Since You Asked by Maurene Goo Review

(Photo credit: hellosgiggles.com)

 

 

Since you asked… I did not like Since You Asked by Maurene Goo.

            Since You Asked chronicles fifteen-year-old Holly Kim’s sophomore year. After writing a scandalous article for the school newspaper, Holly is given her own newspaper column where she gives her brutally honest opinion about everything regarding high school. As Holly navigates homecoming drama and crushes, she realizes everyone may not be what they seem and high school may not really be as terrible as she originally believes.

            First of all, I must discuss the cover photo. It looks like a freshman girl’s heavily edited Instagram photo, or the Picnik editing on Facebook photos that was popular when I was a freshman in high school. The cover did not give me high expectations for this book. However, it is much worse than I originally expected.

            I absolutely hate the main character Holly. The only thing that she does the entire book is complain. My high school years have gone, and I know that I complained a time or two about assignments and what not. But this girl… ANYTHING and EVERYTHING is worth complaining about. While this may be the author trying to make her relatable, she just comes off bratty at times. One time in particular, Holly complains because her mother is allowing her to pick out her own Christmas presents. She throws an entire fit and it just makes her seem so ungrateful.

            Another major problem I have with the novel is Holly’s column. This is what drives the whole story, but to me, it is very unbelievable that what she would write would appear in a school newspaper. I was an editor for a high school newspaper and if a student wrote something like Holly would, they would never get their own column. Besides, Holly actually swears and tears apart student groups in some of her pieces. This would never be tolerated in a school newspaper. While I understand this is what moves the story along, as someone that was in a school newspaper, it comes across as unbelievable.

            For me, this story just didn’t do it. It only manages to earn 2 stars for this reviewer.

 

Disclaimer: I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I borrowed Since You Asked from the library.



Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins Review

(Photo: stephanieperkins.com)

 

 

            If you have not heard of Anna and The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, you probably are not a fan of YA fiction. Anna and The French Kiss is a favorite among YA fanatics and I am no exception. Naturally, I had to pick up Lola and the Boy Next Door. After reading, I can happily say that Stephanie Perkins did not suffer from a sophomore slump, and I even like Lola and the Boy Next Door more than Anna and the French Kiss.

            Lola and the Boy Next Door follows Lola Nolan, a girl who lives in San Francisco and has a passion for outrageous costumes. Lola’s parents do not like Lola's older boyfriend, but Lola is perfectly content… that is, until the Bell family moves back in next door. Years before, Lola had a ‘thing’ with Cricket Bell. Now years later, it seems as if their spark has not diminished.

            I absolutely adore Lola and the Boy Next Door, even more so than Anna and the French Kiss. While I feel that Anna and the French Kiss is slightly too overdramatic by the ending (kind of like Degrassi), Lola and the Boy Next Door is consistently amazing. Although some may think that the plot is too similar to Anna and the French Kiss (character is already in a relationship, but likes the other character, etc.), the unique characters definitely make Lola and the Boy Next Door its own special novel.

            I LOVE Lola. She is honestly one of my favorite YA characters. She is just so unique. Her struggles didn’t just consist of liking a boy. She also has problems finding out who she truly is underneath all the costumes. 

            Cricket is such a cute love interest. Whereas I find St. Clair flirtier, Cricket is slightly awkward. He is literally so cute. Every time Lola walks into a room, he gets so excited. Seriously, it is adorable. I also like how he is an inventor. It makes him stand apart from other male YA love interests.

            Lola and Cricket have such a cute relationship. I find that some YA relationships come off as forced, but Lola and Cricket naturally fit together. Their relationship progressed a little too slowly for the fan girl in me, but I appreciate that they do not get together in a day. 

            One aspect of Lola and the Boy Next Door that is 'eh’ is Anna and St. Clair. While I like having them part of the story, I feel ar times they are just in the story too much. Throughout the entire book they act all cute-sy, and sometimes it is just cute over kill.

            So, why do I prefer Lola and the Boy Next Door to Anna and the French Kiss? It feels more real. Don’t get me wrong, Anna and the French Kiss is a realistic love story. But, it takes place in Paris, has a love interest with a British accent, and the final kiss overlooks the entire city. Lola and the Boy Next Door takes place in San Francisco with just an average boy next door, which I personally find more relatable.

            All in all, Lola and the Boy Next Door is not one to be missed. I can’t wait for Isla and the Happily Ever After! 

 

Disclaimer: I purchased Lola and the Boy Next Door with my own money. I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten Review

(Photo credit: amazon.com)

           It is rare that a book completely takes me by surprise. Honestly, I was not expecting much from Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten. Judging by the cover, I thought it would just be another fluffy YA novel that is simply good for passing the time. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Although Wherever Nina Lies isn’t the most well-written novel, I found that I enjoyed it far more than I originally expected.

            Wherever Nina Lies follows sixteen-year-old Ellie, who’s older sister Nina mysteriously disappeared two years earlier. Although Ellie’s friend Amanda says that Ellie should “get over it,” Ellie decides to reinvestigate her sister’s disappearance after finding one of her paintings stashed away in a box. This painting leads Ellie on a wild goose chase across the country with her new crush, Sean. Each stop along the way unravels the mystery surrounding Nina’s disappearance, which could be more deadly than Ellie ever imagined.

            Wherever Nina Lies is a surprising novel. Even though it is not the most well-written book, the plot makes the book significantly better. It is fast-paced with tons of twist and turns that kept me interested on each page. Recently, I have struggled to find a book that makes me want to keep reading and reading until I reach the end. I did not encounter this problem with Wherever Nina Lies. The author does a wonderful job of making the book so mysterious that I kept turning the pages to find out the ending (and find more clues to guess the ending myself).

            I actually really enjoyed Ellie’s character. She would stop at nothing to find her older sister, even when everyone told her to stop. I found this extremely admirable, and being a younger sister myself, I connected with the whole sister relationship. Yes, I think that Ellie is stupid for so easily trusting a guy that she just met, but her sheer determination to find her sister no matter what the cost makes her a lovable protagonist.

            The only downfall to the story is that parts of the plot are highly unbelievable. Ellie’s mom does not even call her to see if she is alright. I understand that Ellie mentions that she typically sleeps at her friend’s house every night. However, it seems as if Ellie’s mom would at least be concerned, even if she did receive a call from Ellie saying that she is staying at her friend’s house. After all, Ellie is under eighteen and she does not return to her house for clothes or anything for an entire week. In addition, most of Ellie’s hunches come from guessing and all her hunches are correct. While this does move the story along, it is very unbelievable.

            Despite its flaws, Wherever Nina Lies is a fun mystery that it bound to keep you entertained. I highly recommend it!

 

Disclaimer: I borrowed this book from the library. I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

           

Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman Review

(Photo: authorsnow.com)

 

How do I breathe without you? If you ever go, How do I ever, ever survive?

            Okay, so no this book is not about Leann Rimes. But, those lines describe this book perfectly. Actually, that’s what I first thought after reading the description. So, was Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman a hit like that Leann Rimes song? Um, not quite.

            Breathing follows Savannah, a fifteen-year-old girl who suffers from severe asthma that often leaves her hospitalized. At the beginning of the summer, Savannah meets Jackson, an older boy that immediately steals her heart. The two instantly become absorbed in a summer romance. However, when Jackson must leave to help his recently divorced mother, Savannah fears that she will not be able to figuratively or physically breathe without him.

            I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect from Breathing since I hadn’t read very many reviews on the book. However, I did find the whole tagline to be slightly cheesy, so I feared that the book would suffer the same fate. After reading, my fears were confirmed.

            There’s not denying that the book centers around the romance. I thoroughly enjoyed how Jackson treats Savannah with respect. How well that he treats her is refreshing in a genre overcrowded with drama-filled love triangles and overly flirty/arrogant love interests. Yet, at times, their relationship is almost a little too perfect. Within only a time or two of meeting each other, they become so undyingly in love that it is unbelievable (even if it is a quickly heated summer romance).

            At first, I really liked Savannah. Her country twang and struggles with asthma make her a unique protagonist. However, like many YA protagonist, she pines for her boyfriend throughout the entire book. Let me make this clear. I don’t find girls weak for thinking about a guy or wanting to be with their boyfriend. But when a character literally belittles their friend’s relationship because she doesn’t think it is as real as her’s, mopes for half the book when she can’t see her boyfriend, almost gives up her entire future for said boyfriend, and constantly nags him about everything, I just want to scream because it’s so annoying! I know this is typically, overdramatic teenage girl behavior, but when the main character only whines about her boyfriend and nothing else, it gets old fast.

            My favorite character has to be Savannah’s mom. She adds depth to the story and her hesitancy to trust another man is very believable. She works hard for her family, and even though she can be rough around the edges, it’s clear that she truly cares for Savannah. I absolutely loved her character. While Dog is the typical annoying younger brother, I liked his storyline. Although I could predict it, it adds a nice touch to the story.

            As I mentioned before, I found the breathing aspect to be quite cheesy. Asthma is a unique topic and it is tied up nicely at the end, but the “How can I breathe without you?!” part was just too cheesy. I am not kidding you… Savannah actually says those words to Jackson. I think that I literally cringed.

            Breathing is a good choice if you are searching for a unique summer romance. Despite the somewhat cheesy premise, the book is decent and worth checking out.



Disclaimer: I borrowed Breathing from the library. I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Forever Summer: Laguna Cove and Cruel Summer by Alyson Noël

(Photo: goodreads.com)

 

            If you’re searching for the perfect summer beach read, look no further than Forever Summer by Alyson Noël. Forever Summer consists of two books—Laguna Cove and Cruel Summer. Below, I will review each book separately and then discuss which story I preferred.

Laguna Cove

            Laguna Cove follows four girls—new comer Alyson and pre-existing residents Ellie, Lola, and Jade. While Anne struggles to fit into the Californian lifestyle after moving from Connecticut, Ellie prepares to score a surfing sponsorship and please her strict father. Meanwhile, Lola tries to heal after a devastating breakup and Jade tries to help a delinquent friend. True to the California setting, Laguna Cover is filled with drama, romance, and of course, surfing.

            Laguna Cove is obviously not some literary masterpiece. Clearly, it is fluff. However, the story is fast-paced and dramatic, so it’s perfect for a day at the beach. Don’t check out this book if you are searching for a book with complex characters or a deep, profound meaning. But, if you’re looking for a fun way to pass the time, you will enjoy this book for its purpose.

            That being said, while I was expecting mindless fluff, I was not expecting to completely hate most of the characters. I would not want to be friends with any of these girls, except Jade because she was the only one that didn’t act like a brat or a snob. Lola isn’t as bad as the others, but she is constantly saying how she’s so gorgeous that guys just fall at her feet. Some people can say that think they are pretty and it doesn’t come across as vain. However, whenever Lola continuously talks about how beautiful she is in one chapter, I just want to gag. Ellie is a brat. Because of her crush, she’s rude to Anne throughout the entire novel… and it gets old fast. She also uses a guy’s crush on her to get back at her crush. However, she does redeem herself at the end by trying to make things right with Anne. The worst of all the characters is Anne. She never redeems herself. All she does is complain, whether it’s about moving to California, not spending enough time with her father (even though every time he tries to spend time with her, she goes off with her new boyfriend), or basically, any little thing. She’s annoying, and I honestly could not stand her or understand why the other characters thought she was so great.

            The romances are nothing too special. All the guys are the typical, Californian surfers. However, some romances did not turn out the way I guessed, so I was surprised by this. It made the book less predictable than other similar beach stories.

            Despite the less than stellar characters, Laguna Beach is the perfect book to keep you entertained while tanning or on a long car ride.

 

Cruel Summer

            Unlike Laguna Cove, Cruel Summer is written in the form of letters, blog posts, and emails by the main character, Colby. While Colby’s parents work through a messy divorce back in California, Colby spends her entire summer on a tiny Greek island named Tinos with her Crazy Aunt Tally. Although Colby is less than thrilled to leave her newfound popularity behind, she finds new friends and a romance in Tinos. 

            Cruel Summer, like Laguna Cove, serves its purpose. It isn’t a deep book that’s going to make you contemplate life after you’ve read it. However, it’s an easy summer book that’s perfect for a quick read.  

            After reading both novels, I have concluded that Alyson Noël has a talent for creating whiny protagonists. Like Laguna Cove, I didn’t really like the main character. Throughout the whole first half of the story, all Colby does is whine about how she doesn’t want to go to Greece and how she can’t hang out with her new popular friend back in California. I understand that Colby is upset, but the whole first half all she does is whine about every little thing. However, it does get better in the second half when she stops whining.

            As for the secondary characters, they are okay. I like how Aunt Tally added some depth to the story. However, I simply could not understand why Colby was so obsessed with the popular girl. She just seemed rude, and often times, I found her behavior made Colby behave in that manner as well.

            I actually enjoyed the romance in this book. Colby doesn’t use boys to make other boys jealous or think boys drop at her feet (cough, Laguna Cove). Her relationship and attraction towards her love interest seems real and believable. I liked her relationship and (SPOILER) their online banter is pretty darn cute.

            While I enjoyed the characters more, I felt like the plot is so-so. The first half moves painstakingly slow. There is not a lot of drama to keep things interesting. I often found myself bored throughout the first half of Cruel Summer because there honestly isn’t anything going on except for Colby groaning about something or pining after a boy that clearly has no feelings for her.

            While Cruel Summer may not be an earth-shattering novel, you will not be disappointed if all you are searching for is a quick beach read. 

 

Which book did I enjoy more?

            Although I prefer the characters in Cruel Summer, I liked Laguna Cove a bit more. There is enough drama to keep the story interesting and moving quickly, which is what I prefer in a quick summer read.

 

Disclaimer: I borrowed Forever Summer from the library. I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own! 



Private by Kate Brian (Private #1) Review

(Photo: fantasticfiction.co.uk)

 

Going into Private by Kate Brian, I did not have very high expectations. Despite negative reviews, I still hoped that the Private series would be a guilty pleasure like reality TV shows on MTV. However, after reading Private, I can say that I will most likely not continue with the series as I despise almost every single character in the novel.

            Private follows sophomore Reed Brennan as she transfers from boring Pennsylvania to the super exclusive and elite Easton Academy. With a fresh new start, Reed hopes to evolve from her former friendless self into a social butterfly. And her in? The beautiful and rich Billings Girls that rule the school. Reed will do anything to be their friend. But, is it worth the cost? (Here’s a hint, Reed—NO.)

            There is not much that I liked about this book, but the worst part is Reed. She is absolutely pathetic. No matter how nasty the Billings Girls treat her, she follows them around like a little lost puppy and does anything to please them, no matter what the cost. Even though they completely humiliate her, she thinks the torture is worth it. Why? She’ll have “friends.” She thinks that the Billings Girls are her only way to make friends. Um, hello? What about her nice (although somewhat superficial) roommate, Constance? Yeah, Constance has her flaws, but at least she does not force Reed to steal a physics test!

            Now, I have never read the Clique series, but I have seen the movie. Those girls have nothing on the Billings Girls. Massie Block (at least in the movie version) is no where near as manipulative and cruel as Noelle, who continuously demeans everyone around her and is just plain nasty. Noelle is truly an ugly person and her friends aren’t much better. They will do literally anything to please her, and it’s disgusting. I could not even muster an ounce of sympathy for the ones that I was suppose to like. Their behavior is so ridiculously mean that it actually made me dislike Reed even more because she wanted to be just like them (and, at times, truly does behave just like them).

            I hated, hated, HATED Thomas. Cute “I Knew You Were Trouble” by Taylor Swift right now, please. His relationship with Reed is downright disturbing. Not only is he an alcoholic and drug dealer, but I am convinced he is a complete PSYCHO as well. He manipulates Reed. One minute he “loves” her and the next he is bashing his fist into a wall than he is begging for her forgiveness. Multiple times he says, “You can’t do this. You love me.” At one point, he even says, “You have to love ALL of me” (when they are discussing his drug dealing habits). THIS BEHAVIOR IS NOT HEALTHY. Yeah, you should like your partner, flaws and all. But, if these flaws consistent of serious creep-o behavior, then RUN AWAY. However, little clueless Reed doesn’t do this. She falls for his act... EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

            To me, the most disturbing part of this book is when Thomas literally makes Reed fall and hurt herself. But, get this—Reed is perfectly OKAY with this. WHAT? WHY? Oh, wait, it’s because the Billings Girls finally accept her. No, just no. This is not OKAY. This is abusive and just plain wrong. This justifies abuse as a way to gain a friendship and that just does not sit well with me.

            The only “positive” about Private is that the ending sets up a mystery for the next novel. But, that’s only a plus if (SPOILER) you care about Thomas’ mysterious disappearance.

            Which I did not. I actually cheered.

 

 

Disclaimer: I borrowed Private from the library. I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Breanna Blabbers: My Favorite Love Interests

 

(Photo credit: thehungergames.wikia.com)

       They make our hearts beat faster. They make us fan girl. And they make us fall in love with them. No, I'm not talking about One Direction. I'm talking about the boys of YA fiction. Here are my favorite YA guys and why:

♥Dexter from This Lullaby- I LOVE DEXTER. Wes has always been my favorite Sarah Dessen guy...but Dexter is definitely creeping up on him! I seriously fell head over heels the second he came into the story. The whole part about "our song" was just so cute! He has quirks and I love them!

♥Finnick from The Hunger Games- When Finnick first appeared in Catching Fire, I was like, "Peeta and Gale, who?" Seriously though, who doesn't love Finnick? Whenever someone asks me who I would want to be in The Hunger Games, I say Annie. Every. Single. Time. (And, by the way, how perfect is Sam Claflin? I LOVE him in Pirates of the Caribbean.)

 ♥Four from Divergent- Tris is one lucky gal. I seriously love Four. I like that his flaws are real, like being afraid of Marcus. Sometimes YA guys have "flaws," which aren't really flaws. But Four has them, and they make him such a great character. And such a great love interest. Um, where can I find myself a Four?

♥Wes from The Truth About Forever- Every single time that Wes appears on a page I seriously go straight into fangirl mode. I do not know what it is, but I just start squealing and jumping around. I think my family questions my sanity whenever I read The Truth About Forever. I honestly have no idea what is, but I just love him SO much.

Disclaimer: I am not being compensated for this article. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Book Haul: June 5, 2013

 

I purchased That Summer by Sarah Dessen yesterday for only $1.99! Now I only need three books to complete my Sarah Dessen collection-What Happened to Goodbye, Someone Like You, and The Moon and More. This isn't really a haul, as it is only one book, but I thought I would share it with you since I love Sarah Dessen. I must say, I really love this cover. The colors are so pretty and it makes me want to go to the beach! I also haven't read That Summer in forever, so I'll need to read it again.

Book Haul: June 2, 2013

 

Today I purchased Lola and The Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. I enjoyed Anna and The French Kiss, so I am excited to check this one out! Plus, I only paid two dollars for it.