The Nine Lives of Chloe King

The Nine Lives of Chloe King

Liz Braswell

...

Have you ever fallen off something? The monkey bars, a chair, a ladder? Well, what if you fall off of a building or, let’s say, a tower, and survive? In The Nine Lives of Chloe King, Chloe is your average teenage girl, until the day before her sixteenth birthday when she falls off of Coit Tower and lives, without a scratch. From there Chloe’s life becomes that of nightmares. Mysterious men trying to kill her, boyfriends almost dying from her kiss, oh, and did I mention, claws?

            

I really like The Nine Lives of Chloe King. It was nearly eight hundred pages, but I read through it quite quickly. The first chapter is a little slow, but from there everything picks up. It reminded me a little of Eragon, in that the author didn’t really leave out much of the story, thus the seven hundred pages. The characters were vivid and interesting. My favorite was Alyec, who was sexy and very much the bad boy. The fights were well choreographed but sometimes they seemed to go on forever.

           

I do think this book is worth reading, although, only if you have enough time. Chloe can be whiny, but she’s enjoyable none the less. If you don’t read it for the awesome supernatural aspects or the pretty cool fight scenes, read it for the romance, because that had me on my toes.

3 pearls!

P.S. It’s way different than the television series.

Keep reading!

XOXO

Rosie

The Giver

The Giver

Lois Lowry

.....

            

         The Giver is one of my all-time favorite books. And for none of the typical reasons. It doesn’t have a great, passionate love story. It doesn’t have action scenes or heroic powers. But this story leaves a mark on anyone who reads it. It makes you think. At least it really made me think when I first read it around the age of eleven.

            Jonas is eleven going on twelve, content with his life in the Community. He is approaching the age at which he will be assigned his job in the Community. In the Community everyone works, doing the job they were given. No one is ever hungry, pain is very rare and quickly relieved, and no one is singled out for differences because there are practically none, they all live in sameness. When Jonas is assigned the job of Receiver, the most honored position in the Community, he doesn’t know quite what he is in for, only that he is given this honor because he can see beyond. He works with the current Receiver to take over the job, but slowly begins to see that his once thought perfect community has more flaws than anyone is willing to admit to. But Jonas has to wonder what he, just one person, even with a gift can do to make a change reveal the truth.

            I know the description is a bit confusing and ambiguous, but I refuse to give anything away to those who have not read this absolutely amazing story. It’s a short read, and even though the narrative is from a 12 year old boy, I would recommend this to anyone. I have reread mine so many times the spine is tearing.  Lois Lowry did a wonderful job creating a realistic society and characters. Her sequel to this, Gathering Blue is another I would highly recommend, and will definitely be reviewing soon! Five Pearls for Mrs. Lowry!

XOXO

Kenna-Lee

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle


....


(Sorry lovely readers for the delay! Two jobs can be a little hectic, but I hope to get back to regular posting)


This collection of short stories has it's ups and downs, but it's ups are truly spectacular. This collection, while the overall title is lesser known, contains some of the more famous short stories, and introduces many key characters into the Canon.
What's different about these stories is that the reader sees more humanizing of Holmes. He went to University! He has a brother! (Mycroft Holmes is introduced in "The Greek Interpreter") He enjoys picnics! (I know, right? Sherlock Holmes on a picnic.) Conan Doyle outdoes himself with the little details in these stories.
On the other hand, the stories also seem to begin to build a pattern. They have similar plot lines, villains, and twists. Some of the stories don't even have real mysteries ("The Yellow Face" is well-written...but it's not a mystery really). Of course, by the time most of these stories were written, Conan Doyle was already getting tired of the Detective, and it rubs off in his stories.
But, then there are some incredible stories as well.


"The Gloria Scott" is a fun mystery with cover-ups, ships, false names, blackmail, and friends! In this story, the reader meet Victor Trevor, an old friend of Sherlock's. The story is also all written in flashback, as Holmes recalls the case.
"The Naval Treaty" is a great story that goes into great detail of each suspect and each of their possible motives. it's about an old friend of Watson's who has an important naval document stolen from him while he went to get a coffee.


And finally, I have to dedicate a good chunk of the review to the most famous short story of the entire Sherlock Holmes Canon.
"The Final Problem"
Because in this very story we meet the most important villain of all. Professor Moriarty (gasp!).
The story has an air of sadness over it. You know it's the end, you might even know how it ends, but you still want to read it. It's that effect along that has made it so hauntingly popular. Here is a man of equal intelligence to Sherlock Holmes, ready to fight to the death to win. And of course, it does end up to be a fight to the death. Watson receives a letter from Holmes saying that if he got this letter, Sherlock is, in fact, dead. Foot prints at the Reichenbach Fall in Switzerland show the two adversaries falling off the cliff.
The story has a sort of anti-climax that works for the story. The Man of Mystery dies...well, mysteriously! And at the end is the heartbreaking goodbye from Watson.
I think that's why this story above all the others, is the most often adaption to radio, film, and other forms of media. It's a battle, it's a downfall, and most importantly, it's the loss of a friend. Conan Doyle's writing superbly expresses Watson's heartbreak, and it makes you completely feel his pain.


My only problem with this story is that it's short. Sherlock Holmes should go out with a bang, right? And a huge one! This story is quick and to the point. But I'd love to see it in novel form.


Overall, another good edition to the Canon. A mixture of good mysteries, a few oddities, and a heart-string pulling ending. 4 pearls!


Ta!


XOXO
-Babsie

Glimpse

Glimpse

Stacy Wallace Benefiel

.

You know what happens when your parents kidnap you and force you to stay in a rolling box (ok, motorhome) for seven days driving from home, a large city in southern Cali, to a rural town in Wyoming? You read and write a lot. And sleep, that too. Don’t get me wrong, Wyoming is beautiful, but the ten hours of driving through desert gets more than monotonous. Unfortunately for me, I did not bring a good book that I could get into. So I decided to try a free book on my Itunes. I will say this, there is a good reason a lot of those books are free.

            Well, now that I’ve finished that completely unnecessary rant, the free book I got on my phone from Itunes was Glimpse by Stacy Wallace Benefiel. The story is about teenager Hazel (Zellie) Wells who is desperately in love with a boy named Avery Adams in her grade, but is pretty sure he doesn’t even know she exists. But naturally he feels exactly the same way. That is a big problem with this story, it is entirely too predictable and unrealistic. One thing I completely hate in stories is when the main character seems to be who the author wishes she could be. This read like that. Zellie and Avery instantly fall madly in love with each other (within, like, a matter of hours) but then their parents are against their relationship. It goes a little Romeo and Juliet with them defying their parents to be together but that is short lived because the real twist of the story is Zellie has a vision of Avery’s death the first time they have contact.

            She tells no one of these visions but soon finds out they are hereditary from her mother and grandmother. From then Zellie must go on a short, anticlimactic mini-adventure with her best friend Claire and younger sister Melody to discover her full powers and prevent Avery and her parents from thinking she is a freak. I’ll let you guess the ending.

            Some major problems with this story: A lack of character development. In fact, the characters seem to develop backwards, or switch personalities entirely. Zellie is supposed to be shy, a bit awkward, and average. Suddenly, she transforms into a confident girlfriend, superhero type character. Claire is supposed to be confident, the girl who has things go her way, but in the end she is the one almost ruining everything, and Melody is supposed to be the annoying younger sister but she turns into an overly-caring, responsible character for Zellie to lean on. Another problem with this story: the acceptance of the psychic gene. The whole story is set in a small town and Zellie’s father is the pastor of the church. And most of the characters are completely okay with this magical force that contradicts their religion. One last problem: the ending. I won’t spoil it for you, but if you read it, you will understand how terribly disturbing and unrealistic it is. Honestly I’m not sure how I finished this book, I was pretty desperate after staring at the same looking mountains, but this book was not worth the time. As I said in previous posts, I am a firm believe in forming your own opinion, so check it out if you want, you may appreciate what I couldn’t. 1 pearl.

XOXO

Kenna-lee

Skin Hunger

Skin Hunger
Kathleen Duey
....

Besides the title being Skin Hunger, which honestly I don't get, this book is not as creepy as one might fear. It's called the Resurrection of Magic series, and actually, it's quite brilliant. 


The story starts off in the third person point of view of Micah, who is a young boy at the time. The story talks about the birth of his sister and how he is running to find a wizard/witch to help his mother during the process. Well everything goes horribly wrong, but Sadima, the new babe, is still alive. The story then switches to the first person voice of Hahp. He is chosen to attend a school of wizarding, a horrible place where few who attend actually survive. 


The whole book reminds me somewhat of the feeling I got when I read Eragon. It's long, and there are parts that don't need to be there, but I still enjoy them. Each part is exciting and sometimes you can't wait for the next part while you're reading a dull part of the other. The character are great too. Well thought out, and you hate and love them at the same time. The one thing I didn't like was that the end of the book was the same as the ending of the chapters. The second book, Sacred Scars, might as well just been thrown in and the book could be extremely long. However, I really did enjoy it, so 4 pearls for Skin Hunger. (I still don't get the name!)


Keep on Reading
XOXO
Rosie

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
....

I have to admit, while I hold some of Doyle's Holmesian novels close to heart, he is a darn good short story writer. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is the first published series of short stories by Doyle, and it really shows a great deal more about the famous detective and his trusty doctor (who is now married!). 


The Adventures features one of the greater characters in the series. She's a brilliant criminal who's name will always appear next to Sherlock Holmes', even though she is only mention in one short story (talk about a memorable character!). She is the infamous Irene Adler, or as she is called in the story "The Woman". If you want a bit of romance from the detective, this is the closest you'll get, as Adler is the only woman to match wits with Holmes. She features in "A Scandal in Bohemia". 
If you want a good laugh (possibly at the expense of some red-haired people) and an interesting tale, look no further than "The Red-Headed League". It's a story about a terrible "prank" on the red-haired people of London who get paid to do nothing, until one day, the league vanishes. This story has an interesting twist near the end, which made it pretty enjoyable.
Another favorite of mine was "The Boscombe Valley Mystery". The story features a wild goose chase that revolves around a singular man, James McCarthy, who swears he's innocent. This story is brilliant in the fact that for a while, you can't be quick sure whether James is telling the truth, you just have to go off of faith in Holmes (who seems to be infallibly right) to find out the truth. And it's the truth that'll shock you!
"The Speckled Band" is also a great thriller, but just a warning, it jumps way back in time, so don't expect Watson's wife to make an appearance.


Now, I won't review every story in the book, but here's a few who I thought were a little weaker:


"The Engineer's Thumb" is a bit of a weird story with a big anticlimax. While Holmes isn't always suppose to "catch the bad guys", this story builds up a lot for no closure. Not something an avid book reader wants in a short story.
Another odd little story is "The Man With The Twisted Lip". This story is one the few that writers often try to add to in their own ways (a good example is "The Men With The Twisted Lips" by S. J. Rozan). There's no real explanation as to why this case is important, and it really seems like a string of coincidences. Doyle never explained this story, so we may never know the real truth behind it.


Overall, this is a good read. It's not a "sit down and finish in one day" type of book. It's a good meal book (I like to read and eat. It's odd, but pleasurable) or "in between books" book. Overall, four pearls!


Tune in next week for more Canon reviews!


XOXO
Babsie

The Art of Truth or Dare

The Art of Truth or Dare
By Melissa Jensen
...

          The Art of Truth and Dare follows teenager Fiorella Moreno, who goes by Ella, at a prestigious institution, The Willing School. Despite the common talents between her and her classmates, she still struggles with the typical class structure of cliques, the rich and pretty on top trickling down to invisibles. Ella and her two best friend are, naturally, at the bottom of the food chain. But none of them seem to mind their fate, except when Ella falls for Alex, the school’s leading man. But Ella is certain he is out of the question even though they have a passion for art in common.

The little details in this story are absolutely fantastic, but sometimes the descriptions can take you out of the story line. While as a reader I was definitely given a sense of place, I found myself waiting for the story to continue. Ella’s family dynamic is one of the stronger aids of this story. Whether you are used to a small family, or a large one, you will be relating to this loud Italian family a lot. They are funny but true, and sometimes I found myself wishing I could read more about them all together.

One of my biggest complaints about this story is the transitions. They were honestly very bad and confusing. The story would jump from dialogue at a mall scene to a scene at home going to bed without so much as an extra space between paragraphs. Several times I had to go back and re-read to make sure I hadn’t missed something. The only other flaw was more of a misconception about genre. This book was a lot more dense than I thought it would be. I picked it up hoping for a fun, light, “chick-flick” type read, and instead I found myself struggling to keep track of art history facts and characters names. Overall this was not a bad read, just not a top pick for me. 3 pearls.

XOXO

Kenna-Lee

The Sign Of The Four

The Sign Of The Four
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
...
This is the second novel in the Original Canon of "Sherlock Holmes". It was also the first to go into serialization (it started out as a series of chapters in "Lippincott's Monthly Magazine", and THEN became a book). In this story we find out about Holmes' cocaine addiction (which I must remind you, gentle reader, was not illegal back then) and we also meet Mary Morstan, who eventually will fall in love with Watson. Mary's father had gone missing years ago, and she now has a mysterious benefactor who once a year sends her a valuable pearl. Tonight, however, the benefactor wants to meet her. This plunges Holmes and Watson deep into a case about treasure, murder, and the Indian Rebellion of 1857.


Now this sounds fascinating, right? And it is! But, there were some problems I had with the text. I think a lot of them can be traced back to the fact that it was published in segments before being put together. The plot is shaky at times, and can be downright confusing if your not focusing all your energy (this is not a book you can multitask with!). Also, at times, the references to historical events and Indian Culture might need some looking up before you can understand what's going on (I know I had to look up things!).


Other than those general complaints, the book is still a very good read. Doyle does some great work with trying to humanize Sherlock a bit, breaking free of the "flawless machine" he was in the first book. The Sign Of The Four opens up with Sherlock Holmes being bored! (I'm serious!) Unfortunately, to keep his brain entertained, he has resorted to cocaine use. This is a hotly debated topic among Sherlockians and Book Readers. Is this ok for the hero? But we must remember that Holmes and Watson should be seen as a pair, without one, the other is slightly useless (Holmes losing some of his connection to the Human condition, and Watson losing the life he's created post-war). And it is Watson who gets him out of this slump.This cocaine use worries Watson (he is Doctor John Watson, remember?) to no end, and he eventually talks to Holmes about it. This whole scene really gives good insight into their relationship.

If you're reading the Canon, I still recommend reading this book! Mary is an important character later on in the series, and so is Sherlock's boredom. :)

Overall, 3 Pearls!

Enjoy!

XOXO

Babsie

A Study in Scarlet

A Study in Scarlet
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

....

This is the beginning of a series of blogs in which I'll go through each of the books in Sherlock Holmes Collection. What better way to introduce the famous Detective then to start with the book that started it all?

A Study in Scarlet starts out with the Narrator (none other than Dr. Watson) fresh out of the Anglo-Afghan War in need of a flatmate. An old friend of Watson's recommends a detective by the name of Sherlock Holmes, who is interested in a flat on Baker Street. Watson find Holmes in a lab, and is instantly amaze by the man's intellect, and the two move to 221B Baker Street. Of course, not long after moving in together, a terrible murder happens. A man by the name of Enoch Drebber is found dead with "RACHE" written in blood above him.

This book has be one of my favorites in the entire series. It's well written, intriguing, and keeps you wondering until the last page. What really helped keep up the suspense was that this story is the only one in the series that has flashback section. The entire second half of the piece is a flashback! Now, I won't reveal where or why this flashback happens (it would ruin the mystery!) I will say that it's well written, and really draws you into the crime that occurred. Of course, there are some questionable stereotypes about the group in question that is featured in the flashback. I recommend going in with an open mind, and realize that back in the Victorian times, not much was really known about this group.


Another great point about this book is the origins of a lot of the stereotypical "detective" ideas and things. This book is the first detective book to use a magnifying glass during a case. Also, the use of science to detect blood is used here first. In fact, a lot of modern day investigative techniques are first found in the book!


Finally, the character of Sherlock Holmes has to be one of the most fascinating of all time. A man, who isn't even the narrator of his own story grabbing your attention and really keeping you on your toes. I think this alone is why the series has become so classic. Overall, four pearls. (Though, if allowed, I'd give it an additional half pearl!)


I really hope you enjoy my newest string of blogs!
XOXO
Babsie

Fracture

Fracture

Megan Miranda   

...       

“If you had one day left to live, what would you do?” 

Well, if you could die in anyway, what would it be? I would be crushed by a piano while standing in the middle of an empty field. Mysterious, right?  The last way I’d want to die is to drown. Delaney, the main character of Fracture by Megan Miranda, drowned for eleven minutes in ice cold water. 

Delaney survives. No one knows how. Her brain still shows massive damage. She shouldn’t be conscious let alone alive. But she is. She can function normally, well except for this strange pull that leads her to dying people.

           

The book was pretty good mixing her love life and the accident. However, there were several points where I wanted to put down the book because I felt physically depressed. Megan Miranda knows how to bring the drama. Not only is there a huge back and forth with her best friend Decker, but also with a new guy Troy. Troy was just like Delaney. He shouldn’t have lived and now he spends his life helping the dying.

The writing was excellent I just wish it had been a little less dramatic. I still definitely recommend it to all of the readers out there. Three pearls for Fracture!

Keep on reading!

XOXO

Rosie

             

We're Back!

Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long, but you know how finals are. Luckily the Dolls conquered them all and will continue posting reviews even though we're miles apart. We send our love!
XOXO
The Dolls

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
By Stephen Chbosky
....
The Perks of Being a Wallflower might have been written back in 1999, but this doesn't stop it from being an instant classic. The novel is about a boy (Charlie) as he transitions into his freshman year of high school. Along the way, Charlie is befriended by the senior sibiling duo Sam and Patrick. The novel follows the three as they navigate through some pretty sticky situations involving Drugs, Alcohol, live productions of Rocky Horror Picture Show, Homosexuality, and of course teen drama!


      I have to say, this story starts out a little slow, but once you're a few chapters in, it's impossible to put down (I finished the book in one day I had some much trouble putting it down!). I think the slow start is mostly caused by the way the novel was written. Perks is written in the very experimental format of letter writing. You see, the entire story is Charlie writing down what has happened that day, and mailing it to a "trustworthy person" (you!). At points, this writing style really drags on, seeming more like a journal than a fiction novel, but at other points it really cracks opens Charlie's soul and shows his inner most fears and hopes, really "baring all" on the page. This can be incredibly uncomfortable at times because Chbosky really doesn't shy away from the gory details. If you have anything against drug use, suicides, sex, or teen alcohol use, I would not recommend this novel to you, because all of those are described in incredible detail. But just because it has some intense moments does not mean it doesn't have a happy ending. It does leave the reader a bit hanging (so if you like a tight, clean happy-ever-after, this is not for you!), but you get the sense that after everything Charlie has been through, he'll make it out okay.


    Another amazing detail of Chbosky's writing is his ability to develop every character, even the smaller ones. Charlie is obviously the most developed, but Sam and Patrick are incredibly dynamic characters. Patrick is lovable and endearing as he deals with forbidden love and heartache, and Sam is just as beautiful in my head as in Charlie's. I could even imagine some of the smaller characters, like Charlie's English teacher and his dead Aunt, both of whom are great influences on Charlie's behavior.


   Overall, I give this novel four pearls. It's a very intimate look into a young man's life that is sure to be a classic. (P.s. If you liked Catcher in The Rye, this is right up your alleyway, as that was the major inspiration for the novel)


Hope you enjoyed my first review!
XOXO
Babsie

Love Story

Love Story
Jennifer Echols
..

Every now and then we all pick up a book simply because we are looking to read about a little romance, usually because our own lives are lacking in that area. I’ve read some books by Jennifer Echols like The Boys Next Door, which happened to be perfect for the mood I was in. So when I saw this book by her I was extremely excited. Especially since it was about two college students in a creative writing class falling for each other. Being a writing major in college, it seemed like it might be the perfect little “Dream Romance” for someone like me.

            I am sad to say I was very disappointed. While the story was not terrible, it was not great either. The characters lacked that certain spark that makes you love them. They seemed flat, and their fears and actions dull and unrealistic. The story starts out with Erin in New York City, paying her way through college because her grandmother cut her off for wanting to be a writer instead of majoring in business. She is taking the mandatory freshman writing course and is about to have her piece critiqued by the class when in walks Hunter, her former love, who her story happens to be about. We follow these two on a kiddy roller-coaster of “love”. One of the biggest problems of this story, is we don’t see these two grow together, they stay on the same level throughout most of the story, and very suddenly jump in and out of situations where they are together.

            The ending was very inconclusive, and again jumped to a place where they hadn’t been going just two pages before. I really wanted to enjoy this book, but instead I found myself setting the book down to surf Facebook instead (Something I never do in a good read). This story almost seemed like it was trying to imitate something of Sarah Dessen’s but couldn’t quite. Like I said, the read wasn’t terrible, and there was nothing I saw wrong in presentation or the way it was written, but it is not a book I would highly recommend. With that said, I am firm believer in forming your own opinion, so maybe borrow it from your local library. 2 pearls.

XOXO

Kenna Lee

Welcome The Newest Doll

Hello readers! The Dolls have exciting news! Recently we have taken a vote and decided that All Dolled Up Reviews needs just a little more flare. Sooooo we are adding (drum roll please) Babsie! She's a wonderful writer new to our Dolled Up world. Thus making us the Fabulous Four Dolls! Welcome Babsie with love!
XOXO
The Dolls

Faithless

Hey Loves! Sorry it's been so long. I've been sick. Anyways, here's your next review


Faithless
Karin Slaughter
..

Faithless is from the point of view of three different characters. There's Sara, Jeffery, and Lina. Sara is the infertile children's doctor whose heart was stepped on by Jefferey when he cheated on her. Jeffery is the chief of police who is trying to win Sara back while he is dealing with traumatic stress from having to shoot a young girl. Lena is the hardened female cop who has an abusive boyfriend and recently had to make a life or death decision. Though these are all fascinating story lines they should be separated into two different books. Sara and Jeffery's story, then Lena's story. 


The ending of the book was disappointing for me. You knew who the bad guy was in the beginning but you hoped it wasn't him because it was so obvious. Now Slaughter tries to fix this with a scene including the apprehension of the criminal, but it just made it more depressing. This book brings up faith, drugs, spousal abuse, abortion, infertility, cheating, lying, killing, sex, prostitution, and torture. It may just be me, but it seems like a bit too much for one book. 


Overall, the book was not the best it could have been. I had hoped she would have stuck to the point of view of Sara, the first character introduced, but she did not. If you're looking for a murder mystery for the solving of the crime and back story, then this book is for you. However, if you're looking for a fast paced whodunit with no clue who the killer could be, I suggest you search elsewhere. 2 pearls.


Keep on Reading
XOXO
Rosie

Where She Went

Spoiler Alert

Where She Went
 Gale Forman

.....

Where She Went is the sequel novel to If I Stay written by Gale Forman. Now I have to say this, Where She Went is probably one of my favorite novels of all time. Even though I loved If I Stay, I think I like Where She Went a little bit more. I truly felt so emotionally connected to this book because of the fact that I understand right where Adam was coming from because a breakup is never easy.

This story unfolds three years later from where If I Stay as ended. Adam is now a rock-star with being the lead singer of the Shooting Stars. He has done it, he is living his dream. But at the very beginning of this novel you learn that looks can be deceiving you learn that Adam is truly not okay emotionally and mentally and this all can be traced back to when Adam and Mia broke up when she went off to be the rising star of Julliard. Then by accident he stumbles upon a poster of Mia in New York City and how she is playing in Carnegie Hall that very night. He buys a ticket and listens to her play and at the end of the performance Mia invites him backstage.

This is where the novel really begins to take off. Adam and Mia decide to make a night out of this chance meeting and explore Mia’s favorite places in New York City. With each passing stop the two dive deeper and deeper into an emotional connection and uncover the reasons why for their devastating breakup.

I believe the reason why I love this book so much is for the way it is written. This story is told through present day and flashbacks. Also it incorporates song lyrics of Adam’s song as the header for every chapter.  Tying all the elements of storytelling together just makes for a more powerful written story. I honestly am blown away. I keep replaying these, beautiful written words over and over in my mind. This is such a powerful story, just like the first. Gayle Forman is a, rare form of story tellers that packs a punch with every word she writes. If you have not all ready read this book then I highly suggest you do. Five Pearls. 

XOXO
Becky 

Spoiler! Lola and the Boy Next Door

Spoiler Alert!

Lola and the Boy Next Door

Stephanie Perkins

....

 Lola and the Boy Next Door, written by Stephanie Perkins is the sequel to Anna and the French Kiss. When I picked up this book I had no idea what to expect. I was hoping it would be as good as the first, I mean, what sequel is as good as the first? Not many. This book, though, in my opinion, doesn’t quite match up to the sexual tension of Anna and the French Kiss, gets pretty darn close.

            

Lola is seventeen years old and she thinks she’s in love with Max, her twenty some year old boyfriend. When Cricket Bell, an old love interest, comes back to town, Lola’s feelings twist her around until she doesn’t remember who she is. Lola is a great character. She is not only fabulous with her crazy clothes and wigs, but also realistic. At some points I found myself annoyed with her, a secret flaw I love to find in characters. And though Cricket isn’t my dreamy Etienne St. Clair, he’s pretty darn cute. He’s tall, stylish, and smart, yet still manages to be the sweetest guy you could ever meet.  Plus, there’s a guest appearance from characters in the last book!

           

The general background that I enjoy so much in Perkins’ books is that the boys truly like the girls back. In AFK Etienne is mega crushing on her, but they’re both not in the right place to say so. Lola is like reading AFK from the point of view of Etienne, she’s in a relationship but is so used to the rejection that she doesn’t know what to do. Not only do I think girls everywhere will relate to this book, but I think guys will relate to Cricket as well. I really enjoyed reading this book and I can’t wait until the next one is in my hands. 4 pearls!

Keep on reading

XOXO

Rosie

Classical Tuesday: Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen

.....


Imagine yourself in a world were at the ages of 14 to 18 as a girl, marriage is the most important thing you can accomplish. Imagine that, not graduating from high school or college, not getting a good job, but finding a man hidden in your small town with a good fortune who wants you is your only goal.

Enter the world of Jane Austin, the one she lived in, the one she creates for us in her books. Travel back in time to catch up with the Bennett’s, a family of one mother, whose main concern marriage for her girls, a father, who loves his girls for their intellect over their beauty, and five daughters. Jane, the oldest, is considered one of the most beautiful girls around, next is Elizabeth or Lizzy. She doesn't quite share the same beauty as her sister, but is smarter than most girls her age, although that sometimes gets her in trouble. Mary is the middle daughter, she is an avid reader, and Catherine and Lydia are the youngest Bennett girls, they are silly, immature and a bit obsessed with the soldiers who stay in town from time to time.

            
This story is told mainly from Elizabeth’s perspective, as she deals with prideful men, her sister’s lost love issues, rogue soldiers, unwanted proposals, and family crises. All started by the arrival of Mr. Bingley and his dear friend Mr. Darcy. If you are a romantic, this is a fantastic book. Personally, I always love a book where the love interest is a bit rough around the edges but you still fall in love with him. It is a bit of a more difficult read, considering the time period. But the descriptions are superb, and whoever spread that nasty rumor that all older books are boring should be tried for slander, because this book has quite a few funny moments. As a romantic at heart, this book left me wanting to have the life and love it shows. 5 pearls for Jane Austin!

XOXO 

Kenna Lee

If I Stay Part 2

Hey blogging world!
So Kenna Lee and Becky both wrote a review on the same book because they love it so much! Now as a completely unbiased third party viewer I, Rosie, have decided to put both up so you can get the most out of the reviews. Please enjoy both!

If I Stay
Gayle Forman

.....


Where to begin…? Have you ever had those books that you absolutely loved? You know, the ones that make you laugh, cry, love and hate? One minute you are ready to go ninja on anyone who threatens to come between you and that book and the next minute you are ready to throw it across the room because it makes you feel that much? But you don’t do either because that would mean you would have to do something other than read some more. The book that while you are reading it, people stare at you because you gasp/laugh/groan/cry/scream out loud? This is that book. That very book that is so hard to describe, it took me several sentences and I still didn’t get it right.
      

 Now, I usually hate books that make me sad to the point of tears (With exception of a few Harry Potters, of course). I don’t like feeling like my heart was out on the line with the main character and having it broken too. It hurts. But this book I would recommend to everyone. I actually have, I practically shoved it in my best friends hands when she said she hadn’t read it. It is that good.
      

 While it is hard to say what I love most about this book, I think it is the characters, you really grow with them in the most unique way. By the end of this book, and it’s not very long, you feel as though you have gained so many great new friends, only you can’t friend request them on facebook. Gayle Forman really captures the lives of these characters, fleshes them out so well that they could be standing in front of you delivering the dialogue.
       

What would you do if you had a choice to live or die after losing some of the most important people in our life? Mia is faced with that choice, and what she chooses might not just affect her. This haunting romantic story is one that stays with you like the story of a close friend. If you don’t fall in love with Adam, cry for Teddy, and ache for the choice Mia must make, you must have picked up the wrong book. Honestly, this is one of the best teen reads I have read in years. 5 Pearls!


XOXO
Kenna Lee

If I Stay

If I Stay
Gayle Forman
.....

Do you ever get really emotionally invested in books? I know that I have. I can truly say that If I stay is an emotional roller coaster. I was brought to tears with this beautiful written novel. This story will have you questioning everything and what would you do if you were ever in this situation.


The storyline of If I Stay is this, Mia Hall and her family go for a drive one day and then there is a terrible car accident.  The actual back story is told through Mia while she is having an outer body experience while being in a coma and also through the use of flashbacks. Through this we learn about Mia and the type of person she is.You learn about her wonderful life she had with her family which is not a common theme in young- adult titles. It was a breath of fresh air to see a teenager who got along so well with her family. Adam, Mia's loving punk-rocker boyfriend, stole my heart in this novel and broke it into a million and a half pieces before he put it all back together again.


With each turn of the page you become more and more invested in this novel. Gayle Forman will have you on the edge of your toes with her beautiful written novel. This story is so powerful that it will haunt for weeks of the question if I were in Mia’s situation “would I stay, or would I go.” I would recommend this book to everyone. Five Pearls.


XOXO
Becky

Anna and the French Kiss

Anna and the French Kiss

Stephanie Perkins

....

What could possibly be better than going to school in France for a year? Going to school in France with a sexy British guy. I don’t know about you, but there’s just something about English accents that get me. I started reading the book just the other day and I couldn’t put it down. There were so many ups and downs that I just wanted to jump in and never come out.

            

The book is about Anna Oliphant, forced to go to a French boarding school by her father, and her relationship with Etienne St. Clair. Now, I think every girl around the world can relate to Anna. Either you’re invisible to the most attractive guy on the planet, or he’s your best friend. Of course, in my life, I don’t get the sexy guy, but the feelings Perkins portrays for Anna are the same I have felt over the last six or so years of my life.

            

The book has witty dialogue and well fleshed out characters. Each one is believable. I wish there had been a little more France in the end of the book. Also, Anna’s interest in critiquing film fizzled out of the story line. However, I did enjoy the horrible reality of their home lives as well as the parallel between Anna’s problems in France and her problems at home. Girls, don’t worry, there is plenty of romance to give you butterflies. This book is truly amazing, and though the same characters aren’t in the sequel, there is another book out! 4 pearls!


Keep on Reading
XOXO
Rosie

I've Got Your Number

                                              

I've Got Your Number

Sophie Kinsella

....

           

 Don’t talk to strangers is common knowledge, it’s one of the first lessons we learn. Although with all this technology today it might be don’t text/email strangers. But you might want to change that rule after reading Sophie Kinsella’s I’ve Got Your Number.


If you’re looking for an entertaining read with a character you are bound to relate to, be sure to pick this up! Kinsella is the author of other laugh-out-loud books such as Can You Keep a Secret and the Shopoholic series, which I highly recommend as well. I will say this, the only disappointing factor this story had was that it wasn’t quite as funny as some previous books of hers. But it is definitely still worth reading! Just as the rest of her novels, this takes place in England, which, for someone like me who absolutely loves that country, just adds to the overall book.


Go along with Poppy Wyatt, a feisty and funny physiotherapist, to see if some good can come from texting strangers. Especially handsome ones like Sam Roxton. Can this mystery man restore the chaos taking place in Poppy’s life that includes a missing engagement ring/priceless family heirloom and terrifyingly smart in-laws?


While it is a relatively short read, it still manages to take a few surprising twists  and turns. The timing is perfect, the books never lulls into a boring just-skim-the-paragraphs part. And as always, the dialogue (and in this case text messages and emails) is realistic and witty. Sophie Kinsella might be the only author to create a book with actual footnotes that never makes you yawn.  4 Pearls.

XOXO

Kenna Lee

Classical Tuesday: The Great Gatsby

Classical Tuesday has arrived!

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

.....

Now being a fan of the 1920’s how could I not start this feature off with The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I have to say I am so honored to be writing this review. I mean, it combines everything I love about books; including the fantastic writing of Fitzgerald and the perfectly flawed characters that you love and hate all at the same time.

The story of The Great Gatsby follows the life of Jay Gatsby and his undying love for Daisy Buchanan. The pair meets before the novel begins, when Daisy is a legendary young Louisville beauty and Gatsby an impoverished officer. They fall in love, but while Gatsby serves overseas, Daisy marries the brutal but extremely rich Tom Buchanan. After the war, Gatsby devotes himself blindly to the pursuit of wealth by whatever means--and to the pursuit of Daisy. His millions made, Gatsby buys a mansion across from Daisy. He throws lavish parties, and waits for her to appear. When she does, events unfold with all the makings of a great tragedy.

The novel the Great Gatsby is probably one of the best books I have ever read. I fell in love with the world Fitzgerald built with his beautifully poetic words.The heartbreak and challenge Jay Gatsby went through to get back the love of his life sealed the deal. If you have not read this wonderful classic I suggest you do. 5 pearls.

XOXO

Becky

A Great and Terrible Beauty

A Great and Terrible Beauty
Libba Bray
....

   

What do you look for when you read a book? Well, for me, it depends on my mood. Sometimes I want to get right into the action; love, fighting, what’s not to like? But the problems with some of those books are that you don’t get into the world. If you’re looking for a quick read, look elsewhere, but if you’re looking for a book that lets you into an entire new land, A Great and Terrible Beauty is perfect.

Now, I’ll be honest, it took me about two months to read this book. I started it in February, 2012 of course, and stopped after the first chapter. I wasn’t bored exactly. I mean, not many people can put a death in the first chapter and make it dull. My problem was that it was confusing. So I put it aside, that was, until two nights ago when I picked up the book again. It took me a while, page 248 to be exact, to get to the point of no return. After that, I couldn’t put it down.

The plot is incredible and elaborate, but, towards the end, still manages to be understandable. There were twists and turns that even I didn’t expect. (I’ve been told I can be clairvoyant when it comes to plots, something that gets on the other doll’s nerves when we see movies together.) The book was thoroughly enjoyable and I appreciated the slow start. There were points where my eyes would skim over long paragraphs, but I blame lack of sleep. If you enjoy a Victorian period fantasy novel with a little action, romance, and drama, then you will definitely enjoy A Great and Terrible Beauty. Plus, the next two books are already out! 4 pearls for Libba Bray! Can’t wait for the next one.

Keep on Reading

XOXO

Rosie