Sea Change

Sea Change by Aimee Friedman was an okay read. I had this book checked out from the library for roughly a month and a half before I started getting angry overdue email notices that told me I needed to return it, posthaste. It's sad to say that until last week, this book sat in my locker at work for a month and a half waiting for me to crack it open. I wanted to read this book solely for it's cover, yes I'm shallow, but how could you not? It screams of teen cheesiness and of a whirlwind, passionate romance- could it get any better than that? Frankly, yes it can. Although I did like the book on the whole, there were a couple things that I didn't really like about it which shall be addressed later in the post.

For recap, this is a story that could be classified as many things: summer romance, mermen (yum!), coming of age, befriending the popular kids, and more. The main storyline is this: Miranda is a high schooler in New York who plans on doing an internship at the National History Museum but gets spirited away by her mom to Selkie Island, an island off of the coast of Georgia so that they can get their dead grandmother's house ready to sell. Miranda isn't too happy that she has to delay her internship, but goes along because she's a "good" girl. Upon arrival she sees that there are many signs that boast of the danger of the island, and especially the interesting nature of the gorgeous boy "next door" who seems to be falling for her.

I enjoyed this book, though I didn't really like the whole way the "mystery" of the island was approached--it felt to fictional. I couldn't really connect with the main character, even though I did feel her plight, and her mother's descent into Southern Belle socialite bothered me. Other than those hard to overcome flaws, this was a pretty good book--at least one that was enjoyable to read on the whole.

Front and Center

Front and Center by Catherine Murdock, the final installment in the Dairy Queen series (or so the author says, though I'm convinced she may right another one). This one isn't my favorite in the series, but definitely an enjoyable read.

In this installment, D.J. has the daunting task ahead of her of apply for colleges, which petrifies her. Not only does she NOT want to be seen as a "big deal" in sports, but she sure as heck doesn't want to advertise her talent to college scouts and coaches. This book focuses on D.J.'s battle to break free from her awkwardly shy shell as well as how she learns to live after a breakup (and possibly gain a new boyfriend on the side).

This wasn't my favorite book of the series, but I did enjoy reading it, and watching D.J. grow up and learn how to get rid of her fear of greatness. For what it is, this was definitely a good wrap-up to the series, though I would love for Murdock to write another book, just to keep the fun going!

Catching Fire

So I actually read Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins a couple weeks ago, but have been so busy lately that I haven't had time to blog about it, or anything that I've been reading lately. And yes, I got to read it before it even hit the bookstores. I was super pumped to read this book because if you didn't know it's the sequel to The Hunger Games (which you should go out and buy ASAP!), and who wouldn't be excited to read the sequel to a book that freaking blows your mind? I'm sad to say though that Catching Fire was disappointing for me- there I've said it. I can't believe that I said it, but it sucked compared to Hunger Games. I know you can't really compare the two, but this was definitely a letdown. And here's why:

1. Katniss is being her stupid self and trying to "decide" whether she likes Gale as just a friend or considers him MORE than a friend- though she SPECIFICALLY said in Hunger Games that she's NEVER thought of Gale as more than a friend and that she considers him like a BROTHER (see page 10 if you don't believe me). And I quote:
"There's never been anything romantic between Gale and me...You can tell by the way the girls whisper about him when he walks by in school that they want him. It makes me jealous but not for the reason people would think. Good hunting partners are hard to find."
*Take that Lyndi!*

2. Katniss is trying to decide whether she actually likes Peeta or not- more so than what she pretends at for the public. Seriously- make up your mind! If she doesn't take him soon, I will!

3. The story's great and I can see how it would be captivating, but it doesn't move as well as The Hunger Games- it took me roughly 2/3 or the book or so to get into the story, and even then the pages didn't pull me in. The storyline was great and I can see how others thought it was good, but I just couldn't get sucked in. And it didn't help that Katniss kept whining about whether she loved Gale or whether she loved Peeta, blah blah blah. Stop being indecisive!

Those were my main grievances with the novel- you can definitely tell that this book was more of a setup for the third, which may have been why it bombed. It was definitely an intermediary book that had to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time and make connections between the first and third books. Hopefully when I read it again I can get over Katniss' angst and whining and get wrapped up in the story. I hope? Please?

The Luxe

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen: it's good- trust me. Just read it. Though the plot is somewhat predictable and none of the characters seem to be all that likeable, I LOVE this book. I can't wait to read the second one because it's just that good. Godbersen did a FANTASTIC job writing this story and for her first try, she was highly successful.

The Luxe has been called the Gossip Girl series of it's time: it deals with New York Manhattan socialites during the 1899 turn of the century, equipped with all the drama and husband-grabbing as any novel faced with competitive high-society "friends". The book opens with the death of Elizabeth Holland, the brightest society girl of the bunch, and proceeds to go back in time to tell of how Elizabeth came to be dead. We quickly find out that Elizabeth is the perfect product of her society (except for the trysts that she has with the stableboy), that her best friend Penelope Hayes may have had her hand in Elizabeth's death, and that Henry Schoonmaker, Elizabeth's betrothed, may have been having an affair with Elizabeth's sister Diana. Obviously this book is not lacking in plot. This is definitely a fun "romp" through Manhattan's society that I'm sure is still thriving and just as interesting now as it was over 100 years ago.

Though the story took me a couple pages to get into due to the overload of names and people, I quickly found myself being sucked into the story. The funny thing about the book is that even though the different storylines are engaging and you want to keep reading through all forms of distraction, all the characters are unlikable. What I mean is that they ARE likable, but there's still a level of disgust and apathy that you end up feeling for each character- it's weird really and hard to explain. To get what I'm talking about you just have to read it. Although I feel somewhat apathetic towards the characters, The Luxe is one of the better books that I've read recently, and find myself thinking about often. I have the sequel, Rumors checked out, and I can't wait to finish what I'm reading and read it. I hope it's as good as the first.

A Kiss in Time

A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn was one of the best books I've read this year- I may have read other things that were good or okay, but this book was amazing. You know the book is good when you find that you've turned so many pages that you haven't even realized it because you're so caught up in the story. This is the second book I've read by Flinn (the first being Beastly), and I have to say that she does three great things with her writing: she executes the male voice to a "t", she creates a realistic modern day fairytale story, and her writing is so modern and such a great example of the teen voice that it doesn't seem like you're reading but that you're talking to someone.

This novel is told through two different character's narration: Jack, the typical teenager who was sent (against his will) on a tour around Europe with his best friend Travis, and Talia, the (spoiled) Sleeping Beauty-esque princess who ends up pricking her finger on a spindle, sending her entire kingdom into a deep sleep for about 200+ years. Jack and Travis end up stumbling upon Talia's kingdom, and her, when they break away from their boring tour guide to look for a beach, which has the potential to have nude girls. Jack doesn't know why he suddenly has the urge to kiss the beautiful sleeping princess, but once he does he regrets it: Talia is annoying, ungrateful, and used to being pampered. But once Talia comes to and realizes that nothing awaits her in a kingdom that no one realizes exists, she decides to hitch herself to Jack, in the hopes that she can convince him that he is meant for her and is her true love.

I absolutely LOVE this book- it's funny, clever, and was a great spin-off of Sleeping Beauty. I definitely recommend this book- in fact, I'm planning on buying it soon.

Book of a Thousand Days

So I finally finished reading Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale, and I must say that I liked it- not as much as Princess Academy, but definitely more than Goose Girl. I took me a while to get into the story simply because it didn't grasp me at the very beginning, but I trekked on because of all of the rave reviews I had heard about the book. I dare say that I'm glad I didn't put it down, and after the third attempt to read it, I finally finished it.

This book tells the story of Dashti, a mucker girl (somewhat like a farmer), who ends up becoming a lady's maid to the Lady Saren, one of the princesses in the land. Within minutes of Dashti saying she will serve her lady, Lady Saren's father locks both of them within a tower due to Saren's disobedience. As each day dawns, Dashti narrates their lives in locked up solitude, and she quickly learns why they are both locked in the tower; two of Lady Saren's suitors show up outside the tower with intentions to break both girls free. Saren fears both men-especially the one that could harm her and her kingdom, yet refuses to leave the tower out of fear. Though this story is supposed to be a record of the seven years that the girls are in the tower, it's when they both break free that the real story and adventure begins.

Again, this isn't the best thing that I've read by Hale, but it definitely wasn't the worst. I think Shannon Hale's books are hits and misses- you have to find the right one for you. I think the reason why I like Princess Academy so much is because it was the first Shannon Hale book that I read. It's different and it's a different take on the fairytale genre. A lot of people think I'm crazy because I don't like Goose Girl yet think I'm crazy that I like Princess Academy, but again, Goose Girl was the first Shannon Hale book that they read- ergo, they like it. If you're looking for a Shannon Hale book to read, I recommend Princess Academy or Book of a Thousand Days. They didn't fail me, so hopefully they won't for you either!

Lovey Dovey Books

So I always get requests from friends and family to make a personalized list of books for them that they would like. Though I enjoy doing that, I hesitate sometimes to make that type of call for them simply because what if my suggestion backfires? I can't handle that pressure! (Just kidding) Anyway, of course most of my friends are still reeling after finishing the Twilight series and need some happy romance in their lives, no strings attached. I'll try and post summaries about all the books I list, but to satisfy their (and your) needs right now, here's a list of romantic books to fulfill all of your romantic needs:

For Juvenile/Teen Readers:
Boston Jane series
East
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow
The Percy Jackson series (it's there but it may take until the later books to show)
Dragon Slippers series
The Sisters Grimm series (again, it'll take a couple books to show)
Alanna series
Fairest
Ella Enchanted
Once Upon a Time series

For Teen Readers:
Twilight series (obviously)
Blood and Chocolate
Dairy Queen series
Notes from the Midnight Driver (subtle, but it's there)
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series
Graceling (I'm not a huge fan of this book, but you might be)
The Hunger Games
Beastly
Keturah and Lord Death (who doesn't want to date Death?)
The Year My Life Went Down the Loo series (hilarious!)
Eyeliner of the Gods series
All of the Avon True Romance series (the teen versions of "romance novels"- there's nothing bad, I swear!)
The Raging Quiet
Georgia Nichols series (they're British and HILARIOUS!)
The Princess Diaries series
Waiting for Odysseus- Clemence McLaren
Troy- Adele Geras
Sirena
A Great and Terrible Beauty series

For Adult Readers:
Austenland
Practical Magic
Hannah Swensen mystery series (Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, etc.)
Stephanie Plum mystery series (One for the Money, etc.)
Jayhawk- Dorothy Keddington (it's a Mormon book and it may be out of print, but it's good!)
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation series
Girl with a Pearl Earring
Emilie's Voice
The Women of Genesis series- Orson Scott Card
The Virgin Blue
The Other Boleyn Girl
Memoirs of a Geisha
Jemima J

Don't feel limited by the age groups that I've grouped them in. Feel free to read any book from any age group, though of course if you have a child that's in middle school, you're not really going to want them to read the adult group books. However, if you're a teen feel free to read whatever- I know that I read most of the "adult" books when I was in high school.
Also, a lot of these books aren't specifically "romance" books, but have substantial enough romance in them that they can qualify as romances. Enjoy!

The Boston Jane Series

The Boston Jane Trilogy:
An Adventure
Wilderness Days
The Claim



I love these books. I can't tell you how much I love them, but I do. A lot. And the funny thing about them is that I never planned on reading them until a fellow staff member (thanks Sheila!) recommended them to me. This has to be one of my all-time favorite series simply because it's filled with romance and history and a main character that's full of sass and adventure.

The storyline for all three books is that Jane (who is actually from Philadelphia and not Boston) leaves her father and Philadelphia in the hopes of marrying a man that she has had a crush on since he apprenticed with her father, a doctor. He leaves her to become a doctor in Washington (state), and Jane, being the "dutiful" girl that she is, believes that she should follow him to become his wife. What ensues is a fun adventure for Jane of a ridiculously long ship ride to the other side of the country (we're talking going around the base of Southern America!), crazy climate, and a fiance that is nowhere to be seen. I don't want to tell you anything about the other two books because what I write will give away the plot that is set up from the first book, Boston Jane: An Adventure. These books are amazing and too much fun. I definitely stayed up late into the night reading all of them.

Just a note of caution: if you find yourself having a hard time getting through the first book, DO NOT DESPAIR! The first book took me a while to get into, but once you get to the part where Jane is on the ship traveling to Washington, things pick up. Also, the first book was my least favorite- they become better with each new book. Another side note: the second and third books are out of print, so try buying them from a second seller on amazon.com or through a used bookstore.

Paper Towns

Paper Towns by John Green was interesting to say the least. I enjoyed the original format of the story, the witty characters, and the humor that was laced throughout the framework of the book. The main premise of this book is that in one way or another, the entire story revolves around the character Margo Roth Spiegelman. So to get things started, the story is told from the point of view of Quentin Jacobsen, a senior in high school who has been in love with Margo since they were kids, who just so happens to live next door to him. After recounting stories of how odd Margo is, she shows up in the middle of the night outside Quentin's window asking him to join her in a night of revenge filled escapades. What follows is an interesting evening where we get another perspective of Margo that even Quentin didn't know existed.

Once Quentin and Margo both go home after their joyous evening of fun, Quentin can't help but think if Margo will talk to him at school tomorrow, share their inside secrets, or even acknowledge his presence (she is a popular girl after all). Once Quentin gets to school he realizes that Margo isn't there- no biggie, he'll just wait to talk to her later at home. Hopefully she has another night of madness planned. However, four days pass and no one has seen any signs of Margo. The cops are called but her parents aren't worried seeing as this is her 6th or so attempt to run away. They think she'll come home when she wants to, but Quentin isn't so sure- especially when he finds a clue that references the night that they both spent together, which seems to be left specifically for him. What follows next is Quentin's attempt to find Margo, along with his best friends, through the chain of clues that she's left him, hoping that he can bring her back to him when she's seemed to fall off the face of the earth.

I really enjoyed reading the first half of this book, and parts of the second half as well. There were a lot of hilarious parts where I found I had to reign back my laughter because my roommate was asleep in the next bed. The middle of the story, the part where Quentin is trying to connect the clues and find Margo was a little slow, and parts of the story where he's looking for a specific clue could have been edited- it took too long to find Margo through her clues. I know the story is supposed to be somewhat realistic, but Quentin is seriously obsessed with finding her- it would have been nice if Green would have sped up the process to either make it seem like Quentin isn't obsessing over Margo, who seems really odd and wacky, or have him give up at some point.

The ending was not what I expected at all, and looking back, wished that Green could have come up with another ending. Once you find out what happens, it's kind of a letdown. Other than that, the story is enjoyable, and worth reading.

Practical Magic

Practical Magic has entered the realm of books on my favorites list. I just finished reading it a week ago and loved it even more than I would have if I had read it at another time during the year because it's a good summer read. The subject of magic and love and the descriptions of the East Coast surround you and transport you to the Owens' front yard.

To try to sum it up, this book is about the Owens women who have been branded by their little town as witches (which is not entirely untrue)- Gillian and Sally Owens were forced to live with their two Aunts when their parents were killed in a fire that destroyed their home. Though the girls are sisters, they could not be more unlike each other (in all things except for their beauty). Sally is dependable, rational, and cautious while Gillian is hell on wheels, a flirt and lazy. Through each girls' experience we learn about the Owens women and why it seems that trouble is always just around the corner for them. The girls quickly learn that in the Aunts' home, as long as they are kept alone to do their work, they can do whatever they want, which launches Sally into the role of a homemaker and Gillian into her role of spoiled brat (who leaves a wake of exes in her path).

The ideas of magic and love are tossed around throughout the novel, and as the book goes on we read how each sister approaches love: Gillian is stuck in an abusive relationship that she can only get out of with the help of her sister, and once Sally's husband dies, leaving her alone with two daughters (who just so happen to be mini-replicas of herself and Gillian), she bans any form of love that comes her way. If anything, this novel teaches us about love and magic, and what happens when we refuse to recognize either. I loved this book, and I loved it so much that I'm definitely considering reading it every year at about this time.

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins renewed my fervor in late night/early morning reading. Let me tell you- it's been a long time since I've read anything this good. Prior to reading Hunger Games, I felt as if I was in a reading rut. Almost all of my reading selection for a couple months previous to Hunger Games consisted of material that was "so-so" and felt like nothing special. Then this little book came along and it punched my senses alive. So to kick off this summary, here goes (it may get a little confusing though, but stick with it):

The best way to describe this book is that it's a combination of these key elements: gladiators, reality tv, and Lord of the Flies (with a little love story thrown in). I know this sounds like a recipe for disaster, but Collins did an amazing job of creating a melting pot of a story. So for some back story: Katniss (yes, that is the name of a girl, and try not to let her name send thoughts of "cat piss" into your mind like it did for me) is the main character living in a world of chaos. The story is based in a futuristic version of the US with the country being separated into 12 districts each monitored by the capital (set loosely in the Rocky Mountains) with the first district being the closest to the capital, and then the second next to that, and so on. Each district specializes in a certain occupation with the first district being the most lavish and the twelfth getting the lucky job of mining coal. Katniss is one of the lucky children living within the 12th district, fighting a rough war against starvation for herself and her family.

The world is like this and set up into districts that the government could care less about because decades ago all the people tried to revolt against the capital and stage a coup that backfired and resulted in the Hunger Games that is meant to keep each district in line. Every year the hunger games take place, which consist of a boy and girl ages 12-18 from each district being selected to compete on live tv to fight for their lives. Everyone is required to watch the games, even those whose children are fighting for their lives. The winner of the games is essentially the last person standing, and that individual gets riches and wealth not only given to their family, but showered upon their district for the entire year (which includes food-the most important thing for district 12 since they have little).

Katniss ends up being selected to participate in the games and is whisked to the capital to begin "training" for tv interviews, skill appraisal, and national appearances a week prior to the games starting. Since Katniss has had to poach illegally from the capital's forest for game for her family, she's skilled with a bow and arrow which ends up marking her a higher ranking contender for when the games are to start.

I don't want to give anything else away because it would give away too much, but know that this book sucked me in with its premise and the feelings of hopelessness and the struggle for survival that the contenders have. Collins is an excellent writer and did a great job of setting up an eventful story. Though the content may seem a little "adult" with the idea of fighting to the death, the story is definitely appropriate for younger teen or tween readers. I've recommended this book to anyone I can and I hope you pick it up at your local library or book store (though you may be put on a waiting list for it because it's being endorsed by Stephenie Meyer).

The Princess of the Midnight Ball

Jessica Day George has done it again with another fairytale classic in The Princess of the Midnight Ball. Not unlike Sun and Moon Ice and Snow in the reconstruction of a classic fairytale, Midnight Ball does the same yet tells the story from the point of view from both protagonists (male and female). This is a retelling of the twelve dancing princesses with a twist that I've never read of before.

Rose is the oldest of 12 daughters (all have names of flowers) and the princess of a land that seems to be based loosely on Germany. Each night she and her sisters are forced to dance for King Under Stone to fulfill the contract that their mother made with him prior to her death. The girls are forced to dance all hours of the night, every night, driving them and their father insane. The other protagonist, Galen, is a soldier returning from war. He tries to transition from the life of a soldier to that of working as a gardener in the King's garden, and ends up falling for Rose. At this time the King has posted a reward for the prize of one of his daughter's hands, and his kingdom, to figure out the riddle of where his daughters go each night, and how they escape when he locks them into their bedroom. I won't give the rest away, but I'm sure you can predict the ending (it is a fairytale after all).

Overall I really enjoyed this book, though it was odd for the narrator to switch from Rose to Galen and back again. I think the part that really freaked me out was reading how Galen felt about Rose (don't worry- it's just puppy love). Just hearing romantic thoughts from a male perspective was just a little freaky and unusual seeing as I've never been inside the head of a boy. I did like this book a lot though but just not as much as the book I've read by her, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow.

East of the Sun, West of the Moon

This Norwegian fairy tale is one of my favorites and I've read two versions that have been good spins on the classic tale. Edith Pattou's East and Jessica Day George's Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow both tell the same tell, but are different in many ways that you wouldn't think that they were originated from the same tale, except for of course the key elements that claim it as the classic. Both books were entertaining, and I recommend them to everyone. It's refreshing to read a fairytale once in a while that hasn't been slaughtered by Disney (not saying that Disney ruins everything, they just enhance/create new stories). When I read both books I couldn't help but finish them once I had started. Though I pretty much knew how both were going to end (it is a little predictable because it's a fairytale and so you know it's going to have a happy ending) but it's the journey that it took to get to that happy ending.

Just in case you were wondering, the basic gist of the story is that the main character is the youngest of several children, born to a family that is struggling to survive. As she grows up she learns that something greater is awaiting her in her future, which is about the time that a great white polar bear shows up at her front door demanding that she live with him. Realizing that her destiny is awaiting, and with the prodding of her parents to embark (due to the bounteous riches she and her family will gain if she goes) she decides to leave. She ends up in an elaborate castle with anything and everything she's ever wanted, though at night when she lies down to sleep, a man gets into bed with her (not like THAT) and sleeps beside her. She is plagued by the mystery of who the man is because it's too dark to see him each night, and each morning when she wakes he is no longer there.

I don't want to tell anymore of the story because if I do I'll give the second half of the story away, but just know that both books are phenomenal and great reads.

I'm On the Fence About This One

My friend came into work the other day and returned the book Dairy Queen, which I then asked if it was any good. Her response took a couple seconds, and then said (more or less), "Yeah...it was okay. There's nothing too special about it; I didn't really think it was good, but then there were times as I was reading it that I found I couldn't put it down. I mean, I knew that it wasn't that great, but for some reason I couldn't stop reading it. I guess that means it's good." I was intrigued and so instead of reading all the other books that were (and still are) piled on my desk, read this one instead. I found that her recommendation of this book pretty much sums it up. To give you a brief synopsis of what it's about, here goes: a girl who has 2 older brothers who play football, and a younger one who is destined for NFL greatness is set among a dairy farm in Wisconsin. She (D.J.) is forced (for lack of a better word) being the only one in her family who can milk the cows and take care of the farm due to her father's bad hip and her brothers' star careers in sports. As the book goes on D.J. ends up training the star quarter back of the rival high school's football team all summer and learns how to overcome her social awkwardness, inexperience with boys (other than her jock brothers), develops a voice (in the literal sense; she rarely talks), and learns to embrace herself and try out for her high school's football team. The first half of the book was mediocre, but once D.J. made the decision to try out for football, things picked up. My friend's opinion of the book sums up perfectly how I felt once I finished it. However, because the second half of the book showed promise, I'm now reading the sequel, The Off Season. I know. Go figure.