summer, while breezy and fun to read, deals seriously with love lost and found, death, and finding the courage to live honestly. The teens' lessons are often painful, but the Sisterhood prevails. Quotations from luminaries such as Charlie Brown ("Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love") to Nelson Mandela ("There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered") open each chapter and cleverly reflect the novel's many moods

Review: The Second Summer of the Sisterhood was a great sequel that I had great expectations for but it's characters made it fall a bit short.

It's the second summer of Lena,Carmen,Bridget,Tibby,and the magical pants. This summer Lena stays at home and gets a job at a clothing store. Carmen also stays home and watches her mother fall in love with a new man. Bridget heads to Alabama to find out more about her mother and Tibby goes to film school reminding her of Bailey.

TSSS was a great read. It started off right away and most of the time was very addicting. The only problem I had basically were 3 of the main characters: Carmen,Lena,and Tibby.

Let's start with Bridget. I really liked her in this book. There was a few changes with her though such as her hair,cheery attitude,and weight. I found it interesting to watch Bridget find out more and more about her mother.

Carmen was just a train wreck. From the beginning, I didn't like her. She would treat Porter and her mother horribly then feel bad and start all over again. By the end though,she stopped being a bitch and became nicer.

Oh,Lena. I think Lena got the poor end of the stick on this one. I felt very bad for her throughout the book. The middle though she got very annoying. (if you read the book you would probably know what I mean.)

Tibby was my favorite the last book so,what happened? Well, she befriended people she shouldn't have. It's stupid mistakes like these that just annoy me. Then after this she just got so annoying! I hated reading about her feeling bad about what she did.

The last 100 pages were great and so addicting. Of course I will be looking out for book 3.

Overall: Great novel but fell short of my expectations.

3.5 stars

Legacy by: Kate Brian (Private #6)

Legacy By: Kate Brian (Private #6)

Published: February 8, 2008 by Simon Pulse

Other Books In This Series: Private, Invitation Only, Untouchable, Confessions, Inner Circle, Legacy, Ambition, Revelation, Paradise Lost, Suspicion, Scandal, Vanished, and Ominous.

Summary: The price of power...

After Cheyenne Martin's death, everyone at Easton Academy is struggling to recover from yet another tragedy--especially the girls of Billings Hall. With Cheyenne gone, they need to elect a new leader. And who better than Reed Brennan, the ultimate Billings Girls?

As the new Billings president, Reed suddenly has access to power she never imagined. Gossip is reported to her immediately, she has first dibs on everything from dining tables to dorm rooms, and Billings's most powerful alumnae are at her beck and call. So when Easton's students discover they're the only prep school on the East Coast not invited to this year's all-inclusive Legacy party, everyone turns to Reed to get them back on the list.

Reed is the most powerful girl at Easton.

She revels in her newfound status, but knows better than anyone that the Bilings leaders have a tainted legacy: Ariana was institutionalized, Noelle was expelled, and Cheyenne just died. History has a way of repeating itself at Easton, and now that Reed has everything she's ever wanted, she has everything to lose.

Review: Legacy was a great book in the Private series that left me off the edge off my seat.

Cheyenne Martin's suicide has hit everyone in Billings in the face especially Reed since she thinks she is the one that caused it. She gets e-mails everyday saying it was her fault from...Cheyenne. On top of the guilt, the Billings girls make Reed her the new president of Billings plus nobody has heard about the Legacy, the yearly party for exclusive private schools which is supposed to happen in a fe ...more Legacy was a great book in the Private series that left me off the edge off my seat.

Cheyenne Martin's suicide has hit everyone in Billings in the face especially Reed since she thinks she is the one that caused it. She gets e-mails everyday saying it was her fault from...Cheyenne. On top of the guilt, the Billings girls make Reed her the new president of Billings plus nobody has heard about the Legacy, the yearly party for exclusive private schools which is supposed to happen in a few weeks. Was the Legacy called off or was Billings just not invited?

Why did I ever stop reading this series!? I forgot how amazing and addicting it was!

I love it when a book has a small detail but later it can be a huge, life changing deal. This series always does that and by the time it happens you are like Damn! I should have seen that coming! but you didn't. Normally by now I would have grown tired by a main character in a series, but I really like Reed. She's not perfect she makes mistakes but usually not stupid ones that would make you scream at. She's realistic.

I think every Private book leaves you off with a cliffhanger which is what happens here. It was not the type that would make me go out and buy the next book right away but close to it. Another problem I had with this book was the amount of secondary characters. I understand that the series takes place in a boarding school but there were just so many! Let me list some of the top of my head Portia, Astrid ,Amberly ,Rose ,Vienna, London do I need to go on?

This was a great book in the Private series. I can't wait to read the next book, Ambition.

Overall: A great sequel in the Private series.

4 stars

Paul is Undead by: Alan Goldsher

Paul is Undead by: Alan Goldsher
Published: June 22,2010 by Pocket

Other books by this author: Hollywood Monster: A Walk Down Elm Street with the Man of Your Dreams, Modest Mouse: A Pretty Good Read, In a Single Bound: Losing my Leg,Finding Myself,and Training for Life,Hard Bop Academy,Dancing to Music in my Head: A Memoir of the People's Idol, Jam, and The Record Haus

Summary: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT'S TIME TO REALLY MEET THE BEATLES.

For John Lennon, a young, idealistic zombie guitarist with dreams of global domination, Liverpool seems the ideal place to form a band that could take over the world. In an inspired act, Lennon kills and reanimates local rocker Paul McCartney, kicking off an unstoppable partnership. With the addition of newly zombified guitarist George Harrison and drummer/Seventh Level Ninja Lord Ringo Starr, the Beatles soon cut a swath of bloody good music and bloody violent mayhem across Europe, America, and the entire planet.

In this searing oral history, discover how the Fab Four climbed to the Toppermost of the Poppermost while stealing the hearts, ears, and brains of smitten teenage girls. Learn the tale behind a spiritual journey that resulted in the dismemberment of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Marvel at the seemingly indestructible quartet’s survival of a fierce attack by Eighth Level Ninja Lord Yoko Ono. And find out how the boys escaped eternal death at the hands of England’s greatest zombie hunter, Mick Jagger.

Through all this, one mystery remains: Can the Beatles sublimate their hunger for gray matter, remain on top of the charts, and stay together for all eternity? After all, three of the Fab Four are zombies, and zombies live forever. . . .

Review: And you thought you knew The Beatles. Alan Goldscher takes through the Beatles amazing career in the sixties in a new take.
If you really thought John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison were human then you were wrong! They are actually brain-eating zombies and on top of that Ringo is a ninja! Mr. Goldscher takes you on a wild ride through the sixties that include battles with Mick Jagger and Yoko Ono, wild concerts and of course, eating brains.

I have to give it to Alan. He was very creative with this book. I mean who would have ever thought of zombies and ninjas being classified with the Beatles! I loved this idea. Any scene with Mick Jagger who in this book was a rabid zombie hunter who would stop at nothing to make John, George, and Paul human then kill them. I also really liked the interview layout of the book. I like it when books shy away from the usual book layout and I really thought it made the book more interesting. The writing was also very well done. I wasn't really expecting to be that addicted to this since I know they break up in the end but I was literally prowling through the book until the end. Speaking of the end, I thought it was brilliant. I never saw it coming.

I'm not a very big fan of sex in books. I kinda saw it coming that there would be sex in this book but there was a lot more than I expected. Sometimes they would go like five pages just about zombie sex and it kinda just got awkward and annoying. Another thing I didn't really like was I thought there would be a lot more illustrations. I think some parts of the book could have been illustrated brilliantly but he never illustrated it but instead with other scenes that didn't really need one.

Overall: A great read for Beatles fans!

4.5 stars

Along for the Ride

Along for the Ride by: Sarah Dessen
Published: June 11,2009 by Viking Juvenile

Summary: It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

Review: Auden's dad and mother separated when she was little but that still doesn't hide the fact that she heard the fights they had in her mind. Thanks to those fights she stays up all night and sleeps during the day. The summer before her college year she must go down to Colby, the new town her father,her new step-mother and sister live. Colby changes Auden's schedule of studying and essays and gives her a new way of life.

This was my second Sarah Dessen book and I was thinking this is going ...more Auden's dad and mother separated when she was little but that still doesn't hide the fact that she heard the fights they had in her mind. Thanks to those fights she stays up all night and sleeps during the day. The summer before her college year she must go down to Colby, the new town her father,her new step-mother and sister live. Colby changes Auden's schedule of studying and essays and gives her a new way of life.

This was my second Sarah Dessen book and I was thinking this is going to be my 5 star book of the year for me but instead it fell a bit short. While I still loved this book and thought it was awesome I had a few problems with it.

One thing I could not stand about this book were Auden's parents. I don't think I could live if I had Auden's parents. Her mom was a cougar and kinda a bitch. Toward the ending though I did start liking the mom a bit more. Her dad was just a big douche really, any scene with him I could not stand.

I really liked Auden, sure I got a bit annoyed with her for being so judge-mental about people like her step-mother and her co-workers. Speaking of her co-workers, I really liked Maggie,Leah and Esther. I thought they nice and sometimes made me laugh out loud. I also really liked Adam and Eli (Eli was so swoon worthy!)

I thought Along for the Ride moved along a bit slowly at first but then it became fast and very hard to put down. I really did like this book. I always liked Sarah Dessen and I still do. Her writing is amazing and her characters felt so real. I know I'll be picking up more from her!

4 stars

Jumping off Swings by: Jo Knowles

Jumping off Swings by: Jo Knowles
Released August 11 by Candlewick Press
Other books by this author: Lessons from a Dead Girl and Pearl

Summary: Tells, from four points of view, the ramifications of a pregnancy resulting from a "one-time thing" between Ellie, who feels loved when boys touch her, and Josh, an eager virgin with a troubled home life.

Review: I guess the best way to start this review is to talk about the characters since it is told from four points of view:

Ellie: starting in I really hated Ellie. I thought she was a slut but getting into it more I really started liking her more. Ellie was a hopeless romantic who thought boys wanted her for more than just sex. But that's all they really used her for. After about 70 pages I started liking her more.

Corinne: Oh god,where do I begin with this girl? Corinne is simply a horny ass bitch. There I said it. I HATED her! She would listen to her sister having sex with her boyfriend and would bombard Ellie with questions every-time after she had sex. She would want details which just freaked me out. She could be a HUGE bitch sometimes. It was a torture to read when it came to her POV.

Josh: I didn't really get into Josh that much. He didn't really have a lot of POV. I think he only had 7 chapters out of 41!! I did like Josh,though. He didn't mean to have sex,mainly he just wanted to get the other guys off his back.

Caleb: Caleb was my favorite character in this book. He rocked. He was nice and not a pervert liked the other guys in the book.

One major problem I had with this book was the only person you really got to know was Caleb. You don't really find about the other characters. I really wanted to like this book and I've been wanting to read it for a while. I'm very disappointed in this.

2.5 stars