Carey on: Personal Post

I don't really post all that many personal posts. It's pretty much all about books or dealing with the blog, but not this time!

It's nothing bad or anything, I promise. I just want to let you know that I probably won't be updating the blog for the next week or so. If I do, it'll be the wee hours in the morning (sometimes I do that anyways, but you know what I mean). It's because the next few days are going to be pretty insane. I just started my new job today, so that's why it took me forever to get the So Much Closer review up. So I work Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, but then Friday afternoon I'm flying to NEW YORK CITY. I'm so freaking excited, guys. I've been waiting for this day for what feels like forever. I want to live there after college, so I hope I love it just as much, if not more, as I think I will. I KNOW I will.

So, I'm going to be gone from Friday - late Monday. I did get my three books from my Top Three Tuesday from June 18. I have yet to read them, though. So I'll get to them right when I get back from New York.

I'm off to Sarah Dessen's even tonight! Have a good one, guys.

Review: So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti

So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti
Released: May 3, 2011
Publisher: Viking
Pages: 241
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by: Carey
Synopsis:When Brooke's crush, Scott, moves from their suburban town to New York City, she decides to follow him there. Living with her formerly estranged dad and adapting to a new school are challenging, and things go from bad to worse when Brooke learns that Scott already has a girlfriend. But as she builds her new life, Brooke begins to discover a side of herself she never knew existed. And as she finds out, in the city that never sleeps, love can appear around any corner...

Review:

My favorite thing about this novel is that it's in New York City. It describes it so perfectly (actually, I don't know, I have yet to go) and Colasanti uses actual real places. Another thing I love about this novel is Brooke. I love that she's so smart, more than a genius, actually, but doesn't care. She just acts as though she's a regular student.

What I hate about this novel is how unrealistic it is. I highly doubt that a seventeen year old would actually move states to be with someone she loves, but he doesn't even know who she is. Doesn't even know her name; only knows that she likes origami. That just wouldn't really happen. Ususally Colasanti is good about making things so realistic, but this time she didn't.

What I didn't understand was when John told Brooke that he loves her, how she just took his hand, saying she would never let go, even though she had said profusely that she didn't have feelings for him. Arg.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS NOVEL, THOUGH, is the wish box. I love love love that! I lied; that is my favorite thing about it. I even got my own wish box after I read it the first time (a little over a year ago). Have any of those wishes come true, nope. But one day they will. I just know. Just like Brooke believes in The Knowing.

Something Colasanti is really good at doing is making each character their own. Minor characters, at least. Like I said in the Something Like Fate review is that Colasanti tends to write the same-but-different main character. But each minor character is different from anyone in any of her books. For example, John. He has a learning disability, but yet is still so driven. It's great. He's so inspirational (even Brooke said so herself). 

And don't get me started on April and Candice. Some friends they are. Hmph. I'm so glad that she found Sadie, or rather that Sadie found Brooke and pushed her into tutoring, which then had her meet John. And then realized that she needs to take pride in her genius-ness. Go Sadie; it's all thanks to her!

So Much Closer's paperback has a different cover than the hardcover. I'm pretty sure that this was Colasanti's first book to have a different cover when turned paperback. Here it is:

I definitely think this one is so much cuter. I just love the colors, you know? I wish it was on the High Line, though, which is what I'm assuming that the original cover is going for. 

Review: Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Released: February 26, 2013

Publisher: St. Marin's Griffin

Pages: 320

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed by: Carey

Synopsis: Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.

Review: I'm going to be very frank here: I didn't like this novel. I'm pretty sure it's just the fact that it was written in third person, to be honest, because I loved the plot. I loved that Eleanor was a ginger. I loved that it was set in 1986. I loved that they liked comic books and listened to good music on their walkman. I like that Park was at first rude to Eleanor, just because everyone else was, and then he ended up falling in love with her. I could go on.

But, I could also go on about what I hated about it. Like I said, I hate that it's in third person. Third person just really bugs me for some reason. I can't write in it, either. Anyways, I hate that they're only fifteen. I hate that even though it's set in 1986, there's not really a mention of anything besides the walkman and the fact that comic books were coming out.  I wanted to know more about her stepfather; all we know is that he's an asshole, pretty much. I felt like Eleanor's character could have been a little bit better developed, just besides the fact that she dresses crazy and has a broken life. And last but not least (at least that I'll talk about) is I hated the ending. It was such a rushed ending, in my opinion. Tragic, yes. Good, no. It's like Rowell was just on a deadline or something. And it was semi-unrealistic, too. What sixteen year old is going to drive five states away to bring  their girlfriend to another house. I mean, with the circumstances, yes, but his father wasn't even mad. Like, um? What kind of parent is that? 

Sometimes I feel bad that I didn't like this novel. Everyone I knew, from my real friends from school, book bloggers, goodreads reviews, etc, everyone loved this book. They said it was one of the best books they've ever read. And it's not even close to the best book I've ever read. I honestly can't see how anyone would say that, no offense to Rowell, or anything.  It was just not my cup of tea.

Review: Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti
Released: May 4, 2010
Publisher: Viking
Pages: 268
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by: Carey
Synopsis: Lani and Erin are bonded for life. One thing that connects them is their fascination of fate. Lani wonders how much of our lives has already been decided and how much we can actually influence. Since the Unknown can unexpectedly change our lives forever, how much can we really control?

From the minute Lani meets Jason, she can't deny the intense connection they share. It feels like she's known him forever. She's not sure if he feels it, too. But it doesn't matter. Because Jason is Erin's boyfriend. Lani is determined to ignore her feelings for Jason, no matter how powerful they are, rather than risk hurting her best friend.

How long can Lani keep running from the boy who might be her destiny?

Review:

Susane Colasanti tends to write somewhat the same story. Well, the same character, really, at least for her first four books. (Which in my opinion isn't bad; I personally love it, because there's always something different about each one of them.) There's a smart, artistic girl who likes to recycle, some more than others in each aspect. They're always down to earth, and they always want something real. They always believe in fate, or in The Now, karma, or something among those lines.

Lani, the main character, loooooves astrology, or anything like that. She and her best friend, Erin, take months at a time to study things like tarot cards, graphology, dream analysis, palmistry, et cetera. She also is president of the recycling club called One World. She believes in psychics, in fate, and that The Energy will always help you out, that it'll do things for you, send you signs, et cetera. I love Lani. She's probably my favorite Colasanti character because of how zen she really is.

But then she goes and falls in love with Jason, which really makes her think about her fate and everything. Jason is Erin's boyfriend. Apparently he and Lani hit it off before Erin and Jason were official, but didn't do anything about it. Blake, Lani's gay best friend, feels strongly about the fact that Jason and Lani are so into each other and they don't even realize it, and neither does Erin. Which is good, I guess, since when the summer begins (the novel starts off in April), Erin goes off to camp. For the entire summer. Which is so totally not good. It's an accident waiting to happen, and nobody knows it yet.

But before that, probably around the endish of May, Lani's horoscope says that she should take a risk when she normally wouldn't. Even the Magic 8 ball says so. So she goes to ask Jason if he likes her. But before she can even ask, he says that he does. Oh. Poor Erin. And all of the sudden Lani's all, "How could I do this to her? She saved my life." Which makes you wonder... What happened? (Since this is my third time rereading it, of course I know, but I'm not going to say anything until it happens.)

They were in an accident. It was said multiple times thus far (about 115 pages in). Pretty much it was raining insanely bad, a downpour. Erin's mom was driving the then ten-year-olds back from a Girl Scout camping trip. She said she could see anything, so she decide to pull over on the side of the road. But they hydroplaned  And then crashed into something. And then they were wobbling. On the lake. The one literally in Lani's backyard. Erin's mother was knocked out cold. The doors and windows wouldn't open. The car was sinking. They were drowning. Water was somehow in the car already. Eventually the car was found, before they did drown. Of course that was how Lani got the scar, she must have hit her head in something. It only said that it was in the accident. Erin's mom was okay, and so was Erin. They were completely fine. And Erin and Lani were then soul sisters for life.

So then off Erin goes to camp. Jason breaks up with Erin via letter. Jason and Lani end up being together, of course. Blake is the only one who knows. The entire summer is them sneaking around, since they can't been seen in public, because they don't want Erin to somehow find out from anyone not them and in a letter.

I just gotta say: I love when authors say the title of the book in the book. It just gives me this warm, fuzzy feeling on the inside, you know? Okay, so maybe you don't know. Sorry.

So school starts and Jason tells Erin that they're together and Erin forwards the email, changing it a bit, telling everyone that Lani is a slut and Lani gets shunned and Blake is outed and he hates Lani cause she accidentally told Jason earlier in the book and everyone starts bullying Lani. (Wow, now that was a run-on sentence!)  And it's so bad.  Girls are vicious bitches, even in The Book World, sadly.

At this point, Jason and Lani aren't seeing each other. She promised Erin she wouldn't so that they could still be friends, even though Erin is treating her like crap and isn't even talking to her, and then there's this website saying "we hate sluts" and it's only a picture of Lani. I don't see why Lani doesn't realize that Erin isn't holding up her end of the deal and that she doesn't deserve to be treated like this, even if it wasn't her who started the website. 

Blake gets kicked out when his father finds out that he's gay and he has to go and live with his uncle 45 minutes away, poor kid. But him and Lani are friends again because she stood up for him when his locker was vandalized. Blake ends up standing up for himself and he's happy. I'm glad that Colasanti wrote in a gay character. I haven't read that many books where even a minor character is gay, let alone gay and out. It was also risky, let's be real. Even if it's fictional literature, I'm sure some people gave her crap about writing about a gay boy. (Which is ridiculous and saddening.) Props to Colasanti.

This is my top three favorite Colasanti books. Well, in the three-way tie for first place (along with Waiting for You and When It Happens). It's because this story, it's so true, it's so high school. The amount of times I remember hearing about some slut who stole their best friends boyfriend, or even the douche who stole their best bud's girlfriend (happened right at graduation, poor guy). People always spread rumors, make the two people feel bad, whatever. It's just so real. It's the realest novel Colasanti has ever written in my opinion. And that's why it gets five out of five stars.

Who know what makes this book even better? This:

HOW FABULOUS IS THIS? Susane, The Energy loves you and will continue to do great things for you.

You can check out my review for When It Happens here, and be on the lookout for All I Need.

Review: The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti

The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti

Released: March 25, 2008

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Pages: 298

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed by: Carey
Synopsis: Eighteen-year-old Indigo Skye feels like she has it all - a waitress job she loves, an adorable refrigerator-delivery-guy boyfriend, and a home life that's slightly crazed but rich in love. Until a mysterious man at the restaurant leaves her a 2.5 million-dollar tip, and her life as she knew it is transformed. This is the story of a girl who gets rich, gets lost, and ultimately finds her way back - if not to where she started, then to where she can start again.

Review:

Here we go, starting another Caletti book. I'm honestly quite nervous about it. But at least it has low expectations, so it can't suck too bad.

And let me say these three words: I like it. I actually like it. Something about it drew me in instantly, which makes me happy, because I wanted to like Caletti. So it was just the wrong book I read first is all. I'm glad I gave her another chance.

So the main character is named Indigo. She has a twin brother named Severin and a little sister named Bex. Caletti really likes these odd names, doesn't she now? I've also noticed that Caletti likes to drag everything on. It took 103 pages for anything real to happen, which is pretty much when Indigo got the tip from Vespa Guy. Which, by the way, it took over twenty pages for Indigo to actually open the envelope. Ugh.

That's what I don't like about Caletti's writing style: she draws everything out way too long. Granted it doesn't need to be right away, but if it takes over 100 pages for the plot to start, I find that ridiculous when the book is less than 300 pages itself.

So what I don't understand is why Vespa Guy (Richard Howards, you later find out) gave Indigo a 2.5 million dollar tip. He was mysterious and obviously troubled, since all he does at the diner is order coffee and stare out the window. Indigo tells him that she does care, we find out that he has a crappy job where nobody cares about him, and he decided to make a lifestyle change when it comes to jobs. So I don't understand why he gave her 2.5 million dollars. (Later you do find out why, but I think that reason is so ridiculous and it would never really happen...ever.)

And all of the sudden Indigo's mom tracked down Richard Howards and found out that he's in Maui, and now she has to go find him and give him the money back. This book is so unrealistic it makes my head hurt, even though it is a good story.

Time for me to be honest: I'm just not sure what I think about Caletti. It's topsy turvy, my feelings about her and her writing style and her plots and what not.

So they find out where he lives. He's not home, so they go on this ten page useless adventure that was not necessary at all, and then they find Richard at this restaurant. And he and her dad talk, and they understand the stress they were under, and Indigo keeps the money. Lucky her.

I surprisingly got into the book instantly when Indigo started spending the money. I mean when I picked the book back up after dinner, I was page 130 whatever and then all of the sudden I'm at 180 whatever, and it only felt like ten minutes.

I found myself really hoping that Indigo would change so quickly, become a bitch, somehow spend all the money. But instead she ran off to Malibu with her best friend Melanie after randomly quitting her job at the diner, just because her boss said she should think about some time off, and because she had a fight with Trevor, her boyfriend. Girl needs to learn that you can't run away from your problems just because you're filthy rich.

So. Much. Redundant. Information. The last 50 pages of the book was so useless and it was obviously just filler stuff so that Indigo could realize that the money changed her and everything and blah, blah, blah. But the story was decent, et cetera. It was a lot better than The Secret Life of Prince Charming, god bless. I liked the plot so much, even though it  so unrealistic. So it receives 3.5 starts from me, yay.

There's a different cover for this book, for the paperback, I assume. I actually really like the second one a lot better, but I don't like how the cover doesn't really bring out any part of the story. Shouldn't the model's hair be crazy like it ins in the book? Maybe the background Lake Pine, or the restaurant or Maui? Either way, I'm just not feeling the whole colored sectioned off part of the original covers with the title and author, how all of her earlier books are. Here's the second cover:

Review: Struck By Lightning by Chris Colfer

Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal by Chris Colfer
Released: November 20, 2012
Publisher: Little Brown Books
Pages: 272
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by: Carey
Synopsis: Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal follows the story of outcast high school senior Carson Phillips, who blackmails the most popular students in his school into contributing to his literary journal to bolster his college application; his goal in life is to get into Northwestern and eventually become the editor of The New Yorker. At once laugh-out-loud funny, deliciously dark, and remarkably smart, Struck By Lightning unearths the dirt that lies just below the surface of high school. At a time when bullying torments so many young people today, this unique and important novel sheds light with humor and wit on an issue that deeply resonates with countless teens and readers. 

Review:

Let me confess this: I love Glee. Well, I loved the first two seasons of it. After Rachel, Finn, Kurt, and everyone graduated, it went down hill. I also love Chris Colfer. I'm actually related to him. So I'm excited that I finally got to read this book of his. And of course I'm reading it before the movie, which looks fabulous itself.

The book is a journal from the main character's, Carson, point of view. He starts off saying that he can't wait for college (Northwestern) and can't wait to be a freelance journalist. Since I was in yearbook in high school and I love writing, I automatically, only one page in, was in love.

I feel Carson's pain. I hate my small town that I live in. I want to get out and live life in a big city. I'm extremely ambitious. I've known what I've wanted to do since I was eight, and people always give me that look like, "oh-kaaaay. Good luck with that." I am Carson. (Does that mean I'm Chris Colfer?)

So Carson's really bad school counselor called Northwestern to see how his application was doing, right? They said that he has to something else, that school newspapers and writing clubs aren't good enough. So he tries to start a literary magazine. Except nobody wants to join. So guess what he does?

He blackmails people. Seven people to be exact. The yearbook editor that sends racy photos online, the cheerleader and football coach that are sleeping together, the satanic goth girl whose parents are bible freaks, the druggie, and the two closet gays that he caught making out in the bathroom. And let me tell you: it works. And he also gets more people to join, since he got the queen bee to join.

The thing about Struck By Lightning is that it's told in a journal style. I'm pretty sure it's because this was based off of the screenplay version that Colfer also wrote. And that would make sense. But either way, it's original this way. How often do you read a relatively new YA novel written in journal entries? Answer: Not often.

So over time, people actually do turn in submissions. Carson even gets to know Malerie, Vicki, and Justin a little bit. And it's nice to know that in the midsts of his blackmailing that he's somewhat making friends for the first time in high school. It's obvious that that's how it'll turn out, that he made some friends.

Carson was accepted into Northwestern, but later denied because his mother threw away his letter. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Her excuse was the she didn't want him to get hurt. That dreams never come true. EXCUSE ME? You never throw away someone's future like that, literally. I got so angry at the book that I almost threw it across the room. But that would've been rude to the book and Chris Colfer, so I didn't.

The ending is the biggest plot twist ending of a book I have ever read and I could go on forever about how much it pissed me off. The rating is docked an entire star because of it, oh my god. Chris Colfer, what were you thinking?

I just hope that the movie's good. Speaking of the movie, here's the trailer:

Chris Colfer? He has the funniest, best quotes in this book ever. Like I could sit here and pick out ten in five pages I would quote often. It's great. My favorite quote from the entire book: "'It's one of the most amazing experiences, finding something to write about, or realizing something for the first time. It comes out if no where and just hits you. Then it's all you can think about and it goes through your body and tries to escape and be expressed in any way possible. It's a lot like... Like...' 'Lightning?' Malerie asked me. 'Yeah,' I said. 'Like lightning.'"

Because of Colfer's originality, semi-realisticness (I'm pretty sure that's not even a word, but I don't care), and how questionable this novel is, the original rating is 4.5. Blame the ending for why it became a 3.5.

FANTASTIC NEWS!

Happy Sunday, everyone!

So, as you know (or at least may have figured out, or maybe not, whatever) that I run this blog by myself (Carey). I started this blog a little over a year ago, and then stopped, and picked it back up again when I got really inspired by my new book blogging friends. Recently I've been talking to my best friend, Krysta, who I've known since the fifth grade. And she told me that she wanted to make her own book blog, but didn't want me to think that she was doing it because I was doing it. SO, I asked her to join me!

A few things might be changing. Like, maybe the URL. A few things on the side bar. Our taste in books is a tad bit different, but not by much. Our reviewing ways may be different, too. I will still be doing the Top Three Tuesday every other week, and maybe she'll do a Top Three Thursday in the alternating weeks, specifying that it's Krysta, not me, or something. She's also going to do random movie/TV/video game reviews, so it won't only be books now! Some other day things may change. We'll see how it goes.

Anyways, I'm super excited about this. Because who doesn't love books? Plus it's great to do this with my best friend.  So if anyone actually does read this, I hope you welcome Krysta on board!

Review: The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Caletti

The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Caletti

Released: April 7, 2009

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Pages: 322

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by: Carey

Maybe it was wrong, or maybe impossible, but I wanted the truth to be one thing. One solid thing.

Quinn is surrounded by women who have had their hearts broken. Between her mother, her aunt, and her grandmother, Quinn hears nothing but cautionary tales.... Read the rest of the synopsis on Goodreads.

***

NOTE: This review will have spoilers. I apolgize if you haven't read the book. Also, the review will be quite long and goes in order of the book, as I wrote it while I was reading it.

It took me way too long to read the seven page first chapter, because it was honestly way too descriptive. It was honestly ridiculous with how descriptive it was. Especially for the first page. 

 BUT it did throw something interesting in the end of the first chapter: that Quinn, the main character, steals from her father's house, even though she knows it's not a good thing.

Speaking of good things, Quinn knows good things. She knows that she should like math, that she should invite the outcast to her birthday parties to be nice, that you should drive carefully and always like your family. It meant taking careful steps. She also knows that "good choices" are pretty much just other people's choices. Which makes it interesting that she steals things from her father. If she's so good and careful about everything, why do that?

Once again, it seems as though Caletti is way too descriptive and likes run on sentences. I don't need to know each and every toy Quinn's little sister, Sprout, stuffs in her hat for the train ride, and a description of what she does on said ride. It made me dislike her writing style only eight pages into the book. It was just so descriptive that I felt like I had to focus way more than I should have had to.

There was lots of not relative information. Like, way too much of it. Like the bold and italic paragraphs talking about past loves, from the point of view of Frances and Dorothy. I was so confused when these came up. I just found it so unnecessary.

It wasn't until around page 25 that I actually got a smile and semi-enjoyed this book for the first time. It was because of the quote, "...so I stayed downstairs because there was more privacy there. I wouldn't have wanted anyone to hear all the passion and desire and sexual longing in our conversation. How was you day? Fine, great. How was yours? Oh, pretty good.'" I'm just a sucker for any kind of sexual joke, even if it sucks (no pun intended), and extreme sarcasm.

My favorite character in this book was definitely Sprout/Charles/Charlotte. She was only ten or so, maybe older or younger by a year or whatever, I honestly don't remember, but she was so spunky and sarcastic and I loved her. She was mature for her age, yet not at all. She was the bratty little sister. She was just great.

Reading the bold/italics made me confused. Like what does this have to do with anything? Pretty much every female character (so majority of the characters) would eventually all have these sort of diary entry things. So many that I time to time forgot what went with who. Eventually  it finally dawned on me that the bold and italics is every woman that Barry, the father, stole from. Talking all about their love life before Barry came into play. But then why ate Quinn's aunt and grandmother and half-sister in there?

And all of the sudden, Nice Guy Daniel cheats in Good Girl Quinn, ruining her thoughts on how a guy could be different. Quinn, even though she said multiple times that she didn't like or love Daniel, is decently upset over their break up. I guess it's because she thought she was going to prove her family right, that there are good guys out there, blah, blah, blah.

 At one point, Calletti wrote: "That wasn't helping. 'This isn't helping.' I said." Like no. Stop. Don't be so repetitive like that.

So all of the sudden Quinn and sprout and Frances Lee (I hate how they would always call her by her full name. It just got really annoying really quick.) are going on this quest to bring back everything their father has stolen from the women he's been with to each woman. So they're going to like seven different places, right The first stop is Frances Lee's house, to give Joelle a painting back. (Frances is Barry's daughter from first marriage with Joelle.) And they have to give this guy, Jake Kennedy, a ride to Portland, since they have to go there anyways. And the first time Quinn meets Jake is in the middle of the night in the bathroom, where she is half naked, and he is, well, fully naked. Can you say awkward? And then the next morning they're all eating breakfast when Jake walks in and says, "This is what I look like with clothes on." And I literally cackled it was so funny. So finally, on page 179 out of 320, this book got good and I decided that I somewhat liked it.

So of course they're done with the quest, they're about to leave the last woman's house (which also happens to be the woman that Barry cheated on Quinn's mother with and left her for) when France's car breaks down and the engine is shot. So they have to give up and call their mother, who thought they were in Disney Land the entire time, and get a ride. And then BAM her mother, the one who has been against men for ten years, has fallen in love. Which kind of ruined the entire plot, in my opinion. Like why have every woman fall in love when they've been so against it for so long?

So it ends with her dad getting married (????) and not really responding to how Quinn yelled at him and stole his things (also ????) and she starts senior year and her and Jake are still together and she's all, "Jake was seashell right." I don't even know what the heck that means. Is that a phrase that I've never heard before? Whatever.

Yeah. The ending sucked. Then again, the beginning sucked, too. So did the middle. There were really only certain parts of it that I liked. Pretty much whenever Quinn and Jake would have a moment, or they would return something to one of the women and we'd learn about their relationship. Otherwise, the book was horrible in my opinion. So, I give it  2.5 stars. Sorry not sorry.

PS: this was my first Caletti book, so I'm really disappointed. I thought it would be fabulous. But maybe I started off with the wrong one.

PPS: I really don't understand the title. I guess Barry is Prince Charming? But if so, the cover doesn't really work with it. I don't know. I just don't understand.

PPPS: I do, however, think that this would make a kick ass chick flick, since it's pretty much all against guys until the endish of the book, and there is a little romance in there. Blockbuster, make it happen.

Carey's Top Three Tuesday!

This is something new I'm going to be posting, so that the only thing on this blog isn't book reviews. Every other Tuesday I will post three books that are on my to-read list and that I hope to read within the two week period. So, I hope this works out!

1. The Selection by Kiera Cass -- For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon. 

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins -- Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming,beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. 

In the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

3. Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan --  This is the story of Paul, a sophomore at a high school like no other: The cheerleaders ride Harleys, the homecoming queen used to be a guy named Daryl (she now prefers Infinite Darlene and is also the star quarterback), and the gay-straight alliance was formed to help the straight kids learn how to dance. 

When Paul meets Noah, he thinks he’s found the one his heart is made for. Until he blows it. The school bookie says the odds are 12-to-1 against him getting Noah back, but Paul’s not giving up without playing his love really loud. His best friend Joni might be drifting away, his other best friend Tony might be dealing with ultra-religious parents, and his ex-boyfriend Kyle might not be going away anytime soon, but sometimes everything needs to fall apart before it can really fit together right.

This is a happy-meaningful romantic comedy about finding love, losing love, and doing what it takes to get love back in a crazy-wonderful world.

Review: Waiting For You by Susane Colasanti

Title:Waiting For You by Susane Colasanti
Released: May 14, 2009 by Viking
Pages: 320
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by: Carey

At the beginning of her sophomore year, Marisa is ready for a fresh start and, more importantly, a boyfriend. So when the handsome and popular Derek asks her out, Marisa thinks her long wait for happiness is over. But several bumps in the road—including her parents’ unexpected separation, a fight with her best friend, and a shocking disappointment in her relationship with Derek—test Marisa’s ability to maintain her new outlook. Only the anonymous DJ, whose underground podcasts have the school’s ear, seems to understand what Marisa is going through. But she has no idea who he is—or does she? In Waiting For You, this third romantic novel from Susane Colasanti, Marisa learns how to “be in the Now” and realizes that the love she’s been waiting for has been right in front of her all along.

**

If Susane Colasanti does just one thing well and right (she definitely does more than just one thing well, though), it's the way that she makes her characters so original and different from each other. Waiting For You is Colasanti's third book, and the first one that has only one person POV. Even then, you can tell the difference in the minor characters (Sterling, Nash, Derek) and the main character (Marisa). Their attitudes, how they talk and present themselves, and quirky habits are personal to each character. And it's flawless.

Waiting For You starts off with fifteen-year-old Marisa just getting back from summer camp and having dinner with her best friend, Sterling. Just like in When It Happens, Marisa wants to sort of reinvent herself and find true love. She, just like Sara, has this idea of the perfect package in the popular hottie. Derek and Marisa end up dating, and things do go well for the first few months. He was her first kiss and boyfriend (cue the awwwwws). In the midst of things, her childhood best friend and lab partner Nash, who is totally not boyfriend material, forms a crush on Marisa, which makes things awkward for a while, which causes them to stop talking for a while. Sterling and Marisa are in a fight for a good portion of the book, just like any true best friends would be. There are problems going on at home with her parents, and her younger sister Sandra gives Marisa a hard time for being who she really is. In the end, everything turns out okay. Marisa is happy, she's healthy and is working on overcoming her depression, Sterling and her are no longer in a fight, and she finally found what she was waiting for.

Colasanti gets pretty deep in this one. Marisa struggles with anxiety and depression, and she definitely writes and plays it out just how it really is. Colasanti describes how she's spiraling down, how all she wants to do is sleep, and who cares about homework? It's hard to describe depression and anxiety. She was spot on with it. Props to her.

One of my favorite things about Colasanti is the writing style. She uses first person, but she uses it in a different way than most authors I've read. She'll use "say" instead of "said," for example. But she brings it to a whole new level. She makes it sound like character truly is telling the story and it brings in the character's personality because from time to time she'll write, "So I'm like, "blah blah blah." And I just think that's so original.

Susane Colasanti writes must-reads for teens, or anyone who reads YA. Not only do her books tell stories about young love, but they also deal with family life, friend problems, the senior year college anxieties, and pretty much any problems that are common today. She's a fantastic writer, and one of my biggest inspirations. Waiting For You just so happens to be my favorite book by Colasanti (thanks to the quirky, nerd, original Nash who has a fabulous alter ego , for many, many reasons. And that is why it receives five out of five stars.

Review: Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Title: Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Released:  September 5, 2011 by Poppy

Pages: 273

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by: Carey

Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part,Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention.

Then Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: She and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. But what Lissa never sees coming is her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling

***

(Note: I was on vacation and read/wrote this review over a four day period and it was quite awkward.) 

The thing about this book is that I started it being really unsure about it. I had read maybe three chapters of The DUFF, also by Keplinger, and just couldn't get into it. But I loved the synopsis and everything, so when I went to the library and saw it, of course I picked it up. Contrary to The DUFF, I immediately got into this book. I'm not sure what it is, but something about I made me so obsessed with it so quickly. But I'm glad it did.

It starts off with the main character, Lissa, and her boyfriend Randy in the car making out. Then their car gets egged, some stuff happens, and Lissa gets pissed. Apparently this isn't the first time this has happened in their year and a half long relationship. Lissa goes into detail about the rivalry between the school's soccer and football team, which is the reason why Lissa, a few chapters later, recommends the sex strike to the other girlfriends of the football and soccer players.

You get introduced to Lissa's life very quickly. Her mother and father were in a car accident, leaving her father handicapped and her mother dead. She has an older brother, Logan, who she pretty much plays Mom for, even though he's ten years older than her. And then you meet Cash Sterling. Cash is one of the soccer players who she has a bit of a past with. He's perfect: attractive, athletic, smart, a master flirter, and a good kisser. And of course he gets a job with Lissa, which starts some drama right there.

When Lissa tells Randy about the strike, she says that he's supposed to be acting more mature, not putting soccer players into the hospital because of a stupid rivalry. But then Randy fires back that she also hasn't kept some promise that she made. Which makes you wonder: what is the promise? So, naturally, I got even more invested in the book.

And holy plot twist, Kody Keplinger! There are literally three plot twists in maybe four pages about the said promise. It's insane with how everything just picked up all of the sudden with those plot twists. I hated the fact that I was busy the entire time I was reading this book and I that I had to put it down so often because I wanted to continue reading so badly! It got sooooo good soooo quickly. And it was already so good, too! 

As I got farther and farther into the book, everything in Lissa's life started to change. Randy and Lissa broke up, which obviously opened some windows for her, even if it was bad break up (which it was). The Strike got even worse, even though the football and soccer players started to get along. As you may have expected, Lissa brought her personal feelings into the strike. 

Let me just say this: Randy is an asshole.  I can't say that enough. Cash is the perfect guy, which is how Keplinger, I think, wanted to get him across as. And Lissa is a brave, brilliant girl with a touch of OCD that makes everyone love her. I actually might go as far to say that she's one of my favorite characters in a book ever. And I've read a lot of books. So, props to Keplinger. 

Throughout all of the character developments, plot twists, minor plot/relationships, and a fun major plot in general, Shut Out recieves five stars. And, by the way, this would definitely make a kick-ass movie!

Review: Take Me There by Susane Colasanti

Title: Take Me There by Susane Colasanti
Released: May 29, 2008 by Viking
Pages: 290
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by: Carey


Rhiannon is devastated after the breakup with her boyfriend and wants him back. Nicole's ex is still in the picture, but she can't help having a new crush. James and Rhiannon are just friends, though he may try to take it to the next level. Will their desire to take a mean girl down a notch bring these three friends what they want . . . and more?

Set during one life-altering week and told in three realistic perspectives, this engaging, witty novel by the author of When It Happens shows the ups and downs of love, friendship, and karma.

***

Like I said with the When It Happens review: I love me some Susane Colasanti. I love how all of her situations are so real and authentic and how all of the stuff she writes about actually happens. I love how the conversations are so true. I love how the characters are so developed, even though this novel literally only takes place within a week.

The thing that I didn't like about Take Me There: that it was written in three different points of view. Two is okay, but three is definitely pushing it. And I think that Colasanti got it, as she didn't write another book in dual POV until 2013. Awkward.

But the personalities were so spot on with this book. Not even just the three main characters, Ree, Nicole, and James, but even the minor characters. Danny was this really hip guy who loves politics and plans on not becoming corrupt. Sheila is going through some tough stuff, but she seems so real. And even the hot popular girl is a real human being... who knew? I honestly would not be surprised if Colasanti based her characters directly off of some students, since she was still teaching at this point (at least I think she was).

But this book goes places and makes you raise your eyebrow. Because Nicole is in love with someone she shouldn't be in love with, plus she has her own personal issues with her parents to deal with, while Sheila comes along and helps her realize that she's not on her own. This books gets deep so quick that you don't even realize it. And of course, there's some romance for all of the characters, including the minor ones. And who doesn't love teen romance? You're lying if you say you don't.

So definitely read Take Me There. You'll be hooked on the juicy boy drama instantly; I promise.

Carey on: Why I Hate Libraries

Oh, libraries. I loved them when I was a kid. I mean, my mom would take me to the library every other week and I would come out with one, if not two, bags full of Junie B. Jones or Amelia Bedlia books, and I was only five or six. The library I went to in Atlanta was fabulous. The kids section was amazing. I bet the library is even better now, since it's been a good twelve years since I've lived in Atlanta.

But then I moved and stopped going to libraries because they were far away from where I lived and my mother wasn't going to drive me that far to get a couple of books. It wasn't until I got my first job in 2011 when I started to get back into reading a lot. I started to build my own personal library. Since 2011, I've probably spent well over $400 dollars on just one bookshelf that I have (I have two...almost three, I need to get a new one soon). It's worth it though, because I honestly do hate libraries. And here is a detailed list why:

1. I like to have my own personal copies of books. Simple as that.

2. Libraries seem to never have the book you want to read. Whether it's checked out or they just don't have it, it's never there. 

3. You have to read them by a certain time.

4. There's no minimum in how many books you can get.

5. It's like they only have one copy of each book.

6. The YA section is always so scarce and only has the same authors. 

7. They never really update the YA section.

8. The librarians always seem so upset to be there. Like, if you're going to work in a setting with books, please enjoy your job. 

I could go on for a while longer, and even make it more detailed and elaborate on each reason. But I won't do that to you.

Anyways, I have a friend who loves the library. She'll sometimes ask me to take her since she doesn't have her license. Today was one of those days. So, of course, I say yes. I go to the computer to pull up the catalog, and pull up my Goodreads to-read list. And, of course, they don't have but four books that I wanted to read, out of sixty on my to-read list. At that point I just ended up scanning the shelves and found an author that I really wanted to start reading and grabbed, like, five of them.

So, I actually left with nine books today. To be honest, I probably won't read half of them, just because I hate reading books that people have already read. It doesn't have the new book smell. Corners are dog tagged. One of the books has water damage. Stains could be anywhere, people can write in them, etc. But this way, if I like the books enough, I can always buy them for my own library.

So within the next few days/weeks, be ready for reviews of these books: Shut Out by Kody Keplinger (which I'm nervous about, only because I couldn't get into DUFF at all), Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala, The Story of Us, The Secret Life of Prince Charming, The Fortune of Indigo Skye, all by Deb Caletti, The Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart, Struck by Lightening by Chris Colfer, Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg, and Lola and the Boy Next door by Stephanie Perkins. I'm also re-reading Take Me There by Susane Colasanti, so expect that one either tonight or tomorrow morning!

Reason 9 Why I Hate Libraries: They had the last two books in the Perfect Chemistry series, but not the first one. It wasn't even in the catalog. Like, what the heck?!

Review: When It Happens by Susane Colasanti

Title: When It Happens by Susane Colasanti

Released: May 4, 2006 by Viking

Pages: 287

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed by: Carey

At the start of her senior year in high school, Sara wants two things: to get into a top college and to find true love.Tobey also wants two things for his senior year: to win Battle of the Bands and to make Sara fall in love with him. However, a popular jock named Dave moves in on Sara first. But Tobey’s quirky wit and big blue eyes are hard for Sara to ignore. Plus, he gets the little things that matter to her. Can a slacker rock-star wannabe win the heart of a pretty class brain like Sara?

Hilariously and movingly told through Tobey and Sara’s authentic voices, Susane Colasanti’s debut novel sizzles in its portrayal of two young people searching for The One. 

***

First of all: Susane Colasanti is tied for my favorite author, along with Sarah Dessen. Second of all, I'm in the middle of rereading all of my Colasanti books right now, so I will probably be reviewing all seven of her books right now. Actually, just six, because last year before my unofficial hiatus, I did review Keep Holding On.

I found this book around the end of March 2012. I had only then been getting back into reading, thanks to Sarah Dessen, and my growing obsession with her books. I only had one book of her's left to read: Lock and Key. And I could not find it anywhere. Barnes and Noble did not have it, and that was the only major bookstore around my area. Walmart/Target didn't have it, and neither did the cute little used bookstore in my old town. That was when Janice, the owner, called another bookstore a town over, asking them if they had a copy. And they did.

When I got to the bookstore, they didn't have it set out for me. They directed me to the YA section, and I thanked them. I instantly found it, and almost left, but then I saw the cover of When It Happens. I'm not going to lie: I judge books by their covers. I mean, come on. Everyone does!  And this book, right next to D for Dessen, was sitting with it's cover facing me. I instantly fell in love with it. I scanned the back, seeing if I would be interested in it, and then made sure it was written in first person point of view, and I bought it. I had never heard of who Susane was until that day.

About two weeks later, I was in a horrible car accident, causing me to be on bed rest for five months. I was stuck on the couch on a bunch of pain killers for what seemed like forever. And then , once I got used to being loopy all the time, I remembered this book, just sitting on my bookshelf. 

I fell in love immediately with Sara. I loved how she wanted to be so zen. I loved how driven she was.I loved how she wanted Mister Perfect. And then Tobey, oh, Lord, Tobey. He's so quirky and adorable and he plays guitar, of course I fell in love with him. I loved that Susane wrote in both points of view. I love how she made each character view things somewhat differently with their perspective chapters. I loved her writing style, I loved the romance, and I loved how Tobey chased after Sara for so long and finally got her, despite the asshole who is Dave.

This was Susane's debut novel, and it was perfect, honestly. It's weird to think that it came out in 2006, and  I didn't even know about it until 2012. But I'm glad that I did, because now she is my favorite author.

I guess this turned into a Susane Colasanti review in general, rather than for When It Happens. Awkward.

This book is honestly such a fun read in my opinion. It took a couple of chapters to get used to the dual point of view--- every other chapter is a different narrator (either Sara or Tobey). But it was just so real. Sara and her friends have such realistic high school problems, like not being the smart friend, worrying about relationships, their parents splitting up, sex, everything that actually happens their senior year. Even Tobey and his friends, with being slackers, and that they're in a band, everything. It's just so realistic. 

And it's just so simple and honest. I know high schoolers don't want to admit this, but all we do is talk about relationships. Okay, at least 95% of the time. Some people would be irritated because it's pretty much only about relationships and how Tobey is trying to steal Sara away from Dave, but I think it's just so honest. Like, that really is what high schoolers do. If you don't say so, you're lying to yourself.

I think Susane did such a good job with this because when she wrote When it Happens, she was still a high school teacher. Props to her.

Five out of five stars, Susane Colasanti. You go, Susane Colasanti.

Carey on: The Moon and More Book Tour

This was my third time meeting Sarah. Once when What Happened to Goodbye came out, and the second was for the paperback tour of WHTG. The event that I went to was held on June 3rd, at The Regulator in Durham, NC. I was lucky, because I live literally twenty minutes from Sarah, that I got to go and see her a day before pub day. It was probably the best night I've had in a while. I sat next to my favorite book bloggers, Magnet 4 Books, Alli and Tiffani, and also met Lauren (Nose in a Book). Alli, Tiffani, and I were the last three people in line to have Sarah sign our books. We got to talk to her for around fifteen, twenty minutes. It was absolutely amazing. Apparently she dated my high school counselor. She actually asked me to record a video message of her to show him so I have a video of her talking directly to me and my counselor and she told me to do it, and I couldn't believe it. I also won the first trivia question (in The Truth About Forever, my favorite book by her, what was Wes's brother's first car when he got his license? AN AMBULANCE, DUH.) and I got this fabulous Colby Reality shirt. It's soooooo soft, and it's perfect for my super bad sunburn right now. And I got some Colby stickers for my car.

Picture time!

"Don't give up on your dreams---- they will soon be a reality!" I thought of this quote literally as I was waiting in line. She signed maybe four of my books at a previous event saying, "Never give up!" I didn't want all of my books to say the same thing, and I thought this was absolutely perfect. As my future is becoming a lot closer, and the possibilities are coming at me, this is so true. Plus, considering the fact that some people I know think that I am way too ambitious. But hey. When I'm a best-selling author, I can rub it in their faces and tell them that they were wrong. 

The morning after the event, I decided to tweet this picture and say, "Reppin Colby Reality! @sarahdessen" and she retweeted me. She never retweets fans!  I literally fangirled so hard.