46. Confessions Of An Angry Girl

Book #46: Confessions Of An Angry Girl
Author: Louise Rozett
Published: August 28, 2012
272 Pages
4 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Rose Zarelli, self-proclaimed word geek and angry girl, has someconfessions to make…

1. I'm livid all the time. Why? My dad died. My mom barely talks. My brother abandoned us. I think I'm allowed to be irate,don't you?

2. I make people furious regularly. Want an example? I kissed Jamie Forta, a badass guy who might be dating a cheerleader. She is nowenraged and out for blood. Mine.

3. High school might as well be Mars. My best friend has been replaced by an alien, and I see red all the time. (Mars is red and "seeing red" means being angry—get it?)

Here are some other vocab words that describe my life: Inadequate. Insufferable. Intolerable.

(Don't know what they mean? Look them up yourself.)

(Sorry. That was rude.)

High school sucks, right? This book gives you the very average, very likely high school freshman. Enter Rose Zarelli, a girl who is thrown to the wolves like the rest of us were the first day of high school I for one got lucky, my older brother was already at my school when I started so everyone left me alone (he was kind of goth and kind of scary, so they didn't touch me) but Rose is not so lucky. Her older brother Peter has left for college so she has no protection against the evilness that is high school cheerleaders. She's not invisible either (which can be a very good thing in high school) because her dad passed away over the summer so everyone in town knows her face now. As if her life doesn't suck enough already, her best friend has turned into a pretty girl and joins the cheerleading squad. Needless to say, Rose is one angry girl.

For the first half of the book, I didn't really feel her anger. I understood her pain and I wanted things to go her way because she's already been through so much, but then the anger comes out and it's perfect. See Rose has caught the attentions of a senior who just happens to be dating one of those aforementioned cheerleaders. This doesn't sit so well with them and Regina (yes, this is officially a mean girl name) decides to make her know it pisses her off. Like I said earlier, I was never bullied by cheerleaders but I wasn't popular either. Regina is mean, no question about it, and Rose has good reason to be angry at the whole situation. 

Bullying seems to be a trend in young adult right now and there's no better time for it. The actions done through others reflects what our society has become and I'm glad authors are making note of it. Bullies need to be stopped and if writing about it in a novel will make those who are getting bullied come forward, then maybe we can stop it. Rose doesn't come forward because she knows the effects that will have on her life. The fear is what makes the bullies continue. Unfortunately there are mean girls in real life, everywhere, and Rozett writes this one too well. 

I'm on the fence about Jamie still, as I was finding it hard to see what all the fuss was about. But the other minor characters fit into the story well. Peter is trying to move away from high school and his messed up family, but Rose finds it difficult to let him. Tracy is just trying to fit into high school and Rose doesn't seem to understand why. Robert is just annoying, but so very high school boy that I must give props to Rozett for creating such a puppy dog. Regina is, well, Regina is down right cruel. Boy am I glad I've never come across anyone like her, especially in high school. There is talk about sex galore, which surprises me because I was certainly not thinking about sec when I was fifteen. But I'm sure times are different, I mean it has been 12 years. The thing I liked most about this book were the chapter headings. Rose is a self proclaimed word nerd, so each chapter starts with a word and its definition and Rose's minor note as to how it relates to the chapter. This gave me more insight into Rose's head than most of the book did. I didn't feel her grief or her pressure to fit in as well as I could have. But I did enjoy her sarcastic humour and the trials and tribulations of trying to make it through freshmen year. We all know how hard it is to get through any part of high school. So I can't wait to read about her adventures in the sequel, Confessions Of An Almost Girlfriend (see also: sophomore year)

“Bad things happen whether you're scared or not, so you might as well not bother being scared. It's a waste of time.” 

Cover Reveal! With All My Soul

The beautiful cover for the seventh and final Soul Screamers novel is live!

I can't wait for this book to come out! Although it will be bittersweet since it's the last one and I won't get anymore tales from Kaylee and friends. Rachel Vincent promises everything will be answered but not without pain and possible deaths of characters we love. Vincent does know how to tug at heartstrings, and I am eager to know the truth about Avari, Kaylee getting her revenge and all the Tod loving possible. 

There is no denying that this is the perfect cover for the finale. The gold is beautiful and it really gives this cover the little extra edge it needs. Every cover in this series is wonderful, and when I first saw the cover for Before I Wake, I was sure that would be my favourite (it is pink and all) but I without a doubt like this one the most. 

So, what do we think of this golden beauty?

45. Some Girls Are

Book #45: Some Girls Are
Author: Courtney Summers
Published: January 5, 2010
246 Pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard--falling from it is even harder.  Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around.  Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge.  If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumours are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day.  She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully.  Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

Summers has done it again. It's no secret that I'm her number one fan, so be prepared for some fangirling in this review. She writes the mean girl like it's her job and Regina is no exception. Regina, like Regina from Mean Girls is a bully. She is best friends with the most popular girl in school and has done more than a few things that she regrets to stay at her side. She must continuously impress Anna in order to stay on top. This means betraying old friends, hurting people and a whole lot of rumours. So when the tables turn and she is suddenly the one being bullied, she sees exactly who these girls really are. You would think she deserves it, but after finding out why the rumours started, you'll be on her side. And I was on her side the whole time. 

People make mistakes. Summers is perfect with redemption for her characters. They've all done things they regret, but it's getting past that and learning from your mistakes that sets you apart from the rest. Regina goes from the top of the ladder to the bottom, the sole recipient of Anna's torture. And boy are these girls mean. Anna makes Regina George look like an angel. Regina is thrown to the wolves, fearing school and hiding out with the only person who seems to let her, Michael, someone who has more reason to hate her than anyone else at school. Being on the receiving end is brutal and he helps Regina see herself for who she really is - a bully. Her path to redemption is not an easy one. The Fearsome Foursome (he ex-BFFs) make every day a living hell and Michael, who she is starting to have feelings for, can't find a way to forgive her for how she's treated him in the past. Every moment in this novel is torture. You feel Regina's pain as though you are the one being bullied. Anna makes sure that school is not somewhere Regina wants to be and she does not give Regina a chance to tell her the truth about that fateful night. Regina tries to be strong and she does a good job pretending to be, but we all know she is dying inside. She holds guilt and fear and painful secret that only elevates the torture being set on her. The acts of violence that Anna pulled on her made me cringe and tear up, wanting so badly for them to get what they deserved and for Regina to get through it. 

High school has its secrets. We don't know what is happening behind closed doors. We don't know what those notes say in other people's lockers. We don't know who is being tortured while we stand and do nothing. Bullying is not a laughing matter. Some people bully others to the point of suicide. We don't know how our words affect others. We don't know everything. Regina gets to see the pain that she has caused others in her life. She learns how it feels the hard way, but she learns. She knows that she has hurt others and she tries to make it right. None of it is worth it if it hurts others. Words can do a lot to a person and if we are lucky enough to have the chance to make it right, I hope we all do. Summers is brilliant with this heart-felt, touching novel about the truths in rumours, gossip, love and bullying. Every character hit me hard and demanded to be listened to. And boy did they deserve my time. 

“Tell Liz,' I say, 'the mean girl totally got what she deserved in the end.” 

“I close my eyes and lean my head against the seat, and the word fuck just repeats itself over and over in my head, because fuck.”

44. Cracked Up To Be

Book #44: Cracked Up To Be
Author: Courtney Summers
Published: December 23, 2008
214 Pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

When "Perfect" Parker Fadley starts drinking at school and failing her classes, all of St. Peter's High goes on alert. How has the cheerleading captain, girlfriend of the most popular guy in school, consummate teacher's pet, and future valedictorian fallen so far from grace?

Parker doesn't want to talk about it. She'd just like to be left alone, to disappear, to be ignored. But her parents have placed her on suicide watch and her conselors are demanding the truth. Worse, there's a nice guy falling in love with her and he's making her feel things again when she'd really rather not be feeling anything at all.

Nobody would have guessed she'd turn out like this. But nobody knows the truth.

Something horrible has happened, and it just might be her fault.

Going into this book, I had no doubt that I would love it. Summers impressed me so much with This Is Not A Test that I knew I had to get my hands on her three novels that came before it. Cracking open the first page, I was hooked, and I couldn't put it down until I was finished.

Parker forces you to listen to her. The story begins after her life has changed drastically. Something happened at a party last spring but even Parker isn't too sure about the details. Something changed in her that night and she's let everyone know it. She started showing up to school drunk, quit cheerleading, making suicide threats, and dumped her popular boyfriend. She was the most popular girl in school and not for her stunning personality. But ever since that night, all she wants is to be left alone. If that's not enough, she has to make trips to the guidance counsellor every week and has a lot of homework to make up before she can graduate. Parker has given up on high school and can't wait to get out of there. But when the new kid, Jake, starts paying attention to her, and her ex starts dating her replacement cheer captain, she can't seem to escape the high school life and she's not sure she wants to. But does she deserve to be happy after what happened?

Summers leaves you waiting until the last page to find out all of Parker's secrets. She gives away the story of that night bit by bit as Parker struggles to get through the pain she's caused herself and others. My heart broke with every inch of information, wanting Parker to find the truth in her actions and find a way to forgive herself. 

Now Parker is not the easiest protagonist to like. In fact, she tries very hard to make you hate her along with the rest of the world. Her actions are rude and uncalled for and you'll wonder why she's putting everyone through it. She is mean to Jake from the get-go but he finds a way to see past her stares and snarky remarks, knowing that it's not who she really is. She has formed a protective shell around herself because she doesn't think she deserves to feel any happiness. Jake is the prefect counterpart to her. He is undeniably loyal and won't give up on her no matter how she treats him. He forces her to realize that the world does not revolve around her and that it's time to face the consequences. 

Parker's story might not touch everyone. Some people might not be able to stand her and her reckless attitude, others might think she deserves everything she's going through, but I for one loved her. I loved her guilt (okay that sounds bad, what I mean is that I understand why she acted the way she did) and I love how she evolves throughout the story. Yes, she makes mistakes and yes, she hurts people, but that's what being a teenager is all about. Like Sloane, the character from This Is Not A Test, she finds a way to make it through a hard time and to me, that is the most important quality in a person. Summers has a way of creating the most messed up characters and finding a way for us to love them. Parker and Sloane have joined the ranks of my favourite heroines and I'm sure the rest of Summers' girls will do that same. You will not regret reading this book. 

“The sooner you make a mistake and learn to live with it, the better. You're not responsible for everything. You can't control the way things end up.” 

“I didn't want to be popular because it was easier; I wanted to be popular because in high school that's the best thing you can be: perfect. Everything else is shit.” 

43. Hex Hall

Book #43: Hex Hall
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Published: March 2, 2012
336 Pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

First I want to thank Mag at Geek Chic Books for giving me the opportunity to enjoy this book. I won it through a contest she had and I'm so thankful! I had wanted to get my hands on this book for quite sometime but couldn't find it in my book store, but Mag made my wish come true!

Hex Hall is the perfect mix between Sabina, The Teenage Witch and Harry Potter. There is magic, sorcery, and danger lurking in the shadows, with a dash of sarcastic humour and cute romances. Sophie Mercer is a sad excuse for a witch and she discovers this her first day at Hex Hall, when she can't even cast a small spell to protect herself from a werewolf. But she didn't want to be there in the first place and the longer she's there, the more she hates it. Hecate Hall, or Hex Hall as the students call it, is a reform school for wayward Prodigium (witches, werewolves, vampires and fairies) and Sophie doesn't really fit in. She's roommates with the only vampire student in the school and a clan of witches can't stand her after she denied their invitation to join their coven. Add to that the fact that she has a crush on one of those witches' boyfriend. And when students start showing up with their blood drained and bite marks on their necks, Sophie's roommate is the first subject, but Sophia knows he can't be her and she'll do anything to prove it. 

The idea of a reform school for bad mythical beings is too awesome. As soon as Sophie stepped foot through the door I knew I would like the place. Fairies wandering the halls, shape shifters roaming through the woods on campus and witches building their dresses through spells. The catty coven of witches following Sophie around are your average mean girls, which just go to show you that bullies are eveywhere. Sophie is awkward and hilarious as the narrator. Her voice is unique and makes the perfect first person narrator. Her snarkiness and sleuthing remind me of Veronica Mars as she tries to figure out who is responsible for the incidents occurring at school. Nothing is what she thinks it is when she gets there and she learns more about herself than she probably wants to find out. Not every goes her way, she gets into trouble a lot and those witches are more like witches with a 'b' and won't leave her alone. She is the perfect protagonist for a young adult book: unsure of herself, not aware of how powerful she can be until she has to use the power to protect someone she loves, and of course a little boy crazy. 

Each character has their own voice and all the supportive characters are just as entertaining as Sophie. Archer Cross, the boy she can't get enough of, is mysterious and snarky but nice enough that we all love him. Even the evil witches are well rounded and you start to feel sorry for a few of them. Jenna, Sophie's vampire roommate, is not what you'd expect from a vampire. She loves pink, but hates pretty much everyone in the school. Sophie and her have a lot in common and she is a good counterpart for Sophie's troubles at school. 

Nothing is what it seems and everything goes wrong when you're living in a school filled with rebellious witches and other such beings. Hawkins makes you desperate to know what's happening to the students of Hex Hall and curious to know whose behind the accidents. She'll keep you guessing until the last page and then force you to pick up the next book. I can't wait to read more about Sophie's adventures.

"Man, Sophie, it's only your first day and you've already befriended the school outcast, pissed off the most popular girls at Hecate, and developed a full-blown thing for the hottest guy. If you can manage to get detention tomorrow, you'll be like, legendary."

42. Starters

Book #42: Starters
Author: Lissa Price
Published: March 13, 2012
352 Pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined.

A dystopian Cinderella story. What more could I ask for? A poor girl who is trying to make ends meet and care for her sick brother takes the only opportunity she can find: selling her body to Enders, first generation society members who want to be young again. Sounds perfect, right? Sleep for a month then wake up with loads of cash. Too good to be true. When Callie goes under, something goes wrong and she ends up in the her own body but living in the Ender's world. She lives the high life: parties, mansions, fast cars and good food. But when pretending to be someone else, things can get rough. She soon finds out that her renter had plans of her own for Callie's body and Callie needs to get to the end of the problem before she can even think about going home to her brother. Throw in a nice boy, an evil controlling company, and nothing being what it seems, and you've got the makings of a great novel.

Price builds a world that is both believable and fun. There isn't much explanation to the Spore Wars or why they killed off everyone between the ages of 20 and 60, but I let it slide because Callie's story is perfect. She is brave and selfless, willing to do whatever it takes to make sure her brother has a good life. She makes the wrong choices and puts herself in terrible situations, but always finds a way to overcome everything for the sake of her brother. Callie stands out among strong heroines and I'm glad I had the chance to read her story. Her younger brother is innocent and loveable, and I found myself hoping he'd survive just as much as Callie was. Her friend Michael, whom she's lived with on the streets since her parents died, cares for both of them and you can see his devastation when Callie decides to go to Prime Destinations. And Blake, the senator's grandson, is perfect. He is thoughtful and kind to Callie and has a way of being in the right place at the right time. I fell for him as quickly as Callie did, fro good reason. 

I can't wait to read more from this series, with the sequel, Enders. A lot happened with Prime Destinations that makes me wonder what Callie will be able to do to save others like her who are having their bodies rented out. Not all of them are doing it willingly. The plot is fast-paced and gripping, keeping me wanting to turn the page and desperate for more time to be added to my clock so I could keep reading. There are many unanswered questions that just keep me wanting more. I highly recommend this for any fans of sci-fi, dystopian or even fairytales as I'm sure they will love the story. Price has created a unique world that just begs to be discovered. The big question is, would I sell my body to save my family? And my answer would have to be yes, even if I did end up in the same sticky situation as Callie. Let's hope it means I wouldn't die, but I'll have to wait for the sequel to know for sure.

“Did Cinderella ever consider fessing up to the prince, that night she was enjoying herself in the fancy ball gown? Did she even think of telling him, oh, by the way, Prince, the coach isn’t mine, I’m really a filthy little barefoot servant on borrowed time? No. She took her moment. And then went quietly away after midnight.”

41. Pushing The Limits

Book #41: Pushing The Limits
Author: Katie McGarry
Published: July 31, 2012
384 pages
4 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

I wanted to absolutely love this book. I wanted to love it so much that I'd scream from the rooftops about it. I heard so many good things about it and I wanted to love it. Echo was beautiful, tortured and lonely, the makings of an interesting character. Noah ached of pain and good looks, a bad boy who just wants his life back together. The two of them supply enough tension to start a war. They were prefect and their stories were perfect, but I still didn't love it.

Maybe it's because I couldn't relate to any of their problems. They both live pretty messed up lives. Echo escaped her mentally ill mother and is now stuck with her dad and his new wife (her old babysitter). She also lost her brother, something I can't imagine living with. Noah's parents died in a accident and left him and his two younger brothers alone to foster care. Noah is separated from them and is doing everything he can to make them a family again. Echo just wants to know how her life turned out this way and maybe Noah does too. Dual narrations give complete insight into both of their minds, something that is handy when they first start getting involved with each other. 

Each chapter advances the plot, but I feel like the book could have been shorter. So much happened that didn't need to happen. Halfway through, I wanted something big to happen, but it never did. Maybe this isn't what the book was supposed to be. Maybe it is just about surviving, finding a way out of difficult situations and finding the one you're meant to be with. Maybe it was the fact that Noah called Echo "Baby" every time he spoke to her. I didn't find this to be very realistic. I don't read a lot of contemporary fiction, so that may be another reason why I was waiting for something that never came.

I would still recommend this book, especially to people who can relate to these characters more than I can.  The love story is nice and slow, making it truly believeable. Finding love when it seems like nothing good is happening in your life is a wonderful feeling and McGarry captures it through the eyes of both Echo and Noah, proving that love is out there for everyone. We all deserve our happy endings, some more than others. The pain, fear and torture that these characters have been through make their love story that much better. An inspiring book that I have no doubt teens will love.

If you’re scared, tell me. If you need to cry and scream, then do it. And you sure as hell don’t walk away from us because you think it would be better for me. Here’s the reality, Echo: I want to be by your side. If you want to go to the mall stark naked so you can show the world your scars, then let me hold your hand. If you want to see your mom, then tell me that too. I may not always understand, but damn, baby, I’ll try.