The Karma Club by Jessica Brody

From Barnes and Noble:

School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up—Madison Kasparkova's world is destroyed when her seemingly perfect boyfriend cheats on her. After her mom takes her on a New Age retreat that gets the teen thinking about karma, she decides not to wait for the universe to set things right and enlists her friends' help in seeking revenge on those who've ever hurt them. They create a Karma Club and go about evening the score with their enemies, such as replacing a mean girl's acne medication with a Crisco mixture. Through their club, the girls learn how small choices can have dire or delightful consequences—for them as well as for others. Brody explores the lengths teenage girls will go to in order to restore balance in their chaos-filled lives. This fun, fast-paced read will bring a smile to the face of anyone who has dealt with high school's ups and downs, and will make them think before they meddle with fortune.—Katie Hageman, Gar-Field High School, Woodbridge, VA

Review: The Karma club was reviewed as a very good and suspenseful book. But personally, I think it was very predictiable. The blurb already tells you that her boyfriend is going to cheat on her at a really important party, and the whole plot just seemed a little annoying. Brody tried to make all of the Karma missions have suspense and thrill, but they all happened really fast and by the time they were done they would wait until the next day for results, which of course would be good.

Like most of Young Adult books for girls there is always romance, in this book it isn't really surprising who Madison falls for. Of course Spencer who she and her friends judge as this mean, spoiled and popular brat turns out to be someone else. OF COURSE! he turns out to be this sweet guy who is actually not into the whole popular scene and falls in love with Madison his French tutor.

The book wasn't all bad, it had some good parts, because like all books it had it's turning point. When all the bad Karma they were sending out to other people started turning back on them (The Butterfly effect.) And when the Karma book gets stolen and ends up in the wrong hands. The results of all of the Bad Karma they started sending out to people were all really funny. I think all of the Missions were really creative on Brody's part, but i do think that she shouldn't have been so predictable.

Overall this book gets

2 1/2 stars

This book was

Not Worth Reading

You Don't Know Me by David Klass

From Barnes and Noble:

Publishers Weekly

John, the 14-year-old narrator of Klass's (Screen Test; Danger Zone) well-conceived novel, deals with not only universal teenage problems (escaping his algebra teacher's questions, working up the nerve to ask out his dream girl, whom he calls "Glory Hallelujah," fighting with a friend), he also must deal with his mother's boyfriend, whom John calls "the man who is not my father." The tyrant verbally and physically abuses him when his mother is not around, and John experiences a "meltdown" when he learns that the man plans to marry his mother. While people do care about JohnDa rather stereotypically sensitive music teacher and a likable girl from his band class, whom John calls "Violent" Hayes "because she appears to be trying to strangle her saxophone before it kills her"Deven they cannot convince John to reveal what's happening at home. John's narrative often addresses various characters directly (his mother's boyfriend, the music teacher, etc.) with wry internal thoughts; this approach plays up the alienation John feels and also conveys the teen's sardonic humor and intelligence. A few scenes are so outrageous and comical that they clash with the book's overall tone (e.g., when Glory Hallelujah's father hunts John and the girl down in the basement of her home). But most, such as when John first asks out Glory Hallelujah via note, instructing her to check either the "yes" or "no" box, are very grounded in the high school experience. The hero's underlying sense of isolation and thread of hope will strike a chord with nearly every adolescent. Ages 12-up. (Mar.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information

You Don't Know Me is one of those books, that I won't forget. David Klass has suceeded in bringing such a dark tale into something funny and down to earth.

John (named after a toilet) has a sad life. He pretty much sums up his life through most of the pages. John claims that nobody knows him and that nobody will ever know him. His life sucks, but not for the usual reasons like "oh i got dumped" or "oh nobody likes me." Because people do like John but he claims that nobody KNOWS him.

John gets abused by "the man who is not my father." (His mother's boyfriend) This is something John cannot tell anyone because he knows that if he does that "there will be trouble." His mother who works double time at a autoparts shop in an assembly line has no clue that John is being abused. John claims she doesn't know because she doesn't know him, but it may turn out to be something else.

John goes through a wild rollercoaster in this story. His friend gets arrested for stealing an eggroll, He asks the girl of his dreams out, he gets semi-kidnapped, gets suspended, falls in love, and finally confronts the monster who thinks that he can beat him up for no reason. Many crazy things happen in this story, and in the end it seems like the only person who didn't know who John was, was John.

This book was obviously Ah-may-zing! (spelt incorrectly on purpose.)
Rating: 5 stars
THIS BOOK IS WORTH READING!

I have EXCITING NEWSSS!!!

Tomorrow I am going to meet with the famous author James Patterson!

I have seen his books before but have never really read them so the library gave me

Witch and Wizard!

so I'm almost half way through and I will ask him questions about his writing tomorrow!! This is the 1st author I am interviewing!!!

Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott

from Amazon

Grade 10 Up—Danielle, 18, has been a thief all her life. Moving from town to town, she and her mom stay around only long enough to canvas the rich and steal their silver. When she was 15, they moved on at Danielle's request, after she had sex for "the first and only time" with her mother's 20-year-old boyfriend. It's a lifestyle the teen is used to, but she's beginning to long for something more. She wants roots, friends, and a place to call home. When they hit the small resort town of Heaven, Danielle knows the routine. Her mom will chat up the men for information and she, now using the name Sydney, is supposed to do the same with her peers. Only something goes wrong, and "Sydney" begins to make friends with the mark, flirt with a local cop, and generally do everything her mom's always told her to avoid. And when it's time for the heist, Danielle is no longer sure she can follow her mom's demands. This story is deceptively touching. Danielle and her mother are both fully developed, as are the secondary characters of Allison (the friend) and Greg (the young cop). The overriding theme of living up to a parent's expectations instead of following your own path is universal, but the twist of a family of thieves gives the story originality.

this book was actually really interesting. I would ignore the grade 10 and up because I'm in 8th grade and I read this book with no problems. I mean nothing bad really happened. Danielle did have sex with her mom's 20 year old boyfriend but it was barely mentioned.

This book was amazing. Danielle's life was... well i don't know, it was sad her mother seemed kind of crazy with the obsession of stealing. Claiming that Danielle didn't need to go to school because she claimed that she could teach Danielle everything that she needed to learn in life. When they move to Heaven, Danielle knows what she has to do, steal from the mansion that belongs to the Donaldsons. When Danielle sneaks into the private beach looking for some information on the Donaldsons, she meets Allison a girl who will change her life, acting like her first real friend.

Then Danielle meets Greg, the guy who won't leave her alone, the guy who she actually starts to have feelings for. Greg is a funny looking guy who has hair with the combination of red, dark blonde and brown, Greg meets Danielle at the super market one day and wouldn't leave her alone since. Danielle who has a wall built up so high that it's hard to really get to know her, rejects him countless times. But as the author reveals, Danielle actually likes Greg, gets a funny feeling when he talks to her, but then she finds out he's a cop! This should stop any further feelings she has for Greg. Shouldn't it?

Danielle has more problems coming towards her, she keeps the secret of Greg the cop, and hides the fact that Allison is actually a Donaldson, how can Danielle steal from the only friend she has ever had, who doesn't care where she lives or that she's a maid and actually shows her off to the rich snobs who have "sticks up their asses." But who will Danielle choose? The life she has always known (the one where she has either waited for her mother, while she would steal countless items from the people they have met the night before) or the one where she can finally be normal (where she can have a friend and a boyfriend who is a cop, the one where she can own something of her own and keep it forever.)

Overall this book

was AMAZING!

4 stars!

Sorry

I'm sorry I haven't kept up with my blog, I've been super busy!

So here are the posts I've probably missed.

Wishlist Wednesday (1)

From Barnes and Noble:

April 29, 2010: "This polished prequel to Sex and the City reveals the ample drama that filled Carrie Bradshaw's life before her move to Manhattan. With wit and insight, Carrie chronicles her emotionally charged senior year at a small Connecticut high school." -Book Summary online barnesandnobles.com.

This book was a very disappointing read. I was excited to start reading this book because I thought it was going to be based on the character from the HBO hit TV show, Sex and the City. The Carrie Bradshaw in this book and the Carrie Bradshaw in the television series are not the same Carrie. I actually had to stop reading this book a few chapters in because I began to get confused. I knew the Carrie from the television series quite well and the fact that in this book her father is present in her life was not making sense. Finally after reading other reviews, it cleared everything up for me. Candace Bushnell wrote Carrie as she saw her and wanted her to be, not bothering to take into account that her beloved Carrie had already evolved quite differently. I think this book would have been much better if the actual story lines were in sync. It is a good book and story. I found the Carrie Bradshaw in the book to be quite mature mentally beyond her years. If you're looking to read a book based on your favorite character from the hit HBO series, Sex and the City, I must warn you- you're going to be very disappointed. This books main character should have had a different name or Candace Bushnell should have watched her own show and done her research. Overall, it appears Candace Bushnell used the name Carrie Bradshaw to sell another book.

"Hello, David. My name is Rose. It’s a pleasure to meet you. We are now entering minute two of our friendship. According to my Intimacy Clock, a handshake is now appropriate…"

David and Charlie are opposites. David has a million friends, online and off. Charlie is a soulful outsider, off the grid completely. But neither feels close to anybody. When David’s parents present him with a hot Companion bot to encourage healthy bonds and treat "dissociative disorder," he can’t get enough of luscious red-headed Rose — and he can’t get it soon. Companions come with strict intimacy protocols, and whenever he tries anything, David gets an electric shock. Severed from the boy she was built to love, Rose turns to Charlie, who finds he can open up, knowing Rose isn’t real. With Charlie’s help, the ideal "companion" is about to become her own best friend.
In a stunning and hilarious debut, John Cusick takes rollicking aim at internet culture and our craving for meaningful connection in an uber-connected world.

I'm worried about the cover, Not that I care there are a lot of worser covers in YA, but I don't know, my parents aren't really understanding in something like a girl coming from a box, like it's not THAT big of a deal but my mom will probably ask "What kind of book is THAT?" then I'll try to explain and then in her French accent she'll say "I still don't understand!" then my dad will ask and it goes on and on... Until my mom will read it herself! Whatever I'm going to read it anyway!

What are you reading Mondays? (2)

On Monday, I was reading

1. The Hunger games by Suzanne Collins, I was on page 148 and the book was intense and really good.

2. I went to the library to pick out a free- reading book and I got... Little Black Lies by Tish Cohen! I was on pg 48 before going to bed.

The Hunger games: I love the hunger games, it had a really slow start, but it started getting a little more dramatic as soon as Prim's name gets picked out of the raffle! I questioned if I would do the same thing for my sister, and when I brought up the situation, we both said that we'd have to be put into that situation to decide... Don't take me WRONG but I would definately dodge a bullet for any of my siblings, but if i would participate in that sort of game, I don't know, I probably would, anyway the whole ceremony was sad. The book is great so far!

Little Black Lies- I thought this book was going to be something like Gossip Girl, Boy was I wrong! Sara is really shy and kind of a follower! That really pisses me off. She has No moral standards when it somes to impressing Carling, even ditching her best friend! But one thing that she does that I have to say I totally understand is, lie about her father's job, I mean come on, he's an OCD janitor, and I would be extremely embarrassed myself! Not only because the disorder but because he's a janitor!! I feel bad about her mom leaving her, and the constant flashbacks that she keeps getting about her mother makes it ovious that she is the villian in the story, and it makes it clear what she was doing to the family. How couldn't Sara have noticed I mean it was so clear! The mother situation is making me pity Sara! The book is getting better and I find it actually interesting definately a good read!

What's In my Mailbox #2

A freak-out over a snapshot lands fifteen-year-old Sarah Greene on an island in the St. Lawrence River with several other juvenile offenders. There, she is to complete 400 hours of community service at a summer camp for dogs. The confinement leaves her with no way to complete the desperate mission she was on when she stole and subsequently crashed her mother's boyfriend's car—until the camp counselor's son, a boy she's been in school with since first grade, offers to take her across the river into Ottawa for a concert if she'll help him finish a project for his stepfather, the veterinarian who runs the camp. Sarah jumps at the chance, but plans to dump the boy at the concert. There, she will make her own way into the city, to the locked-up restaurant owned by her recently deceased father where she believes she will find the shameful evidence of the sexual abuse he inflicted on her from the earliest days of her memory. Sarah thinks that if she destroys the photographs and keep anyone else from finding out about the abuse, she can move on with her life. But Sarah is not the only one on the island trying to adjust to life-changing circumstances. A network of supporting characters adds interest, depth and complexity to the story. They help Sarah break out of her self-imposed isolation. With their support—and the completion of her mission, although not quite the way she'd planned—Sarah begins to anticipate a future of positive possibilities. Waldorf develops the plot skillfully and gently, allowing the reader to figure out early on what Sarah is hiding. It is disturbing, however, that she found it necessary to demonize two fathers in this very small population as sexuallyabusive of their daughters; with the exception of the reform camp counselors, all of the juveniles' parents are portrayed as abusive or negligent. Reviewer: Heather N. Kolich

Wow, this book sounds really sad, I hope it's not depressing!

Anne’s new life in Laguna Beach feels more like a death sentence than a vacation. The local high school is the exact opposite of her former Connecticut prep school, and the social scene is all about hanging out at the beach and surfing. When Anne finally makes friends, however, she decides to give California a chance.

And then there's Ellie: beautiful, competitive queen of the social scene who takes an instant disliking to Anne. When Chris—one of Ellie's oldest friends and the most sought after guy in school—reaches out to Anne and offers to teach her how to surf, tensions rise, especially since Anne has decided to enter the annual surf competition against Ellie.

This sounds good... So it's definately going on my list!! :D

Micah Wilkins, the provocative narrator of Justine Larbalestier's fifth young adult novel, is a dedicated fabulist, "a third generation liar." On the first day of high school, she pretends to be a boy; when she's outed by her girlish laugh, she claims she's a hermaphrodite. Four years later, Micah still lies -- out of habit but also out of self-defense, because, like many a YA heroine, she doesn't quite fit in with her peers. She's "half black, half white; half girl, half boy; coasting by on half a scholarship." She's not actually half girl and half boy, but she is, as she eventually admits, half wolf. Though this revelation comes more than halfway through the book, most readers will have already guessed Micah's secret, thanks to Larbalestier's gently escalating hints; if they are anything like this particular reader, they will feel very pleased with themselves for having done so. But Micah's werewolf-ism isn't her primary problem: the real source of her trouble is the mysterious Central Park death of her secret boyfriend, Zach Rubin. Publicly, Zach dated a popular girl named Sarah; privately, he chose Micah. "I could hear his [heart] beating when I slept, taste his breath," Micah thinks. "It was as if he'd crawled under my skin. Under it, always there. Even after he died." Her grief is quickly complicated by a desire for vengeance: when the police announce that dogs killed Zach, Micah realizes the culprit is another heretofore unknown Manhattan werewolf. Larbalestier lets Micah's story unfold in episodic and sometimes contradictory chapters (after all, when a congenital liar vows to "tell you my story and...tell it straight," only the gullible will believe her). Despite her fibs and omissions, Micah is a sympathetic narrator, and her story -- an unconventional blend of adolescent coming-of-age and psychological thriller -- is hard to stop reading. --Emily Chenoweth

I read another book by this author... umm... I think it was How to Ditch your Fairy! Great book! At the end of the book there was a preview of Liar and it was good so far.

When Tessa's best friend Noelle disappears right before the start of eighth grade, Tessa's life changes completely--she shies away from her other friends and stops eating in the cafeteria. Now, two years later, Noelle has escaped her captivity and is coming home, in one piece but not exactly intact, and definitely different. Tessa's life is about to change again as she tries to revive the best-friendship the two girls had shared before Noelle--now Elle--was kidnapped; puts up a futile resistance to the charming new guy at school; pursues her passion for photography while trying to build the bravado to show her photos to the public; and tries to balance her desire to protect and shelter Elle with the necessity to live her own life and put herself first.

Ooooooooo I love scary stories, Although I'm not sure this is going to be scary... It might be sad, but the plot sounds scary.

Daiyu was adopted as a baby from China by an American couple, and now as a teenager in St. Louis, a strangely attractive gem sends her into an alternate world where North America was colonized by Chinese settlers rather than Europeans. Daiyu is recruited by Ombri and Aurora, two “servants of the gods” who are also able to move between worlds, to help stop Chenglei, a dangerous traveler who has been elected prime minister of Shenglang (the alternate version of St. Louis and “arguably the most important city on the world called Jia”). But even as Daiyu becomes increasingly fascinated by Shenglang and attracted to Kalen, who assists Ombri and Aurora, she begins questioning everything: is the charming Chenglei truly evil? (“Were Aurora and Ombri simply interdimensional bounty hunters who had their own agenda?” she wonders. “How could she possibly know?”). Shinn's (General Winston's Daughter) fantasy finds the right balance between adventure and romance, while illuminating how seductive evil can be and that sometimes the best weapon one can possess is a skeptical mind. Ages 12–up. (Oct.)\

I really want to read this book!!!!! It sounds really interesting.

A new job, look and lover are just a wish away in this middling series starter from chick lit fantasy author Klasky (Magic and the Modern Girl). Kira Franklin is about to lose her stage manager job when she discovers a magic lamp in the prop cabinet. Statistic-spouting genie Teel shifts from dominatrix to disco man to schoolgirl while coaxing Kira to make her wishes as quickly as possible. All Kira wants is a new job, so Teel lands her a position as the stage manager for a large regional theater, where she befriends set designer John McRae and lusts after star actor Drew Myers. Klasky's fans will miss her usually engaging characters—everyone other than Kira and John is cardboard-flat—and a series linked by inconsistent, intangible Teel seems unlikely to get very far. (Oct.)

I'm not too sure about the plot, it sounds a little overplayed... But hopefully it has a juicy twist in it.

Ludelphia Bennett may be blind in one eye, but she can still put in a good stitch. Ludelphia sews all the time, especially when things go wrong.

But when Mama goes into labor early and gets deathly ill, it seems like even quilting won't help. That's when Ludelphia decides to do something drastic—leave Gee's Bend for the very first time. Mama needs medicine that can only be found miles away in Camden. But that doesn't stop Ludelphia. She just puts one foot in front of the other.

What ensues is a wonderful, riveting and sometimes dangerous adventure. Ludelphia weathers each challenge in a way that would make her mother proud, and ends up saving the day for her entire town.

I really am looking foward to reading this, I already have a massive list to get through but I will try to sqeeze this in with it!

Set in 1932 and inspired by the rich quilting history of Gee's Bend, Alabama, Leaving Gee's Bend is a delightful, satisfying story of a young girl facing a brave new world.

Fade by Lisa McMann

This intriguing, if not quite stand-alone, sequel to Wake (S & S, 2008) follows undercover investigators and high school seniors Janie Hannagan and her partner/boyfriend Cabel as they attempt to unmask and trap a sexual predator teaching at Fieldridge High. Janie is a dream catcher-she has the ability to be sucked into another person's dreams-and her job is to glean clues to the culprit's identity from her classmates and to act as bait. The latter task annoys protective Cabe, and their relationship, already strained by a scarcity of alone time and the need for secrecy (their last case might be jeopardized if they are seen together), is further stressed. Furthermore, Janie receives documents from her now-deceased dream-catcher mentor promising to detail the fate in store for her, and she's not sure she wants to know the truth. While there are few surprises in the main plot arc, the spare but effective narrative holds readers' attention, especially when Janie delves into the chilling truth of her ability. Teens who like the supernatural-tinged drama of shows like Ghost Whisperer and Medium may be tempted by this series.-Christi Esterle, Parker Library, CO

I agree with Barnes and noble that Fade was NOT a stand-alone sequel to Wake. It took off right from the ending of Wake. The plot and characters changed a lot, this book wasn't that good...

Cabel changed from being a sweetheart with a dark past to an over protective boyfriend. I HATE over-protective boys! They are so annoying! When Captain gives Janie a case where she'll serve as base to a sexual predator (teacher) Cabel is 100% against it! Janie thinks that she can handle one dangerous mission and that she deserves one because of Cabels drug case in Wake. She accuses Cabel of being the only one who gets to have fun. Janie accepts the case which disappoints Cabel.

The case wasn't good, it made me really angry, I didn't like it. I felt like she blew it!! Plus the case ruined a lot of things in the book, it changed all of the characters and the plot was weak.

Janie really discovers herself in this book which made Fade a good book, it wasn't as great as Wake but it was still good. Miss Stubin left some really important stuff for Janie that made me feel really bad for her.

In this book I actually started to hate Cabel I felt that he betrayed Janie, and that he needed to get over himself! It was ridiculous! But in the end, when he got back to the sweetheart Cabel I started to like him again.

This book is

Worth reading

3 stars

Wake by Lisa McMann

Dealing with an alcoholic single mother and endless hours of working at Heather Nursing Home to raise money for college, high-school senior Janie Hannagan doesn't need more problems. But inexplicably, since she was eight years old, she has been pulled in to people's dreams, witnessing their recurring fears, fantasies and secrets. Through Miss Stubin at Heather Home, Janie discovers that she is a dream catcher with the ability to help others resolve their haunting dreams. After taking an interest in former bad boy Cabel, she must distinguish between the monster she sees in his nightmares and her romantic feelings for him. And when she learns more about Cabel's covert identity, Janie just may be able to use her special dream powers to help solve crimes in a suspense-building ending with potential for a sequel. McMann lures teens in by piquing their interest in the mysteries of the unknown, and keeps them with quick-paced, gripping narration and supportive characters. (Fiction. YA)

this was suppose to be: A thriller Novel

But it was mostly: A romance Novel

Wake was a good novel. (According to me) I think that the beginning really drew me into reading the rest of the novel. The Book started Immeadietly and got to the point, unlike most books that start off with 3 chapters of a description of the main Character and those annoying little details you really don't need for the book.

Janie Hannagan has been dealing with a power that she cannot control since the age of eight. The ability to getting sucked into someone else's dream. Janie hates this ability, she has no idea how it got to her and she's pretty sure that it doesn't happen to everyone. She already has a tough life with an alcoholic mother who gets up, eats, drinks and makes a mess, a small house on the bad side of town, and one best friend next door who would rather hang out with the popular rich gang and uses Janie as a backup option.

Later on in the story Janie falls for the misunderstood, Cabel who has the most terrifying nightmares she has ever witness. Cabel seems to have fallen for Janie and Janie falls for Cabel even though they both have secrets they don't want anyone to know. But they later open up to each other, and it's just really sad... the romance between them really lasts the whole story, the story turns into their romantic relationship.

This is the first book of a trilogy! This book in my opinion was cut off and could've been longer! I finished it in 2 days! I finished Fade in 2 days and now I have to hunt down Gone!

Boys in the book club agreed that the book was boring and more of a book for girls, but I LOVED IT!

Overall this book is

Worth Reading

4 stars

What are YOU reading on Mondays (2)

What am I reading? I am reading a book club book. I just finished a book called inexcusable.

Inexcusable by Chris Lynch

I was extremely cautious to apporoach this book because it has to do with rape, and it is on the side of the rapist. I would never approach the book in the library but the library insisted it was good, she was right! But as soon as I heard the words "This book was excellent! It's about a guy who RAPES... " the other words kind of drowned out, I mean I heard everything else, but after reading Push By sapphire (I have yet to blog about it) I realized that I should stay away from all those kinds of books, that book made me cry A LOT! So I don't WANT to cry a lot, because those books make me realize that people go through that everyday... and that makes me even more upset! But anyways the plot was excellent and I was appalled at the whole thing. The author really did something unique he told the story from the rapist's point of view which is interesting. Because my first reaction was "YOU KNOW YOU DID IT YOU PHYSCO!! STOP LYING!" I closed the book a lot! Even slammed it down when gigi started talking! It was hard for me to finish the book, but I did! The book was really good! I can't wait to actually review it.

I am currently reading... WAKE by Lisa McMann

It's for bookclub and I really LOVE this choice! The book reminds me of The Everafter, I am currently on page 64 and I love it already, I have to finish it by Friday, I got it on Monday because I had After school on Friday, My extra activities have kept me away from my blog. But The plot is awesome, it is told from a third person point of view. I actually find all of the dreams interesting, they are mostly strange and I was thinking while I woke up from one of those incredibly annoying dreams when you fall off a cliff and feel yourself falling, "what are my siblings dreaming about right now." Is that how everyone dreams? Like the Everafter this book challenges you to dig deeper into a topic most people know very well. For the Everafter it was death, but for Wake it is dreams, not only the good ones but the ones you have in class, the nightmares and the very inappropriate dreams you would dieeee if anyone knew you were having.

How to Ditch Your Fairy By Justine Larbalestier

From Barnes and Noble.com

Set in a futuristic fantasy city, this book puts a fun spin on fairy tales: fairies exist, but you may wish they did not. Charlie has a parking fairy, which means any driver Charlie is with can always find a choice spot (which in turn means that every time the brutish star jock at school gets behind a wheel he nabs Charlie). Charlie walks everywhere, hoping to ditch her fairy and the jock-but then she racks up tardiness demerits at her strict sports school. When Fiorenze, whose all-boys-will-like you fairy has captured Charlie's crush, also wants to get rid of her fairy, they team up to steal secret research compiled by Fiorenze's mother, an expert on fairies. It takes Larbalestier (the Magic or Madness trilogy) a long time to reach this point, but from here the pace quickens. The girls switch fairies, creating more trouble and pushing the girls to some serious (and seriously funny) extremes. Suggesting rather than exploiting the fictional possibilities of Charlie's city, which has as many rules as it has fairies, this vividly imagined story will charm readers. Ages 12-up.(Oct.)

This book was another lovely recommendation from the library staff. I really enjoyed reading this book! It only took me only a day and a half to finish it.

The beginning wasn't too special because I would instinctively put the book down, and turn on the t.v only to realize during commercial that I was reading. But don't get me wrong! Because usually I just forget until the next day, there was something about this book, the plot really keep driving me back towards the story!

This book is definitely funny! I laughed so hard at times that my siblings (mostly my younger sister Christel,) would glare at me. Charlie and her hilarious struggle to get rid of her fairy! I was surprised that she would even want to get rid of that fairy, I mean in New York City, WE NEED THAT! well I do! So, she was funny. I liked it when she became friends with fiorenze. She was nicer than I had expected.

Overall I really enjoyed this book.

It is (as you may have suspected)

Worth reading

4.5 stars

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

From Barnes Noble

Kyra has been Chosen. Prophet Childs received a vision: she is to be the seventh wife of Apostle Hyrum. Kyra is thirteen; her uncle Hyrum is in his sixties. They live on a desert compound, miles from town. Ever since Prophet Childs led the New Cleansing seven years earlier, books have been outlawed, medicine and doctors banned, children harshly disciplined, and young girls saved for older men. Such is life in a polygamist sect, but Kyra has rebellious thoughts and often walks beyond the walls of the compound to feel free for a few minutes. Recently she met the local Bookmobile along the road and has been checking out one book at a time, concealing them under her dress. Reading and playing the piano are two of her favorite things. The other is Joshua, the boy who would Choose her if he could. Suddenly Kyra is faced with an impossible choice—run away and never see her family again or stay and be forced into an unbearable marriage. Kyra's family is loving and close; she adores her sisters and her parents are good to her, even her father's other two wives. The outside world is completely foreign, and if she runs, her family will be banished from the compound. They would lose everything. This book is a highly emotional, terrifying read. It is not measured or objective. Physical abuse, fear, and even murder are constants. It is a girl-in-peril story, and as such, it is impossible to put down and holds tremendous teen appeal. Kyra's fate is uncertain until the very last page and the tension is almost unbearable. It is also a clear example of the power of books and reading. Reviewer: Angela Carstensen

The Chosen One was a fantastic book. I really enjoyed reading it. I was appalled by the way Kyra lived it was horrible!! The author is a very talented writer. Overall the book was great there were a few glitches as in, things I thought were annoying but I really would recommend this to people!

Kyra's life was appalling. I cannot believe that an actual place like this exzists in real life. (FLDS) The abuse toward the children really disgusted me. I cannot believe that no one questioned the way they lived! except for Kyra. I mean, ugh! I just can't imagine myself living in a place like that. Kyra was asked to marry her 60 something year old Uncle. Uncle Hyrum. UGH! he was the absolute worst character, just as bad as the prophet. He was actually fine with marrying his niece. He's 47 years older than her! He actually wanted to KISS her and have CHILDREN with her. He was so disturbing that at times I would tear up from the frustration I had, because I felt like, maybe she will have to marry him!

I loved the part when they go into town, and Kyra sees the way people start reacting toward their clothing. Because at that point I think it sort of sinks in, not totally but sort of sinks in that they were not normal. The way they lived was weird.

I didn't like the part when the father always leaved and never really did anything. He tried but I wasn't sympathetic towards him, because he should've run, if Kyra didn't try to, he would have never got up and done something! took action! he was the man of the house and in that community that means they can leave to town, but he chose not to.

Kyra was of course my favorite character, She was determined, and courageous. She even broke the rules a bunch of times, which was surprising and funny. Especially the little romance she had with Joshua was cute, and I hoped they would be together, because *Spoiler Alert!* you never do find out...

I loved the Chosen Ones

This book is

Worth reading

4 stars

What are YOU reading on Mondays (1)

It's Monday!!!! I had to run to the library quickly after school to pick up a new personal book. So here I go! As you guys may or may not know, I am currently in a book club. In this book club I have to read....

I am the cheese by robert cormier.

So far... I'm not enjoying it that much, because it is sort of repeatitive. I have no idea what is going on with the tapes... I expect to finish the book on thursday if i finish all of my goals.

I am also reading The Chosen one by Carol Lynch Williams.

below is the descpription from amazon.

Grade 7 Up–In this thriller, 13-year-old Kyra lives in an isolated polygamist cult. Life in the compound is as dry as the surrounding desert, more confining than the chain-link fence on its perimeter. But Kyra finds small freedoms despite the tightly controlled communal environment and is able to slip outside to wander the desert. There she chances upon a friendly book-mobile driver who opens the world of children's literature to her. Kyra even begins a flirtation with her classmate, Joshua, a dangerous sin for which they will both pay dearly. The brutal leader, Prophet Childs, has plans for Kyra and will brook no disobedience. He assigns her to be the seventh wife of her own 60-year-old uncle. Repelled, she resists. She and Joshua are badly beaten and she is told that other young people have been killed for taking a similarly defiant stand. Kyra's loving father is powerless to help her and counsels her to accept her fate, but she cannot. The story ends in a high-speed chase with the Prophet's goons gunning for her as she improbably races toward freedom in the blood-spattered book mobile. Has the friendly driver been killed on her account? Is anyone looking for him? What retribution will be taken on her family and what kind of a life lies ahead for her? These unsettling questions are not addressed, but these omissions do not diminish the relief of her successful escape. For a more layered examination of the internal as well as external struggles of a young teen coming of age in a polygamist community, see Shelley Hrdlitschka's Sister Wife (Orca, 2008).–Carolyn Lehman, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

I just started, to read this book, and so far it is really good. I read the book escape by... Um... oh yeah! Carolyn Jessop, and that was a really scary and good book. It really shocks me how some people still live like that, and are being brainwashed into thinking it's normal. Plus they CANT READ BOOKS!!! that really stinks!

So that's what I'm reading this Monday! How about you?

Rhymes with Witches By Lauren Myracle

From Barnes and Nobles.com

When the uber-popular clique known as the Bitches asks freshman Jane to be their fourth, they assure her that her life will change forever. There's only one catch: each week Jane must steal something from another girl and put it on the desk of a creepy teacher known as Lurl the Pearl (the girls explain that the only way to gain power is to steal it from another: "For one to rise, another must fall"). Jane thinks it's "an initiation... to prove I'm, like, loyal," until she feels it work and knows some sort of witchcraft is at play. Ultimately, she has to decide if her sudden elite status is worth the cost. The Bitches themselves come across as archetypes (Keisha's responsible, Bitsy's mean and Mary Bryan's sweet), but the feral cats roaming the campus deepen the eerie factor, and Jane's father's desertion of his family and the Bitches' own tragedies add some depth to their characters. Bitsy leads a menacing attack on an unpopular girl that seems to contradict the plot's often-playful spirit, and even Jane's own eventual fall is fairly cruel. Still, readers are likely to get swept away along with Jane as she enjoys gourmet food in the cafeteria, sudden attention from her crush and a birthday party thrown by her classmates (even though it's not her birthday). Ultimately Myracle's (ttyl) novel is an addictive read with a poignant message about the price of popularity. Ages 14-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Personally I had mixed feelings about this book. Before the Rae's spooky tale, I found it to be pretty boring and then when it ended I was like, "????... that's it?" It was like I never got to know what happened to any of the characters. It was actually extremely annoying. But the book wasn't all that bad.

The characters were all interesting, and different. The book mostly focuses on Jane and the bitches. The book was very detailed and it was very well written because at some points I could relate to some of the mean things Jane did to her old friends. Especially at the end, I could relate to her, because it seemed that when she actually tried to help someone and go back to the old Jane, it just came to bite her in the butt.

The whole scary folk tale actually scared me! But I like scary things (movies, stories,etc.) I was in the dark awake trying to reach my goal when the folk tale started. It really freaked me out, so I really applaud Lauren Myracle for that.

Personally I feel horrible giving a bad review to my favorite author. I read TTYL as soon as it came out, and it was the first book that I was officially into. I bought and finished the whole series and I want everyone to know that I LOVE LAUREN MYRACLE'S BOOKS! But not this one. This one seemed stereotypical, to people who want to be popular and to the popular people. I have a lot of friends at school, and we are considered to be popular. I'm getting tired of books on the either too ultra fabulous city girl life (the Clique) or the mean girls who are mean to people who are less privileged and I'm sorry but this just seemed to be just another one of those books. The ending really ruined it for me, it was interesting up until then.

For all of these reasons...

This book is...

NOT WORTH READING.

Go ask Alice by Annoymous

A Review from Barnes and Noble:Alice is your typical teenaged girl. She worries that she is too fat. She wants a boyfriend: "I wish I were popular and beautiful and wealthy and talented." She frequently makes resolutions in her diary to do better in school, work toward a calmer relationship with her mother, and lose weight. Her life changes when she goes to a party and is given acid in her drink. She loves the feeling the drug gives her: "Closed my eyes and the music began to absorb me physically. I could smell it and touch it and feel it as well as hear it." She wants more and quickly becomes a part of the drug scene. For about a year and a half Alice goes on and off drugs and runs away from home twice. Each time she manages to find her way back to her parents. They take her in, get her help, and all seems to be rosy until Alice is once again given acid without her knowledge. This time, she has a bad trip, ends up in the hospital, and then a mental hospital. Her parents stick by her, but her life of drug abuse ultimately ends with a fatal overdose—whether it is intentional or accidental is not known. Go Ask Alice has become a classic story of warning against the use of drugs. For the teen scene of 2006, this story will appear as slightly dated. The issues of relationships both in and out of school have not changed much in the last thirty years, but there are subtle differences in the culture that may prove distracting for a young person reading this book today. The basic story remains a chilling cautionary tale. 2005 (orig. 1971), Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster, , and Ages 14 to 18.

My Review:

Go ask Alice tackled a very serious issue. Drugs- the affect it has on you and what it could do to a person. Alice in the beginning was a normal girl, she wasn't popular, she wasn't extremely smart, she was mediocre. Which to her, wasn't that good.

Alice went shopping into a store when she bumps into a very popular girl in school. They start talking and, just like that Alice is invited to one of her exclusive parties. Alice has never been to one of these events. Alice doesn't know that in this new environment people can slip Acid (a very addictive drug) into your drink without you knowing, and alice happens to drink a coca cola that is infected. She is now addicted to this drug, wanting more and more and finds herself going down a downward spiral that has her life hanging by a small thread. Her life will never be the same again...

Go ask Alice was a great novel. I was recommended to read it by a friend who wanted to make sure I would NEVER touch drugs in my life. I wasn't planning to, but after reading this book I hope to actually help those who are not strong enough to say no to this terrible disease. Because Alice had a great comfortable life, no trouble, loving parents, not that many friends but she at least had some. But because Alice felt the need to be popular she fell off track, and even towards the middle-end when she tried to stop, she could'nt. Alice helped me understand that it wasn't cool, that even though sometimes you might think that your parents and adults might seem to be nagging and lecturing you, that in the end they are actually trying to protect and keep you away from ruining your future. Maybe Alice should've listened...

Go ask Alice is based on a real life girl's battle with drugs. It is a very strong book and I would NOT recommend it for those who are sensitive readers. At some points I could not keep reading because of the distrubing actions and revelations Alice had to go through. This is all written in a diary so everything is uncensored and everything she wrote is what actually happened to her. (Though there have been rumors that the author did make up some parts of the story, Beatrice Sparks the editor claims that she only did it to make it more realistic.)

Either way, I feel mixed about evaluating the book so..

This book is

Worth reading

and

Not Worth reading...

Let me explain, this book is Worth reading if you have tough-skin when it comes to books and it is Not worth reading if you are a soft kind of reader.

personally I give it

4 stars

Bookclub Fridays

I go to a bookclub every Friday, at the local library. Here's what was assigned to read this week.

Review from Amazon: Imagine discovering that your whole life has been a fiction, your identity altered, and a new family history created. Suddenly nothing is as it once seemed; you can trust no one, maybe not even yourself. It is exactly this revelation that turns 14-year-old Adam Farmer's life upside down. As he tries to ascertain who he really is, Adam encounters a past, present, and future too horrible to contemplate. Suspense builds as the fragments of the story are assembled--a missing father, government corruption, espionage--until the shocking conclusion shatters the fragile mosaic. Young adult readers will easily relate to the shy and confused Adam, whose desperate searching for self resembles a disturbingly exaggerated version of the identity crisis common to the teenage years.

I haven't started this book yet, but I have a week so I guess I should get started! I'm new to this author so I'm not sure what kind of book this is going to be. From the cover and description it seems like a thriller or suspenseful book.

Dead Girls Don't Write Letters By Gail Giles

From Amazon reviews: Sunny's older sister has been presumed dead for several months when Sunny receives a letter from Jazz explaining that she was away working in a repertory theater when her apartment burned to the ground. Then Jazz, or Not-Jazz as Sunny calls her, returns home. Her mother has become addicted to sleeping pills and Dad has fallen back into the bottle since his daughter's "death." Sunny and her father soon realize that the young woman is indeed not Jazz, even though she knows a great deal about their family history and secrets. As Sunny investigates, she begins to discover who this imposter is and how she knows so much about their family. This novel is not of the same quality as Giles's Shattering Glass (Roaring Brook, 2002), and the ending is truly a bolt from the blue. Readers' reactions may range from shock to frustration to confusion to anger that they've invested time in this book. The plot is intriguing, but the ending is just too unclear.
Lynn Evarts, Sauk Prairie High School, Prairie du Sac, WI

I finished this book yesterday! It was a mystery novel. I'm not a huge fan of mysteries... Well, actually I think that I have mixed feelings about them. I mean, I was never a big fan of Scooby Doo! But I did like other mysteries. So I came into this story with an open mind. (Like I do with all novel) I was recommended to read this book by a really cool librarian. She told me that each and every sentence was PERFECT! She was right! I loved this book!

Characters: There aren't really that many characters. There are about Four main characters that the story revolves around.

Lily (The mother)- Her name is Lily, which is mentioned a few times, but mostly she is referred to as mom. I didn't like Lily. She was a horrible character. She seemed needy, and whiny, but I don't blame her because that is the way Sunny portrays her. Given the circumstances of realizing her daughter is dead, it feels like Lily has died as well. This is normal, but it's horrible for Sunny because that makes her the care-taker of her own mother. Lily in my opinion was selfish! Because even when Jazz was there Lily still was a bad mother towards Sunny, she still favored Jazz over Sunny and constantly ignored Sunny.

Dan (The father)- His name is Dan, but like Lily he's real name is only mentioned a few times, he is mostly known as Dad. I was mixed towards Dan. Because he was the first to mention that he knew the stranger pretending to be Jazz wasn't Jazz at all. But he was also the one, who always yelled at Jazz, even when she tried to be helpful sometimes. I liked his determination to get to the bottom of the whole mystery... until the end. What happens with the therapist really makes me hate both of Sunny's parents for lying.

Jazz- Is the star child of the family, even the whole town. Even though she never appears in the story she is mentioned a lot by the family. Mid-way through the book, the reader could tell who the real Jazz was, she was two-faced. On one side she was a perfect angel that was always nice to everybody. On the other side she was a bully to her sister, always playing little games with her when no one was really there. So in a sense there's a little sympathy when Sunny doesn't want Jazz to come back.

Sunny- Is the main character. She is also the narrator of the story, who in my opinion is the only one who could keep her ground. Even though she was bossy, she was by far the most normal person in the crazy family she lived with. She was my favorite character because she snooped around and really investigated the whole mystery. While her father helped i think it was really Sunny who figured the whole mystery out. I didn't agree with the decision she made in the end, but i think she regretted it too by the last line in the book.

Debra (aka the imposter) - There is nothing I can really say about this character... She was a little creepy. When you do discover who she really is, at first you feel sad, but then I thought "What a freak!" I actually liked this character in a strange way, I mean, I pitied that she will never now who she really is and that's really sad, but that isn't an excuse for what she did.

Overall: I really enjoyed reading this book! It doesn't go with my favorites but it's a book I think that I will remember! This is the first book I have read from this author but I hope to continue reading her books.

This book is...

Worth Reading (only if you like suspenseful thriller mysteries)

3 stars