Kiss Me, Kill Me

Kiss Me, Kill Me

written by Lauren Henderson

While I am not a fan of the marketing angle taken from this book (Really? A book called "Kiss Me, Kill Me" with a trashy romance novel cover?), I will concede that it wasn't the story I expected. I thought it would be mindless trashy romance, and for that reason, it took me a while to get into the story. I was thankfully proven wrong. Kiss Me, Kill Me is much more an action/mystery novel than a romance novel, sort of Ally Carter with a regrettable little bit of Gossip Girl mixed in. Some of the storytelling was a little bit shaky, not too compelling, focusing a little more on the life of a rich socialite than anything else, but overall, I was pleasantly surprised. I was, yet again, disappointed to see that the story was stretched out to fit a series, but like Ally Carter said at LitDay, if a series is going to be stretched out, romance cannot be the driving force, and I'm glad Lauren Henderson took that route in her storytelling. I won't be looking for the sequel, but I also won't say I regret reading the book. It's not something you're going to sit down to read when you're looking for deep content, but as far as fluff reads go, not too bad.

Rating: 3.5/5

Nancy Werlin

I have a large backlog of reviews that need to be written, so I'm knocking out a bunch by featuring a specific author today. :)

Nancy Werlin!

Are You Alone on Purpose?

This was Nancy Werlin's first book, which is glaringly obvious in some ways, as her writing has drastically improved since this book's publication. Instead of the supernatural books she's recently been putting out, this squarely fits into the realistic YA box. The book itself pushes the envelope, even looking at the title, with more provocative language than you'd see in many books. It all serves an important purpose (no pointless swearing or anything like that), and in the end, emphasizes the importance of certain scenes with that content, making it far more realistic than many YA books on the market. I spent a great deal of time while reading this book thinking about how drama-starved we are as readers. Werlin's book moves along at a slow pace, I will say that, but it depicts the average life of an average teen, making it a book readers can truly relate to. The main character, Alison, has her own set of challenges, as does everyone else, but they're not overdone for the sake of gratuitous drama, and for that, I have to thank Werlin. Some of the story gets buried beneath the many messages this book tries to send, and the middle seemed to drag on endlessly, but the end result is really worth it. Some of the plot points end on ambiguous, unresolved notes, but the ending of the story was breathtaking.

Rating: 3.5/5

The Killer's Cousin

I don't have very much to say about this book. I think it was probably the weakest of Werlin's books that I've read so far. The story moved along slowly, annoyingly so, with more filler than necessary. The writing was choppy, in contrast to the beautiful, evocative writing Werlin was so incredibly capable of in Impossible and Extraordinary. On one hand, it almost seems like it was written by an entirely different author, but on the other hand, it truly goes to show how much an author's writing develops as time passes. The book picked up in speed and interest toward the end, and did come to a satisfying conclusion, but by that point, I was honestly sick of reading the book and didn't care.

Rating: 2/5

The Rules of Survival

Oh, the amount of adoration I have for this book. It's an intense story about an incredibly intense topic, but at this point, Werlin's writing had really developed into something worth reading. The characters all seem to come to life in a way her previous books had failed to capture. Much of the story in this book is a mystery, and Werlin does a fantastic job at writing suspense between the lines. I could easily see this being written as a horrid cliche attempt at suspense, but it wasn't! I've rarely encountered such fresh stories and storytelling. The survivor angle is inspirational and brings everything full circle at the story's emotional conclusion. I would have liked to have heard more on the reasons behind his mother's issues, but that is the only complaint I have about the book, and as far as complaints go, that one's pretty nitpicky.

Rating: 5/5

Extraordinary

Extraordinary is Werlin's newest book, and delves into, if such a thing were to exist, a realistic fantasy. I've heard tell that one of the new Things in YA literature has been faeries, but this has been one of the only ones I've bothered to read, and I'm very glad I did. It's rare to find a book, particularly in this day and age where every other YA book published is a "Paranormal Romance", that brings back memories of those old bedtime fairy tales, but this book captures that very essence. It was an immersive, enthralling reading experience, and refreshing to read, similar to Impossible. Two things of note: I really like that the main character's Jewish faith is important to her, and that importance is portrayed in the book without being preachy at all. (The same can be said of Alison in Are You Alone on Purpose?) The other thing that I really found meaningful was the importance of Mallory and Phoebe's friendship. While there is a romance story present, the fact that Mallory and Phoebe's story is the one that holds more importance is telling--again, it's hard to find good YA fiction nowadays, where romance is not the driving factor. Kudos to Werlin, for those things and for once again writing a fantastic novel.

Rating: 5/5

Also by Nancy Werlin:
Impossible

Matched

Matched

written by Ally Condie

Seriously, if I read one more YA dystopian novel where a significant plot rotates around a love triangle... This felt like reading The Hunger Games all over again, except where Suzanne Collins made the vital distinction of making it a survival story first, romance second, Condie did not. This book certainly focuses on a fascinating premise--what would living in a utopian society where each citizen's life was meticulously planned out be like, and what would its eventual downfall be? The book capitalizes on the "matching" phenomenon of the society intensely, this idea that a government would determine an individual's perfect romantic match. Most other aspects unfortunately fall to the wayside. There are hints of a brewing revolution, cracks in the system, but nothing comes to fruition until the last few chapters. Matched would have been a much more interesting book if the main story focused on the societal flaws and brewing revolution rather than Cassia and her dramatic triangular love life. It's Peeta vs. Gale all over again, except where Collins emphasized the fact that her books were not romance novels, Condie shoves the romance down the reader's throats. I'm incredibly excited to see where the sequels go with the story, because it does seem like the major plot is going to go from being the romance to the revolution, but I do still wish that had been the case in this book.

Rating: 4/5

I got this book from...:Amazon

The Last Little Blue Envelope

The Last Little Blue Envelope

written by Maureen Johnson

I always thought the prequel was awkward and over-romanticized. I felt like I was reading a travel guide rather than a YA novel. Even from the start of this book, though, I could tell that Maureen has had time to develop her voice as a writer, and I found the sequel to be much more enjoyable than its predecessor. I loved the little added twist known as Oliver who was added to the story of the 13^th envelope. He was a great addition to the quirky little cast of characters Maureen had previously set up. This book managed to pick up plot details that were left unsolved in the previous book, which made for a thoroughly satisfying conclusion. I ended up completely loving the sequel, and I’m incredibly glad Maureen decided to give it another shot. Totally worth it.

Rating: 5/5

I got this book from...:Amazon

So Much Closer

So Much Closer

written by Susane Colasanti

I love Susane Colasanti's books, as I've mentioned in previous reviews. It is so evident through her writing that she has worked with teens and really understands them. The characters she creates are realistic and complex, rather than shallow caricatures. Having read her blog, this book reads as the epitome of all that she is. Set against a New York backdrop, filled with cute teen romance and more references to The Office than you've ever seen in a book before, So Much Closer is sure to satisfy your need for fluffy romance accompanied by a journey of self-discovery. Colasanti's books are mature and subtly complex. You can read them as simple love stories if that's what you're in the mood for, but there's so much more hidden under the surface. Though on the surface, it might seem like this is a book about a girl moving to New York City chasing the boy of her dreams, beneath that, it's about a girl learning to accept who she is and all that has made her that way.

Rating: 5/5

Also by Susane Colasanti:

When It Happens

Take Me There

Waiting for You
Something Like Fate

I got this book from...:LibraryThing Early Reviewers

Shine

Shine

written by Lauren Myracle

Lauren Myracle is back with a dark mystery, revolving around a hate crime in a small, Southern town. It's really amazing to see the tremendous scope of writing Myracle is capable of--from lighthearted teen girl drama in the Internet Girls series, to the horror story in Bliss, to this new mystery. Personally, I think she should stick with the latter two, as there are so few writers out there capable of pulling off such captivating, deep writing so well. I've owned this book for a while, but it wasn't until the recent kerfuffle with the Wall Street Journal article that I decided to read the book. The article singled out Myracle's novel for its content, claiming that it is too dark for teen readers. While there are more drug references than you'll find in most other YA novels, I actually learned that meth use/abuse is pretty rampant in small Southern towns, which I never knew before. It becomes a key factor in the events of the story, so its inclusion in the story isn't just for the sake of giving the story an edge. (And the drug certainly isn't glorified, much the opposite.) This could easily turn into a whole rant at the wrongful accusations in the article, but that's a rant best saved for another day. I will leave a link to Lauren Myracle's rebuttal, though, for your reading pleasure.

**SPOILERS BELOW**

The greatest thing about this novel is that unlike most mysteries, everything isn't clear-cut. Lauren Myracle truly imagines her characters complexly, showcasing all sides of the story rather than sticking with a black/white dichotomy, instead opting for the good, the bad, and the blurry. I do have a bit of an issue to take with the ending. The writing was spectacular, and the story was an important one to tell. I do think that it is important to note that not all hate crimes are perpetrated by the stereotypical latent homosexual struggling with self-hatred towards their own identity. Some legitimately are a result of complete ignorance. It's an important distinction to make. I also don't think Beef should have died. It served as the poignant ending it was intended to be, but I don't like the message being sent--conveniently killing off the most conflicted character rather than opting for battling ignorance/self-hatred with knowledge and love. He could have been sent to rehab instead, offering hope for those who are lost and struggling.

Rating: 4/5

I got this book from...:BookMooch

Abandon

Abandon

written by Meg Cabot

I never thought this day would come. The day I got tired of Meg Cabot's writing tropes. Maybe it says more about me than anything else, which is a scary thought, since she's the one who really launched my love of YA, but it's a scary day, no doubt. Ordinarily, there's some kind of extra spark, something beyond the typical Cabot love story, but I just wasn't feeling it this time. Part of it can be attributed to the same complaint I've addressed towards other books recently--dragging a book out to fit a series, rather than fitting the story into however many books it needs. I felt like this book moved along much slower than the typical Cabot book. The other thing I felt was similarities here and there between this adaptation of the myth of Persephone...and Cabot's other mythical adaption--found in Avalon High. Avalon High is one of my favorite books by Meg Cabot, and that would probably be due to the fact that it is extraordinarily fast paced, revelations flying in from every direction. This could have been a good book if the story hadn't been stretched out. The idea that I'm supposed to imagine John as a main character when he's barely even present in the story? Difficult to do! The book was much more interesting when he and Pierce were directly interacting. I think this was a novel idea, an idea that held a lot of potential, but the story was disorganized, convoluted, and stretched out beyond necessity.

Rating: 3/5

I got this book from...: Amazon Vine

Bumped

written by Megan McCafferty

I have no gripe with the plot of this book, nor the characters. I thought the alternate futuristic vision of a teenage pregnancy obsessed universe was fascinating, and masterfully developed by McCafferty. This was a good book on every account but one--the fact that it, like many others we are seeing nowadays, is regrettably not a standalone book. The story is laid out, and most major plot threads are resolved. Done with. So why is it that the author/publisher seem to think there is more to tell? I'd much rather be talking about the social and political significance of a novel such as this, but apparently, the story this book set out to tell isn't complete, so instead, I'm sitting here, complaining about the fact that the story isn't done, even though it should be. This story would have worked well as a stand-alone. As more than one book though? No way. The only story left to tell is overly-contrived and pointlessly drawn out. There's no good that can come out of sequels to this book, this book that is already great on its own.

Rating: You know what, I'd easily give this a 5-star rating, except right when things started getting good and plotlines were being resolved, there were things left wide open, and that ruins the story for me. 3/5.

I got this book from...:Amazon Vine

Shiver

Shiver

Written by Maggie Stiefvater

I've had this book on my to-read list since it first came out with rave reviews. I never really picked up on the fact that it was about (were)wolves. That right there should have been my first hint of distaste. Everything in the YA literary world now seems to be compared to Twilight, which did seem to relaunch the "paranormal romance" genre, and I hate to go back to that old trope, but let me just say that while the writing was arguably better than Stephenie Meyer's, Maggie Stiefvater's Grace and Sam made Bella and Edward's relationship seem safe. Other reviewers have pointed out that the writing was overly descriptive, and I do agree with them on that point. The story took a very long time to get to a point (this seems to be a Thing nowadays. Why are so many authors gravitating towards writing trilogies and unnecessarily stretching stories thin?) and once it did, the explanations were lacking. Like I'd mentioned, the romance was creepy. We've gone from Edward Cullen watching a girl sleep, to Sam Roth watching a girl change, without her knowledge of his presence. Classy. Way to give the YA genre a bad name. There is a line between a healthy relationship and obsession, and this line was crossed. There's not an interesting cast of supporting characters to hold up the over-romanticized wolfboy adventures either, leaving the entire book rather flat. I was not impressed and will be skipping the sequels.

Rating: 1/5

I got this book from...:BookLending

The Ghosts of Ashbury High

The Ghosts of Ashbury High

written by Jaclyn Moriarty

I had read and enjoyed Jaclyn Moriarty's The Year of Secret Assignments many years ago, and, since then, had also read all of her other books. In preparation for The Ghosts of Ashbury High, I decided to reread her previous books, all set in Ashbury High. The thing you have to love about Moriarty's books is her ability to interweave plots but still have each story definitely hold its own. Characters from one story will unexpectedly cameo (or even play a large role) in the next. Bindy Mackenzie, annoying transcriber from The Year of Secret Assignments suddenly has her own books, The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie. This book goes back to featuring some of our favorite characters from The Year of Secret Assignments, but throws two new characters in the mix, Amelia and Riley. Amelia and Riley have a strange air of mystery around them, throwing the school into mass speculation and rumors of ghosts in their midst. This is their senior year at Ashbury High, and as such, is also the final book in the Ashbury High series. So I was expecting a grand finale, and I have to say, I was underwhelmed. It's not that The Ghosts of Ashbury High was a bad book...it's just...having read Moriarty's other books, I know she is capable of better writing and better storytelling. Ending the (mostly) realistic series with a ghost story seemed oddly out of place, as was the introduction of these strange new characters we had never seen before. I think it would have been neat to culminate the series by bringing all of the old characters together, without necessarily having this strange ghost plotline. At the very least, the ghost plot should have taken a background role rather than being the main story. The book took a while to get anywhere, and it did eventually pick up speed, but the 'gothic literature' needed to go. Toby's journal entries, in particular, rubbed me the wrong way. They were essential to the story, but I couldn't bring myself to care in the slightest, which saddened me, as Toby is a character with very much potential. There were themes in this book that could have been explored more, such as the powerful idea of clinging to childhood, which I would have loved to see more of. The novel wraps up in an explosive finale, and part of me wishes that Part 4 of 4 would have been stretched out to be the entirety of the novel. The ghost storyline actually gains speed and development, and turns into a legitimate plot. I just wish that had been done sooner or not at all. A mess of a review for a great book that just could have been organized better to bring us the finale we should have had.

Rating: 4/5

I got this book from...:Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Anna and the French Kiss

Anna and the French Kiss

written by Stephanie Perkins

I picked this book up after many mentions by John Green in his popular vlogbrothers videos. I figured, hey, a new YA novel, highly recommended by an awesome author? Sure, I'll give it a try. The writing in this novel is spectacular, I'll give it that. As John Green said, it is like his and Maureen Johnson's writing had a baby, and that baby was this book. However, when it comes to the story itself, I wasn't thrilled. Don't get me wrong, it was a cute story, but good? Meh. Anna and the French Kiss falls back on typical YA tropes, and maybe I just read too much YA lit, but really? A French boarding school with a hot guy who just happens to have a British accent? It's starting to sound plot-wise like the very Nicholas Sparks (I'm assuming it was Nicholas Sparks, although I could be wrong) novels Anna makes fun of. I felt like too much of the focus was on the love trianglequadranglepolygonthing, rather than the story potential. I would have loved to get to know Meredith, Rashmi, and Josh more, rather than having them serve as a flat, background cast of characters. The issues the characters had with their relationships with their parents would have been another fascinating thing to examine more closely, particularly St. Clair's relationship with his father (who, while mentioned, doesn't come into focus until the last few chapters of the story, at which point, everything seems rushed). It was nice to read a fluffy YA novel reminiscent of Meg Cabot, with added maturity in both character and writing. I'm still really saddened to see such good writing potential not used to its fullest though. I'm excited to see Stephanie Perkins' writing develop, and I will definitely be picking up Lola and the Boy Next Door upon its release!

Rating: 3.5/5

Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie

currently reading: Dragon Rider-Cornelia Funke
want to read: What else, Mockingjay!
reading next: Probably going to reread the first two Hunger Games books

Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie
written by David Lubar



As always, it's really great to see realistic YA geared towards high school boys, about a high school boy who doesn't quite fit in and is just learning his way around the ways of his new high school and in a way, his new life. If you're a reader in high school, or about to enter high school, it's a neat look at a little bit of what high school life might be like, and if you're out of high school, well, it's a good reminder of a place you are probably really glad to be rid of. I've read books about awkward girls and popular girls in high school, but other than John Green's books, it's a rarity to read about a regular, albeit slightly-awkward, young boy maneuvering through high school. To me, this was a boy-version of The Princess Diaries, with a boy journaling his thoughts through his freshman year. I think it would really reassure boy readers that it's okay to be awkward, it's okay to not be athletic or well-known, and it's really okay to just be a creative, quiet kid. The writing voice is authentically that found in a typical teenager, discussing things like school schedules, the tricky new world of romance, and dreaded homework assignments. The book really succeeds at showing all the different roles one person has to take on in high school. The repetition and continuity of various motifs through the book are also a great touch and add to the fun appeal of the book.

Rating: 4/5

I got this book from...:Swaptree

I definitely have something I'd love to hear comments on. Some of the "typical" high school experiences discussed in this book...didn't seem very typical to me. I've always wondered, with movies like Mean Girls and books like this one, is high school life over-exaggerated in books/movies/tv shows, or are there actually high schools like those? Am I just a very sheltered child? Do high schoolers actively drink, go to parties, do drugs, etc? I'd love to hear your own high school stories!

Kissing Kate

Kissing Kate
written by Lauren Myracle



I suppose this is one of the very few LGBT young adult books I've read, and like any other book, it had its strengths and weaknesses. The thing that definitely stuck out with this book was the vital element of realism. The moments described in the book are very down-to-earth, honest moments that teenagers experience, no matter their orientation. One of the things I didn't really like about Lauren Myracle's Internet Girls series was that, while funny and good reads, they were nothing like what I experienced during my teenage years. Moments of that series were extremely overdone and overdramatic. Kissing Kate was more down-to-earth and, in my opinion, a more genuine portrayal of the average teen's life. On the other hand, while being honest and down-to-earth, this was definitely a unique book in terms of content. It was one of the earlier mainstream LGBT YA books out there, and it goes more in depth covering the full length of a relationship, from beginning to end, as well as the oft-forgotten fallout from the end. My one real complaint with the novel was the introduction of lucid dreaming. I understand the significance of it, the reason Myracle decided to include it in her book, but the whole metaphor felt awkward and forced. My favorite thing about the book was the lack of labels. The main character, Lissa, has typical teenage emotions, but her orientation is never explicitly stated, something I found really great. Everything seems to be about labels nowadays, everyone has to be all gay, all straight, whatever, and sometimes, it feels like there's no room for anything in between. This was a great portrayal of a questioning teen who doesn't quite know what to label themselves as, which is what most teens are, when they're first figuring themselves out.

Rating: 4/5

I got this book from...:Bookmooch

Get Well Soon

Get Well Soon
written by Julie Halpern



You all know how much I adore books that address teenagers dealing with mental illness, so it's no surprise that this book struck such a chord with me. It greatly helped that it was also written in epistolary form, and if there's any form of book I love most, it's by far epistolary. I love letters, I love writing letters, I love getting letters (who doesn't?), and I love the small glimpse I get of another person's life by reading letters, even if they happen to be fictional. I had read this book and Ned Vizzini's wonderful It's Kind of a Funny Story around the same time, and they are the only two YA novels I've read that do take place in a psychiatric hospital ward. Vizzini's novel appealed to me more, but I was really glad I got the chance to read Halpern's as well. She brings up some really great points throughout the novel, such as the idea of eliminating stereotypes. Her character, Anna, finds herself in a psychiatric hospital ward, where she has to force herself to step back and stop making snap stereotypical judgements, since she's hit rock bottom and has no point in disliking the people who are sharing the space. Anna gets to know people of all walks of life and all kinds of personal struggles, and along the way, finds out a lot about herself. It's ironic--you'd think a novel set in such a depressing setting about depressed people would, in fact, be depressing, but it's really not! Halpern manages to show the humor in a really bad situation, and you'll find yourself laughing throughout the book. The ending was a little strange, but it does fit with what I've heard, that going home and readjusting to "regular life" after a hospitalization is the hardest part. The writing in this book could have used some work and still carried the same authenticity, but as a debut novel, Julie Halpern really proves herself to be in touch with the way teenagers function and tackles a very difficult and critical topic that I always say needs to be depicted in YA fiction much more than it is.

Rating: 4/5

I got this book from...:Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Once Was Lost

currently reading: The Thief, by Megan Whalen Turner
want to read: Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins

Once Was Lost
written by Sara Zarr



I was really glad to see a religious YA book, but not at all religious in the traditional sense. There is nothing preachy about this novel. It's a beautiful story about a girl struggling to find her sense of place in her religious community, trying to figure out how to juggle a life, religious and otherwise, while having to be the preacher's daughter required to appear with a sort of socially preconceived demeanor. It's laughable to think that teenagers don't struggle with religion. The teenage years are when kids grow up and begin to really think for themselves, and begin their own religious journeys as opposed to the ones their parents simply brought them into. I'm really glad that Sara Zarr wrote such an open, honest book about how a teenager deals with those questions and developing that religious identity. She does so in a fully nonjudgmental way, in a way that all readers of all religious/spiritual beliefs will both enjoy and relate to, no matter what. Other than that, the book is typically Sara Zarr style, beautiful writing, honest dialogue that teenagers, real teenagers, can easily picture, and an ending that's not so much about happiness as it is about the promise for future hope.

Rating: 5/5

Want to read more on Sara Zarr's personal religious views? Here's one of my favorite essays, written by her during the YA for Obama campaign in 2008, where many prominent YA authors came together to show their support for then presidential candidate, Barack Obama. I strongly recommend reading it, even if you're not a Democrat. The views expressed are beautifully open-minded and really touching.

I got this book from...:Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Wherever Nina Lies

Wherever Nina Lies
written by Lynn Weingarten



If there's one thing I've got to say about this book, it's that it's misleading marketed. Look at the cover. Does it scream "plot-twisty horror thriller" to you? The cut-out ransom letters do look suspicious, but the color-scheme just makes the book look like another fluffy teen YA. NOT SO. (Although I actually do really love the cover, I just find it misleading.) I'm in no way saying that John Green's Paper Towns was a gender-specific book, but this really read like a version of Paper Towns (plus creepyness) written specifically for girls. You have the John Green-esque road trip combined with really great writing, throw in a spooky disappearance, and you get this fantastic book. So, you know, it's late at night and I sit down to read some fluff fiction. This story ends with me staying up far too late, scared out of my mind, but absolutely unable to put the book down. It delves right in to the story, setting everything up very quickly and in a captivating way. The suspense holds up throughout the whole novel, and makes for a really intense read. Mixed in with the intense suspense are plenty of really heartwarming moments focusing on relationships, friendships, and all kinds of connections we are capable of forming as human beings. Following the clues along with the main characters is a blast, and has the reader theorizing throughout the book. There were some minor moments that did appear to be conveniently contrived for the purposes of moving the mystery along, but even those were pretty easy to read past without getting too worked up about it. I just loved the unpredictability of everything that happened, and I can definitively say this this is one of my favorite YA mysteries.

Rating: 5/5

I got this book from...:A contest

What Happened to Cass McBride?

What Happened to Cass McBride?
written by Gail Giles



The only strength What Happened to Cass McBride? had was its writing. Everything else was utter garbage, especially the plot. Let's do the good first, before we get to my massive list of complaints, shall we? The writing style was very unique, dotted with cutesy little phrases here and there, making for a poetic read. Other than that, the only other thing I can positively remark on was my like of the fonts that allowed for easy differentiation between characters. Alright, so, the negatives. First of all, this is a murder mystery of sorts. So it's very strange that the story is set up in such a way that the reader knows pretty much all along who the culprit is, instead of finding out at the very end. Most of the plot is laid out very early on, which eliminates a lot of the drama and suspense that a good murder mystery should, in my opinion, contain. I'm sure it was done to set the book apart from others in the same genre, and it accomplishes that, but sometimes, I feel like the typical murder mystery IS a murder mystery because of its layout, and can be set apart by a particularly fantastic plot, instead of switching the general big picture order of events. The nonlinearity makes for an interesting storytelling format, but at the same time, makes the story just...boring. Throughout the whole book, I just couldn't bring myself to care about anyone I was supposed to care about or sympathize with. I didn't like the ending, I didn't care about any of the events, the story's excitement dies out within the first few pages, when all is revealed. I just don't think the order of events served the story well in this particular instance.

Rating: 2/5

I got this book from...:BookMooch

Runaway

Runaway
written by YA writing goddess Meg Cabot



Man, I missed Meg! I was so excited to see what would happen in the final installment of this series, especially with the semi-cliffhangery ending of the 2nd book. It wasn't one of my favorite series by Cabot, not by far, but it held my interest, and I did keep reading, and I'm glad I did so. Right off the bat, my first thoughts before reading were a hope and a prayer that Meg would include Christopher through the whole book, instead of just bringing him in for a satisfying romantic conclusion, and I was very glad to see this hope come true, as he is my favorite character of the series. I did feel that he acted strangely out of character at random times, but it was still nice to see more of him, and I liked how his and Em's relationship evolved and grew through the duration of the novel. Overall, it was a good novel, I was glad to see it be very high-paced. I wasn't really a fan of everyone randomly pairing up at the end of the book and I felt like it may have cheapened Em and Chris's relationship a little bit, but hey, it's Meg Cabot, can't read her books without expecting amazing mindless fluff in massive amounts, right? I think the whole big scandal and resolution with Stark could have had more...epicness, for lack of a better word, to it, but was still happy with the way the story was resolved.

Rating: 4/5

Also in the series:
Being Nikki

I got this book from...:Barnes & Noble

By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead

By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead
written by Julie Anne Peters



It is kind of difficult to review this one without touching on what happens at the end, so read at your own risk, I suppose?

I kind of have a thing for books with characters dealing with depression and other mental illnesses, since I have seen so many people go through similar situations. I am really glad to see the genre rising in popularity, written both well and not-so-well. It's amazing (and at the same time, sad) to see how an author can put themselves into that kind of mindset and come out with a great work of fiction. My point, I suppose, is that these books are what teens need, just as there's recently been an explosion of fiction featuring LGBTQ teens, teens have to know that there are others, even if they just exist in a book, dealing with similar issues, reassuring the readers that there is still hope. While Julie Anne Peters writes an incredibly touching story about a teenage girl struggling with extremely severe, debilitating depression, it's difficult to tell whether her story is one of hope. Reality, yes. Obviously, teens have dealt with and sometimes lost the battle to depression. Others have survived. So yes, the story's resolution is very realistic in its vagueness. And there's definitely the idea that not all books need to end happily. But the very first thing I wrote before even opening the book was the idea that I really wanted there to be a definite conclusion. I didn't want a cliffhanger ending, or an ambiguous ending. I wanted the girl to either die or survive. And I didn't get that. So I loved the narration. I loved the writing style. I wasn't a big fan of the romance novel interludes, but I still read through them. The ending just ticked me off though. I feel like the readers deserved to know what had happened.

Rating: 5/5 for writing, 3/5 for plot

Is this just me? Did anyone read this in a particular way, where they believed she definitively lived, or definitively died? I'd really like to hear other peoples' interpretations.

Also by Julie Anne Peters: Luna

I got this book from...:Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Stealing Heaven

Stealing Heaven
written by Elizabeth Scott



And Elizabeth Scott is back with yet another story featuring a teenage girl stuck with a dysfunctional family--in this case, one that makes its living through burglaries. It is a wonderful story of transformation, featuring an older teen, which I really like seeing as I'm getting older and starting to have a bit of difficulty identifying with younger teen characters. I found myself internally cringing for the main character throughout the whole novel, knowing there was no way this would end well--which just shows how well the story was written, making someone who steals an identifiable and likable character! As usual with E. Scott, there is realistic, honest dialogue. It's a simple story, typical with the author, but powerful and holds the reader's attention. The end twist to the story was completely shocking but at the same time, logical. I absolutely loved that the end held so much hope and promise, even for someone with such a twisted family situation. Great book!

Rating: 5/5

Also by Elizabeth Scott:
Bloom
Living Dead Girl
Love You, Hate You, Miss You
Something, Maybe
The Unwritten Rule

I got this book from...: Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh