Kelsey

• Rated 4 stars

“Title: Stealing Heaven
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Publisher: HarperCollins
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: 5/27/08
Pages: 320

Rating: B+
Plot - 16/20
Characters - 18/20
Writing - 19/20
Originality - 16/20
Entertainment - 9/10
Recommendation - 10/10
Total: 88/100

Summary:
Dani has been trained as a thief by the best—her mother. Together, they move from town to town, targeting wealthy homes and making a living by stealing antique silver. They never stay in one place long enough to make real connections, real friends—a real life.

In the beach town of Heaven, though, everything changes. For the first time, Dani starts to feel at home. She's making friends and has even met a guy. But these people can never know the real Dani—because of who she is. When it turns out that her new friend lives in the house they've targeted for their next job and the cute guy is a cop, Dani must question where her loyalties lie: with the life she's always known—or the one she's always wanted.
Review:
Okay, let this be known that I have been waiting since the release date of this book to read it, and finally being able to enjoy it, this might sound fan-girly, sorry! in advance.

Elizabeth Scott crafted a genuine and original story that leaves you straining for more and more. Scott's characters are really the winners in her writing, creating unimaginably amazing characters, and layers them with authentic and gleaming personality.

Scott's enthusiastic writing and the stimulus emotions coming from it are breath taking. Scott creates a terrific world in which we learn, love, and hope for the best and we get happy endings, big climaxes, a true romance, and together and heartwarming story.

This is one of Scott's best, and one we would expect from her. The intuiging plot, with the three demensional characters and the tale of one trying to get what she always wished she had but never wanting to betray her mother, her family, but also wanting to live her own life, instead of her mothers life. The plot was original, interesting, and a book that won't let you put it down until long after the last period is shown.

With the intuiging plot, gleaming characters, and enthusiastic writing at it's best, I couldn't imgine a better novel, it wasn't predictable, it wasn't cheesy, but it was real, and it's one that is recommended highly. Get this now.”

Kelsey wrote this review Thursday, February 19 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Title: Generation Dead
Author: Daniel Waters
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: May 2008
Pages: 400

Rating: B+
Plot - 18/20
Characters - 17/20
Writing - 17/20
Originality - 20/20
Entertainment - 8/10
Recommendation - 8/10
Total: 88/100

Summary:
Phoebe is just your typical goth girl with a crush. He’s strong and silent -- and dead.

All over the country, a strange phenomenon is happening. Some teenagers who die aren't staying dead. They are coming back to life, but they are no longer the same -- they stutter, and their reactions to everything are slower. Termed "living impaired" or "differently biotic," they are doing their best to fit into a society that doesn’t want them.

Fitting in is hard enough when you don’t have the look or attitude, but when almost everyone else is alive and you’re not, it’s close to impossible. The kids at Oakvale High don’t want to take classes or eat in the cafeteria next to someone who isn’t breathing. And there are no laws that exist to protect the differently biotic from the people who want them to disappear -- for good.

With her pale skin and Goth wardrobe, Phoebe has never run with the popular crowd. But no one can believe it when she falls for Tommy Williams, the leader of the dead kids. Not her best friend, Margi, whose fear of the differently biotic is deeply rooted in guilt over the past. And especially not her neighbor, Adam, the star of the football team. Adam has just realized his feelings for Phoebe run much deeper than just friendship. He would do anything for her, but what if protecting Tommy is the one thing that would make her happy?
Review:
This book was on the top of my wish list for a very long time, so once I started it, I was really excited and hoping for the best. Now it wasn't the best, but that doesn't mean it wasn't good, it was really good, but there were some down times to it also.

I thought the whole story was so unique and it really was intriguing. Zombies teens arriving from the dead, as if for a second chance at a lifetime. It was totally fascinating. Waters definitely created an amazing new world where one can go to escape and live with Pheobe and her weird fascination with Zombie boy Tommy. There were slow parts, that had me stop along the way, but ultimately I kept going and I am so glad I did because, boy!, was the ending memorizing! But it was a cliffhanger ending so I reallllly need a copy of Kiss of Life, like, right now.

Waters is a talented writer and this new series is a hit in the Zombie lovers (me) world. Pheobe was a exclusive girl, and in their world her liking a zombie boy was wrong, and with that and just the fact that some people don't llike Zombies, it creates chaos. Waters created this new interesting world and I cannot wait to see where it brings us to in the next book. This novel explores the realms of popularity, racism, and acceptance, in a unique way.

Okay, so above was a little fan-girly, so here's this: Waters has written a clever and witty, but seemingly unique novel that explores different understanding of Zombies as you've never seen, heard, read them before. This book is great, and let's hope for the best in Kiss of Life (out May) after the shocking cliffhanger ending.”

Kelsey wrote this review Thursday, February 19 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Title: Evermore
Author: Alyson Noel
Publisher: St. Martins Press
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2009
Pages: 320

Rating: A-
Plot - 19/20
Characters - 17/20
Writing - 17/20
Originality - 20/20
Entertainment - 9/10
Recommendation - 9/10
Total: 91/100

Summary:
Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste…

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.
Review:
So, let's see. This book was interesting. I fell into it easily, and I loved the world Noel created beside Ever. The fact that Ever had psychic powers was truly interesting. They flowed neatly through the book and I felt Ever's pain of it.

I thought the main character, Ever, was exceptional, but the supporting characters I felt weren't all that complete. Haven was the average girl in the goth phase. Miles the stereotypical gay boy, they weren't anything special. I think my favorite character was Riley, Ever's hilarious little ghost sister. Now, Damen, he is someone I just can't describe. I like him, yes, but, boy, did he get on my nerves, he was so mysterious. I was barely holding it in trying to think of what he really was and everything about him. It nerved me how Ever fell for him SO quickly when she, and I, didn't know anything about him! It was frustrating. Really.

There is so much action in the book, no, but the mystery is there completely. I was wracking my brain to figure it out. I just had no idea about Damen and Drina..... But trust me, this book was really good. I couldn't put it down. Alyson Noel created an amazing new world, and after this book I am so curious to see where it heads because honestly, I have no idea.

But I cannot wait for the sequel, in I think late Summer, early Autumn, if I remember right. Title Blue Moon. But really, go buy it now! (Or pre-order it since it comes out tomorrow!) (Also check back for Alyson Noel for an OTO post!)”

Kelsey wrote this review Thursday, February 19 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Title: If I Stay
Author: Gayle Forman
Publisher: Penguin
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: April 2, 2009
Pages: 208

Rating: A-
Plot - 17/20
Characters - 18/20
Writing - 19/20
Originality - 17/20
Entertainment - 10/10
Recommendation - 10/10
Total: 91/100

Summary:
Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love— music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind? Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it’s the only one that matters.

Review:
Normally I don't post reviews this early for ARC's but I haven't seen a review around for it, so here it is. I read this book so quickly. It was fast-paced, heart-breaking, and so sweet and terrible sad. Mia is a wise and amazing main character who is strong and had to deal with so much. The whole idea of the novel is completely amazing.

Gayle Forman gives a ring of events leading up to the big climax and when it happens, it's so gorgeously written. Her imagery is fantastic and I saw a movie playing throughout the novel, I could just imagine Mia up there looking down, and I imagined me looking up from where her family and friends were at her. Forman is an amazing writer.

I know we've seen a lot of novel where teen girl gets in car crash, her family dies, and something dramatic happens. And yes, that happens, but it is totally different in this story, with how it was written to how their were flashbacks of her life before.

This novel was a fantastic new book in the YA world that one will pick up but not let go of until the 200+ pages are read. Mia is a character your heart will break for, and the story is one to remember. You will not forget it, nor will I.”

Kelsey wrote this review Thursday, February 19 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Title: Fade
Author: Lisa McMann
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: February 10, 2009
Pages: 256

Rating: A
Plot - 19/20
Characters - 18/20
Writing - 20/20
Originality - 19/20
Entertainment - 10/10
Recommendation - 10/10
Total: 96/100

Summary:
For Janie and Cabel, real life is getting tougher than the dreams. They're just trying to carve out a little (secret) time together, but no such luck.

Disturbing things are happening at Fieldridge High, yet nobody's talking. When Janie taps into a classmate's violent nightmares, the case finally breaks open — but nothing goes as planned. Not even close. Janie's in way over her head, and Cabe's shocking behavior has grave consequences for them both.
Worse yet, Janie learns the truth about herself and her ability — and it's bleak. Seriously, brutally bleak. Not only is her fate as a dream catcher sealed, but what's to come is way darker than she'd feared....

Review:
I read WAKE last March, so when I realized this would becoming out really soon, I had to read it. I got it in the mail one night, and finished it early the next morning at school! I could NOT stop thinking about it. It was completely amazing.

FADE picked up where I imagined it would of, and it came on full force. Janie and Cabel were more intense then ever and it was deep. In the first novel, we didn't really know much about Janie, or Cabel, and, now, in Fade, we learn so much more about them. Janie's personality comes out more, and the characters in this book are a lot more shown then the first. Depending on the characterization, this book was much better then the first.

FADE is even more action packed then WAKE. Janie and Cabel are now narc's against the school, and Janie is put into a dangerous position for her new role as trying to get into peoples dreams to bring down an alleged rapists.

McMann writes cryptically. Mysteriously, and deeply. Her writing style is so different and unique, it leaves you wanting more with her way of words and she has such a writing style that is unforgettable.

We also learn more about Janie's dream-catching abilities, she continues to work her ability to the highest and we learn what will happen to her if she continues on the road she is on, and it is heart breaking. I started bawling.

May it be impossible that FADE be better then WAKE? Yes, heck yes. This novel rocked, and I can't wait for more of McMann's enigmatic writing and obscure story-telling.

FADE is released today.”

Kelsey wrote this review Thursday, February 19 2009. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“Title: Cracked Up To Be
Author: Courtney Summers
Publisher: St. Martins Press
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: December 2008
Pages: 224
Amazon Page

Rating: A
Plot - 18/20
Characters - 18/20
Writing - 19/20
Originality - 17/20
Entertainment - 10/10
Recommendation - 10/10
Total: 92/100

Summary:
Perfect Parker Fadley isn’t so perfect anymore. She’s quit the cheer leading squad, she’s dumped her perfect boyfriend, and she’s failing school. Her parents are on a constant suicide watch and her counselors think she’s playing games…but what they don’t know, the real reason for this whole mess, isn’t something she can say out loud. It isn’t even something she can say to herself. A horrible thing has happened and it just might be her fault. If she can just remove herself from everybody--be totally alone--then everything will be okay...The problem is, nobody will let her.

Review:
Months ago, like September/October, I heard about this book. I went in search of it, and found an excerpt of it. I read it. I was not impressed. I felt it was rushed and Parked didn't impress me and, well, yeah. To say the least: Not a very good first impression.

But, then, around December. Reviewers started reading it. And there were reviews of it! And, my gosh, they were fantastic reviews! A reviews! A+ reviews! I HAD to get a copy of it! (And everybody, give a round of applause to Carol for lending me it!)

So, to begin with. I was shocked. I mean, not completely mouth-dropped-to-the-floor shocked, but shocked. I had no idea, and let me tell you, I thought of everything. Everything it could've been, and I never thought of what it was. Kudos Ms. Summers.

Summers writing was fantastic. Very much the high point of the novel. Summers wrote with intense and creepy, but definitely interesting, emotions. Fantastic imagery, real ideas, and strong, deeply strong, feelings. Unpredictable. Heart wrenching. Nothing is sugar-coated. This novel is one ride this is far from joy. This novel is a story that attacks you and makes you read and finish it because of it's intensity and the deep mind-set. This is a story you will not forget. It's mind-blowing good.

Characters. The characters were great. Parker was mean, rude, cruel, and unusual. She was a fantastic character. The supporting characters were great, but not as great as Parker. Scintillating, extraordinary, atypical, but remarkable. Truly.

Read this, you won't regret it.”

Kelsey wrote this review Thursday, February 19 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Title: Death By Bikini
Author: Linda Gerber
Publisher: Penguin
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: May 2008
Pages: 240

Rating: A-
Plot - 20/20
Characters - 16/20
Writing - 17/20
Originality - 19/20
Entertainment - 10/10
Recommendation - 9/10
Total: 91/100

Summary:
Aphra Behn Connolly has the type of life most teenage girls envy. She lives on a remote tropical island and spends most of her time eavesdropping on the rich and famous. The problem is that her family's resort allows few opportunities for her to make friends-much less to meet cute boys. So when a smoldering Seth Mulo arrives with his parents, she's immediately drawn to him. Sure, he's a little bit guarded, and sure his parents are rather cold, and okay he won't say a word about his past, but their chemistry is undeniable. Then a famous rock star's girlfriend turns up dead on the beach-strangled by her own bikini top-and alarm bells sound. Is it too great a coincidence that Seth's family turned up just one day before a murder? As the plot thickens, Aphra finds that danger lurks behind even the most unexpected of faces. . . .

Review:
What more could you ask for when you get mystery, action, adventure, and romance all in one?

I loved this novel. I really did. It started off divinely and kept you on the edge of your seat the entire time. The start of the novel was calm, we learned more about Aphra's (Gosh, I love that name! Weird, I know.) surroundings and we got to know Aphra herself and a few of the supporting characters. I was just as curiously as Aphra and I loved her instinct to find out the truth, I wouldn't of done that, but it was really neat.

It started off curiously, nothing big, but the more Aphra dug, the more and more she found out and I could barely contain myself to flip to the last chapter and find out the truth to everything. But I'm glad I held out. The adventurous and action side of this novel was a little unrealistic, but I suppose it could happen, under strange circumstances, like Aphra's. The novel, the characters, and most importantly, the mystery or plot kept me on the tip and I just went through this novel in a short matter of time to figure out the truth.

Gerber's writing was good. Not fantastic and meaningful, but I'm glad, because that type of writing wouldn't of fit for this type of novel. So I'm glad Gerber's writing was more action and mystery and a bit cryptic then having Aphra's emotions and feelings out there. It's what fit the novel and I highly enjoyed it.

So, this probably sounds fan-girly, and I guess it is. I tried my best to give a review, but if it appears...not like a review, well, I tried. But, like I say, just go get it if you haven't. (Because I know there were like a ton of reviews for this book last summer and I'm just now getting on the wagon.) But still.

*Much thanks to Carol for letting me read her copy! Thanks!”

Kelsey wrote this review Thursday, February 19 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“Title: Shelter Me
Author: Alex McAulay
Publisher: MTV Books/Simon and Schuster
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: January 6, 2009
Pages: 274

Rating: C+
Plot - 14/20
Characters - 17/20
Writing - 16/20
Originality - 18/20
Entertainment - 7/10
Recommendation - 6/10
Total: 78/100

Summary:
Maggie Leigh just wants to be a normal teenager, but when German bombs tear apart London during World War II, her ultra-religious mother sees the destruction as divine punishment. She sends Maggie to a remote boarding school in coastal Wales, supposedly to keep her safe, but also to keep her in line. The school is creepy, the headmistress is a lunatic, and the students range from spoiled rich girls to speechless trauma victims. But when a tragic accident happens on the beach, Maggie and three friends are forced to flee the school, plunging into the nightmarish world of Europe during wartime. Now every decision Maggie makes is fraught with danger, and living to see another day depends on how quickly she can think and act...and how far she's willing to go.

Review:
I've read one of McAulay's previous books, Bad Girls, and I absolutely loved it. I've heard nothing but great things about this novel, so I had high expectations. But this novel completely disappointed me.

This novel started out exciting with hope and like I was expecting. McAulay's British was spot-on, which is expected when McAulay holds a Ph.D in British Literature. But soon enough I was disgusted and disturbed. This novel was completely absurd, psychotic, and demented. I don't really want to ruin this for you so I want explain why, just that a whole lot of it was so inane and not realistic or astute at all. The ending was seriously messed up, it wasn't happy and it felt rushed and vapid.

The reason it even got a C+ was because the writing was actually pungent and ample. I loved Maggie as a character and I thought her actions were genuine. The whole originality is a plus, even if I didn't care for it. I also liked the bit about the fact that it was taken place in Britain in World War II, so that was really neat.

I wouldn't recommend this really, I mean there were a few high points to it, but a whole lot of it was just absurd, but I think if you really want to read it, go for it, but I wouldn't recommend buying it.

ETA 2/19 7:21 AM: I just wanted to tell you guys that this review I wrote seconds after I finished the book in January. I was still really mad about it then, so I'm kind of harsh in this review.”

Kelsey wrote this review Thursday, February 19 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Title: How To Ditch Your Fairy
Author: Justine Larbalestier
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: September 2008
Pages: 320

Rating: B+
Plot - 18/20
Characters - 17/20
Writing - 17/20
Originality - 20/20
Entertainment - 9/10
Recommendation - 8/10
Total: 89/100

Summary:
Welcome to New Avalon, where everyone has a personal fairy. Though invisible to the naked eye, a personal fairy, like a specialized good luck charm, is vital to success. And in the case of the students at New Avalon Sports High, it might just determine whether you make the team, pass a class, or find that perfect outfit. But for 14-year-old Charlie, having a Parking Fairy is worse than having nothing at all—especially when the school bully carts her around like his own personal parking pass. Enter: The Plan. At first, teaming up with arch-enemy Fiorenza (who has an All-The-Boys-Like-You Fairy) seems like a great idea. But when Charlie unexpectedly gets her heart’s desire, it isn’t at all what she thought it would be like, and she’ll have resort to extraordinary measures to ditch her fairy. The question is: will Charlie herself survive the fairy ditching experiment?

Review:
Okay, so I think this is generally one of the coolest novels I have read. There was a meaning behind it: be thankful for what you have, and I think this novel was just so . . . neat and interesting. I literally fell in love with Charlie's world. I loved the thought of fairies, and separate schools for arts and sports and just every thing about the novel was so original and creative and addictive.

I think the only thing that really I didn't like was the fact that Charlie was SO determined to get rid of her fairy. But I only didn't like a little bit though, because it was the whole point of the novel. I just wish there was a little bit more to it. But still, I really enjoyed the creativity and originality of the novel.

Larbalestier wrote an incredibly airy and light read that will keep a smile on one's face. Her writing really just is very entertaining and light and just has a fresh touch to it, that is enjoyable. The characters weren't strong characters, but they were fun. So, you know, as you can guess. I just really enjoyed this novel.

So, I recommend this novel for anybody who wants a light read for a snowy or rainy day.
”

Kelsey wrote this review Sunday, January 25 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Title: Courage in Patience: A Story of Hope for Those Who Have Endured Abuse
Author: Beth Fehlbaum
Publisher: Kunati Incorporated
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: September 1, 2008
Pages: 352

Rating: B
Plot - 16/20
Characters - 18/20
Writing - 19/20
Originality - 16/20
Entertainment - 8/10
Recommendation - 9/10
Total: 86/100

Summary:
After six years of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse from her stepfather, 14-year-old Ashley finally finds the courage to reveal the painful details of her experiences with her mother, who refuses to acknowledge the problem and turns her back on her daughter. After confiding in her teacher—the only adult whom Ashley can trust—she is removed from her home and sent to live with her father and his second wife, Beverly, an English teacher. Nurtured by Beverly, an extraordinarily positive influence in her life, Ashley and a summer school class of troubled teens learn to face their fears and discover who they really are.

Review:
I'm kind of excited and nervous to write this review because in my head, it's just gibberish. All my thoughts are jumbled together. I got very mixed thoughts from this novel and I have no idea how I might put it into words, but here I go.

I loved the beginning of Courage in Patience. It was of Ashley looking back of what brought her to where she is now in Patience. The beginning was really strong and intense and I thought it was a fantastic start to what I was expecting a fantastic novel. But then she got to Patience.

In Patience is where my thoughts started to slur. Ash hadn't seen her father since she was three months old. But why wasn't he in the novel more? It was more of Ash coming to terms with her step-mother and her summer school teacher. Which I thought was odd. David, Ash's father was only there when Ash was in trouble, but I felt like he should've been there more then her step-mother.

Now, on to Summer School. When this part of the novel happened, I was a little shocked when the narration from Ash in first person went to a summer school classmate of hers or a relative of a classmate or even a random, well not totally, person in town in third person. I felt it took away from Ash's story, and when the narration kept changing and was barely ever back to Ashley in the end half of the novel, I got annoyed. I didn't want to hear about these stories, Ashley started this story, I was expecting Ash to go through to the end with it, but no. I was just hoping it would tie up in the end of why Fehlbaum was changing narration in the middle of the book, and it indeed did. But I still felt like it took away from Ashley and her story of recovering from sexual abuse. I was wishing it had been Ashley through-and-through.

Now, that doesn't mean I hated the novel, no, it was from from that. I enjoyed it, I loved it. The characters were extremely well defined from Ashley to her classmates to Bev and David, very three-dimensional and extremely well done. The writing was fantastic, even with the different narrations this novel showed the emotions great and the idea was great.

I know this novel says for all who have endured abuse, and Fehlbaum shows the different abuses all over this novel, from racism to homosexuals to parents underestimating kids, etc, etc. It is definitely a story of hope for those who have endured abuse, my only wish is that is was told through Ashley entirely.

So, yes. This novel was fantastic. Extremely well. Fehlbaum gives a light of hope with all those people out there who have had there troubles and she does so with three-demensional characters and terrific writing, and most definitely, hope. I recommend this novel.

(Thanks to Beth for this novel!)”

Kelsey wrote this review Sunday, January 25 2009. ( reply | permalink )