Review: THE CHAPEL WARS by Lindsey Leavitt

Title: The Chapel Wars
Author: Lindsey Leavitt
Publication date: May 6, 2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury

Sixteen-year-old Holly wants to remember her Grandpa forever, but she’d rather forget what he left her in his will: his wedding chapel on the Las Vegas strip. Whatever happened to gold watches, savings bonds, or some normal inheritance? 

And then there's Grandpa's letter. Not only is Holly running the business with her recently divorced parents, but she needs to make some serious money—fast. Grandpa also insists Holly reach out to Dax, the grandson of her family's mortal enemy and owner of the cheesy chapel next door. No matter how cute Dax is, Holly needs to stay focused: on her group of guy friends, her disjointed family, work, school and... Dax. No wait, not Dax. 

Holly’s chapel represents everything she’s ever loved in her past. Dax might be everything she could ever love in the future. But as for right now, there's a wedding chapel to save.

First line: Inheritance.

Oh, Lindsey. She never fails me. If you ever want a cute, fun book GO TO HER. When life, school, and the future stresses me out way more than usual, I don't want a book that will stress me out further with issues. I don't want one that's depressing. I want THIS kind of book. Sure, the protagonist has problems (every book should be like that), but it's still enjoyable. It's like cold, sweet ice cream on a hot day, the fluff you need in your hard life. 

Before I read The Chapel Wars:

After I read The Chapel Wars: 

What this book had going was Holly. And Dax. And the dead grandpa. Basically, the characters. Dead grandpa, say what? Well, the whole book is about how Holly's grandpa dies and leaves her his beloved chapel in his will, much to everyone's surprise (and everyone else's disappointment). However, despite him being dead, I absolutely loved him. I think he would be someone I would love to know and be around. While he has his issues, like everyone, through Holly's narration and implications throughout the book, the grandpa seemed like a fun, lovable guy. His personality shined through despite him never actually showing up in the book besides the funeral. 

Then we have Holly and Dax. Holly's narration captured my interest from the start. Leavitt always creates interesting narrations that I never get tired of reading. Holly is caught in a Romeo & Juliet-type of situation and a what-am-I-going-to-do situation, and I cheered her on the entire time. She needed to figure out what she needed and even truly wanted. Her determination was admirable, but I felt like if she could've heard me, I would have encouraged her to really think about what she wants in life. Do you really want the chapel? Do you really want to keep going the way you are? Do you really want to push the adorable Dax away? I THINK NOT. I loved watching her grow, her spunk and humor making me love her even more, and the complications surrounding her making her life even more interesting to read about.

And we have Dax, the cute guy next door, who has so many problems of his own. Family problems, personal problems, oh, those stupid problems. At a couple points, I actually wanted them to split up because I thought Dax was striking out in the what-to-look-for-in-a-good-mate department. However, he did win me over. Charming, witty, and good looking. Hello. 

The conclusion was, for me, a great way to end. It wasn't entirely predictable and cliche. It wasn't neatly wrapped up and a cheesy Disney Channel movie ending. Personally, I considered it to be enjoyable and even refreshing. 

Family, love, humor, and good old Las Vegas came through in this one, making it a delightful read in a not-so-fun time for me. 

Verdict: This can be called the opposite of disappointment.

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there! Biological, foster, adoptive, stepmothers, "second" mothers, and grandmothers. You matter. 

Happy Mama's Day to the best one out there!

Review: BRIGHT BEFORE SUNRISE by Tiffany Schmidt

Title: Bright Before Sunrise
Author: Tiffany Schmidt
Publication date: February 14, 2014
Publisher: Walker Children's (Bloomsbury)
Source: an e-galley provided by the publisher for an honest review

When Jonah is forced to move from Hamilton to Cross Pointe for the second half of his senior year, "miserable" doesn't even begin to cover it. He feels like the doggy-bag from his mother's first marriage and everything else about her new life—with a new husband, new home and a new baby—is an upgrade. The people at Cross Pointe High School are pretentious and privileged—and worst of all is Brighton Waterford, the embodiment of all things superficial and popular. Jonah’s girlfriend, Carly, is his last tie to what feels real... until she breaks up with him. 

For Brighton, every day is a gauntlet of demands and expectations. Since her father died, she’s relied on one coping method: smile big and pretend to be fine. It may have kept her family together, but she has no clue how to handle how she's really feeling. Today is the anniversary of his death and cracks are beginning to show. The last thing she needs is the new kid telling her how much he dislikes her for no reason she can understand. She's determined to change his mind, and when they're stuck together for the night, she finally gets her chance. 

Jonah hates her at 3p.m., but how will he feel at 3 a.m.? 

One night can change how you see the world. One night can change how you see yourself.

Review: 

First line: "You've dropped something."

I don't know what I was expecting, but the plot turned out to be what I was and wasn't expecting, all wrapped up in one. These types of plots—where two people are stuck together for a night and their opinions about each other change in less than 24 hours—are tricky. It balances on a thin rope of being unrealistic and involving insta-love. But Bright Before Sunrise succeeded in not being annoying or too implausible. 

What makes this work:

Connection. It's an overall cute story, alternating between Jonah's and Brighton's narratives, displaying the times at the beginning of each chapter. What impressed me was that I was able to connect with both of these characters, even though they were vastly different. Jonah comes from Hamilton, which is represented as the projects, and has an extremely frustrating home life as well as a toxic girlfriend. Brighton, on the other hand, is the poster child for the sunny Cross Pointe and never lets herself have a break. I looked forward to both of their narratives, but I think I favored Jonah's more, partly because he had a backbone. 

Humor. There can be different layers of cute, from a cute that can seem a bit patronizing (like a pat on the head) to a cute that makes me smile. This was the latter. Since I did connect with both characters, they easily made me smile because I got it.

Having him in my bathroom seems way too intimate. I get naked in that shower every morning. The way-too-flimsy-but-neverseen-in-public bathrobe Evy gave me for Christmas is hanging on a hook behind his head.

Realism. You know where most stories with these kind of plots tend to go south? It's when their feelings suddenly change or when the whole story is focused on their romance. This is a contemporary novel and many contemporaries have romance as a focus, but it shouldn't always be that way. The author does a great job in making their relationship progress at a nice pace. It's only 12 hours, I know. But it doesn't feel like 12 hours. Whenever they found themselves more comfortable or reached a new hour or new step in their relationship/friendship, it was done with ease and realism. THAT is how it's done. What helped was that they were both working towards separate goals: Jonah with his achy-breaky heart and revenge, Brighton with her can-do attitude and participation goal. While Jonah hesitated with his plan to show his newly ex-girlfriend the truth (simultaneously embarrassing her), he developed feelings for Brighton. Not overpowering love that so many books seem to do, but slowly developed care. 

Another great example of realism in the book was the ending. Since it's the ending, I can't tell you why, but believe me, it was refreshing. 

Flaws. With Brighton as a main character, the story easily could have followed down a doomed path of "perfect" characters. I thank the author for not ruining her book that way. At one point, Brighton chose poorly, and stupidly didn't act as she should have. But before it became too late for the situation to be fixed, she wised up and had a tiny payback of her own. That's what should happen. Characters are supposed to be flawed. Who wants a Mary Sue? Brighton was overwhelmed with the night's events and emotions, which made her not make the smartest decisions. But she fixed it. She made me go from helpless to proud. I'll repeat myself, that's how it's supposed to happen. Flaws are involved. Brighton has a hard job of keeping up with her Miss Perfect image. Jonah deals with his crappy home life and a situation he hates being in. Both of them deal with irrational choices and overcome their own personal flaws. All of those "imperfections" come together to make a great book with dimensionality. 

Looking back, I don't know what I was expecting. It doesn't matter though because I got what I needed.

Verdict: A fast-paced story involving cuteness and depth as well as a natural relationship progression.

Note: Quotes may change from ARCs to publication.

Review: THE RULES FOR DISAPPEARING by Ashley Elston

Title: The Rules for Disappearing

Author: Ashley Elston

Publication date: May 14, 2013

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Source: an ARC provided by the publisher for an honest review

She’s been six different people in six different places: Madeline in Ohio, Isabelle in Missouri, Olivia in Kentucky . . . But now that she’s been transplanted to rural Louisiana, she has decided that this fake identity will be her last.

Witness Protection has taken nearly everything from her. But for now, they’ve given her a new name, Megan Rose Jones, and a horrible hair color. For the past eight months, Meg has begged her father to answer one question: What on earth did he do – or see – that landed them in this god-awful mess? Meg has just about had it with all the Suits’ rules — and her dad’s silence. If he won’t help, it’s time she got some answers for herself.

But Meg isn’t counting on Ethan Landry, an adorable Louisiana farm boy who’s too smart for his own good. He knows Meg is hiding something big. And it just might get both of them killed. As they embark on a perilous journey to free her family once and for all, Meg discovers that there’s only one rule that really matters — survival.

Review:

Another less than stellar book for me, unfortunately. 

"Meg" has moved too many times to count in the last year with her parents and little sister. Why? Witness Protection Program. The fact that this book is about witness protection had me salivating whenever I saw that someone else received it. Different identities, different pasts, different places, and don't forget: a mystery of what happened that made them jump around so much that it rivaled gypsies. 

When I started this book, I made it only ten chapters before I put it down. Because I like Disney-Hyperion so much and I heard so many good things, I was willing to pick it back up and stick through it to the end. I'm proud of myself for sticking through it since I couldn't stop thinking about all the other books I could be reading. The point is, this book tested my patience. 

Problem #1: Admittedly, the smallest and silliest problem in the book is that I hated their nicknames. For their whole lives, Meg and her little sister Mary have been called "Sissy" and "Teeny" respectively. I hated those name. I had to really focus on reading more because those names were just silly to me. It's one thing for Mary to call her sister "Sissy" and the other way around. But the parents? It just sounded weird. 

Problem #2: I read that "Teeny" was a couple bloggers' favorite character in the book. They thought she was full of life and such a great addition. I personally could care less. I totally understand that she has gone through trauma and has had an unstable life for the past year, but she was meh to me. When Meg mentioned how at one point, Teeny seemed like her old self, she was just behaving like a spoiled brat. I know you want to see normal again, but having your little sister act like a spoiled brat is not an improvement. 

Problem #3: Her alcoholic mother. She's there to add more trouble in their situation and lives and all that jazz, I understand. However, I saw no reason for it. It just seemed like the author wanted to add as much "conflict" as possible to the story and I didn't care for it. 

Problem #4: Meg's new friends were so unrealistic, it was laughable. With this new move, Meg resolved to not get close to anyone and not become friends with anyone, no matter what. She pushed them away and refused any offers from these people. But what do they do? KEEP COMING BACK! I'm sorry, but I really don't see that actually happening. If a stranger keeps refusing you and you already have a bunch of friends, you will not be going back to that person. However, these people kept inviting and were always there for her even thought they barely didn't know her!

Problem #5: Meg was not a likable character for me. Her determination and toughness were admirable, I give her that. However, she could not stop complaining about "the suits" (the program) and her father and her situation. It sucks, I know, Meg. But they are PROTECTING you and you should be grateful. It's not like they wake up and go, "Hey, let's go move Meg and her family again because we just like to mix it up. It'll be fun!" She kept saying how she wants to just runaway and take Teeny with her. I wondered why she didn't. Meg runs away then she dies. Let's do it. 

Problem #6: I'm very critical of my main characters and probably as much with their love interests. Ethan landed himself in my Top Ten Tuesday and under the "trends I want to see less of" list. He wanted to be a "hero" and tried to act as a sensitive, loyal guy. He came off as unrealistic, pushy, and just whatever to me. He didn't even KNOW Meg and he was instantly trying to find out who she really was and what her deal is. He went on to trying to squeeze his way in and I really should've counted how many times he told her to trust him and to tell him her story. Obviously, she doesn't want to. SO LET IT GO. No guy would care that much unless he was genuinely annoying and nosey. Then when Meg is in even more danger, he risks his life for her. Everyone please do an eye roll with me. 

Those were my top six problems with the book, but I'm probably limiting myself. The good news is that it was interesting in parts. There were a few mysteries and "twists" although I pointed out two of them right from the beginning. I still didn't know exactly what happened though, so I was invested in that. 

I think people who can be more patient and overlook things would do much better with this book than I did. It was a great synopsis, but I didn't think it was executed well. It involved tropes, unrealistic behaviors, annoying people, and stupidity all around. 

Verdict: A promising contemporary novel that fell very flat for me. 

What do you think? Will you be reading it? 

Review: PERFECT SCOUNDRELS by Ally Carter

Title: Perfect Scoundrels

Author: Ally Carter

Publication date: February 5, 2013

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the fifth were born to lead completely different lives: Kat comes from a long, proud line of loveable criminal masterminds, while Hale is the scion of one of the most seemingly perfect dynasties in the world. If their families have one thing in common, it's that they both know how to stay under the radar while getting--or stealing--whatever they want. No matter the risk, the Bishops can always be counted on, but in Hale's family, all bets are off when money is on the line. When Hale unexpectedly inherits his grandmother's billion dollar corporation, he quickly learns that there's no place for Kat and their old heists in his new role. But Kat won't let him go that easily, especially after she gets tipped off that his grandmother's will might have been altered in an elaborate con to steal the company's fortune. So instead of being the heir--this time, Hale might be the mark. Forced to keep a level head as she and her crew fight for one of their own, Kat comes up with an ambitious and far-reaching plan that only the Bishop family would dare attempt. To pull it off, Kat is prepared to do the impossible, but first, she has to decide if she's willing to save her boyfriend's company if it means losing the boy.

Review:

That's right, folks. The third book in Heist Society is out and I got it the day before the publication date thanks to the joys of preordering and my sister gifting it to me for Christmas. Who cares if it's a Christmas present a little over a month after December 25th, it's ALLY CARTER, GUYS! 

The story starts out with the gang in the middle of a con. Hale uses the g-word (girlfriend) and Kat is taken aback by it. She likes Hale, but the world girlfriend is foreign to her. However, we don't get far until Hale receives news of some kind and leaves in the middle of a con. Big no-no. We find out though that poor Hale's beloved grandmother just died. During all of this, we get flashbacks to when Kat and Hale first meet. Hale has always felt like the black, unwanted and uncared for sheep of the family. The only exception is Hazel Hale, his grandmother. While Hale was born into the family, Hazel married into. Despite those two differences, they always had a connection of feeling lonely in their tycoon family. 

Being an Ally Carter fanatic, who likes to shove her books into friends' faces and has to restrain herself from tackling anyone who hasn't read the books, it's hard to look at this book objectively. So I'll try to be more organized with my thoughts. 

The characters. Oh, what a lovely bunch of characters. I want to be part of the Bishop family and have such lovable friends. 

-Kat. The MC, the leader of the con, the talented thief. Once again, I love Kat. She has a big heart and while things conflict her, she tries to do the right thing for everybody. Yes, she made me get tense when she decided to not share a few things with a certain person in the beginning, but that soon was resolved. And yes, she started to flow to the MC whining territory. However, unlike other MCs, she checked herself and Ally Carter was going to address it unlike other authors who think it's perfectly acceptable for MCs to have a blow-out, pity party. 

Her father was right, and Kat knew it. But she was also a little mad that he'd broken off a perfectly good pity party with logic. 

-Hale. Kat will always be the MC, but Hale started to get more of a spotlight on him in Perfect Scoundrels. Unfortunately, it was because he was the target. Someone conned him. Through it all, like any normal person, Hale would start to become not like the good Hale we knew. In grief, he does stupid things like break into an office on a whim or get drunk. With anyone else, I might squint critically at his actions. But with Hale? He was so vulnerable and confused, I wanted to give him a hug. 

It might be incredibly biased and too sentimental on my part, but I also think it's sweet how close Hale and Kat are. Besides his grandmother, he hasn't had a real family. Marcus is definitely loyal and you see a closer bond as the story progresses between the two, but you can see how different Hale's relationship with Kat is from the other people in his life.

And even though Hale has some moments that make us fear Hale and Kat's relationship, there are smoochy scenes that will leave you smiling from the cuteness. 

May I also add, what's with him being called Scooter? I don't remember an explanation on this, but I'm determined to find out. Hopefully I'll snag an interview with Ally Carter and ask, if not, somebody please find out.

So she rose and walked around the table, brought her hand to his face, and kissed him. 

"Why shouldn't she choose you?" Kat forced a smile. "I did." 

-Gabrielle. I seriously love this girl. I wasn't sure of her in the first one, grew to like her even more in the second book, but this one? She blew me away! She gave Kat reality checks, told it how it was, and while gentle when it was necessary, she was tough. I cheered for her when she went up against the heartsick Kat and was thrilled every time I saw her name on the page. She was definitely one of my favorite characters. 

"What I mean, dear cousin, is that maybe you want Hale to get out of his family's business because that is the only way to keep him in yours."

-The Bagshaws and Simon. Hamish, Angus, and Simon are also such lovable characters. The Bagshaws are the kind of characters you want to cheekily grin with and squeeze them in your arms. They're the dorky, lovable guys that make you remember why secondary characters are so important. Same goes for Simon. 

"Don't worry, Kat," Hamish said. "You're about to feel much, much worse."

-Marcus. Okay, you know how I said the Bagshaws and Simon are the reminders for how secondary characters are such an important factor? Well, Marcus is definitely another reminder. Once again, he's another character I want to hug, even though he doesn't seem like the huggable type. He reminds me of Joe from the movie The Princess Diaries. He's so sweet and loyal, but you know there's determined toughness underneath. 

I just really like this scene.

"I don't care if we lose the company, miss. But I would care a great deal if we lost the boy."

-Eddie, Bobby, and the rest of the the Bishop family. Like I said in the beginning of all this, I would love to be a part of the Bishop clan! Eddie is strong and the head of the family while Bobby's protective father shines through which I adored. Who doesn't love protective male family members? But I especially loved how different members of Kat's family came to help with the con and help Hale. There was a specific moment near the end with her family that made me want to shout, "BOO YAH!" 

The insult slid off Bobby like water. "So, you know, kid, according to thief culture, if you're going to court Kat, you now owe me two dozen goats."

-Garrett. I can't say much for him without spoiling too much, but you must know that I despise him. 

"The maid," Garrett cut her off. "I know. I know. You're...noble." 

"Yeah. You should try it sometime," Kat said.

The plot was amazing, as usual. Such impossibilites happening and twists and turns. They run all these different cons and then you feel doom seeping in at one (or several) point. I was sucked in and wishing that everything would turn out alright. And the twists and turns are fantastic, trust me. The only negative that creeps up is how it might be anti-climactic. I was too entertained and enthralled in the story to actually care, but it might disappoint others. Oh, and something else that I can't mention that made me groan with frustration.

The writing was wonderful and so different from how she writes the Gallagher Girls, but I adore it just the same. I love the way it's like episodes and I love how Ally Carter narrates. It's simply beautiful. 

Verdict: Another score for Ally Carter!

Have you read any Ally Carter? Have you read Perfect Scoundrels yet? If so, what did YOU think?

Fairy tale review + news!

I'll start with the news/announcement. Alice from Alice in Readerland is having a "magical month" at her blog where she will be doing all sorts of fairy tale things. She'll be reviewing and reading fairy tale retellings and featuring fairy tale features which you do not want to miss. 

If you have read any previous posts of mine, you know I absolutely adore fairy tales and their retellings. Beauty by Robin McKinley? Amazing. Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce? Hey, I'm actually reviewing that down below so keep scrolling and see how I like it! 

Title: Sisters Red

Author: Jackson Pearce

Publication date: June 7th, 2010

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Review:

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris--the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead. 

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

You know, when I started this blog, I told myself that I would never read any vampire or werewolf book. My prejudice mind said, "Ugh, not another Twilight thing." Well, I didn't even pay attention that this had werewolves when I read the synopsis because all I thought was that it was a fairy-tale retelling. 

Courtesy of Gillian Berry @ Writer of Wrongs

The book starts off really good. The prologue is set in third person and about how Scarlett lost her eye. Then every other chapter after that is first person from either Scarlett's or Rosie's perspective. I was glad for that because I was able to see inside their thoughts. If not, I don't think I'd like the other character nearly as much. 

While they are described as being so close that one sister is the other half, they are opposite. Scarlett lives, breathes, and loves hunting the Fenris. Since her attack, she's determined to not let any girl, no matter how stupid they are, be attacked again. Of course, she's also very protective of her younger sister, Rosie, as would any big sister. Rosie, on the other hand, wants to go on a solo hunt, but she doesn't love hunting. Unlike Scarlett, she wants something else to do in her life then train and hunt.

Then Silas comes into the picture. First, I love his name. My mom has always loved the name (if I was a boy, she would've named me that actually) so I guess it's stuck on me. He's a woodsman, Scarlett's hunting partner, and her best friend. He's back from out of town and instantly, he and Rosie are attracted to each other. 

I liked a lot of things from Sisters Red. The book was addicting and great, but the violence added to it. Maybe because at one scene near the end, there was so much love and hatred behind the actions that it made me go "YEAH! GO GO GO! OH NO!"Other things I love included the drawing class scene with innocent Rosie, which made me laugh, and the origami flower. The relationships were sweet and how Silas was there for the girls melted my heart. 

At the beginning, I figured that Ms. Pearce was actually doing a Little Women + Red Riding Hood twist. They're called the March sisters. That's clue numero uno. Clue number two is the whole Silas and sisters complex. If anyone has seen or read Little Women, you know how the sisters are. Jo is the main character and tough. Amy is the weaker one, but still strong in her own right. Laurie is the boy next door who, while he is friends with the whole March family, he's best friends with Jo. I have seen the movie bunches, but I still hate Amy. Hate her. Not only does she do some despicable things like with the fire and book and I want to reach in the screen and yank off her head, she also marries Laurie! SHE GETS LAURIE. I know Alcott, the author, thought Jo was better off without him, but I never liked it. 

Amy is her sister. 'Nuff said. 

So you can clearly see how the Scarlett + Rosie + Silas complex is very similar to the Jo + Amy + Laurie complex. At least Rosie is more likable than Amy ever was. Also, you see that even though she does wrong things (lies) and Scarlett gets mad, their sisterhood is greater. 

I did figure out the end surprise early, but it didn't ruin anything. I think Jackson Pearce even did it on purpose...or it was just me trying to figure things out way before they're supposed to. But even though I was right, Ms. Pearce pulled me into a false peace when she led me to believe something else. Then WHAM, I was actually right and now I'm devastated. Bravo, Ms. Pearce, bravo. 

A bonus point goes toward an epilogue because I absolutely adore epilogues. Who doesn't? It feels as if they don't have as many of them anymore. They usually make a trilogy then go, "Okay, well you've had three books of these characters, why do you need an epilogue?" 

Verdict: Pros definitely outweighed the cons in this captivating retelling.

Word to Parents: violence, language, creepiness 

Have you read the book? If so, what did YOU think? 

Review: PRETTY CROOKED by Elisa Ludwig

Title: Pretty Crooked

Author: Elisa Ludwig

Publication date: March 13th, 2012

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Willa’s secret plan seems all too simple: take from the rich kids at Valley Prep and give to the poor ones.

Yet Willa’s turn as Robin Hood at her ultra-exclusive high school is anything but. Bilking her “friends”-known to everyone as the Glitterati-without them suspecting a thing, is far from easy. Learning how to pick pockets and break into lockers is as difficult as she’d thought it’d be. Delivering care packages to the scholarship girls, who are ostracized just for being from the “wrong” side of town, is way more fun than she’d expected.

The complication Willa didn’t expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, Valley Prep’s most notorious (and gorgeous) ace-degenerate. His mere existence is distracting Willa from what matters most to her-evening the social playing field between the have and have-nots. There’s no time for crushes and flirting with boys, especially conceited and obnoxious trust-funders like Aidan.

But when the cops start investigating the string of burglaries at Valley Prep and the Glitterati begin to seek revenge, could he wind up being the person that Willa trusts most?

Review: 

I had eyed this on my Goodreads to-read list for some time until YAY I passed by it in the library. Why I never thought to check the library system, I have no idea. But it's rare that there would be a book on my TBR list IN the library just waiting for me on the shelf. 

Willa has a single parent, her mother, who is an artist. They move around a lot, which Willa hasn't been too fond of. At last, though, her mother has sold paintings for the big bucks and they are on their way to Arizona. She's enrolled in the prestigious private school, Valley Prep, and now has an actual house. Not an apartment, mobile home, or car. She's quickly caught up in living up her new life and on her first day, Glitterati member Cherise runs into her. Literally. With her car, she accidentally runs Willa over while she's on her bike. 

The Glitterati is basically the popular group. While the stereotypical populars/top dogs in schools are the rich, beautiful kids, everyone in Valley Prep is rich and beautiful. So the Glitterati are the top dogs and the richest of the rich. 

She also meets Aidan Murphy, probably the richest kid in the school. Because his parents donate most of the money to the school and has the the most power, it's pretty impossible for Aidan to get kicked out. But he does try with pranks and stunts. Willa is instantly taken with him and I do see why she would be attracted, but I wasn't for it. He was a player in every way and while he did show a few soft spots, I couldn't root for him. Why couldn't she go for Tre? Such a better choice. 

After witnessing the scholarship getting bullied and humiliated, Willa is determined to help them. How? Oh, to steal from the richest kids and leave nice packages of clothes on the poor students' doors. 

Bill and I agree on eye-rolling.

I was excited about the thought of a modern day Robin Hood. It was just so stupid to me, the stealing very farfetched. I kind of get her line of thinking. She wants to equalize the field by giving the students nicer clothes so they won't be as teased as much. However, it just seems so juvenile. Granting people nicer clothes won't help their situation. She mentioned all their problems, but all she does is give them nicer clothes. HOW does that help? 

While Willa does show some guilt sporadically throughout the book, it was as if because Nikki and the rest of the Glitterati were so bad, it was somehow okay to steal. Sure, they are horrible teenage girls and I wanted to slap them for their horrible deeds. But that does not make it suddenly all right to commit a felony.

"He bullied me in my childhood so I will now MURDER HIS WHOLE FAMILY." 

So it might not be that extreme, but that's how I interpreted it. The whole time I was reading it, I tried to think of other ways she could have dealt with it. Also, while I get there's going to be other books in the series, there were just SO many loose ends. Aidan, her mother, her mysterious father, the FBI...and so on. It's okay to leave some things to be resolved in later books, but I just didn't feel as if anything got resolved. It was pretty frustrating. 

Although, I did like her writing style and Willa's voice. It was humorous, light, and I really enjoyed reading Pretty Crooked. Even though I had problems with the main plot point, I intend to read the rest of the series. I do want to know what happens and Willa was pretty charming, despite her decisions and silly actions. 

This read was charming and light, but also underdeveloped in areas and Willa portrayed bad judgement. If you can look past the things I stated, I say go for it. I'll be looking out for the second book, but having great hesitation with it. 

Verdict: Silly, disappointing, but oddly humorous and still makes me want to read the second book so I can find out what happens.

What do YOU think? Comment! 

Review: CROAK by Gina Damico

Fed up with her wild behavior, sixteen-year-old Lex's parents ship her off to upstate New York to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer, hoping that a few months of dirty farm work will whip her back into shape.

But Uncle Mort's true occupation is much dirtier than shoveling manure. He's a Grim Reaper. And he's going to teach Lex the family business.

She quickly assimilates into the peculiar world of Croak, a town populated by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next. But Lex can't stop her desire for justice - or is it vengeance? - whenever she encounters a murder victim, craving to stop the attackers before they can strike again.

Will she ditch Croak and go rogue with her reaper skills?

~*~

Kick-butt girl? Check.

A major twist in said girl's life? Check. 

A very cute guy to add cuteness in this story? Check. 

Death and mystery? Check and check. 

Lexington has been acting up for two years. She's described as being a bully, but an equally fair bully. Fat, skinny, jock, nerd, handicapped or not, she punches anyone so you better watch out. Any little thing sets her off and she's learned the routine with the principal's office. Unlike all the trouble kid stories, she actually has a really loving family. Her parents care about her and her twin sister more than anything. Her best friend, and the only person who sticks up for her at school, is her twin sister Cordy. 

Finally, her parents have reached their point and send her off to her elusive Uncle Mort's. She's instantly done with the town of Croak when she arrives. No internet, no cell service, and she doesn't start with good terms with her uncle. Also, there's a Titanic poster in her room. 

But instead of milking cows and other farming duties she thought she would be forced to do, she learns she's a Killer. There's Killers and Cullers, both partners and both a necessity for the dead to reach their Afterlife.  Driggs is her partner and is the culler. AND they carry around personalized scythes! How cool is that? If I got a personalized scythe I would be like this. 

Lex has a hard time at first trying to understand that Grims help the dead. In the Afterlife, people like Edgar Allen Poe, Elvis, and Emily Dickens are having a peaceful, but fun time. 

We meet the Juniors, the majority of the Field workers. Although I liked them, I thought they could be way better. There wasn't much to connect with, even though some of their pasts were revealed. There was little connection for me, which was a disappointment since I felt I could truly love them. 

I also have three other problems with Croak:

1. Lex's mistakes annoyed me. Mistakes make a character. It's how they learn and how they grow. But with her, her mistakes made me want to roll my eyes. She's a blabbermouth, gullible (with certain people), and I couldn't really understand her for a portion of the book which then leads to #2.

2. I don't like bullies. I do love how tough Lex is. She isn't like normal heroines and doesn't take crap from anybody. However, I hate that there's no remorse afterwards for her bullying. I get being a Grim, it's your "destiny" and everyone acts out before they become a Grim. It's a part of the process. But since Lex sounds so mean, I want to go up to every person she's bullied and say sorry on her behalf and explain to them. It wasn't their fault she has low tolerance and likes to punch people. Of course, I have to give her credit for saying she's tried to stop...but still.

3. The Afterlife. I did foresee this one though. Please don't get me wrong. I knew this might have been the only way for this story to be written. The Afterlife was a major point. The Damning was too. But my beliefs, whatever you want to call them, conflicted with those so I struggled more than I thought I would. I wish I could voice my thoughts on this part better, but my brain is a mixed up, tired mess. 

So I'll go on. Driggs is lovable in my eyes, although the "mystery" concerning the picture was obvious to me from the first second it was introduced. There were a few good twists throughout the story, although again, I figured out who was behind it all from Day Numero Uno. 

The ending though? WOW. Just wow. I reread it a couple times, not believing my eyes. "What are you doing to me, Gina Damico? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I mentally screamed. I had quite a good chuckle though when my sister read it after me and gave me the deadpanned look of, "Why didn't you warn me?"

But thinking back, I knew it was the best choice. Just like other books (which I cannot name because it would ruin everything), some twists are crucial to a novel. To make things real, you sometimes have to break a few readers' hearts. 

Croak is filled with dark humor. Jokes are surrounded by death and instead of making it depressingly heavy, Ms. Damico turns it around by making it amusing and enjoyable. 

Although I had a few problems with this book, I really did love it. The pros were great in number and I cannot wait for the sequel. 

So...

Brownie points for: Driggs, Uncle Mort, the twists, humor, and the lovely town of Croak 

Mushroom points for: un-connectable minor characters, "duh" moments, and bullying

Word to Parents: cursing, lots of death

**If any of you are slightly confused by "brownie points" and "mushroom points" that is my way of saying "added points" and "subtracted points." Brownies are delicious, mushrooms are not. No matter what my family says, mushrooms will always be mushy, disgusting, and I will only think of the fungi they are. 

What do you think of Croak?

Comment any thoughts below!

Review: THE CATASTROPHIC HISTORY OF YOU AND ME by Jess Rothenberg

Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning.... Welcome to forever. 

BRIE'S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally. 

But now that she's D&G (dead and gone), Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend has been keeping a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul . . . who just might hold the key to her forever after. 

With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?

So I know I will probably be saying this a lot in the future and have said it a couple times already, but this is a book that is SO hard to review because of spoilers. I've been mulling it over for a couple days and it feels like spoilers are just cropping up everywhere! 

I had seen this book a few places and while I thought the title sounded melodramatic, I thought her dying of a broken heart just sounded...dumb. I already have to read about all these teenage girls whining about relationships on Facebook, did I really need it now becoming a cause of death in a book? Then there it was in the library and I picked it up against what I previously thought. 

The Verdict? It sucked me in and wouldn't let go. I loved the style of writing, the characters, and Brie. 

Brie (yes, like the cheese) has the perfect life. Her parents are together, she has a great relationship with her little brother, she has three amazing best friends, and a relationship with the boy she's loved for years. What could go wrong? *cue the suspenseful music* 

One night during dinner with her boyfriend, Brie hears the words no girl wants to hear from her boyfriend, "I don't love you." She feels a pain in her chest and dies that night. Everyone thinks it's from the heart murmur in her chest she's had since she was little. However, Brie knows it's from a broken heart. Even her cardiologist dad becomes obsessed with her case when all the medical professionals open her up and sees her heart literally in pieces. 

In her afterlife, the waiting place is her favorite pizza joint, Little Piece of Heaven. There she sees different kids and meets Patrick, an eighteen year old guy from the 80s with a bomber jacket and an intriguing scar. They instantly connect and have quirky and humorous conversations. 

He gives her a list that she has to go through for the grieving process: denial, anger, sadness, bargaining, acceptance. He tells her that she's way deep in the denial stage and takes her to see her family and friends back on earth. 

Her family is broken, her friends are grieving, and her boyfriend has a secret with her best friend. This, my friends, is the point in where I have to stop. 

From here, Brie makes some really dumb decisions. If you think about it, you can see why she would do it. If you were a ghost and could do some pretty wicked things, wouldn't you if you were in the anger stage? I sure would. I would be so mad that I couldn't speak to the people I loved, why wouldn't I take it out on the person who I thought caused it? 

I must say that I even became a little emotional wrought in the scene with her dog Hamloaf. I'm a sucker for sweet dog moments. Reminds me of in Air Bud when Josh yelled at Buddy to go away. Who DOESN'T hate that part? 

The revelations were usually hinted at before they actually happened so I already figured them out, but when they DID happen, I was still a little surprised. There's one thing for you to guess something and it's another when it really does happen. There was about two revelations that really did take me by surprise though. 

The ending is pretty twisted and I had to take a moment and think about it. Although her actions and complaining wore on my nerves, I really enjoyed the book. The surprises? I personally loved them. Brie's voice? Enjoyable. Patrick and his motorcycle? I want. I considered this whole book brilliant and charming. There have been quite a few books kind of like this, but this book is different. Unique.

And I liked it. 

Will YOU read it? Have you read a book like this before? What was it? 

Comment!