Review: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Description: “Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
“Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend’s restless spirit.

In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multiple-award-winning Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia’s descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery.

Language: Moderate

Violence: Moderate (about eating disorders, death, etc.)

Sexual: Mild

This book touched a lot of issues, not just my own but for many other teenage girls (and some boys) who feel as though they will never be perfect until they lose that last pound. There was a time that I was a bit like Lia was— not as bad as she was with her eating habits (counting calories, stepping on scale and checking weight twenty times a day in hopes of achieving those goals, etc.), but if I continued there would be a high chance I would be like her today, or worse.

I believe that the beginning of the story can be a very big trigger for someone who is immune to or struggling with an eating disorder, and especially someone who is bullied or just wants this for themselves. If you want to begin this story, I feel I have to be honest with this. Eating disorders are not something to play around with; they are very dangerous and can very well leave you alone in a dirty old motel room dead, such as Lia’s friend. Because I know more about eating disorders than I’d care to admit and I know how it works extremely well by now, this novel did not affect me as much as it could others who are new to this or struggling with it. But it still had a large significance to the reason I had to stop telling myself what I was doing was wrong and to stop doing it. Even though I still feel bad about eating, whether it is a larger portion or a minimum, I know what could happen if I stop overall and I definitely know I do not want this to happen.

This being admitted, just beware before you begin this. But I do believe that this is a good book for someone to read. It touches on a level that many people are afraid to get into, and I respect the author for going into the deepest depths of the story. If you are as empathetic as I am, you will be swimming in the wide sea of transitions and countless issues that you have faced or are on the weak level of fronting.

Cover: I like the cover, because it is unique and has that feel to it that makes you want to crack that spine and read the book from start to finish.

Setting: The setting was never mentioned, but as it was snowing and the author is also from this specific location, I would assume the novel takes place in New York.

Characters: The lead character in the story, Lia, although a strong girl, obliviously forces more problems onto herself instead of washing them away in the sink her blood goes down the drain into. She cannot go to her father, who watches her every move as though she were some spectacle until wary observation, nor can she go to her stepmother or her real mother, the woman who basically abandoned her. Her younger sister is adorable and tries to help Lia in ways only a young child will try. Although their commitment to her is unwavering, Lia shoves their love and help away from her as she continues on, not wanting to be the girl everyone labels fat and ugly. She doesn’t accept any help until it is forced upon her by those she never expected would enter into her life and would comfort her the way they did.

Storyline: The storyline is a sad but relatable and touches on issues some authors have been afraid to pursue. It is quite helpful in some aspects, but you should beware with the beginning because it can be a trigger to the gun that is bulimia and depression.

Writing: The descriptions in the book enthralled me, especially the ones about food and her cutting (as horrible as it may sound, this has always interested me), and the imagery was utterly amazing. It has just the right amount of simplicity in some areas and the perfect amount of definition in others.

Surprises: There might be a few surprises to many others who have never read reviews or heard about this specific story before, but considering I have foolishly done this, the ending was a bit spoiled for me. It did, however, end the way I would have liked for Lia and those who care about her.

Overall: 4.5 stars. A very moving piece, this story is not one that anyone can easily forget after reading. Do not pick this book up if you are squeamish, for it has cutting and several disorders mentioned.

Recommended: I would recommend this story to the older teen crowd or those who are more mature, as it has serious issues involved in it, and those who are either struggling with the same problem or have a friend or family member who are, so they could help and advise them.

Review: Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison

There are six things very wrong with my life:

1. I have one of those under-the-skin spots that will never come to a head but lurk in a red way for the next two years.

2. It is on my nose

3. I have a three-year-old sister who may have peed somewhere in my room.

4. In fourteen days the summer hols will be over and then it will be back to Stalag 14 and Oberfuhrer Frau Simpson and her bunch of sadistic teachers.

5. I am very ugly and need to go into an ugly home.

6. I went to a party dressed as a stuffed olive.

In this wildly funny journal of a year in the life of Georgia Nicolson, British author Louise Rennison has perfectly captured the soaring joys and bottomless angst of being a teenager. In the spirit of Bridget Jones's Diary, this fresh, irreverent, and simply hilarious book will leave you laughing out loud. As Georgia would say, it's "Fabbity fab fab!"

Language: Mild (British slang)

Violence: Very Mild

Sexual: Mild/Moderate (descriptive kissing)

When I picked up Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging, I was hoping for a light read that would make me laugh my head off. It was a light read, I can assure you, for nothing besides the “drama” of everyday life and the trials of growing up and learning that not everything will end perfectly or the way you imagined, but in other ways, it dragged on in some parts and showed the story rather than letting us see it through our imaginations.

It wasn’t that I necessarily dislike the book, but I just felt it to be very juvenile on some things and too mature on others. For instance, Georgia’s list was a bit too…much for me. It was vague, but I didn’t really appreciate it. Obviously the details in it were not vague, but it never went further than kissing. Nonetheless, most of the story was about Georgia learning how to kiss, deal with life, boys, and other things that caused all kinds of refreshing angst.

Cover: I will be honest when I say that I am not a fan of this version of the cover. Yes, it shows some of her uniform, plus the cat at the bottom is a nice touch, but it’s too cartoony for my taste. Once the cover jacket is off, however, it is a plaid design, and I do like that one much better so I shall uncharacteristically put it up on my bookshelf in that way.

Setting: UK.

Characters: I am not going to go through all of the characters in the story, because of how many there were and this is a quick review, but I will say that many of them were whiney and troublesome in their own ways. For example: all Georgia seemed to care about was herself and what she wanted and who she wanted to be with (this was the case with many of the characters). Her parents were hardly in the story at all, merely mentioned at times, but it was odd how she saw them, considering how they had the mental ability of her toddler sister, in her eyes.

Storyline: A coming-of-age story about a girl who feels the need to show the world she is grown up, and in doing so acting immature as she discovers the world of boys, kissing, real friends, and dealing with her parents and little sister who poops in the secret corners of Georgia’s bedroom.

Writing: The writing style is all right. You can definitely tell that the author is trying to write from a naïve fourteen year old’s point of view, in an amusing manner.

Surprises: There weren’t a whole lot surprises, but that was probably because I decided it was a “good idea” to watch the movie beforehand (although I watched it around two months ago). Where there weren’t many surprises, it was replaced by a lot of amusing moments.

Overall: 3 stars. Although it wasn’t the most intellectual read, it was pretty funny at times and seeing Georgia mess up and her friends be corky and amusing was pretty entertaining to read about. So whether or not you have the right sense of humor for this novel, there has to be on aspect of it you can appreciate.

Recommended: I recommend this one to all people who want a funny and entertaining read, whether you are young or just young at heart.

—“Look, I can't go out with you, because...because...because I'm a lesbian.” 

—“When uncle Eddie does his impression of 'Like a Virgin' it's like Madonna is coming out of his body!'
Christ what an image.”

Review: Choker by Elizabeth Woods

Description: Sixteen-year-old Cara Lange has been a loner ever since she moved away from her best and only friend, Zoe, years ago. She eats lunch with the other girls from the track team, but they're not really her friends. Mostly she spends her time watching Ethan Gray from a distance, wishing he would finally notice her, and avoiding the popular girls who call her "Choker" after a humiliating incident in the cafeteria. 

Then one day Cara comes home to find Zoe waiting for her. Zoe's on the run from problems at home, and Cara agrees to help her hide. With her best friend back, Cara's life changes overnight. Zoe gives her a new look and new confidence, and next thing she knows, she's getting invited to parties and flirting with Ethan. Best of all, she has her BFF there to confide in. 

But just as quickly as Cara's life came together, it starts to unravel. A girl goes missing in her town, and everyone is a suspect—including Ethan. Worse still, Zoe starts behaving strangely, and Cara begins to wonder what exactly her friend does all day when she's at school. You're supposed to trust your best friend no matter what, but what if she turns into a total stranger?

Language: Moderate/Heavy

Violence: Moderate/Heavy

Sexual: Mild

There is no way I can write this review without having some spoilers. So you have been warned. Read further at your own risk.

Cara is a girl nobody has paid much attention to since she moved to this new town full of fresh starts and new opportunities. But she doesn’t see this in that optimistic fashion, and therefore does not seem to make a huge effort to make any new friends. She is pretty much invisible until she gets distracted staring at Ethan and a baby carrot gets lodged in her windpipe, and that is where the bullying really begins.

Choker.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons Zoe dislikes Alexis and Sydney so much; firstly, because Alexis is Ethan’s girlfriend, and secondly, because Sydney and Alexis have never been on a good side with Cara, despite the fact that she did nothing to bother them besides that Heimlich situation. The thing is, Zoe is very close to Cara and would do absolutely anything to help her out.

Anything.

Lost in a web of accusations and crime, Cara practically watches from the sidelines as one girl is found dead, and not too long afterwards she hears of another girl missing. What little remorse Cara has for the fact that the two bullies are dead and missing is long gone. Or at least, it is for Zoe.

But lately, Zoe has been extremely odd. Cara’s mother’s cat is scratching at her at any chance he can get, and let’s not forget the fact that she continues leaving Cara’s room and going to the fairly-abandoned farm. Something is definitely up with Zoe, but she doesn’t let Cara even ask what her problem is. Now her parents are getting suspicious and, as it always been, it’s all Zoe’s fault.

You should be grateful.

And Clara should be grateful she has her best friend back. And she is at first, until she watches her best friend slowly wither away before her very eyes. Is she sick? And why does she disappear in all the opportune moments?

I did all of this for you.

In Choker, you won’t just discover things aren’t always stated by-the-book, nor will you just understand more about Clara or Zoe. By the time you finish reading this thrilling adventure, you will also discover a little bit more about yourself. It will leave you thinking long after you finish it and then some.

But remember one last thing.

Be careful not to choke.

Cover: I really like this cover, but I wish it had more to do with the actual story behind it. I’m wondering if the rose on the cover relates to the phrase: “Every rose has its thorn.”

Setting: A small town, high school filled with drama, and a realization that puts Cara way in over her head.

Characters: Cara is a girl who feels secluded, nervousness, and slight depression because she moved away from her “friend.” Because of some of the things she said and did, she was not my favorite character, but the story leaks out strong emotion coming from her and her reactions were realistic, and I enjoyed that.

-Zoe: from who Cara remembers as a nice but mischievous friend she left back home is slowly dissipating the more she comes to know Zoe after she finds her randomly sitting on her bed.

-Cara’s parents: although caring, they can be a little overprotective of her at times. The amount of times they were asking her if she was okay made me sigh along with Cara. But as the story progressed, I understood the reason for their worries.

-Ethan, Alexis, and Sidney: also known as the popular crowd, Ethan, a sweet and thoughtful boy who Cara has a crush on but happens to be dating a very protective, jealous, rude, and catty Alexis. Sidney is Alexis’ best friend, who is more of the side-kick, but is very close to Alexis nonetheless.

Storyline: A depressed girl finds herself wound deep in a terrifying adventure after she finds her best friend she moved away from sitting on her bed one day.

Writing: Honestly, I liked the writing. It described the emotions of Cara very well and the descriptions of the murders weren’t over-the-topic but still specific, something the squeamish readers will appreciate.

Surprises: The end made my jaw drop. There was some predictability in this book, but the ending was heartbreaking.

Overall: 4.5 stars. If you want a quick read that’ll keep you interested, this one is for you.

Recommended: I would definitely recommend Choker. Read this if you love a good psychological thriller that isn’t freaky enough to make you sleep with the lights on, but is scary enough to make you look over your shoulder and sneak into your own intricate personalities.

Review: Tempestuous by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes

Description: Recently banished, unfairly, by the school’s popular crowd, former “it girl,” Miranda Prospero, finds herself in a brave new world: holding dominion amongst a rag-tag crew of geeks and misfits where she works at the Hot-Dog Kabob in the food court of her local mall. When the worst winter storm of the season causes mall workers and last-minute shoppers to be snowed-in for the night, Miranda seizes the opportunity to get revenge against the catty clique behind her social exile. With help from her delightfully dweeby coworker, Ariel, and a sullen loner named Caleb who works at the mall’s nearby gaming and magic shop, Miranda uses charm and trickery to set things to right during this spirited take on Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

Language: Moderate

Violence: Mild (there’s a mention of robbers who steal laptops, iPods, etc. in the mall, and some cases of revenge, some risky and including BB guns)

Sexual: Mild (a few kisses and innuendo)

Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for providing me with an ARC.

Have you ever had that feeling where the pacing is so slow that you feel you’ll lose interest in it quickly, and yet at the last moment when you’re about to close the book, you just need to find out how the book will end? That’s how I felt after finishing Tempestuous.

I’ve never read The Tempest by William Shakespeare, so I had to go on Spark Notes and find more details on it, because I searched Barnes & Noble’s website for a vague description, but it only told me things on the physical book, rather than the story on the inside. So, after reading the summary off Spark Notes, I understood a bit more about Tempestuous. It’s actually semi-amusing to me the way the authors modernized and twisted this story until it was molded into their own creation. I appreciate that. It takes guts to try to modernize a Shakespeare masterpiece, and so I give a round of applause for Kim Askew and Amy Helmes.

This being said, there are a few things in the book I didn’t appreciate. I didn’t like how everyone but Caleb was practically a slave to Miranda; I don’t know if this was the case in the original Shakespeare play, but I’m going to go on a whim and say it is this similar class, and if it is, I apologize for the negativity on that part. Still, I felt the whole grudge on her ex-friends and ex-boyfriend went on for a bit too long. I realize Brian cheated on her with her best friend, but the revenge seemed an inch below her level.

Other than the few things I didn’t care for, this was a pretty good book. There were some slow moments, some that weren’t as interesting, but even the lesser intriguing parts was still well written and made me want to continue on with the story.

The title of this book was actually what captured my attention—“Tempestuous: A Twisted Lit Novel.” If that doesn’t get you to read through the synopsis, I don’t know what will. Twisted Lit? I’m a fan of all old stories that have been manipulated into modern literature, and that’s the main reason I requested this one.

There was another thing I loved about this book. Actually, two things: firstly, this entire book takes place in a little more than one day (how cool is that?), and secondly, the chemistry that grew between Miranda and Caleb had a force to the readers that’ll have them cheering for them.

Now, I don’t know if you will fall upon the same issues I have with this novel, or if you will find it as surprising as I did, but take a chance and pick up this book. It’s not one you can easily forget.

Cover: I like the cover. It reminds me of a mall fountain mixed with an Old Roman/Grecian one, but that was probably the point, right? The soda on it is cute as well.

Setting: The local mall.

Characters: Miranda is a girl who can be very self-centered at times. It makes sense that her nickname is “princess,” because it seems she has many people wrapped around her finger, especially her friend and coworker Ariel, who she sends off to get revenge for her on her two ex-friends, even though those friends did nothing but emotionally hurt Miranda and her “friends.” (Really, it was Brian and Rachel who were to blame.) But thankfully, I got to know her better as the story progressed, and she isn’t as bad as I thought.

-Caleb is a character all in his own. I love how he doesn’t put up with Miranda’s crap, and points out her selfishness whenever there’s a chance. It seems as though he doesn’t care about what anyone thinks about him, and I like that about him, too, along with the fact that he has just an edge of bad boy genes in him.

-Chad and the other jocks Miranda accuses of being “nut-logs,” some of which include the infamous band, aren’t all that bad. They aren’t exactly the nicest people in the world, but they’re much better than Brian is, that’s for sure.

-Whitney, Britney, Rachel, and Brian were all complete jerks at the beginning of the story, especially towards Miranda, Ariel, and Caleb. Although Brian remains a player and the three besties’ eyes are only set on revenge, and I did get more than a little tired of reading about this, the story wouldn’t be as interesting without them.

Storyline: Teenagers get locked in a mall after being snowed in.

Writing: The writing is okay, in my opinion. It’s a little amusing at times, while the narrator can also appear snotty at others.

Surprises: (A small spoiler here.) I know this sounds a little weird, but I laughed so much at the thought of Caleb, Chad, and a few other guys in a band together. Just picture a sarcastic and stony-looking guy who works at a game store wearing a magician’s cape with a jock in another funny costume playing guitar and drums together. Laughing yet? No? Okay. Other than this, there actually weren’t a whole lot of surprises until the very end. The rest was more amusing than surprising, however.

Overall: 4 stars. This is interesting story that others may have enjoyed somewhat more than I did, but I did give it the rating I think it deserved. Like I said before, I really like Shakespeare, although I’ve only read a few of his works, and this was an intriguing and exciting book for me.

Recommended: I’d recommend this one to all who love Shakespeare and would be interested in reading a twist on the story all the fans know and enjoy.

—“Remind me why I'm doing this again?" I whispered back.
“For your real friends, of course: Me, Caleb, and Chad.”
“That's sweet of you to say, but I'm not sure we're all friends. Mr. Darcy over here," I indicated Caleb with a nod, "finds me barely tolerable.”

—“Where are you taking me?” he asked.

“To Got Games for a pair of those trick handcuffs,” I said. “I’m not letting you get away so easy this time.”

Review: Skinny by Donna Cooner

Description: Find your voice.

Hopeless. Freak. Elephant. Pitiful. These are the words of Skinny, the vicious voice that lives inside fifteen-year-old Ever Davies’s head. Skinny tells Ever all the dark thoughts her classmates have about her. Ever knows she weighs over three hundred pounds, knows she’ll probably never be loved, and Skinny makes sure she never forgets it. 

But there is another voice: Ever’s singing voice, which is beautiful but has been silenced by Skinny. Partly in the hopes of trying out for the school musical—and partly to try and save her own life—Ever decides to undergo a risky surgery that may help her lose weight and start over.

With the support of her best friend, Ever begins the uphill battle toward change. But demons, she finds, are not so easy to shake, not even as she sheds pounds. Because Skinny is still around. And Ever will have to confront that voice before she can truly find her own.

Language: None (besides the term "sucks" and whatnot)

Violence: Mild (mostly talk of surgery, side effects, etc.)

Sexual: Mild (a few brief kisses)

I have to be honest here: this story really hit home hard.

I’ve never been three hundred and two pounds, but there was a time when I weighed a lot more than I do now. So I could relate to Ever. I remember feeling as she did; invisible, lonely, feeling as though nobody gave a crap whether you were in the room or not, as long as you didn’t bother them too long or even at all. I was scared of what people thought of me, and I had a voice like Skinny in my head. I still do, but that won’t change. Like her, I managed to push it out, but it still appears every so often.

The author of this story went through many things Ever did, both emotionally and physically. Cooner had done gastric-bypass surgery herself and is said to still be struggling with her weight. Now, I don’t know the situation she was in, but if she was feeling like Ever had, then I would say she was a brave person for doing the surgery.

In my experience, I could understand why Ever wanted to give up on trying to lose weight and just go through with the risky gastric-bypass surgery. There was nothing that was working for her. For me, I never went through with that, was too scared to even think of the possibility. Maybe that was something that annoyed me about Ever, how she seemed to grow tired of even trying to lose the fat on her own. She simply gave up trying and went deep into something that could kill her. At least it sounded like she gave up, because it didn’t mention her ever exercising on her own.

I don’t want to say that gastric-bypass is wrong, because it has helped a lot of people. Apart from this, it has also damaged or killed many people as well. Perhaps not as many, but definitely quite a few in this situation have. Honestly, since I’ve thankfully never been three hundred pounds, I can’t say whether or not I would go through with the surgery. So my opinions, if you’ve been in the situation, you will have to excuse me on, as I’ve never experienced it.

Putting this aside, there was something that bothered me about Ever. She was mean, and that probably had more to do with why it appeared to her many people disliked her than the fact that she was overweight. This thought hadn’t even occurred to her, however, and she assumed it was her obesity. Another thing: the main reason she went through the surgery was to get her life-long crush, Jackson, to like her again. I don’t appreciate this, how she didn’t just do it for herself. No, it was for someone else. Someone who didn’t even like her in the end.

In the end, she discovered she was only in love with the memory of Jackson, rather than the physical boy. There were a lot of things I wanted to yell at her (as well as yelling at Skinny to shut up constantly), and things I felt she could have realized sooner. I could relate to her in a lot of ways, yeah, but I don’t think I would have done some of the things she did, like dissing the only person who actually cared about her.

Despite everything that annoyed me, everything that was a touchy subject for me, and everything I felt could have been put differently, this was a realistic read that has taught me many things about myself. Much like Ever, I’ve learned to not care as much what everyone else thinks about me, and to know more about myself and the answer to the issues that have unfolded in the past.

The main thing is, don’t listen to that voice in your head. You may be able to overcome it, but don’t even listen to it telling you to give up. If you’re in this situation, or you know someone in this situation, tell them or yourself that you can do this, you can fight this, and you can’t just give up and lose everything you gained. Push Skinny away and keep the hope rising up above your head.

Cover: This cover is actually one of my favorite contemporary ones. Something I noticed about it, though, is if you look at the author’s picture, the cover model on Skinny looks impeccably similar, albeit a younger version of the author. Maybe it’s just me, though.

Setting: High school.

Characters: Ever. At times I felt bad for her, but most of the time she annoyed me. Honestly, she cares way too much about how others think of her. I feel like it took her too long to realize that life isn’t about being thin or popular.

-Rat. The kind-hearted, smart, and gentle person who sees what’s on the inside verses outside appearances. Maybe that’s why I love him. He can be sweet, but at the same time logical and humorous. Because of how much I enjoyed reading about him, I felt offended myself if someone called him geeky-looking.

-Briella and Whitney: the two have something in common at the beginning, how they both appear self-centered. But as I continued reading, I found that Briella feels insecure and dumb most of the time, and just wants a friend. Whitney, however, is exactly as I thought she would be: selfish and an attention-whore.

-Kristen. She’s a refreshing, nervous girl, who Ever seems to prefer to at first be nice to.

-Jackson. I knew you were up to no good, you jerk.

Storyline: An obese teenager risking gastric-bypass surgery to lose weight.

Writing: I enjoyed this writing, but at times Ever did irritate me (as she is the narrator, I felt I had to include this).

Surprises: There actually weren’t many surprises for me in this one. It was fairly predictable, but there was something about that I liked. There are hardly any books I prefer this with, but Skinny was unique enough for this case.

Overall: 4.5 stars. Skinny is an emotional whirlwind that touches sensitive issues on obesity, the desperate feeling of wanted to be loved, and the loneliness that resurfaces and makes you feel worthless.

Recommended: I would recommend this book to anyone who ever feels invisible or thinks of themselves as a project that can never be altered enough for perfection.

—“I loved you when you were three hundred and two pounds, and I love you now." -Rat

—It just wasn't fair. God made some people naturally skinny and some people naturally fat. I'd never know how my life would have been different if I'd been one of the ones He made skinny. I didn't know how He chose. This one will be blonde, with long thin legs and great skin. This one will be short and fat with legs that rub together when she walks. I just knew I wasn't one of the lucky ones.

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Description: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series--dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

Language: Mild

Violence: Heavy

Sexual: Mild

Take a journey through the future, where everyone is able to choose a category they fit best in at age sixteen; a place where you will stay and follow the rules, or else you will be factionless and tossed into the streets, with few to help you get by.

Let me just get this fact out there in the open: I fell in love with Divergent.

Basically we are all Divergent. Our attitudes and actions are mixed together between all the factions. In this time, Divergence is normal. It’s what everyone is. But in this novel, Divergent may as well be a demon sent from hell. It’s unusual and yet not unexpected to not make it into any of the “normal” factions, but you will either be factionless or executed. You can act like you fit in, follow the rules, or you can take charge and fight for what’s right, with the high possibility of making it through the battle.

Many deaths were in this book, a whole lot of action and suspense that’ll make you chew on your nails in nervousness and almost fall right off the edge of your seat, and a romance that wasn’t over the top, which I was happy about. It’s awful when a gushy romance is too much for the story and it coats it in gooey insta-love, which also wasn’t the case here.

This book left me thinking long after I pried my eyes away from the intriguing story. How would you handle being brought up to be someone you aren’t? What would you do if you didn’t fit in any of the factions, if you didn’t want to follow the rules, and if you knew this world you lived in wasn’t fair and you would be willing to follow Tris and risk your life and others’ lives?

Cover: I love the cover! It’s very fitting, in my opinion, and original. Simple covers do not mean the story isn’t amazing.

Setting: A Dystopian world where everything is chosen for you.

Characters: Four: the man who is basically the assistant trainer in Divergent. He’s cruel, stubborn, and will push anyone their hardest. But deep down, he has a kind heart and will do anything to protect those he loves.

-Tris: the willful girl who is strong, fierce, and is still human enough that she is compassionate and tries to protect everyone, no matter the cost. Whether it’s putting her own life on the line or training in battle, Tris will win you over. And hopefully she will win the battle for the truth as well.

-Al: the betrayer. That’s all I have to say.

-Christina and Will: they were some of my favorite characters as well. Even though it seems more time than not that Christina should just shut her mouth and keep quiet, she was a great secondary character and won me over, along with the accompaniment of Will, who actually wasn’t in the book as much, but I loved him just the same and was extremely sad when… well, I can’t say…

-Peter, Molly, and Derek: I hate them. Sure, they’re Dauntless, but I wouldn’t call them brave. Brave people wouldn’t hurt others for the sake of winning the game or for their own benefit. That’s just cruel.

-Eric and others: most others were ones I had a strong dislike for, especially Eric. There were a few others that I do like, whose names have oddly escaped my mind at the moment…

Storyline: The beginning of this novel starts off as the usual Dystopian tale, which made me somewhat hesitant to continue if I hadn’t been sucked right into the story. But rest assured that this book is nothing like the usual ones out there. Just read it and you will understand.

Writing: It was so easy for me to lose myself in Tris’s voice. It’s right between simple and elaborate, but exceptionally enthralling and intriguing. It makes me feel as though I’m actually walking through this Dystopian world, following the rules and then breaking them, going through dangers and risking my life for those I love, right along with Tris, instead of making me feel like I’m just reading it.

Surprises: There were so many things in this book that I never saw coming, but I find I can’t state these surprises unless I want to spoil it for all of you. Which is tempting, but not my thing.

Overall: 5 stars! This book is one of the best that I’ve read in 2012. Even if you’re not a fan of the particular genre, there is everything in here that I can guarantee you will love if you give it a chance.

Recommended: I would recommend this book for years thirteen and over and for all of those who love unique Dystopian stories.

-         -“I might be in love with you.” He smiles a little. “I'm waiting until I'm sure to tell you, though.”

-         -“We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.”

-         - “Peter would probably throw a party if I stopped breathing.'

“Well,” he says, “I would only go if there was cake.”

-         - “Becoming fearless isn't the point. That's impossible. It's learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it.” 

-         -“Sometimes crying or laughing are the only options left, and laughing feels better right now.” 

-          -“I am selfish. I am brave.” 

Review: Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Description: Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

Language: Heavy

Violence: Moderate/Heavy

Sexual: Moderate

   I have several different emotions souring through me after reading this book. Anticipation, adoration, the need for more, and an even stronger love for the story itself and Daemon and Katy; nothing was boring to me and there were only a few typos in the eBook version, which I forced myself to ignore and focus on the greatness of the overall book.

   There were so many things I want to point out, but that would be spoiling the whole thing for you guys. But it’s so hard not to gush about it! I mean, just think about it. Daemon: he’s his amazing and arrogant self who will make you wish you had a Daemon of your own just to cuddle with, despite the fact that he’s an alien. Oh, and Katy? She’s even feistier. Just register all of this.

   Overall, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat, but at the same time releasing a breath you hadn’t known you’d been holding.

Cover: I love all the covers! The models on the cover (aka Pepe Toth and Sztella Tziotziosz) resemble the characters I’ve imagined as Katy and Daemon extremely well. The couple looks very well together, and I really like the background as well as not just the models.

Setting: West Virginia.

Characters: It’s pretty obvious who my favorite character is: Daemon. Oh, Daemon. Who wouldn’t like him? The reason I like him is because, well… Daemon is Daemon. The sarcastic, charming Daemon. And I don’t like him just because he’s hot. Even though he can be rude and definitely envious, it’s almost impossible for most people not to fall for him, much like Katy did (another one of my favorite characters, who is feisty and somewhat relatable), even though she denies it through most of the book, which I found quite annoying.

Storyline: Onyx starts right where Obsidian leaves off. The entire storyline I found was awesome and flowed really well. Very suspenseful and intriguing, but I will say no more because no one likes a spoiler.

Writing: I absolutely adore the writing style of this! It makes me never want to stop reading the book, but once it’s finished, I’m begging for more.

Surprises: There were quite a few things I didn’t see coming laid out sporadically throughout the book, ones that made my jaw drop. There was rarely a dull moment in this story—heck, in this series in itself—but this is to be expected.

Overall: 5 stars! Once again, Jennifer L. Armentrout does not disappoint. She is one of my all-time favorite authors, one who you can be guaranteed will have a great and intriguing romance, an interesting and thrilling story, and loveable and wonderful characters included in her novels.

Recommended: I would recommend this book for anyone who loves a unique alien story, and any sci-fi or paranormal lovers! Even if you don’t like aliens, this book changed my liking of them and it’s possible to change yours as well.

November Book Haul + Update!

No hard feelings?

I was about to head off to get some sleep after a long day when I realized that it has been way too long since I chatted up with you guys! I'm sorry to leave you hanging, but I have some excuses. Sigh. Excuses, excuses.

1. My thumb broke nearly a month ago, and still hasn't fully healed. Physical therapy has become a big pastime for me. You can't imagine how difficult it is for me to type with one hand! So frustrating. But I digress...

2. NaNoWriMo! I really need to catch up on my story, but just the fact that I'm crazy and awesome enough to write 50k words in one month proves my business point. (NaNo: http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/loverofliterary)

3. Rehearsals this entire month, most days, plus eighteen performances in a production I'm in starts next week. And I need to get rid of this cold. Like now.

4. I'm in mourning. My beloved dog of twelve years recently passed away. Less than three days ago, actually. He was there when nobody else was (as was books, but you know) and was, in a sense, my best friend. It feels as though I've lost a family member, and I fear I cannot even speak of him without tearing up. 

5. I've grown accustomed to the life of Twitter (https://twitter.com/MusingShadows). And stalking everything Lux-related (http://www.goodreads.com/series/66252-lux).

6. I'm addicted to roleplaying. It's quite fun. (GoodReads rocks!)

7. I've run out of excuses.

Okay, so there are a few more distractions going on, but it'll take too long to type...with one hand. But, as a special treat, I have gotten a few more books. One of them (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11958583-skinny) I won from FirstReads (GR) Giveaway (Screams and runs around the room like a maniac because I rarely win anything)! There are two here yet to arrive, sent to me for review as well.

I've also joined NetGalley, so hopefully I should have a few eBooks to review, if allowed. So exciting!

That's all for now, but I'll give you updates and such further on.

What books have you received recently?

Review: Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult & Samantha Van Leer

Description: What happens when happily ever after... isn’t?

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.

And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale.

Language: Mild

Violence: Mild

Sexual: Mild

   In Between the Lines, you will read two different stories scattered around in the book: the beginning of the book has the start of the story-in-the-story, which continues on between the POVs of Delilah and Oliver. The characters are very relatable to me, which is something I really like about it, and the overall story is extremely unique. The pacing was nice and not too fast, but not too slow, either.

   After finishing this book, I felt so many different emotions; they weren’t of irritation or annoyance for the story, and it wasn’t even sadness that the book itself had ended, but it was happiness that the characters in the story got what they wanted and lived happily ever after.

   This was the perfect book to get me out of my reading slump, and I’m certainly not sorry I picked this one up. In fact, even though I know this is real life and not some fairy tale, my thoughts for everyone having a happy ending are a little higher than before. And everyone deserves a happily ever after, right?

Cover: I like the cover because it is pretty simple and is relatable to the story.

Setting: The story takes place with the beginning of the story-in-the story, afterwards including Oliver being tired of the same old story played out constantly whenever the book was opened, and Delilah wishing she lived in a fairy tale, where everything was better than her life, or she could meet Oliver in real life.

Characters:

-I have to say, Oliver is my favorite character in this story (surprise, surprise). He’s charming, but has enough faults that he doesn’t bore the readers. He is almost the complete opposite of his role in Between the Lines, the fairy tale where he has the lead role and has to win his courage by rescuing the fair maiden, Seraphima. The way Oliver adores Delilah and pushes aside her faults to see her true beauty was something I liked, and how he was very chivalrous and is much like a prince charming.

-Delilah is another one of my favorite characters, because she is so relatable and interesting. So she likes reading fairy tales better than socializing and trying to be cool, so what? I don’t really understand why her mother is so against her reading fairy tales, because in my opinion, you’re never too old for fairy tales!

-Frump was another character I enjoyed reading about, although he wasn’t necessarily the lead role in this novel.

-Seraphima was the most bubble-head princess I have ever read about, and is Oliver’s true love in the story-in-the-story in which he has to rescue from the villain—damsel in distress, as you could call her. She practically throws herself at Oliver any chance she can get.

Storyline: I love the storyline! It’s very unique. I’ve never thought of the plot of a character being sick of constantly reliving their role in the story and having their own lives and personalities when the book is closed, or wanting to escape their repetitive story. Very interesting and the overall story is a cute one.

Writing: The writing style is fairly simple, nothing elaborate, but strangely addicting. I adore the descriptions of the castle and land in which the story-in-the-story takes place, and the way Delilah and Oliver speak in their POVs is relatable and interesting.

Surprises: There were a few surprises in Between the Lines, but the main surprise is how much I found I enjoyed this book!

Overall: 5 stars. Between the Lines is officially one of my favorite books, and one that I will definitely read again sometime in the near future. My only complaint is that I wish I read more about Oliver and Delilah’s love story, but then again, I love thinking of how their story may end and contemplating this whole novel myself.

Recommended: This book is absolutely recommended! However, it may suit better with the younger teen crowd, rather than the older. This is a cute, clean fairy tale that will leave you thinking long after you’ve completed it.

Review: Passion by Lauren Kate

Description: Luce would die for Daniel.

And she has. Over and over again. Throughout time, Luce and Daniel have found each other, only to be painfully torn apart: Luce dead, Daniel left broken and alone. But perhaps it doesn't need to be that way....

Luce is certain that something - or someone - in a past life can help her in her present one. So she begins the most important journey of thislifetime...going back eternities to witness firsthand her romances with Daniel...and finally unlock the key to making their love last.

Cam and the legions of angels and Outcasts are desperate to catch Luce, but none are as frantic as Daniel. He chases Luce through their shared pasts, terrified of what might happen if she rewrites history. Because their romance for the ages could go up in flames...forever.

Sweeping across centuries, PASSION is the third novel in the unforgettably epic FALLEN series.

Language: Mild

Violence: Mild

Sexual: Moderate

   It seems I’ve grown accustom to reliving the failures this series has fallen to (pun not intended—okay, it kind of was). But maybe that’s just because I have a love/hate relationship with it.

   I cannot stress how boring this book was. The same things happened: Luce finding her old self, staying in her past for a few minutes and watching her past-self kiss the past Daniel, and then leave off to another past, while Daniel is chasing after her and missing her a split second too late. Why? He should be extremely fast and teleport or whatever. He is an angel, isn’t he?

   Some things were also pretty confusing. When Bill was introduced, I felt he was unimportant and weird. Yeah, he was interesting, but it never explained how exactly he could change into whatever or whoever he so pleased until the very end. And even the explanation seemed as if Lauren Kate only just thought of it at that same time we did! I know we’re the readers and all, but I hate being perplexed through the entire book, even if Luce is confused as well. Luce is pretty stupid without many emotions—why don’t we know more than she does?

   I felt this book was very unnecessary and was only a type of filler for the last book in the series, much like the second book. I was hoping this book would resurface my love for the series and make my happiness in it soar through the sky, but unfortunately, it did the complete opposite I was expecting—no, hoping for.

   After my past two negative reviews I didn’t enjoy giving you guys, you’re probably wondering why I’m going to continue on reading the next book in the series. It’s because I still liked the first book and I want to see how the story ends, and whether it gets less boring and more interesting very fast. But, Lauren Kate, I want some things explained to me! I don’t like living in the dark!

   I probably won’t reread this book ever again. Sorry, but I just can’t put myself through it. But if you like this series and would like to continue it, don’t let this review stop you!

Cover: I didn’t like this cover as much, because it looks a bit cartoony. But it’s still pretty, in my opinion.

Setting: Time-travel seems to be the main thing in this book, using shadows to transport them into another world. Luce pretty much travels everywhere in her past, meeting her own self—excuse me, selves—and past Daniels.

Characters: Daniel Grigori very lost and a bit lonely, and wouldn’t let anybody else help him, which annoyed me quite a bit. If he can’t find the girl on his own, why won’t he let anybody help him?

-Luce was consistent with her new time-travel abilities. Basically she did the same exact thing from Chapter One to the end, with nothing very interesting happening.

-Cam was hardly in the book. This was fairly irritating! He was the most unique of all the characters in Passion.

-Arriane was hardly in this one as well. Another favorite character is gone to the wind.

-The characters thoroughly acted as puppets lead only by a string, very emotionless with less unique things about them in the previous books. At least in the others they had a bit of depth. In this one, there’s none at all.

Storyline: The storyline lacked many things. It had too much detail in some parts and not enough in others. I wasn’t pleased at all with the storyline, as I felt it was repetitive and dull.

Writing: One word: repetitive. Not only was this book extremely slow-paced, but it was also boring with its same reoccurrences and very choppy. I’m pretty sad about the fact that things weren’t interesting and the story didn’t exactly pull me into it as much as the first book.

Surprises: Nothing was especially surprising to me. This one was pretty dull, except the part where Bill had a secret identity I didn’t expect.

Overall: 3 stars. I would give it 2.5 stars, but as I’ve grown to somewhat appreciate the simple things about this series I’ve decided to be a bit kind to this book. I could be much more brutal than I already am about the past few books. Even though the first book was awesome, the series seemed to only go down the cliff from there. And unfortunately for these books, they don’t have wings to catch their fall.

Recommended: I would recommend this book for anyone who loves a unique love story, fallen angels, and/or doesn’t mind taking their time with this one.