Circle Nine

Summary:

She knows only Sam, a mysterious teenage boy. He is her sole companion; her whole life. She was born, already a teenager, lying outside a burning building in soot-stained clothes, remembering nothing, not even her name. He showed her the necklace she had on, the one that named her: Abby. Sam brought her to live in his cave-palace, where he gives her everything she needs. He loves her. He protects her from the world outside, from everyone who wants to hurt them, like the denizens of Circle Nine, Dante’s deepest circle of hell. But even in a charmed, brand-new life like Abby’s, change will come. Sam falls ill. A new girl comes to stay, and Abby begins to question Sam’s devotion. With doubt comes emotional turmoil, changes in perception, and glimpses of her past identity. In this courageous psychological thriller, Abby tells the story of living her new life and discovering her old one, while grappling with an ever-changing reality.

Review:

My, oh my, where to begin? I was not very impressed with the format of this book, it was very hard to follow considering no quotation marks were ever used. The story was even more confusing, but I suppose that was fitting in regard to how jumbled up the main character was. I liked it, but it was really disappointing because of the misfortunate lack of quotation, that right there took so much away from the story that it kept this book from being quite good. That being said, I’ll cut to the chase: 14+ and either a paperback or a library book.

Never Have I Ever (Sara Shepard)

Summary:

My perfect life was a lie.

Now I’d do anything to uncover the truth.

Not long ago, I had everything a girl could wish for: amazing friends, an adorable boyfriend, a loving family. But none of them know that I’m gone—that I’m dead. To solve my murder, my long-lost twin sister, Emma, has taken my place. She sleeps in my room, wears my clothes, and calls my parents Mom and Dad.

And my killer is watching her every move.

I remember little from my life, just flashes and flickers, so all I can do is follow along as Emma tries to solve the mystery of my disappearance. But the deeper she digs, the more suspects she uncovers. It turns out my friends and I played a lot of games—games that ruined people’s lives. Anyone could want revenge . . . anyone could want me—and now Emma—dead.

My Thoughts:

I will admit that The Lying Game is a very addicting series, as is Pretty Little Liars. They are just starting to bug me. The books are so similar (which I will discuss in paragraph two, so spoilers ahead). They also take half a book to get entertaining and then leave you where you want more. Then you buy the next book and don't get the same pace the last book ended at.

SPOILERS HERE: I do not like that both of Sara's "big" series have twins as a main plot point. That was bad enough. Then we are given plot point that revolves around a cliff in both of her most recent books. I feel like ideas are being recycled.

Maybe I have no room to judge. I am one of the crazy fan girls who will continue to buy her books and continue to be annoyed. They are just too addicting to stop.

I recommend you read one sereis or the other. Not both. I give this a letter C and a 14+ rating.

The Lady of the Butterflies

Summary:

They say I'm mad and perhaps it's true.
It is well known that lust brings madness and desperation and ruin. But upon my oath, I never meant any harm. All I wanted was to be happy, to love and to be loved in return, and for my life to count for something.
That is not madness, is it?

So begins the story of Eleanor Glanville, the beautiful daughter of a seventeenth-century Puritan nobleman whose unconventional passions scandalized society. When butterflies were believed to be the souls of the dead, Eleanor's scientific study of them made her little better than a witch. But her life-set against a backdrop of war, betrayal, and sexual obsession-was that of a woman far ahead of her time.

Review:

This book absolutely and completely broke my heart. It starts off innocently enough, luring the reader just like a whimsical butterfly. A story so beautiful and happy, I could not resist falling in love with it. I felt, intimately, all the happiness and pain and unfathomable sorrow that Eleanor felt so that by the end of the book I was overwhelmed in tears at the heart wrenching truth that underlies and undermines the truest of loves and ultimately enough to destroy the heart of one’s soul. I love this book as passionately as I hate it because it is so base and raw that destroys the reader with the clarity that we all search for in life and that not many of us find. I will forever keep this book close to my heart as a reminder that you may never know the truth until it is upon you to drive you to madness.

I would rate this with my highest praises and an A+13/ A+14. I regard this book as my second favorite EVER.

Must Monday

What?

For budding costume designer Lola Nolan, the more outrageous, the outfit - more sparkly, more fun, more wild - the better. But even though Lola's style is outrageous, she's a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins move back into the house next door.

When the family returns and Cricket - a gifted inventor and engineer - steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Why?
Don't tell me you don't think this sounds adorable?

When?
This book will be released September 29, 2011

Back from Texas

I am back from Texas today! Thanks to all who followed, emailed, or commented while I was away. I promise I will be getting back to you all as soon as possible!





Love you all! Thanks for all your support!

Thirteen Reasons Why (Jay Asher)

So happy Hannah got the chance to read one of my favorite books! Here is what she had to say:

Summary:

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

Review

Well Jay Asher, you’ve certainly made my list. My top 10 list that is, for the best reads of summer and here are a few of the reasons why:

1. Your style is the most unique I’ve ever seen. It makes everything so crisply significant when the entire book is dialogue. And the way you slid between Hannah and Clay was brilliant.

2. The way you incorporated the character of Hannah right from the beginning of the first tape, introducing her spunk and sarcasm. It pulled me in that she was such a loud presence but was silent most of the time as the story went on.

3. Your wording, the way you made her speak, I felt all of the passion, the sorrow, the deep pain that is instilled in all of us at some point. You made her relatable, and in doing so you made her utterly unforgettable.

4. The hardest part of this book for me was Clay. His pain tore through me as he pleaded and talked to Hannah as he listened to the tapes. Not many of the authors I’ve read have come anywhere near this kind of reality, there’s always that one little un-namable obstruction keeping them from jumping into the next dimension and somehow in this book, there was nothing. You transcended the realm of “I just went there” and you owned it.

Readers, I could go on and on so let me put it to you this way: Why are you still on the computer? If you are 14+ you should be on your way to the book store. NOW.

The Near Witch (Victoria Schwab)

Summary:

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

Review:

This book was fantastic! It was a really easy, very smooth read from beginning to finish. There really isn’t much I can criticize, just a lot of praise for this book. The characters were wonderfully created and the back stories were just long enough to give the reader what we needed. So all in all a great book and one I will be keeping on my shelf to read again and again. And to those who read my reviews I’d say go and get this book right now. There is some brief swearing but nothing more than kisses so 12/ 13+

Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self (Danielle Evans)

Summary:

Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self offers a bold new perspective on the experience of being young and African-American or mixed-race in modern-day America.

My Thoughts:
I had such high hopes for this book. I heard great things about it was excited to explore this new voice. It was not the book for me. I had a hard time connecting to it because of the language. It was not the way I speak, nor is it the way anyone around me speaks. This threw me off enough that the rest of the book became less enjoyable.

It was not a bad book and I do not wish for people to think that is what I am saying. The stories were very real and honest. I just had a hard time connecting with them. For that I would give it a letter B. I would also like to mention that this is an adult title, aimed at adults.

Wednesday Wishlist

What?

Sara would be looking forward to her sixteenth birthday, but thanks to her mom's party planning business, she's way too wrapped up in someone else's: spoiled socialite Dakota London's. Sara would much rather spend her summer hanging out with Ian, an up-and-coming guitar player and her new crush. But Sara is so busy catering to Dakota's every wacky whim, she's got no time to spend with him.

And then, the icing on the cake: Dakota wants Ian to be her date for the big bash, and she wants Sara to play matchmaker! Sara's not sure she's game for this task, especially because she thinks she's falling for Ian. Will this birthday end up more bitter than sweet?

Why?
I love these romance books! They are funny and adorable!

unSweetined

Today I leave for a week in Austin, Texas! I will reply to all emails when I return!

Summary:

Jodie Sweetin melted our hearts and made us laugh for eight years as cherub-faced, goody-two-shoes middle child Stephanie Tanner. Her ups and downs seemed not so different from our own, but more than a decade after the popular television show ended, the star publicly revealed her shocking recovery from methamphetamine addiction. Even then, she kept a painful secret—one that could not be solved in thirty minutes with a hug, a stern talking-to, or a bowl of ice cream around the family table. The harrowing battle she swore she had won was really just beginning. In this deeply personal, utterly raw, and ultimately inspiring memoir, Jodie comes clean about the double life she led—the crippling identity crisis, the hidden anguish of juggling a regular childhood with her Hollywood life, and the vicious cycle of abuse and recovery that led to a relapse even as she wrote this book. Finally, becoming a mother gave her the determination and the courage to get sober. With resilience, charm, and humor, she writes candidly about taking each day at a time. Hers is not a story of success or defeat, but of facing your demons, finding yourself, and telling the whole truth

My Thoughts:

I have recently enjoyed more biographies and autobiographies than ever before. This was by far the best one I have read. I grew up on Full House. I would come home from kindergarten and a rerun was on. I watched it every day! Now I’m not that little five year old (just like young Stephanie) so I can comprehend she was a real person outside of the Stephanie character. I enjoyed how open and real she was with her book.

This is a wonderful book for every 16+ to read. There is a lot of drug use, sex, and underage drinking. You will get a wonderful reminder that the actors we see on TV are people too. We have to give them space and let them grow. We tend to verbally bash them for every choice they make and it becomes unhealthy.

I give this an A+!

Must Monday

What?

If someone hurts your sister and you're any kind of man, you seek revenge.
If your brother's accused of a terrible crime but says he didn't do it, you defend him.

When Mikey's sister claims a boy assaulted her, his world begins to fall apart. When Ellie's brother is charged with the offense, her world begins to unravel. When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide.

Why?
This sounds like a really good book about siblings and the bonds they share.

When?
BUY IT TOMORROW!!!!

A Need So Beautiful (Suzanne Young)

Summary:

We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be forgotten.

Charlotte's best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she's cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what's really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become—her mark on this earth, her very existence—is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.

Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny—no matter how dark the consequences?

My Thoughts:

I absolutely adore Suzanne, so I was super excited to read this book. It is not my typical book choice but I am so glad I read it. It was one of the best books I have read in a very long time (and I’m not saying that just because I dined with her after she signed my copy). The characters each had their own distinct personalities that they maintained through the whole book. The story was always throwing curveballs and kept me interested throughout.

I recommend starting this book when you have time to finish. You will not want to put it down! I give it a 14+ due to language and some implied sexual content. I also give this a big A+! Go buy a copy now!

Texas

Hello lovely readers!

I just wanted to drop you a note saying I will be in Texas until the 18th of this month. The posts are set and will continue. Please feel free to comment and email me. I will respond to all emails as soon as possible. I get anywhere from 40-100 emails a day so please be patient with me.

Also, to the people who emailed saying they can't follow my blog. I don't know what is up but I am looking into it. I asked a couple friends and they said they can. I did recieve three emails about it though so it must be a problem sometimes. If this is happening to you, please let me know!


See you all when I return from getting my tan on and going to an A&M football game!

~Ashley~

Sharks and Boys (Kristen Tracy)

Summary:

When 15-year-old Enid Calhoun follows her boyfriend Wick to Maryland for a party, fearful that he might be intending to cheat on her, she finds herself sneaking on board a houseboat where Wick and his friends plan to have a wild night. But before the boys discover their stowaway, a hurricane strikes, and the teenagers are carried miles from the shore and shipwrecked. What follows is a harrowing, yet heartwarming, story of survival, as the teens battle hypothermia, dehydration, man-eating sharks--and along the way, confront their own deepest secrets, including their catalytic roles in the disaster.

Review:

This book made me sick, I was completely distraught by the goings- on in the story and completely disgusted with her boyfriend and the very last bit of the ending. However, over all it was a pretty alright read, but I will never read this book ever again. I’d say probably a paperback copy and not for the faint of heart so probably a mature 12 or 13.

Dancing With Mrs. Dalloway (Celia Blue Johnson)

Summary:

In Dancing with Mrs. Dalloway, you'll discover who Edgar Allan Poe's raven really belonged to, whether Jane Austen's heartthrob Mr. Darcy actually existed, who got into mischief with a young Mark Twain, and what the real Sherlock Holmes did for a living. These delightful stories reveal the often unknown reasons our literary heroes put quill to parchment, pen to paper, or finger to keyboard to write some of the world's best-loved books.

My Thoughts:
I am an over thinker, so this was the book for me! I have spent lots of time wondering where a book came from. This book helped me answer that question over and over. I loved the C.S. Lewis story and Winnie the Pooh! Those two books are dear to my heart.

I give this book a big A, and a 13+. Everyone needs a copy of this in their personal library!

Wednesday Wishlist

What?

Lori lives for summertime on the lake. She spends all season wakeboarding, swimming, and hanging with her friends -- including the two hotties in the house next door. With the Vader brothers, Lori's always been one of the guys.

But while Lori and the "baby" brother, Adam, are inseparable friends, she can't deny a secret crush on Sean, the older Vader boy. This year Sean's been paying Lori a lot of attention, and not in a brotherly way.

But just as Lori decides to prove to Sean she's girlfriend material, she realizes that her role as girl friend to Adam may be even more important. And by trying so hard for the perfect summer romance, she could be going way overboard....

Why?
I adore these witty romances! They are a great reading refresher.

Cut

Summary:

When she arrives at Sea Pines, Callie is self-destructive, unresponsive, and withdrawn. Her parents and doctor have placed her in the "residential treatment facility" after discovering that she cuts herself. Callie refuses to talk to anyone, including her psychiatrist. But slowly, through compelling first-person narrative, the event that traumatized her comes to light. Callie reveals that her brother Ben nearly died from liver failure while in her care. Her mother was unavailable and her father was at a bar. Although their absence is evidence of a deep family dysfunction, Callie blames herself for the crisis. When the threat of expulsion from Sea Pines precipitates a cutting incident that frightens her, Callie finally begins her healing process. She opens up to the girls around her and surrenders to her therapist the compass she's been using to cut herself. Through Callie's frank and realistic voice, first-time novelist Patty McCormick illuminates a subject that is rarely discussed. Her story of Callie's recovery will speak to the more than 1 million people - mainly girls and young women - who engage in acts of self-inflicted violence every year.

My Thoughts:

Right off the bat this book was not what I expected it to be. The main character was mute the first half of the book. That made it very different. I liked that we were able to dig deeper into who she was that way, but we missed out on who she was with other people. Around a third of the way through the story miraculously became better. I won’t say why and spoil it.

It was a short, quick, read. I would rate it 14+. The subject of cutting is a difficult subject. I would also give it a B. It was good but something kept it from being GREAT!

Must Monday

What?
Tess and Lizzie are sisters, sisters as close as can be, who share a secret world filled with selkies, flying horses, and a girl who can transform into a wolf in the middle of the night. But when Lizzie is ready to grow up, Tess clings to their fantasies. As Tess sinks deeper and deeper into her delusions, she decides that she can’t live in the real world any longer and leaves Lizzie and her family forever. Now, years later, Lizzie is in high school and struggling to understand what happened to her sister. With the help of a school psychologist and Tess’s battered journal, Lizzie searches for a way to finally let Tess go.

Why?
This sounds so different from any book I have read! I want to give it a chance!

When?
October 11, 2011 Pre-order your copy on amazon now.

13 Little Blue Envelopes

When Hannah asked to borrow this book I was ecstatic. This was my very first review, the review that made Book Diva's want to review for them, back in the day! See what Hannah has to say about this wonderful book!

Summary:

When Ginny receives thirteen little blue envelopes and instructions to buy a plane ticket to London, she knows something exciting is going to happen. What Ginny doesn't know is that she will have the adventure of her life and it will change her in more ways than one. Life and love are waiting for her across the Atlantic, and the thirteen little blue envelopes are the key to finding them in this funny, romantic, heartbreaking novel.

Review:

One of my personal favorites that shot right to the top of my “best of summer” reading list, this book was fun, challenging, a little sad, a little crazy (and a little riskay if you know what I mean). I love the way the characters are portrayed and how everything falls together in the end after everything has fallen apart. I’d give this an A+13 and if you’re still reading this review you aren’t getting how good this book is :)

The Local News

Summary:

When fifteen-year-old Lydia Pasternak’s popular older brother Danny disappears late one summer night, she unwillingly becomes a celebrity in her community and an afterthought to her bereaved parents. In Danny’s absence, Lydia blossoms from a bookish outcast to the center of attention, all while grappling with her grudging grief for a brother she never particularly liked. When an intriguing private investigator enters the picture, Lydia finds herself drawn into the search for clues to Danny’s whereabouts. The shocking end to that trail of clues—an end that Lydia never prepares for—will haunt her for the rest of her life.

My Thoughts:

This was a required book for my first college English class. I was ecstatic when I saw it, because it was already on my amazon wishlist. I found it to be enjoyable from the start. It got you right in to the story and you instantly developed relationships with characters. It continued at a wonderful pace until about halfway through. At the halfway mark the book became dry. I no longer felt the desire to dig into it, as I once had. This continued on until the very last section of the book. It skips quite a few years ahead and becomes a “where are they now” story. I actually enjoyed that part.

I would give this book a B, because of the dry center. I would also rate the 14+ because of language and underage drinking. The book revolves around a kidnapping so it is intense subject matter.

The Rites and Wrongs of Janice Wills

Summary:

For anyone who's ever survived a rite of passage or performed a mating dance at Prom . . .

The Japanese hold a Mogi ceremony for young women coming of age. Latina teenagers get quinceaneras. And Janice Wills of Melva, NC ... has to compete in the Miss Livermush pageant.

Janice loves anthropology--the study of human cultures--and her observations help her identify useful rules in the chaotic world of high school. For instance: Dancing is an effective mating ritual--but only if you're good at it; Hot Theatre Guys will never speak to Unremarkable Smart Girls like Janice and her best friend, Margo; and a Beautiful Rich Girl will always win Melva's annual Miss Livermush pageant.

But when a Hot Theatre Guy named Jimmy Denton takes an interest in Janice, all her scientific certainties explode. For the first time, she has to be part of the culture that she's always observed; and all the charts in the world can't prove how tough--and how sweet--real participation and a real romance can be.

Funny, biting, and full of wisdom, this marks the debut of a writer to watch.

Review:

This book was an alright read, fairly quick, but not the most attention grabbing. In my opinion is was rather dry in places but others were very true in the style of American teenage habits. The format was strange, I felt that the graphs were thrown in somewhat randomly and that their placement could have been better chosen so as not to distract from the story. All in all I liked it, but I’m not sure I would read it again and again. That being said I would give this an A 12+/13+ and probably advise a library visit.