Tangled

Tangled

Carolyn Mackler

Harper Collins

$16.99

December 2009

FTC: This is a library book. I am not being compensated in any manner for my review.

Characters 20/20

Plot 20/20

Setting 15/20

Cover 20/20

Ending 20/20

Total grade: 95% A

Sexual content: Heavy (lots of referencing)

Violence: N/A

Drugs: mild

Underage drinking: moderate

Swearing: heavy

Total rating: 16+

Summary:

Paradise wasn't supposed to suck.

Not the state of being, but a resort in the Caribbean.

Jena, Dakota, Skye, and Owen are all there for different reasons, but at Paradise their lives become tangled together in ways none of them can predict. Paradise will change them all.

It will change Jena, whose first brush with romance takes her that much closer to having a life, and not just reading about those infinitely cooler and more exciting.

It will change Dakota, who needs the devastating truth about his past to make him realize that he doesn't have to be a jerk just because people think he's one.

It will change Skye, a heartbreakingly beautiful actress, who must come to terms with the fact that for once she has to stop playing a role or face the consequences.

And it will change Owen, who has never risked anything before and who will take the leap from his online life to a real one all because of a girl he met at Paradise. . . .

From confused to confident and back again, one thing's certain: Four months after it all begins, none of them will ever be the same.

My Thoughts:

I absolutely loved this book. I will be buying a copy for sure. I thought it was cool seeing how these four lives intertwine. The characters were so very lovable and each had their own story to tell me. I loved each and every one. I felt a bit deceived, Paradise was not a big part of the book, but it didn’t really bother me because it was still superb. I know the cover is bit plain but it just really seems perfect to the story.

Because of how the story was split it had a great ending. As you moved on to each person’s story you saw the ends of the other person being tied up within theirs. The very end was awesome. It left everything at a perfect close.

For some reason I am coming up short on words. Maybe it is the fact that this book was so good it has refreshed my desire to read. Go buy a copy… NOW!

Playlist:

1. T-Shirt (Shontelle)
2. Cinderella (Play)
3. Ridin’ Solo (Jason Derulo)
4. Fearless (Colbie Caillat)
5. Miss Independent (Kelly Clarkson)

Crash Into Me

Crash into Me

Albert Borris

Simon Pulse

$16.99

July 2009

FTC: This is a library book. I am not being compensated in any manner for my review.

Characters 15/20

Plot 15/20

Setting 20/20

Cover 15/20

Ending 15/20

Total grade: 80% B

Total rating: 14+

Summary:

Introverted Owen, brash confabulator Audrey, struggling lesbian Jin-Ae, and alcoholic Frank don't seem to have much in common, but they bond online over a shared interest: to commit suicide. Some of them have already made repeated attempts, and now they make a pact. They take a cross-country road trip from New Jersey, visiting the graves of famous people who have killed themselves, that will culminate at Death Valley. There, they will take their own lives—no backing down, no changes of heart. But as they crisscross the states, these isolated, unhappy teens begin to connect over more than just their desire to die; as they share their darkest secrets and most cherished wishes, real friendship and even romantic love develop. As the end of their trip grows closer, the time comes to decide: Is life worth living in spite of the pain, or do they keep their deadly promise?

My Thoughts:

This book was not as good as I expected it to be. From all of the summaries I had read I expected an awesome book, instead I received a good book. I felt that it took to long to really get exciting. The only explanation we got for where it started was the IM’s we read throughout the entire book. The characters were not very likeable; they actually kind of pissed me off. Maybe that was the way the author thought it needed to be but I was not a fan. There were a few parts that had me laughing out loud (like the fact that I realized my mom named her dog after an athlete who later became known as a rapist and cannibal. The lovely things I learned from this book.). I would recommend this to readers who have an interest in suicide books.

Playlist:

1. Party in Your Bedroom (Cash Cash)
2. Secrets (One Republic)
3. Vienna (Billy Joel)
4. Dance Floor Anthem (Good Charlotte)
5. Dead and Gone (TI)