Liv

• Rated 0 stars

“I'm still amazed by this book. You never think of the whole model industry as being something that us ordinary folks can relate to, but then along comes this book, which tells about the ups and downs of the business in a voice that is convincing, fresh, and relatable. And all models are supposed to be little mindless bubble people, right? Well, think again, because Cheryl Diamond proves that not only is she stunningly beautiful, she is intelligent and talented too. Kind of makes me feel insufficient. Ha. But I think she deserves all the attention and credit she can get because she went through more struggles in the first 20 years of her life than what the rest of us experience in our entire lifetime. And that's really not an exaggeration. But the reality of the story isn't even the greatest thing about the book. The great thing is the writing. How a person who has never tried to write much can sit down and write a book like this one is beyond comprehension. Because not only is the writing smooth and captivating, it's blunt and doesn't leave out any of the hairy details that other books about modeling might. In Model, you really get to see the gruesome underside of an industry that is known for glamor and drama and that in itself is refreshing and interesting. I don't think I'll ever in a million years get wrapped up in anything related to modeling, so this book was probably the closest I'll ever get, and really, I'm fine with that because it was an amazing book. I highly suggest that if you haven't read it yet, you go out and do so ASAP. It'll be worth your every penny.
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Liv wrote this review Friday, August 15 2008. ( reply | permalink )

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“I've never been a huge fan of Maureen Johnson's. I know, it's a crime. It's just that none of the books of hers that I've read have made much of an impression on me. I do admit that she's a good writer and has some great story ideas, but out of the books I've read so far, I didn't really like them enough to say that she's one of my favorite authors. But, I think that may have changed after I read this book. While reading I thought to myself; this must be the kind of Maureen Johnson writing that has made people fall in love with her. It's really good! She's witty, precise, clever, funny, and her whole writing style made this book completely enjoyable to read. It's got nice flow and has enough little quirky things to it that nothing ever gets boring. I'm definitely understanding what people like so much about Maureen. I'm a fan now. Besides the writing, there were, of course, other elements that I liked about the book. I really liked the reality of it all. Maybe not the reality of the plot, because I have a feeling that that part was meant to be not so real and more funny and captivating, but I really liked how the author was able to write about the setting and the characters so that it felt as if you were there and you knew them. I've been to New York once, like five years ago so I don't really remember a ton, but from reading this book I was able to understand the whole dynamic and feel of the city which was cool. I'd love to be able to go and spend a week or two among the crazy hecticness of New York. It seems like it would be a really cool place to live. And besides the setting, the characters were completely awesome. They each had some interesting personality trait that made them unique. I also liked how the cute guy in this story had things wrong with him! Yay! Cheers for realistic and screwed up guys. Sure, I'm not as fond of Eric as I am of more unflawed guy leads, but I do admire him for having the strength to defy the character mold. Ha. Overall, I think Suite Scarlett was a super great book. I loved every part of it and am looking forward to the next Scarlett book with tons of anticipation. ”

Liv wrote this review Friday, August 15 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“Urgh. I think if I tried to write down all my thoughts in a single paragraph it would be both long, boring, and completely confusing. So for just this review I'm categorizing my thoughts into good and bad.

Good: TONS of description. For example, the first sentence reads as so; Outside the black window of the country club, moonlight glazes tiger lilies, dripping off the petals like cream. Doesn't that sound completely delicious? And their are many other sentences in the book that are as warm and sparkling as that one. I think I would've read the book just to be able to read nice sentences like that one. The story also has a nice and zippy plotline. Nothing ever stops for long and there's twist after twist to keep you coming back for more. There is also a character that I liked a lot who I think deserves a spot in the good category and that would be Nikki and Laine's woods instructor. I can't remember his name off the top of my head, but I liked him a lot.

Bad: And now we get to the juicy stuff. First of all, the characters were horrible. They were not developed at all and I really couldn't tell one person apart from the next, especially the boys and the parents. They just all blended together which makes a story completely suck. Also, Nikki and a guy supposedly had this relationship going on, but I really didn't see that. Sure they hook up in random scenes, but there was no dialog, no interaction, no chemistry, nothing to indicate that they actually liked each other. And characters without chemistry? Yuck. Also, the zippy plot was in the good category, but it should also be in the bad, because you could barely get your bearings before everything was mixed up again, making the whole entire book confusing and unorganized.

So I guess for the most part, Upper Class was a pretty bad book. I really liked the imagery, but other than that, it stunk. I don't think I'll be reading the next book. I have better things to do with my time.
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Liv wrote this review Friday, August 15 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“This book was decent. I hadn't read very many reviews prior to reading it so I wasn't sure what to expect. And I was pleasantly surprised. The faults in the book, I think were that the character development wasn't great, the plot was predictable, and the whole concept of the sorority seemed rather random and thrown together for me. But don't worry, there were other parts of the book that were good too. I like that the author tackled the new subject of being deaf. I've never ever read a book about anything along that line and it was very cool to read something from the point of view of someone who had to deal with the challenges of being deaf every day. It really put that in perspective for me. I also liked the character of Miller a lot. While he was moody and hormonal, which got a little annoying, he was mysterious and captivating. I can totally imagine falling for a guy like him. *sighs* Don't you just hate it when you read about some perfect guy in a book and then realize that they aren't real and you're going to have to find some less than perfect guy to fill the gaping whole that this character left in your chest (slight exaggeration there)? I mean, Edward, Cabel, Owen, Jace, Dimitri, Jacob (can't believe I just wrote that), and now Miller. Ugh! Why can't authors write about detestable icky guys for once so that us fan girls can leave our hearts open for realistic and might I say, slightly disappointing guys. :D /rant. Ha. Anywho, when all is said and done, Read My Lips was a pretty decent book. Nothing spectacular or mind blowing but it was a nice and fluffy summer read nonetheless, and one that I'd recommend if you want to read something quick and light. ”

Liv wrote this review Friday, August 15 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“I adored (haha) this book so much. I think the main thing that made the whole story work was that it covered an extremely interesting topic and dealt with the difficult subject of mortality in a manner that didn’t force an opinion and yet still kept the book intriguing and semi-light. When you write about a heavy subject, it has a tendency to bring the book down and sometimes that’s a good thing, but in The Adoration of Jenna Fox, the story was written in such a way that it forced you to think and still kept the story moving. And it wasn’t just the topic of the book that made it so good, it was also the whole style of it; writing and otherwise. I liked how there were little poems and dictionary excerpts dispersed throughout the book. It helped to keep everything interesting and fresh which is always good. The writing style of the book was perfect too. It was flowing, smooth, and fit the whole book perfectly. It’s not often that you find a writing style that compliments and enhances a book rather than just tell the story. I also loved, loved, loved the cover. You’re never going to see a book cover much more beautiful than this one. Don’t you think? And that’s really a huge factor in a book because that’s the first thing you see. I think the whole “don’t judge a book by its cover” thing is actually rather misguided because the cover is a big part of how people are going to perceive a book. If it has a cheesy or bad cover, that’s what people are going to expect of the story and that’s probably actually a good assumption because if the publishing people haven’t spent a bunch of time on the visual aspect of the book, why would they pay attention to the writing? I’m rambling though. For me, the whole entire book was marvelous and couldn’t be improved any more. It was addicting, interesting, valuable, and pretty much just fabulous. I’m sad that I waited this long to read it! I highly recommend that you go out and pick up a copy soon; I’m sure it’ll be worth it.
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Liv wrote this review Friday, August 15 2008. ( reply | permalink )

0 of 1 members found this review helpful.

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“Yum, yum, yum. This book was just as delightful as the first one in the series which I am really happy about. Sometimes, you get an amazing first book and then a really bad sequel, but in the Luxe series, that is not the case. Thankfully. I completely loved hearing more about all of the scandal surrounding the families that I had come to know and love in the previous book. I think one of the things that is the best about this series is that Anna Godbersen has the perfect writing style to go along with the storyline. She knows how to write so that even the language aspect of the book draws you into a world that's far from your own. Also, the plot was really amazing. There were a ton of twists and surprises that left my mouth open, and my mind scrambling. But in a good way of course. These were nice and luscious twists that were completely plausible but at the same time unexpected. The ending especially nearly wrenched me apart. I almost cried! Yikes! It's a little wierd to confess to crying over a book that's purely fluff made for enjoyment. But it's the kind of book that gets you to relate to the characters and actually care about what happens to them. That's definitely one of the parts that keeps me coming back for more. I feel like I'm actually in the turn of the century New York, which is saying something because not only do I have no idea what New York's like, I do not in any way know what anything around that time period would be like. But the book is such that you can't help but be drawn in. And although this series is completely fluffy, I still love it to pieces and I can't wait for the next book, Envy. If you haven't read the first book, The Luxe, you had better go and pick it up soon!
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Liv wrote this review Friday, August 15 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“I loved this book! I had heard tons of good things about it, and it definitely did not disappoint. I think that Elizabeth Scott's novels just keep getting better and better. I've read all of them so far I think and I've liked all of them a ton so I'm really glad that Stealing Heaven was able to keep up that good-ness streak for me. I really liked how all of the characters were really in depth and relatable. The story put a girl whom we could all think of ourselves as being into a situation that none of us could imagine being in. I think the author portrayed the most normal and sincere teen girl in a beautiful way. You could see all the things that she was feeling and going through as she was put into many different situations. I also adored the character of Greg. Seriously though, what's with all of the perfect and utterly unreal guy characters?! It just makes me ache whenever I read about these flawless guys, the likes of which I believe do not exist in the real world. Even though Greg's character was realisticly unattainable, you can't help but love guys like him anyways. I think the thing I liked the best about the book though was the whole flow of the writing. Nothing was rushed and the story moved at a perfect pace. I loved being able to read about the events through Dani's eyes and I think that if the book hadn't been narrated by her it wouldn't have been as good just because she had such a fluid and relatable voice. I think the only teeny thing that bothered me was that in the end, the issue that Dani and Allison had with each other wasn't wrapped up like I would have liked it to have been. Other than that, Stealing Heaven was perfect; from the beginning sentences to the adorable ending. It's a perfect summer read. ”

Liv wrote this review Friday, August 15 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“First off, I must say that I am in love with the cover to this book. Not only is it scratch 'n sniff, but it's adorable. I love all the little curlicues, the hot pink color, the heart in the coffee, the font, everything. And the headers on the pages of the book are the cutest. If only every book was as aesthetically pleasing as this one. And for the most part, the book matched the cover. This is definitely the book you want to pick up if you are looking for a beach read. It's the definition of fluff and mindlessness. But not in a bad way. You can pick it up and just read. You don't have to think about the story, and while you're doing your non-thinking, you can get into the book too. The characters are cute, although semi-unrealistic. The plot is unplausible, but fun and enjoyable at the same time. And the writing, I think, is the best part. Jody Gehrman was able to write this book in a way that will draw anybody in. She's got her tone, her jokes, her references, and her whole style down pat. I loved reading something that didn't take any getting used to or analyzing. I was able to jump into the flow of the book from the first page. The other thing that I liked a lot about the book was the plot. And yes, while many of the things that happened are entirely unrealistic, they were made to seem like they might actually happen. It was light, enthralling, and laugh-out-loud funny. And for me, that's basically all I need in a book, so I stand satisfied and ready for a future barista job perhaps. :D ”

Liv wrote this review Friday, August 15 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“This was a good book. Very good. I think that Susane Colasanti's whole writing/plot style is rather like Sara Dessen's except she doesn't deal with as heavy subjects has Sara does. And I think the whole lightness of the story is what made it so great. It was a real story; it was something that you could totally picture happening, but it also just kind of swept you away into happy land as you watched this magical romance unfold. Tobey and Sara were the most unlikely match and yet somehow, against all odds, they ended up together and infinitely happy. It's definitely a nice and optimistic plot that will appeal to anyone. We all want to be told that no matter what, we'll find that special person, and this book shows that anything can happen and with anyone. One of the high points of the book was the characters. They were all really in depth and real to me which is the most I could ask for in a book. I love having characters that are flawed and yet still relatable enought that you root for them throughout the entirety of the story. For the most part, When It Happens is your ideal beach read. You might have to do a little bit of thinking here and there, and there might be a small instance of heart break, but it all adds to the overall charm and wonderfulness of the book. I highly recommend it if you want a story that you can just sit down and dreamily get lost in. And don't we all want that every now and then? ”

Liv wrote this review Friday, August 15 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“Although I had quite a few issues with this book, I couldn't help but feel myself reeled in. I stayed up reading it really late and even though I wasn't satisfied with all of the aspects of the book, I think it was a very good read. Now about those things that I had issues with...I think that the characters weren't developed enough and that the plot was a little too predictable. Don't get me wrong, I like me some nice, fluffy, and predictable books every now and then, but I definitely think that Cherry Cheva could've have worked to throw a few more twists into it than she did. And I also would've loved to be able to get to know the characters better. I think that that aspect of the book was rushed and not filled in very well. Also, the ending came a little too fast for my preference. It was very sudden and it just kind of ended. All that stuff probably makes this seem like a horrible book, but it really wasn't. One of the things that I liked was the unique plot. It might not have had many surprises, but it was a new and unexplored concept which was neat. I also liked how the side characters got to shine along with the main ones and we got to see the alternate sides of many of the "popular" characters in the book. And overall, I think that Cherry Cheva did a great job writing She's So Money. Even with all of the faults that I found with it, I really couldn't stop reading it. She just has the kind of writing style that leaves you wanting more and I am completely satisfied with this book and I would highly recommend it as a very fun and light read. Perfect for summer! Which, by the way, has arrived without me even noticing. I swear, I woke up last week and I was like; woah-there are only two weeks of school left! When did that happen? And since then I've been in a huge fog because of lack of sleep from studying for finals. I'm amazed that I'm having time to read at all. I probably shouldn't be reading...but oh well. Can't pull a girl away from her obsession, can you? And enough with my rambling already. :D Go read She's So Money! ”

Liv wrote this review Friday, August 15 2008. ( reply | permalink )