Liv

• Rated 0 stars

“After hearing a lot of great things about this book, I was expecting fantastic things. The only thing that really bothered me about the story was that at some points it got rather confusing. Everything was cleared up eventually, but I just didn't like the little parts where I was left hanging. Also, Serena's character got a little annoying after a while, in how she was always trying to be like Kori and didn't discover who she herself was until the very end of the book. That being said, there were tons of things that I liked about this book. The plot was very good. Even though it was a little bit predictable, I was still anticipating the next twist and flipping pages to get to the next part of the story. I also loved the character of Anthony Beck. He's the ideal boyfriend; a good kisser, supportive, and gives you your space when you need it. I'm completely in love with him. He treated Serena so well even as she was chasing after Kori's old boy toy. The best part of Undone was the huge twist at the end. I'm not going to give it away, but let's just say that it knocked me off my feet. I wasn't expecting it at all which was the greatest part. I also liked how the PostSecret postcard project was incorporated into the book. Brooke Taylor did an excellent job of having relative pop culture references in the story which added a nice edge to the narrative. All in all, I'd definitely recommend Undone. It's dark, captivating, and edgy. You won't be able to put it down.

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Liv wrote this review Friday, August 22, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“I fell in love with the first book, Violet On The Runway, and I think, if possible, I liked the second book even more. In this novel, Violet matures and grows into the title of super model. She learns more about the business of modeling and what it takes to make it. She then has to decide for herself whether all the trials are worth being publicly recognized and admired. After reading a true story about modeling, the book Model, I think I've gained a little better insight into a world I previously knew nothing about and I was able to compare what the Violet books said to what Model said. What I found was, much to my surprise, that the Violet books, although they are fiction, are extremely accurate and not only do they capture the real world industry vibe, they also involve a plot that is easy and fun to follow. I don't think we could ask for much more in a book! The best part of the whole series is how we get to focus on a leading girl who is so realistic that we feel as if we know her personally. She doesn't hold back any thoughts or questions, and she gets to know herself better throughout the story. I also loved how the whole Roger/Violet dynamic worked out in this story, even if it is a little bit cliched. I can't wait to read Violet in Private to see how that drama turns out. I'm hoping for a happy ending for our heroine, and for a third book that lives up to the high standard that Violet By Design set. I have to get to the library!

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Liv wrote this review Friday, August 22, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“I don't even know where to begin. Nothing I could say would do this book justice. It's one of the most raw, heartbreaking, and touching novels I've read. Ever. Yikes. The thing I admire the most is that I think the author really wrote from her heart. You can tell just by the way the story is told that she cared deeply about what she was writing about which is the key to any good book; an author who is connected to her story. What's amazing is that this is Stephanie Kuehnert's first novel. How someone can write something this fantastic on her first attempt in the published world is...can I use the word amazing again? The characters are deep, detailed, and flawed. The plot is twisting and you flip the pages to find out what comes next. This book really takes you away into the trying, yet exhilirating world of rock and roll. You feel as if you're going through all of Emily's triumphs and trials with her and rooting for her as she alternately makes it big and falls hard. I think I'm running out of superlatives here. Or maybe I've uses so many that they don't have any meaning any more. But they are all deserved. So let me use a few more here; this book is really amazingly fantastic and you all need to go pick up a copy quickly. Really. :P

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Liv wrote this review Friday, August 22, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“The one thing that sticks with you about this book was how out of the ordinary and creative it was. The idea that so many people can have an effect on your life, no matter how small is mind blowing. Maybe the kids from my preschool made me who I am today, who knows? Another thing I liked about this book was Ruby's character. She was a classic E. Lockhart creation; spunky, sarcastic, witty, and brave. Every trait a good female character should have. The author definitely didn't disappoint on that front. And the one other thing that made the book work were the hilarious footnotes that were on almost every page. I loved that the little details were added into the book that way. I enjoyed that aspect of the book a ton. There were a few little things that I wasn't fond of in the book though. One of the main issues I had was that the narrative went back and forth from past to present without warning and it would often backtrack to touch down on points already told about. I can't take a ton of moving around like that when I'm reading. Also, I didn't like how the chapters were each labeled with one of the boys on the list because towards the end, the guy's story had been told in a previous chapter and there was nothing new to add to it in the chapter that was actually entitled to him. The whole layout of the book was a little hectic and mismatched which I didn't like. I also didn't like how unloyal Ruby's friends were to her. They let a little misunderstanding come between them which didn't help the realistic-ness of the story. Those things put aside, though, The Boyfriend List is a highly enjoyable book filled with laughter, cute guys, and only a few pitfalls. I'd recommend reading it. I myself will be picking up a copy of The Boy Book soon. I can't wait to read more about Roo's hilarious mishaps.

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Liv wrote this review Friday, August 22, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“The one thing that surprised me about this book was how it was marketed for a younger audience than I expected. The print is large, the plot line is basic, and nothing "naughty" happens. But, of course that's not a bad thing. I think it added to the overall warm charm the book had. Each character was whimsical and fun, and even though their actions may have not seemed realistic at some points, they were still fun to read about and you felt as if you knew them well. I also liked how the romantic aspect of the story played out. I loved Hal and I think that him and Matisse make one of the cutest couples I've read about in a while. There's just something so innocent about the high maintenance city girl falling for the hokey farm boy. I adored it! Another thing that really brought the book to life for me was the strong female lead. Even throughout her boy troubles and the issues with her family, Matisse was able to stay sane and competent. I loath books that place females in weak and inferior positions, so for that reason alone, I loved Alive and Well. I'd definitely recommend this book to everyone. It is sure to warm your heart and leave you wanting to read more of Daphne Grab's smooth and clear writing. I'm definitely looking forward to more books from her!

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Liv wrote this review Friday, August 22, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“This book was rather boring. It had a good storyline and a good underlying message, but there wasn't enough meat in it to make a mark. I think the one thing that I liked about it was that it covered a topic I've never read about before. Plastic surgery is pretty controversial and I appreciated how the author didn't take a certain side on it. She showed how Cameron was happy with the perks surgery gave her and how her sister wasn't. I was expecting there to be a prominent pro or con attitude, but there wasn't. The book illustrated both sides of the argument and in the end let you choose for yourself where you stand. I also liked how Cameron and Allie grew throughout the story; Cameron through her photography, and Allie through discovering who she wanted to be. It's nice to see characters that change and evolve. Even with all those good aspects, though, I wasn't satisfied. There were no enormous twists; you were able to predict almost everything that happened, and there wasn't anything there that would make me want to keep reading besides to say that I finished the book. The pages didn't turn by themselves, and there was no true insentive to keep reading. Fix is a good book to read if you're looking for fresh subject material but not if your looking for something that's going to impact you. Although, given the topic, it could be that kind of book, it's not. Which is slightly disappointing to me. There was so much potential from working with new subject matter, and this book just didn't pull it off. Read it for something new and interesting, though. Maybe we can look forward to better books on the same topic later on.

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Liv wrote this review Friday, August 22, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“Before reading this book, I hadn't read a ton of detailed historical fiction before. I wasn't sure how I was going to like it, and surprisingly, it really struck a chord with me. I loved how it covered a time period that I didn't know much about and how we were able to see it all through the eyes of someone who was easy to relate to, and real. Ruby reacted the same way any of us would have reacted in her situations and for that, I was drawn into the story completely. It slowed down a little at some parts, but there was sure to be a huge twist on the way to pull me under again. I also liked how this book wasn't so much about the action, but about the setting and making it come alive for the reader, which it really did. I was able to perfectly picture the dance hall, the black and tans, the dresses Ruby wore, and the factory she worked at in the beginning of the book. Description and details were everywhere which was wonderful. I think the other thing that made the book work was how the plot wasn't sugar coated - it showed the ugly underside of life in the 40's; not glossing over the gory parts. I was able to read about what things would have actually been like had I been living in those times. The plot twists were realistic and unexpected and everything felt as if it had been carefully planned out to add more to the story. I would definitely recommend this book if your looking for something that will teach you things but also take you back in time and sweep you away into a world that you never thought you'd experience. Even if you aren't a history lover, you'll definitely like Ten Cents A Dance.

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Liv wrote this review Friday, August 22, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“This book sent shivers down my spine. I'm always up for reading something out of the ordinary, and according to today's teen literature standards, this is as far from your normal chick lit and beachy romances as you're going to get. And that's not a bad thing, not at all. The thing that attracted me most to the book was how it promised to be something out of my comfort zone. I wanted to read something that would hit me hard and stay with me, and after reading Sisters of Misery, I knew that I got exactly what I had asked for. While there may have been flaws in the book, the addictiveness of the plot was able to overcome that and keep you reading. There were some very confusing parts, sentences with clashing statements, not so well developed characters, and other things like that. Normally, if I came across one of those things in a book it would decrease my opinion of the story automatically. The one reason that didn't happen with this book was because I could dismiss all of the faults because of the fresh and shivery the story had to me. Megan Kelley Hall proved that she can write. I am looking forward to the next book, The Lost Sister, with great anticipation because the end of the book left off with a serious cliff hanger. I'll definitely be reading anything Megan Kelley Hall has to offer in the future as she has made her mark, in my brain at least. I highly suggest that you go out and pick yourself up a copy of Sisters of Misery. It's sure to grab you tight, and keep you guessing until the very last page.

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Liv wrote this review Friday, August 22, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 0 stars

“Ink Exchange wasn't quite as good as Wicked Lovely, but it was still highly readable and addictive. I think the thing lacking in the second book was deep character connection. I felt like I knew the characters in the first book better than the ones in the second book which isn't a huge problem, but I think that if anything could be improved in Ink Exchange, that would be the one small thing I would fix. Other than that, the rest of the aspects of the story were on par with the first book and I finished it satisfied. In Wicked Lovely, some of the details of the other faery courts were skimmed over and this book gave us an opportunity to look at the dark faery court from a different view point; the view of someone who has no idea what she is getting herself into. I think the best part about the book, for me, was how all of the tattooing tied in. I've never thought about getting a tattoo myself, but after reading about the whole art and history of it, I think I have a deeper understanding of what drives people to permanently mark their bodies. I would never go through with it as I have a very low pain thresh hold, but I like the idea of claiming your body as your own, as Leslie did. I think Melissa Marr put a lot of effort in to that part of the book and it definitely paid off. I was a teensy bit disappointed by the ending of the book, but I think the contrast of the endings between Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange was needed and overall, the end fit the book; even if I didn't particularly like how things were tied up. I am looking forward to a possible third book because there is one (maybe two) faery court(s) that haven't been told about yet, and I think the last one, Sorcha's court, should be the most interesting of all. Let's cross our fingers that a third book is one its way!

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Liv wrote this review Friday, August 22, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“This must be one of the greatest modern fantasy books ever. I'm a fan of the Tithe series, but that series pales in comparison to Wicked Lovely. It's got suspense, romance, hot guys, magic, and an amazing style. I really couldn't put it down until I was done and I haven't had that happen for a long time. I loved how addicted I got. The faster I read, the faster I felt I needed to go in order to see what would happen next. I also liked how the whole magical aspect of the book didn't feel cheesy or overdone but it was almost as if you could imagine a faery world like the one in the book actually existing. The twists thrown in at the end were the best part by far. The author kept you clueless about some key parts of the story until the very end, when everything got wrapped up cleanly. Another one of my favorite parts was Seth and Aislinn's relationship. Seth was a completely honest and genuine guy who is now going on my list of ideal fantasy boyfriends. He did so much for Aislinn and believed her when no one else would. Which was a little weird to me because I don't think I'd automatically believe someone if they came and told me that faeries were stalking them. I've gotta give Seth props for that. Towards the end, I also grew to have some amount of respect for Keenan too, unexpectedly. Melissa Marr did a great job of making the characters and situations real and personal. I am completely looking forward to the next book Ink Exchange. If you haven't read Wicked Lovely yet, I don't know what you've been doing. I waited way too long to pick up this book.

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Liv wrote this review Friday, August 22, 2008. ( reply | permalink )