Lists Make the World Go Round

Things You Either Hate or Love
Brigid Lowry

Georgia Reeves’ has got only one thing on her mind right now and that is to get enough money to go to the Natural Affinity concert. She’s practically in love with the lead singer, Jakob, and would do anything just to see him, even if she doesn’t get properly introduced.

As of right now, she has about 50 dollars to her name, but she owes her mom 10, so, she’s very far from the needed 500dollars. But that doesn’t stop her. She is determined to go to that concert, so she deliberately goes job hunting. Unfortunately for Georgia, each job ends up just as bad at the one before.

Like worrying about her job isn’t enough, Georgia also has to deal with her weight problem, the spaced out relationship developing between her and her best friend, and her grades. With little help from her even more disturbed mom, Georgia is left with the blank notebook her aunt gave her for Christmas. Instead of recycling the gift, as she had planned, she puts it to good use. She starts writing down her thoughts in all sorts of lists. It’s a funny exercise, but she gains a lot from it.

Brigid Lowry is a very different author; this was a very particular book. The writing was kinda out of the ordinary yet it easily grabs the reader without hesitation. It was a really interesting read and I enjoyed every minute of it. It reminded me a lot of Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. I would recommend it to everyone willing to read something new ages 12+

Social Climbing 101 – Do’s and Don’ts

the Rise and Fall of a 10th Grade Social Climber
Lauren Mechling and Laura Moser

After the separation of her parents, Mimi Schulman deserts her home in Texas and moves to the Big Apple to live with her dad. Her reason behind this was that she “knew” that her dad couldn’t survive on his own so he needed her to be there with him through his hard times. Her first day at Baldwin School is not what she expected, or is used to. She quickly befriends the “cool, popular” group at school. Well, at least she thinks they’re the It group. When Sam explains to her who they actual cool people are, she finds it unbelievable. They are nothing like the paper-cut, picture perfect, Barbie doll that we and Mimi are used to. So, for the fun of it, she and Sam make a bet. If she makes friends with the “coolies,” as they call them, Sam had to date one of the not so awesome chicks and if she can’t befriend them, she had to hang out with the not so cool people. Mimi quickly forgets the real reason she came to New York as she pursues this new idea.
I Thought that this was a really interesting a book about friendship who your friends really are and what you would do to become popular. I would recommend this book to kids having to deal with these same problems. Mimi really spoke to me because I felt like I was going through the same problems she was, only mine are not as dramatic

The Break-Up Code

The HeartBreakers

Pamela Wells

FOUR BEST FRIENDS—Alexia, Kelly, Sydney, Raven—PLUS THREE BREAKUPS EQUALS THE BREAKUP CODE. Raven was dating Caleb but couldn’t seem to get Horace off of her mind. Sydney and Drew had been dating for about two years now but according to Drew, they were not fun anymore. Kelly had been seeing Will but when she finds herself ready to commit to him, he apparently doesn’t have enough room in his life for a serious relationship.

Spontaneously all three girls find themselves heartbroken on the same night. To fix their broken hearts, they turn to each other and their always single friend, Alexia. Alexia, being the daughter of two psychologist, suggests that in order for all her friends to get over their ex’s they need to make a coping list. Hence, the breakup code was born. At first, it seemed like such a good idea but as each of the girls find themselves breaking the rules constantly, they begin to question if the Break-Up code is really working after all.

I would recommend this book to teenagers, boys and girls, and especially to people who have recently had their heart broken. They might find the Break-Up Code to be very useful. I was very surprised to learn that The Heartbreakers was Pamela Wells’ first novel. She did such a great job with detail and making the reader feel like they were actually a character in the book. I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for any more up coming novels of hers.

Amazingly Different

The Frist Part Last

Angela Johnson

I’ve read books about teenage pregnancy but none like this before. In this outstanding novel, author Angela Johnson shows to us the side of teenage pregnancy yet to be revealed by other authors. She writes this particular book form the male’s point of view.
Bobby is your average teenager. He spends his time hanging out with his friends, going to parties and trying to survive high school. But his life is suddenly changed on his 16th birthday. When walking home to school, his is surprised to find his girlfriend, Nia, on his stoop holding a red balloon. She’s pregnant. Now, Bobby has to change his ways and prepare for his upcoming baby. Something that is completely and utterly new to him. It seems the only way for him and Nia to ever lead a normal life again is if they give up their baby for adoption. After lots of trips to the social workers office, they make up their mind. But their plans are suddenly changed after the tragic incident. Bobby refuses to sign the adoption papers without Nia and is now forced to raise Feather, their baby, on his own. This is more than he bargained for but he is willing to make it work and do whatever he feels is the right thing to do.
This is a very amazing book that I would recommend to teenagers all over the world. At some points, it became very sad and bought tears to my eyes, but it was worth every drop. Angela really does a great job of developing the characters in the book that the reader will feel like they have known them all their lives. I really enjoyed how the book was written in segments of "Now" and "Then" where Angela tells us what happens now that Feather is born and then before Feather was born.

Can I Trust My Friends?

Upon a Prom: Dress

Jeaninie LeNy

In this sequel to Jeaninie LeNy’s Once Upon a Prom: Dream, best friends Jordan, Tara, and Nisha struggle through the last few weeks before prom night. Everything is peachy, still they each start having guy and prom issues. Can they trust each other, and their boyfriends, with their secrets and problems?
Jordan is one of the most well known cheerleaders with a great boyfriend, but there she meets Shane, everything changes. She doesn’t know what to do. So she consults in Nisha only, even though she’s go problems of her own. Nisha loves her Indian heritage but when her parents pick out a prom date for here, she is furious. What would Brian, her boyfriend, think of that? Tara just has problems of her own. She’s upset that her best friends are keeping secrets and that she had yet to find the perfect dress for prom. And to top it all off, her arch-rival seems to have found a way to take over the prom committee and smash Tara’s theme idea of Starry Night to Once Upon a Time. Can these girls pull it together by prom night or will they all have already turned their backs on each other by then?
Although I haven’t read Once Upon a Prom: Dream I had very little trouble getting hooked into the plot of Once Upon a Prom: Dress. As LeNy switches between Tara, Jordan and Nisha, she does it rather smoothly that your subconscious already knows which character is currently telling their story. She incorporates a lot of detail into the book so that you don’t miss out on anything.
I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to teens 14+. I was a great read and should definitely be added to your "To Read" list!

Turn of the Werewolf

New Moon
Stephenie Meyer

In this amazing sequel to the beloved series by Stephanie Meyer, we are better introduced to the character, Jacob Black. In the previous book, Twilight, we all knew that Jacob had a little crush on Bella but, unfortunately for him, all her attention was devoted to Edward. In this book however, lucky for Jacob, he just happens to be there when Bella is in dire need of a friend and Edward is no where to be found.

Its senior year and everything seems to be played out perfectly. Bella seems to have let the incidents of last spring pass smoothly, her and Edward share most all of their classes together, and her other friends now share the lunch table with her, Edward and Alice. Bella’s birthday is just around the corner, and she’s the last person on earth who wants to celebrate. To her, that just makes another year that she’s older than Edward. But the Cullen’s don’t let her sorry attitude stop them; instead, they throw her a party. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last very long, Bella, being clumsy as usual, mistakenly gives herself a paper cut while trying to open her gift….

A few days after the incident at Bella’s birthday party, Edward decides he needs to have a talk with her. After Edward tells Bella that “we” have to leave, she’s trilled, thinking that he means him and her. After the real meaning dawns on her, she is far from trilled. She starts crying and pleading for him to stay, but as he puts it, he has no choice. The months after Edward leaves are really a blur. Bella IS a walking ghost; she doesn’t know how to lead a normal life without him. He WAS her life.

On a day out with Jessica, Bella realizes that if she puts herself in danger someway, or acts stupidly, Edward speaks to her. After that day, she goes about her way to do anything wild and dangerous, just to hear his voice again. She goes out and buys a pair of broken down motorcycles. She goes to Jacob, hoping that he’ll fix it up for her and later on, teach her how to actually ride it.

She and Jacob become pretty good friends now. She spends all her time over at his house and watches/talks to him while he works on the bikes. They get to know each over pretty well and become best friends, even though Jacob wants more. Everything seems to be going pretty well, till everyone starts talking about the mysterious bear in the woods. What could it possibly be? Now suddenly, Jacob doesn’t want to hang out with her anymore and won’t talk to her or anything. What could she have possibly done to deserve such treatment?

After one of her crazy stunts, Bella gets an unexpected visit from Alice Cullen. Before they have enough time to celebrate her visit, they get some really upsetting news. Edward was gone to see the Volterra, the head vampire tribe, and it seems like the only person who can save him is Bella. Will she and Alice get there before Edward does something to get himself killed?

In this book, Bella goes through more changes and challenges than bearable. Will she be able to pull through it all and come out to be the person she once was before it all happened?

I would recommend this book to all fans of the Twilight series, fantasy lovers, and every one 14+

FriendShip

Honey Blonde Chica
Michele Serros

High school is packed with everything from hate filled drama and frivolous parties between the best and worst of friends. At Villanueva high school, there is no exception to that statement, especially if your name is Evelina “Evie” Gomez.

Evie Gomez, Dela “Dee Dee” de LaFuentes, and Raquel Diaz have been best friends since before they can remember. Unfortunately, after the death of Dee Dee’s beloved mother, Margaret de LaFuentes, Dee Dee and her dad moved back from the sunny hills of California to Mexico, leaving all they once knew behind.

Four years later, without much of a warning, the de LaFuentes move back to resume their once lost life at Rio Estates. But, not all things fall back in place, as they once did. Dee Dee now has a step mom and goes by her full name, Dela. Raquel and Evie can’t believe their eyes. Who is this blonde haired, heel wearing Dela who calls herself their friend? She looks more like a “Sangro” to them. The Sangros are a group of “fun-loving, high-heeled, hair-streaked, girls who go to school with them. They were actually born and raised in Mexico once before and wear it with pride. The “Flojos” on the other hand, get their name from their laid-back attitudes and branded flip-flops.

Raquel and Dee Dee get into it right away and Evie is caught in the middle. She doesn’t know who to side with, her best friend Dela from years ago or her current bestie Raquel. She is so so confused. When she hesitates to back up Raquel, Raquel makes that decision for her and shuts both Evie and Dela from her life. Now, Evie spends her time with Dela and the Sangros, does that make her a traitor to her fellow Flojos?

Evie quickly adapts to the Sangros’ way of life, but is that what she really wants? She doesn’t know what to do anymore, especially after what happened at Natalia’s birthday party. Evie feels like she’s back to square one again, will anything ever work out? Like that’s not enough for her to deal with, Alex, one of the Flojo’s she still talks to, starts giving her mixed emotions. After Natalia’s party, everything for them just seems to go down hill. “What precisely is a chica to do?”

This is a really great book which teaches you about friendship. The author did a great job with such a story line that I’m sure we can all relate to. I would recommend it to everyone 13+ Also, to fans of the Social Climber series by Lauren Mechling and Laura Moser. They definitely share some common qualities.

Lust and Love

Twilight
Stephanie Meyer

Before you read this novel, know that you will not be able to eat, sleep, or go to the bathroom until you have turned the last of the pages. This is an invigorating pages turner that will leave you on the edge of your seat and pull your body, mind, and soul from the real world before you realize it. Consider yourself warned.

After years and years of living with her mom in Sunny Phoenix, Arizona and visiting with her dad during the summers in Rainy Forks, Washington, Isabelle “Bella” Swan decides that she’s tired of it all. In that great decision, she also decides to move in with Chief Swan “Charlie”, her dad.

The first day in Forks is very dull, she and her dad don’t really have much to talk about and the gray weather isn’t doing much to help. Her first day of school however is nothing like what she expected. She knows to keep to herself since she’s the new kid on the block but her classmates have something else coming for her.

As she steps into her classes, all heads turn her way but she only turns her head towards one person in particular, Edward Cullen. Edward Cullen, among his brothers and sisters are the most attractive people in school. Unfortunately, for us humans, they keep to themselves and no one else, at least until Bella is painted into the picture. Edward, being the only single person in his family, is immediately attracted to her smell, as dangerous as that is to both Bella and his extra special family. In no less than a week in Forks, Bella, thanks to Edward, cheats death a number of times. As they spend more time together, they quickly fall in love.

In this stimulating, charismatic, tantalizing vampire fantasy, Bella and Edward find out that they need more than their love for each other in order to survive in this entangled world of vampires and humans.

I would recommend this book to kids of all ages who love fantasy… vampire fantasy. Also to all girls 14 and up because, as odd as this might sound, it wasn’t the story line that hooked me to the book but the irresistible character, Edward Cullen.

To Have a Place Called Home

Homeless Bird

Gloria Whelan

At the tender age of thirteen, Koly is forced into an un-forgetful marriage. Her husband, Hari, is weak and sickly and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Mehta, are ungrateful and wicked. Koly doesn’t know how she will survive. After just a few days into the wedding, Hari dies. What is Koly to do? She can’t run back home, that would show disgrace and dishonor upon her family, but she doesn’t know if she can live another day in that wretched house.

When Hari’s sister, Chandra moves out on her wedding day, Koly is even more depressed. Now she has no one in the Mehta house. Soon enough, Mr. Mehta passes away and Koly is stuck with Mrs. Mehta, by herself. One day, Mrs. Mehta comes home with good news. Her brother in another city has decided to take her in, but she doesn’t tell Koly that she wasn’t invited, giving Koly false hope.

When they reach Vrindavan, a holy city, they take a break for some fresh air. There, Mrs. Mehta ditches Koly, and once again, Koly finds herself to be a lone in the world. How will she ever rise again? With the help of a city boy, in no time, Koly is back up on her feet again. She’s happy with her new life and wouldn’t like it any other way, but then, she gets purposed to.

Koly goes through a lot of ups and downs. It seems like right after she recovers from something major; another change is taken in her life. Will she ever be able to live a constant life again?

Homeless bird is a well written book and I liked how Gloria Whelam includes lot of the Indian culture in it. It gives the book more meaning and understanding. I learned a lot from it. I would recommend it to girls of Koly’s age, 13. Sometimes we don’t realize or really appreciate what we have. After reading Koly’s story, hopefully a lot of us will change out minds, I know it had an effect on me.

Loyalty or Love

Enthusiasm
Polly Shulman

Ashleigh Marie Rossi is the best friend anyone could ask for. She’s adventurous, loyal and one of a kind. That’s why her and Julia *Julie* Lefkowitz, the story’s protagonist, are such best friends, opposites attract. Julia is quiet and more conservative. She sticks with Ashleigh through every adventure she undergoes. From camping out the whole day waiting for free concert tickets for a band that’s about to be yesterday’s story, to crashing an all boy’s prep school dance, Ashleigh’s latest adventure.

Upon reading Pride and Prejudice, Ashleigh gets the idea that she and Julie need a Mr. Darcy and a Mr. Bingley, in respective order, in their lives. And what better way to get these two handsome partners than by crashing the Forefield Academy dance. As the girls wait the day of the dance, they spend their time planning. Trying to find the right dress and learn all the dances to fit the Pride and Prejudice era. When they finally arrive at the dance, they have some trouble getting in. But who is to save them none other then their Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley to be. Is it luck or just faith playing its part?

The tables turn when spontaneously, both friends fall for the same guy, Garrison Parr. Who just so happens to be Julie’s mystery boy and Ashleigh’s Mr. Darcy. So who is to get the guy? Julie had always kept “her” mystery boy a secret from Ashleigh so, when Ashleigh openly announces that Parr is her Mr. Darcy while Ned is to be Julie’s Bingley, Julie is shocked and confused. She thinks it unfair that she is to be stuck with Ned but then again she doesn’t know how to tell Ashleigh about “mystery guy” when already Ashleigh is so found of Parr.

Enthusiasm wasn’t what I expected it to be, it totally took me by surprise. From how I understood the book to be, I thought it would be set back in the Jane Austen era but it was set in today’s time, which made it all the more better. When I read that this was Shulman’s first novel, it took me by surprise. It was a very promising novel, and written like someone who knows what she’s doing. I’ll definitely be looking into her upcoming works, and you should too.

She Loves Him, She Loves Him Not. Who Will She Choose?

Eclipse
Stephenie Meyer

With Twilight being all about Edward and New Moon circling around Jacob, you and I both can guess who Eclipse revolves around. We guess right, arch-rivals Edward and Jacob.

Senior year is assumed to be the best year of high school but you know what happens when you assume right? All it’s really done is put a lot of stress on Bella. With Edward back in the picture, you’d think everything would be just peachy but it’s far from that. Bella has a lot on her mind, from graduation to her love life. But with Bella’s luck, we all know there’s got to be more than what meets the eye. She’s can’t just get away with senioritis alone, and she doesn’t. With the Vulturi’s upcoming unexpected visit, Bella thinks she’s more than ready to become a vampire, but does she really know what she’ll be getting herself into? Like that isn’t enough paranoia to make her go crazy, Victoria forces herself into the already filled up canvas. Won’t she just get a life and leave Bella alone? Now, the werewolves and vampires join forces, with only their love for Bella keeping them from taking a go at each at other, to fight off Victoria and her amateur army. Bella is terrified for both the lives of Edward and Jacob. I guess she cared for Jacob more than she thought, but could it be love?

I think that Bella really grows up in the book. She is faced with a lot of decisions that no one her age should have to make but she does the grown up thing. I just hope she made all the right decisions.

As I read Eclipse, Stephenie Meyer painted all the words in my mind with excruciating detail and I loved every minute of it. This book was a real page turner. Even after reading he last page, I sound myself searching for more pages to turn to. I can’t wait till Breaking Dawn. I would recommend this book to previous fans of the series, and vampire fantasy loves.

New School, New Bully

Bluford High: The Bully
Paul Langan

Darrel and his mother had lived in Philadelphia all his live but when his uncle offers his mom a tempting offer if she moves to California, its hard for her to turn it down. After a couple of month into his freshman year, Darrel is transferred to Bluford High where he has to start over. And starting over has never been this hard before. After just three days in his new town, Darrel has already introduced himself to the wrong crowd. Now Tyray and his buddies make it their mission to torment Darrel every chance they get. Darrel, always having been small for his age is scared and does everything they say in fear. He even has to pay his lunch money every Friday, making him have to pack his lunch to school. Tyray even gets in the middle of Darrel’s love life, telling Darrel to stay away from “his girl.” After joining the wrestling team, Darrel thinks he’s finally mounted enough courage to take up for himself. But does everything go as planned?

Like Tyray and his buddies aren’t enough, Darrel’s uncle also gives him a hard time. He’s always making Darrel feel small and weak, always criticizing him. After Darrel’s first wrestling match, even though he lost, instead of his uncle encouraging or congratulating him, he tells him he can’t go on with matches like that. And he’s going to have to get bigger and better if he really wants to win. It’s all in good favor but the way he says it doesn’t help much.

So with no friends, a new bully, and a nagging uncle, Darrel is “set” to tackle the first months of high school, all over again.

This was a really good book. Paul Langan really got his point across. That bullying is a big factor in schools and the students are too scared to say anything about it. He wants the reader to learn from Darrel’s experience and to spread the word. If you don’t help those around you, the world would never change or become a better place for your kids and the generations to come.

I would recommend this book to teachers to use this book in the classrooms. It will get the students thinking and even helping a bullied kid in need. I would also recommend this book to kids of all ages.

I’m definitely looking into checking out the other books in the series.

London Make Way For Mimi Schulman

Foreign Exposure: The Social Climber Aboard

Lauren Mechling and Laura Moser

Foreign Exposure completes the Social Climber trilogy perfectly, with a cherry on top. In this follow up to More Tales of a 10th Grade Social Climber, Mimi is faced with her biggest obstacle of all, spending her beloved summer vacation with here mom and Maurice. Once her plane lands in Berlin, Germany, and not her mom but Maurice is there to pick her up, Mimi knows that the worst summer of her life has just begun. And she’s not wrong. Just a day in Berlin and she’s already got an unwelcoming job. Only after a week in Berlin, Mimi is ready to leave and come back home. She absolutely can’t stand it. Her baby-sitting job is driving her nuts and her mom doesn’t care enough to give her the time of day. So Mimi, like she always does, takes matters into her own hands and decides to run away. She meets up with Lily in London, where she interns at a magazine owned by a friend of the family hosting her. Afterwards, everything fits into place again. Mimi feels right at home as she lives the life of the rich and famous, going to late night parties, chasing down celebrities, and most importantly, hanging out with the cute guy from work. But can she handle it all? This isn’t Baldwin High anymore. She is actually messing with people’s lives here. Does she have what it takes to survive?

Lauren and Laura do it again, although I’m not sure how they managed to pull off such an awesome book. Foreign Exposure is full of life and adventure, a killer combination. I would recommend it to kids ages 14+ and to fans of the previous books. They will not be disappointed in what is held between the book covers of Foreign Exposure.