summer reading

Hello all! I realize that I haven't posted anything since the 24 Hour Readathon, so I should probably get you guys up to date. On April 27 I participated in a readathon and I completed four books: One Night by Marsha Qualey, Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen, Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber, and Perry's Killer Playlist by Joe Schreiber. I didn't particularly care for One Night because I felt like I couldn't relate to the characters and I didn't really like the premise of the book. However, a friend recommended it, so I figured I'd give it a try. As for Someone Like You, I've read it before and didn't really care for it then. However, it's Sarah Dessen so I decided to give it another shot. Nope. Still didn't like it. The  guy (Macon) was kind of an ass and the family (HER MOM) was so irritating and I almost couldn't keep reading because they were getting on my nerves. Also, Noah is a whiny little boy who needs to move on with  his life. Sorry, I'm getting worked up about this and it's been about a month and a half since I finished it, but it's Dessen and I (and K) hold her to a higher standard. Let's just say that this book didn't cut it. Also, recently I re-read That Summer (also by Dessen), which is another one that I didn't like the first time I read it. The second time it didn't get much better. I thought the main character was kind of immature and I didn't like her incredibly bratty sister who I'm not sure I would be able to stand living with for more one or two days before slapping her upside the head. She has no consideration for anyone but herself and leaves behind a wake of broken hearts/feelings. That was another second read-through strike-out for Ms. Dessen. Back to the readathon wrap-up: I loved reading Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick, a book that was recommended by a librarian-friend of mine. The fast pace and interesting plot line kept me engaged at whatever outrageous hour I was reading it. It was so full of action that it really pulled me in until the end and earned a spot on The List of 55 (number 28). I then proceeded to pick up the sequel (Perry's Killer Playlist) and start in on that, but not before I could go to Grooveshark (in my opinion, the best internet music website) and compile a playlist of the songs that were used as chapter titles in the book so that during each chapter I could listen to the appropriate song. I think this also helped keep me awake and really enhanced the story. I suggest doing this and getting it all set up ahead of time before starting the book and then being prepared to hit replay on some songs so it gets you through the whole chapter before moving on to the next song. Also, it definitely helped that Joe Schreiber apparently has a similar taste in music as me. I would recommend both of these books although the sequel didn't make "The List." After the readathon, during the last month of school, I didn't have much time for reading, but somehow managed to sneak in Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti, Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz, Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz, and the aforementioned That Summer by Sarah Dessen. Honey, Baby, Sweetheart was one of those books that I was not very pleased with and I'm pretty sure I had a nice couple of rant sessions while I was reading it. However, much as I wanted to quit reading it, I couldn't because I just had to know what happened. While the general idea of the bad boy really appealed to me, I thought it was poorly executed and a tad cliché. Definitely didn't live up to the ultimate standard of "bad boy", John Bender. Also, I wasn't really happy with the ending. Next up was Blue Bloods, which I thought was very interesting and well-written. It definitely held my attention and was a nice introduction into the whole vampire genre for me. Then I read the sequel, which was slightly less captivating, but still ok. I'm sure eventually I'll get around to reading the rest of the series, but not now. Then, this summer so far in the past week I've read Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler, Supernaturally by Kiersten White, and Being Henry David by Cal Armistead. Bittersweet was good, predictable plot, but good. Not exactly appropriate seeing as how it takes place in the dead of winter and  I read it the first week of summer, but good nonetheless. Supernaturally is the sequel that I've been getting excited about ever since I read and loved Paranormalcy several months ago. It was good and kept me intrigued, but not as good as the first and I felt like there was still unresolved conflict that was bothering me. Also, the ending felt very very rushed and kind of just felt unfinished. Then, today I read and finished Being Henry David, which reminded me a little of Paper Covers Rock, so of course I loved it and it's going on The List (number 29). A boy wakes up in a train station and can't remember who he is, why he's there, or anything about his past. All he knows is that there is a ten dollar bill in his pocket and a copy of Henry David Thoreau's Walden at his side. It's a book of adventure, but also one in which the main character finds himself. It was a very enjoyable read and I loved everything, except for the ending, which was left a bit open-ended, perhaps for readers to fill in the blanks for themselves. Very well done, especially since it was Ms. Armistead's first book. I look forward to reading more of her books as they come. Another great New Book Shelf find that I took a chance on and ended up loving. With this book, I completed the Summer Reading Program at my library, which requires 1000 pages to complete. Now, I'm working towards the extra incentive of another free book by going for 5000 pages by August 6. Every year I've done the Young Adult program, I've made it to 5000, so I don't plan on stopping anytime soon :) I am now about to start Me, Him, Them, and It by Caela Carter, which I know very little about, as it was also a New Book Shelf find. Enjoy the summer sunshine and, more importantly, rain showers. Happy Reading!

-M

Readathon Hour 10

Hey guys so as most of you know, I started my 24 hour readathon at midnight and have therefore been going for about ten hours now. I admit I drifted off to sleep several times from around 6-8am, but I'm keeping with the reading after these breaks. I'm very excited due to the fact that I passed the nine hour mark, which is where I dropped out last time. So far I've been semi-productive and have finished two books: Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen and One Night by Marsha Qualey. On the readathon website they asked everyone to answer questions about themselves and link to our blog, so here goes:
1) Where in the world are you reading from?  My couch/chair/bed (I like to move around from time to time) in the Midwest.
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?  The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson (sequel to The Name of the Star)
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? Coconut Greek Yogurt
4) Tell us a little about yourself. I am a an opinionated and currently exhausted high school junior trying to enjoy as many books in my lifetime as possible. As my mother always says: don't waste your time reading books you don't love. There are so many books available out in the world and only one lifetime in which to find the great ones. This is one of the mantras I repeat to myself when I'm considering quitting a book that I don't particularly like. Also it's kind of the reason why I started this blog in the first place: to find the books that were good enough to be added to "The List of 55". Yes, I'm picky, but not willing to settle for a book that I'm not enjoying.
5) If you participated in the last readathon, what's one thing you'll do different today? I didn't do it last year, but two years ago I did the April Readathon, or at least tried. I got to hour nine and gave up.  This time I plan to take it in via social media and blogging instead of having my nose completely immersed in a book all 24 hours. Also I'm going a little easier on myself about napping and breaks which I've realized are actually quite necessary. I'm going for a more laid back approach.
Well, I'm about to start Book 3: Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber, as it was recommended by my friend/librarian. I'd better get back to it then!

Read-A-Thon Book Stack (in no particular order)

 

1. The Name of the Star--Maureen Johnson
2. The Madness Underneath--Maureen Johnson
3. Someone Like You--Sarah Dessen
4. That Summer--Sarah Dessen
5. Seventeenth Summer--Maureen Daly
6. Honey, Baby, Sweetheart--Deb Caletti
7. Glimmerglass--Jenna Black
8. The Whisperer--Donato Carrisi
9. Girl of Nightmares--Kendare Blake
10. Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick--Joe Schreiber
11. Perry's Killer Playlist--Joe Schreiber
12. Blue Bloods--Melissa de la Cruz
13. Masquerade--Melissa de la Cruz
14. Bittersweet--Sarah Ockler
15. The Bermudez Triangle--Maureen Johnson
16. One Night--Marsha Qualey
17. For Darkness Shows the Stars--Diana Peterfreund

I realize this is quite a long list, but I want to have plenty of options on Saturday so that I can be picky!

the return...

alright, it's M here and i know i owe you guys a huge apology for essentially dropping off the face of the earth, but i've been super busy and haven't exactly had much time to read, let alone write about it. also, with finals and AP testing coming up i probably won't be posting much until June, but stick with me here, i'm trying! so, the main reason i wanted to post is because this saturday, April 27th, i'm once again participating in Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon and am super excited. it was a last minute decision to participate (i decided this about an hour ago) so i'm not exactly organized and don't have nearly enough books in my house for saturday, so that means i'll be making a library run soon...i hope. Anyway, if you guys want any information about the Read-a-thon, like if perhaps you want to join me and 340 other crazy people, follow this link. Ok, now to review the past several months quickly:

• The Fault in Our Stars-- such a great, funny, witty book until the second half when i bawled my eyes out. i was not happy with the ending at all. and endings are everything in my book (hehe)
• Second Chance Summer-- awesome summer read about obviously second chances and trusting yourself and others. i loved it and it's getting added to The List
• Oh. My. Gods.--this was a book swap book from K and i really liked it, so much so that i begged her to give me the second one the day after i finished it. it was also decent, but not as good as the first.
• The Six Rules of Maybe--girl falls for her sister's fiancee...drama ensues....too much drama and just downright irritating
• The Kite Runner--required reading over winter break and was quite depressing. that being said, it was amazingly well written and easy for western readers to comprehend to some extent. such a sad story, but well done.
• The A Circuit-- competitive horse riding. drama ensues. eh, not really a fan...
• Anna Dressed in Blood-- this one was recommended to me by my librarian and friend H when i told her i was looking for something similar to Maureen Johnson's The Name of the Star. about a teenage boy who "kills" ghosts all over the country and then ends up falling for one. eery and kind of frightening at points, but had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. i loved it. added to The List
• Paper Covers Rock-- i've read this book 3 times now i think and it's amazing each and every time. if you want a better review, i'm sure there's one in the archives somewhere.
• When Lightning Strikes series-- several years ago i started the series and only got through the first and second books because the library didn't have the other ones available at the time. so, i decided i would give the series another shot and i'm glad i did, because i loved Jess and her "IDGAF" attitude and Rob and his motorcycle ( that would be my Bender complex talking) anyway, i got through the whole series and loved them all, especially the ending of the final book, which i ended up rereading several times just because it made me so happy. job well done, miss cabot.
• Paranormalcy--the same librarian/friend suggested this book about Evie, a girl who works for a government agency to keep the peace between paranormal creatures. she's caught between a crafty fairy and a mysterious unknown species. i loved this book and just today found out that there are others in the series!! AHH! added to The List.
• The Next Thing on My List--a girl is giving a stranger a ride home and gets into a car crash that her passenger doesn't survive. she then finds a list that the stranger had of all the things she wanted to do before her next birthday, so she takes it upon herself to complete the list for this girl she knows nothing about. i liked the concept, but the execution, especially the ending, were severely lacking.
• Never Let Me Go--cloning.isolation.organ donors.art.coming of age. I hated it. and the movie was even worse
• As I Lay Dying--required for school. my friends and I, being the super nerdy people that we are, decided to let out our emotions about this book through a series of strongly worded haikus. needless to say, we all hated it. i don't understand why people raise Faulkner up on a pedestal.
• The Great Gatsby--required for school and the only novel i've been forced to read this year that was actually enjoyable. i loved this book and the narrative of Nick, who seems like the kind of guy i would get along well with. yes, there were characters that you love to hate, but the book as a whole is just so great. i and aforementioned nerdy friends are going to go see the movie in theaters May 10 and we are all very excited. also, the music in the trailer (Happy Together by Filter) is so haunting yet perfect that every time i hear it, it makes me shiver, but in the best possible way. added to The List
• This Lullaby--my second time reading it and i think i loved it even more this time than i did last time. Dexter is just so darn persistent that it's endearing.
• The Book of Luke--i thought the story was slow and dramatic and hated the ending how things just so happened to work out after a few rather weak apologies. not very realistic if you ask me.
• Safe Haven-- this was definitely Nicholas Sparks' most thrilling book to date. it had me on the edge of my seat and i loved it. not his normal thing, but it worked. i have yet to see the movie, but i'm sure i'll watch it sometime this summer when i have more time.
• The Host-- my friend is obsessed with this book. she reads it every year and therefore made a deal with me that if she read 3 Dessen books i had to read The Host. i thought it was a pretty fair deal. however, let me say that the first 250 pages are slightly confusing, slow, and drag. However, after that, things pick up and from then on i truly enjoyed the book. so, if you have any intention of reading it, just power throught the first 250 pages and stick it out, because it's definitely worth it. also another one that i would like to see the movie, but don't know how much the directors have screwed with the plot. added to The List.
• Death of a Salesman--required for school. hated the play and i hated the movie version with Dennis Hoffman. so sad and tragic with no real point. definitely not enjoyable as i always seemed to fall asleep when i was reading it.

So yeah, we're at 27 now on The List, which is very exciting for me :) I am about to start Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen, which i tried reading a couple years ago, but didn't like and put aside. However, i'm determined to finish it this time no matter what. We'll see how that goes....anyway, thanks so much if you've continued to follow our sporadic postings and keep an eye out for posts on saturday during the Read-a-thon, because i'm sure i'll have something to say :)
happy reading!
-M

The Juliet Club

So, I checked out the book The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper a little while ago from the library and decided to finally read it when I woke up at 2 (almost 3 in the morning). I told myself I would only read a few chapters to get a feel of the book, but I couldn't put it down. I chose the book because of the title and I thought the cover of the book was pretty cool. After reading the summary of the book I decided to give it a try. I absolutely loved this book. Why you ask? Well let me list the reasons:

1. Part of the place took place in Verona. As in Verona, Italy!!! I want to travel all over Europe and Verona is one of those places. Maybe the author was making up what it was like to be there, but I honestly don't care. It made me long for the warm sun casting a friendly glow on everything the light touches. The smell of fresh goods all around you. The easy, cool air lifting your clothes slightly off your body...it's amazing and made me wish I was there.

2. There was romance. Pretty cliched romance (but in my opinion that was the whole point). So yes, I was able to predict the ending, but more often than not I can. Plus, it ended the way I wanted it to so I'm perfectly content :)

3. It switches points of views. I love getting to see a glimpse into other characters minds in a story. What they were thinking in a specific moment. It's enlightening and gives new perspective and allows you to see the situation as whole (which they do debate in the book- small spoiler I guess, but trust me it doesn't ruin anything for you).
-I loved every characters thought process. While I made have moments of frustration with them that is what makes a great book.

4. The main-ish character Kate: She's a person who thinks everything is set in stone, that everything has to be logical. So seeing her unravel and realize that not everything will makes is rather endearing. Plus, our views on Romeo and Juliet are quite similar. Although, I saw the play a little differently after reading this novel. However, my opinion on it is still pretty much the same and Kate had a wonderful way of summing it up, "The poetry is amazing, but the plot sucks." If I butchered that quote I apologize, but I got the gist of it correct ;)
5. It had an epilogue, I kinda wish it was longer or went further into the future, but I fear that if that happened the book wouldn't be the same.
6. There was romance and I'm a sucker for romance <3  Especially romance as adorable as the one(s) in this story.

So, with all that said The Juliet Club makes number 7 on my List of 55 :)
I'm just going to end this on that good note. Happy reading!!!

Oh one more thing before I go

I don't have time now, but you can bet on me making a long-ish post about Stay by Deb Caletti. I have much to say about this book and I thank M very much for choosing it for the swap because *insert drum roll here* ..............it has made number 14 on my List of 55!!! Yes, it was that amazing. Okay now I really must go, but I just thought I'd share that news with you lovely folks before parting. 

Predictability can be my new best friend

Hey all! This post can't be too long because I have finals I need to continue studying for (lucky I only have five finals and I already have two out of the way). I probably going to do a happy dance at the end of this week to celebrate. Anywho!!! I have like four-ish books checked out from the library that I haven't touched since last week (I hate finals for that). Anyway I finished my science final with a lot of time to spare so I started reading one of the smaller books I had checked out. I picked it up purely because the title caught my eye. I love titles that are direct, but yet still interesting. For example I read a book with the title "One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies." See? Very direct, but still has you interested on what spin the author is going to put on the story. Same goes for this book, "If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince?" by Melissa Kantor. From the very beginning of the book I've had the ending pegged. I'm not sure if it's because the book is that predictable or I'm just that good at guessing when it comes to books (also movies &some TV shows)...actually it could be a perfect balance of both.While usually I hate books that are easy to predict I enjoyed this one and it was a nice break from the stress of finals. It was adorable, cute and just what I needed. I recommend this if any of you are looking for a chill read or just a book to hold you over. It doesn't make the List of 55, but it definitely was very cute which I enjoyed :)
P.S- to M if you're reading. I have "Stay" in my locker if you ever want to drop by to get it & sorry, but I have not gotten to reading the other book you've lent me, but I'll have plenty of time over break (if only it'll get here sooner :p).

Okay, I'm off to immerse myself in wonderful studying (please, put me out of my misery). Until next time lovely, fellow bookworms.