Review: The Chick Friends Rules! (Freshman Year)

The Chick Friends Rules! (Freshman Year) by Vici Howard
Publisher: randall & reismann
Pages: 294
Release date: June 15, 2011
Format: Paperback
Website

"The chick friends rules! Freshman year" is the first of a four book series in this edgy coming of edge story. Fifteen-year old Grant Lee is a "cool kid" who is popular with the girls and adheres to a strict code of the "chick friends hierarchy". There are girls a guy thinks about when he's in his bedroom alone and there are girls a guy farts around. Grant is friends with Marta, the latter in the chick friends hierarchy. She is an intriguing but slightly overweight Latina with a story of her own. Grant is faced with an embarrassing dilemma; he has a secret crush on Marta but is ashamed to tell his friends because she's the "fat girl". If his secret gets out it could be social suicide for Grant. So he goes out of his way to conceal his feelings for her by making a series of bad choices and by engaging in risky behavior. When he gets the courage to tell her his true feelings, she mysteriously vanishes.

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Before I really jump into my review, I have to say this: There is a lot of talk about sex in this book. It's somewhat graphic. If you don't like reading that type of novel, then this book is definitely not for you. I know that a lot of people don't like there to be any grammatical errors in their novels. I'm not exactly a fan of it, either, but it's usually not enough to make me stop reading. People make mistakes, and I've noticed factual and grammatical errors in plenty of novels. That said, I also wanted to mention that there are some grammatical errors in The Chick Friends Rules! (Freshman Year), mostly in the form of comma splices. As I mentioned, it was't enough to make me stop reading, because I found the story to be enjoyable, but for those of you who do stop reading when you see that kind of thing, I wanted to give you a fair warning.

All the sex talk that was in the book didn't bother me, although I'm not sure how believable it is, either. Grant has sex. A lot. He's only fifteen. It could just be that I was really naive in high school, or it could just be that the culture in my high school was really different than the culture in Grant's high school, but when I was in high school, I wasn't aware of anyone being like Grant. I never heard any rumors about people sleeping around. Then again, I also wasn't part of the popular crowd, and I just didn't really hear too many rumors in general. So I suppose it's completely plausible that experiences like Grant's really do happen. It's just hard for me to believe because of what my high school experience was like.

I was expecting The Chick Friends Rules! (Freshman Year) to be a really fun, beach-read type of novel. In some places, it was. I loved reading about Grant going onto the golf course to stargaze, jumping out of two-story windows with his friend, and going to a party during summer break. I love reading about people's summer break experiences, because they're so different depending on where you live. Despite those scenes and how fun they are, there are some majorly serious undertones to this novel: race, sexual abuse, affairs, and the consequences of sexting are just a few. It was interesting and refreshing to read about these issues from a male character's point of view. I really loved reading a novel with a male narrator, since the majority of the YA novels I read are told from a female's point of view.

Grant's reactions to some of the more serious issues were admirable. There were times when I got really frustrated with him though, like when he wouldn't stand up to someone when he that someone was doing something wrong, just because he didn't want to get on that person's bad side and/or he was worried about his own reputation. I think those moments are so realistic, though, because as a fifteen year old, Grant is still so young and immature in some ways, but he's also learning about life and himself, so in those moments, we also get to see instances of maturity. I think Vici Howard struck the perfect balance in creating those moments.

I also loved Grant's relationship with his family. I loved his loyalty to his mother, and I loved it that he had a mostly good relationship with his stepfather, since he couldn't have that kind of relationship with his father. The sibling rivalry between Grant and Lexie was well-done. There were moments when I wondered why Grant was so mean to his sister, but as the novel progresses, it becomes more and more clear why he treats her the way he does, even if it's not obvious to Grant.

One character I really loved in this novel was Marta. I thought she was fantastic. I loved it that she could act as Grant's confidant, and that she was willing to be upfront and honest with him. I didn't get to see nearly as much of Marta as I would have liked in this novel, so I can't wait for the next book in the series. I'm really hoping that in the next book, we'll really get to delve into Marta's character more and learn more about her. 

The Chick Friends Rules! (Freshman Year) was an enjoyable read. I don't know that I'd exactly call it fun, because of the serious issues presented in the novel, but it had its fun moments, and it was definitely a pleasurable read. Grant is a fantastic character and I look forward to seeing how Grant's experiences will shape his sophomore year.

The Iron Knight Book Trailer and Behind the Scenes Cover Shoot for The Iron Knight

All I have to say is, I am incredibly excited for the release of The Iron Knight, and I had a blast watching these videos, especially the cover shoot. I kept trying to picture each person auditioning as Puck and Ash, and I think that in the end, they picked the perfect people. Enjoy!!!

Cover Shoot

Okay, really, what can I say about this trailer? I want to read The Iron Knight NOW. The end.

Review: Juliet Immortal

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay
Publisher: Delacorte Books
Pages: 320
Release date: August 9, 2011
Format: eBook
Website

The most tragic love story in history . . .

Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.

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I'm not really a fan of Romeo and Juliet. With the exception of the movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, I have never really been a big of fan of Romeo and Juliet. So for a while, I didn't want to read Juliet Immortal. But I am so, so glad I did, because it is amazing.

Of course there is a love story. It's Romeo and Juliet, after all. However, Romeo and Juliet's love story isn't the only love story. The other love story is incredible. I don't want to give anything away about it, but it is one of the best love stories I've read in a long time. I was really rooting for the two people involved in it. All I wanted was for things to work out for them and for them to have a happy ending.

Aside from the love story, there are so many moments of tension, anxiety, and fear in Juliet Immortal. The deeper the story delves into the history of Romeo and Juliet's lives and deaths, the more the emotions grow. I loved it. I also haven't felt so emotionally invested in a story and its characters in a while, so I am so glad I had that emotional investment with Juliet Immortal. I love all the ideas of the afterlife that are presented in this novel, even though to be honest, some of them terrify me. Juliet Immortal is a great interpretation of what really happened to Romeo and Juliet and the consequences of their actions. It's definitely a new favorite book of mine.

Review: Hooked

Hooked by Catherine Greenman
Publisher: Delacorte Books
Pages: 288
Release date: August 9, 2011
Format: eBook
Website

Thea Galehouse has always known how to take care of herself. With a flighty club-owner mom and a standoffish, recovering-alcoholic dad, Thea has made her own way in her hometown of New York, attending the prestigious and competitive Stuyvesant High School. But one chat with Will, a handsome and witty senior, and she's a goner—completely hooked on him and unable to concentrate on anything else.
Always worried that she loves Will more than he loves her, Thea is pleasantly surprised when their romance weathers his move to college and Will goes out of his way to involve her in his life. But then, Thea misses a period. And that starts Thea and Will on a wild ride that neither of them could have possibly prepared for. When they decide to keep the baby, their concerned parents chip in what they can to keep Will in school and give both teenagers a comfortable place to raise their child. But when a freak accident leaves Thea shaken and threatens to upend their little family altogether, Thea is forced to turn to the last place she would have chosen for comfort: her stiff, uncompromising father.
This smart, touching first novel brims with realistic, beautifully drawn characters, and reminds us that love is never as easy or predictable as we might like it to be.

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Hooked started out a little shaky for me. In the beginning, the timeline just didn't make any sense. In one chapter, we'd be with Thea while she started to learn how to crochet, and all of a sudden, in the next chapter, it was months later. That seemed to happen a lot in the beginning, but then Thea would always go back to this ball of purple yarn that she was using to make a scarf, and it seemed like she never made any progress crocheting the scarf, so there were times when I was confused about where we were in the story. I also had an issue with the timeline because it didn't allow me to see Thea and Will's relationship develop. One minute, they've just met. Then they're on their first date, and then it's suddenly months later, and they're having sex and saying they love each other, and all I could think was, "How in the world could we get from Point A to Point C without ever seeing what happens during Point B?" It was really difficult for me to not see Thea and Will's relationship develop, because it made it really difficult for me to understand how Thea could love Will as much as she did. He didn't have any redeeming qualities. He was immature and selfish, and I had no idea what Thea saw in him, because we never really got to see what made her fall in love with him while their relationship progressed.

But then Thea had her baby, and the story completely changed for me. The timeline became so much better; it was smoother and easier to follow. As Thea matures throughout the story, it almost seems like the writing matures and gets better, too. I loved everything after Thea had the baby. It was so interesting and fun to read, although it was definitely hard to read at times, too. I think at this point in the novel, Greenman does an excellent job of portraying what it's like for a teenage girl who isn't mature enough or prepared to have a baby to get pregnant, have to make the decision of whether she wants to have an abortion, keep the baby, or give the baby up for adoption, and then become a mother. It seemed very realistic to me to read how Thea dealt with everything. Her actions and the way she thought seemed spot-on for how a teenager would really react in Thea's situation. I adored seeing Thea mature throughout the second half of the novel. By the end of it, I was rooting for her and happy ending.

Getting through the first half of the novel might be a little challenging, but it's worth it. I haven't read too many books that deal with teen pregnancy, but Hooked is definitely one of the better ones I've read.

In My Mailbox: 36

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. The purpose of this meme is to share the books we receive for review, purchase, borrow from the library, etc. each week. It's a great way to find books to add to your TBR list.


Before I jump into what I got this week, I just want to correct my IMM from last week. Last week, I said I received The Chick Friends Rules! Freshman Year by Vici Howard for review. I didn't. I accepted Vici Howard's review request last week, but I haven't actually gotten the book yet. I should be getting it soon. Actually, I should probably go check my mail, just in case it's already here. . . .


Onto what I got this week! This week, I got a few eBooks from the library:

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

The most tragic love story in history . . .

Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.

Torment by Lauren Kate

Read my review

***SUMMARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS***

Hell on earth.

That’s what it’s like for Luce to be apart from her fallen angel boyfriend, Daniel.

It took them an eternity to find one another, but now he has told her he must go away. Just long enough to hunt down the Outcasts—immortals who want to kill Luce. Daniel hides Luce at Shoreline, a school on the rocky California coast with unusually gifted students: Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans.

At Shoreline, Luce learns what the Shadows are, and how she can use them as windows to her previous lives. Yet the more Luce learns, the more she suspects that Daniel hasn’t told her everything. He’s hiding something—something dangerous.

What if Daniel’s version of the past isn’t actually true? What if Luce is really meant to be with someone else?

The second novel in the addictive FALLEN series . . . where love never dies.

Hooked by Catherine Greenman

Read my review

Thea Galehouse has always known how to take care of herself. With a flighty club-owner mom and a standoffish, recovering-alcoholic dad, Thea has made her own way in her hometown of New York, attending the prestigious and competitive Stuyvesant High School. But one chat with Will, a handsome and witty senior, and she's a goner—completely hooked on him and unable to concentrate on anything else.

Always worried that she loves Will more than he loves her, Thea is pleasantly surprised when their romance weathers his move to college and Will goes out of his way to involve her in his life. But then, Thea misses a period. And that starts Thea and Will on a wild ride that neither of them could have possibly prepared for. When they decide to keep the baby, their concerned parents chip in what they can to keep Will in school and give both teenagers a comfortable place to raise their child. But when a freak accident leaves Thea shaken and threatens to upend their little family altogether, Thea is forced to turn to the last place she would have chosen for comfort: her stiff, uncompromising father.

This smart, touching first novel brims with realistic, beautifully drawn characters, and reminds us that love is never as easy or predictable as we might like it to be.


That's it for me this week. What did you get? Happy reading!

Review: Torment

Torment by Lauren Kate
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Series: Fallen #2
Pages: 464
Release date: September 28, 2010
Format: eBook
Website

***SUMMARY MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*** 

Hell on earth.

That’s what it’s like for Luce to be apart from her fallen angel boyfriend, Daniel.

It took them an eternity to find one another, but now he has told her he must go away. Just long enough to hunt down the Outcasts—immortals who want to kill Luce. Daniel hides Luce at Shoreline, a school on the rocky California coast with unusually gifted students: Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans.

At Shoreline, Luce learns what the Shadows are, and how she can use them as windows to her previous lives. Yet the more Luce learns, the more she suspects that Daniel hasn’t told her everything. He’s hiding something—something dangerous.

What if Daniel’s version of the past isn’t actually true? What if Luce is really meant to be with someone else?

 The second novel in the addictive FALLEN series . . . where love never dies.

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It was hard for me to get into Fallen at first, and it took me a while to get into Torment, too. I'm not sure why it's so hard for me to get into these books, but it is. After a few chapters, I was able to get into Torment a little more. I enjoyed delving into Luce's life more, and learning more about Daniel and his history, and the history of angels and demons. I really enjoy angel stories. And as always, Lauren Kate did an awesome job with the characters. I loved the characters in Fallen, and I love the new characters we meet in Torment as well as old characters from Fallen who play a role in the second book. Each character has a unique personality, and I love that. Even when some characters have similar personalities, no two characters are exactly the same. 

That said, I struggled with this book when I was about halfway through it. At some point, it just started dragging on for me. I felt like it was the same thing over, and over: Luce does A, B, and C throughout the novel, and there's not much variety in what she does. It made the book a little repetitive. Still, I found myself eager to read the book when I didn't expect to be. After reading Fallen, I initially felt like if I didn't read the rest of the series, I would be just fine. I still kind of feel that way, but at the same time, I found that I couldn't wait to get back to Torment. I enjoyed it so much more than I thought I would. It's a good angel story, and I look forward to seeing how Passion unfolds.

Review: Far From the War

Far From the War by Jeffrey David Payne
Publisher: Roche Harbor Books
Pages: 378
Release date: August 3, 2011 (paperback edition)
Format: eBook
Website

Economic ruin and partisan rancor have pushed America to the brink of a new civil war. Esther is caught in the middle, serving as a page in the United States House of Representatives when rogue politicians and military leaders stage a modern day coup d'etat. When the coup turns violent, she abandons Washington, D.C. for home. She must learn to survive on her own as transportation and financial networks fail, as the war disrupts food and water supplies. The result is a cautionary tale about political extremism and the true cost of war.

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I have been at a loss for words ever since I finished reading Far From the War. I don't even know where to start when it comes to describing my feelings and reactions to this book. So, I'll start with the one image that has stayed with since I finished reading: children collecting brass shell casings. I can't even quite pinpoint why that image has stayed with me. It certainly wasn't the most horrifying or vivid image in the novel. But maybe that's exactly why it has stayed with me; because it's not horrifying in the usual sense that we say things are horrifying, and because it's not something you expect to see in a war novel. But in its own way, it is horrifying to see children collecting brass shell casings. It portrays innocence on their part, and perhaps a fascination with things that are out of the ordinary. Kids don't always understand the true impact of war. And I think that's what makes this scene so horrifying. To see a boy excited about finding shell casings, and getting to keep them, when he probably doesn't what they are is frightening to me. I feel like I'm not even explaining very well why I find this image so frightening and beautiful.

To be honest, it's hard for me to write a review about this novel without wanting to analyze it. Far From the War is a novel that needs to be read and discussed, not just by bloggers or by people who really like to read, but also in schools. I can already picture how many people would argue with that statement, but frankly, I don't care. Far From the War is an important novel, and it deserves to be treated as such.

I admit there were moments of confusion for me. I think if I were to read through the novel a second time, the majority of that confusion will be cleared up. Part of me wonders, though, how intentional those moments of confusion were. But again, that leads me to start analyzing the novel, which I don't want to do.

I think the most terrifying thing about Far From the War is how realistic it is. I have no idea if we're headed toward another civil war any time in the near, or even distant, future. But Far From the War shows how it could happen, and the fact that this novel takes place in present-day America doesn't just make it terrifying, it makes it one of the most interesting and captivating dystopian novels I've read. The detail throughout the novel is incredible. The characters are great, and I can't wait to see how they develop further in the next novel. I'm not sure it's completely accurate to say I loved this book--for some reason, it just sounds wrong to me when I say that. But, I did thoroughly enjoy Far From the War, and I would love to read it again soon, so that I can really let my analytical side come out. I love novels that force me to think, and Far From the War definitely does that for me. I can't wait to see where Jeffrey David Payne takes us next.

Author Interview: J.D. Thompson

Today, I'm happy to have an interview with J.D. Thompson, author of Silver and Stone. J.D. graciously agreed to answer a few questions for me, and I love what she had to say. If you're a writer, I hope you find her answers as awesome and helpful as I did.

Kelly: Can you describe your writing process for us?

J.D. I'm a compulsive pre-writer. I'm continuously scribbling down words, thoughts, storylines and even dialogue on random pieces of paper for future reference. I tend to prefer outlining a story, especially when writing a series, since it keeps me on track. The Bloodlines series is a good example of this, since I wrote the plot for the three books in one sitting. From then on, I think it's about consistency. I write every day, whether it be a single sentence of a full chapter. (Note: I assume J.D. means a single sentence or a full chapter here.)

Kelly: I imagine the publishing process is exciting but stressful, among other things. What was the publishing process like for you?

J.D.: Truthfully, the first few months were more than a little disappointing. I had this preconceived notion that an author would simply send off their manuscript in a pretty brown envelop to an agency somewhere in New-York City and it would be published. I was so naive. Once I started researching the actual steps needed in order to even be considered for publication, I became overwhelmed and almost gave up right then and there I think a lot of first time authors struggle through this. All I can say is stick to it, and take the whole process in stride. I got rejection letters. Lots of them. I got partial requests, sometimes even full manuscript requests. My most exciting moment was speaking with an agent at Writer's House over the phone about Silver and Stone. I'm sure I sounded as star struck as I felt. In the end, I ended up going solo.

Kelly: It seems like there's still controversy about self-publishing versus traditional publishing, though self-publishing is becoming more widely accepted. Why did you choose to self-publish Silver and Stone? (Note: If I had realized I was going to get such an awesome answer in my second question that partially addresses this question, I probably would have asked something else.)

J.D.: I'm an impatient person, which is one of my biggest flaws, and couldn't stand waiting for agency responses any longer. Most agencies took  months to get back to me, most with rejection letters. The ones that did show interest wanted me to change certain aspects of the story that were vital in my eyes. I came to a point where I just figured I had to go at it alone. I took Silver and Stone, self-published it, and never looked back. I agree that there are many downsides to self-publishing. Editing, formatting, marketing... it all falls on you. But, that also means that you are in the driver's seat, which can be a great thing if you utilize it.

Kelly: You mentioned on your blog that you're working on a project with a local high school. Can you tell us anything about it?

J.D.: We're still working through to specifics, however it is confirmed that each student participating will receive a free copy of Silver and Stone. We are also hoping to have a possible in class reading as well as a Q&A period with me to discuss the book and my experiences as a writer. By doing this I hope to inspire other young writers, and to show them that taking the path less traveled can still lead you to your end goal.

Kelly: What can we look forward to after the Bloodlines series has ended?

J.D.: Because I haven't completed the series yet, it's hard for me to predict what direction my writing will take. However, I have begun outlining another YA series that I think would please Silver and Stone fans.

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Thank you, J.D., for a wonderful interview! I can't wait to read the next book in the Bloodlines series! I loved Silver and Stone--check out my review if you haven't already. And if you're interested in reading the series, here's more information about Silver and Stone:

Welcome to high school high society hell, where last season’s slingbacks can warrant a lunch table demotion, the wrong date will knock you off the it-list and behind every pair of oversized Chanel sunglasses lies a secret people are dying to keep.

As if senior year at Weatherford Preparatory School wasn’t hard enough, sixteen year old Alexis Bardolph had to add school outcast to the curriculum.

A new found notoriety following a family scandal, her lacrosse star boy-friend dumping her for a former BFF and a string of perpetually bad hair days were among the many things going wrong in her already turbulent teenage life.

But when the haunting nightmares that have plagued her since childhood begin to take an eerily tangible form and several Holler Creek residents are reported missing, Alexis can’t help but wonder if there isn’t more to her hellish dreams than meets the eye.

The unexpected arrival of a mysterious and dangerously handsome new student ultimately leads Alexis to troubling truths that not even her wildest imagination could have conjured.

I Like Big Books

Flux posted this video on Facebook, and it was so awesome that I wanted to share it with everyone. Enjoy!

In My Mailbox: 35

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. The purpose of it is to share what books we received for review, as gifts, from the library, that we purchased, and so on. For more information, check out Kristi's blog.


I received two books for review this week. As always, links take you to Amazon, and summaries are from Good Reads.

Far From the War by Jeffrey David Payne

Economic ruin and partisan rancor have pushed America to the brink of a new civil war. Esther is caught in the middle, serving as a page in the United States House of Representatives when rogue politicians and military leaders stage a modern day coup d'etat. When the coup turns violent, she abandons Washington, D.C. for home. She must learn to survive on her own as transportation and financial networks fail, as the war disrupts food and water supplies. The result is a cautionary tale about political extremism and the true cost of war.

Thanks to Kathryn at Roche Harbor Books for sending me Far From the War!

The Chick Friends Rules! Freshman Year by Vici Howard

"The chick friends rules! Freshman year" is the first of a four book series in this edgy coming of edge story. Fifteen-year old Grant Lee is a "cool kid" who is popular with the girls and adheres to a strict code of the "chick friends hierarchy". There are girls a guy thinks about when he's in his bedroom alone and there are girls a guy farts around. Grant is friends with Marta, the latter in the chick friends hierarchy. She is an intriguing but slightly overweight Latina with a story of her own. Grant is faced with an embarrassing dilemma; he has a secret crush on Marta but is ashamed to tell his friends because she's the "fat girl". If his secret gets out it could be social suicide for Grant. So he goes out of his way to conceal his feelings for her by making a series of bad choices and by engaging in risky behavior. When he gets the courage to tell her his true feelings, she mysteriously vanishes.

Thanks to Vici for sending me this title!


That's all I received this week. What did you get? Happy reading! 

 

Discussion and changes: Rating Systems

I've been thinking a lot lately about rating systems for books. Ever since I began blogging, I've used a rating system, based on a scale of 1 to 5. My rating system works like this:

0: I did not finish this book. I will never post this, because I don't feel it's fair to review a book I didn't finish.

1: This book was not for me.

2: This book was okay. There were good things, but there is room for improvement.

3: I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it. It was average.

4. I really liked this book. There was very little that I would change about it.

5. I loved this book. I would not change anything; it was perfect.


Lately, however, I've been playing with the idea of not using a rating system at all. Sometimes, it's really easy for me to assign a rating to a book. Sometimes, it's not easy at all. Lately, more often than not, I find myself stressing over what rating to give a book. I really like what Kristi at The Story Siren, in a recent FAQ post, said this about numerical rating systems:

It was hard to assign a numerical rating to my feelings. I never really felt the same way about two books. I would find myself thinking well I didn’t feel the same way about these two books... yet they have the same rating? It one three star rating equal to another? I don’t think it is. And that’s what I really struggled with. 

I'm starting to feel the same way about rating systems. I'll rate one book a 5, and then I'll rate another book a 5, but in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, "How can I rate both of these books a 5? They're so different." When I rate books, I tend to take three things into account: Plot/story, characters, and the writing itself. Sometimes, I rate a book based only on the plot. Sometimes, I rate it based only on the characters, and sometimes my rating is based only on the writing. Other times, my ratings are based on a combination of those three things. As a result, some books that I give a rating of 5 are completely different than other books that I give a rating of 5.

The above books are titles that, if asked today, I would rate a 5 (whether or not I've reviewed them on the blog before and whether or not I've given them a different rating before). But how can all these books, which don't have much in common, except genre in some cases, all be rated a 5? As Kristi pointed out, one 3-star rating might not be equal to another, and in my case, one 5 rating is not equal to another 5 rating.

On top of all that, I started thinking last night that what's the point of giving ratings, anyway? Don't get me wrong, I like them. Ratings can be very useful. I don't read reviews of titles I haven't read yet, but I love glancing at how other bloggers have rated certain titles before I decide whether or not to read those titles, especially if it's something I'm considering purchasing. At this point, though, I can't bring myself to give ratings to books anymore. I really feel like my review should be sufficient enough to convey what I thought of a book and how much I liked it, without adding a rating on top of that. If someone can't tell whether or not I liked a book and why after reading a review, then I need to rethink how I'm writing my reviews. Unless you're like me, and you refuse to reviews of titles you haven't read yet, and thus look for rating systems, a rating system with my reviews is useless.

So for now, I'm getting rid of my rating system. I don't know if I will ever go back to any kind of rating system, whether it's a numerical rating system, or a star rating system, because to me, they're basically the same thing. As far as I'm concerned, 5/5 = 5 stars. It's just a different way to say the same thing.

What do you think about rating systems? Do you use one? If so, how hard is it for you to assign ratings? Do you like it when other people rate books, do you dislike it, or do you not pay attention to it?

Review: Fallen

Fallen by Lauren Kate
Publisher: Delacorte Books
Pages: 464
Release date: December 8, 2009
Format: eBook
Website

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

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Fallen: Take two. What I mean by that is, I tried reading Fallen several months ago, and I could not get into it. If I remember correctly, I couldn't even make it through the first chapter. But the thing is, I love the cover, and the covers of Torment and Passion. ( I want to own the books just because the covers are gorgeous.) And I'm on a mission to read certain series' that I haven't been able to get into. So, I decided to give Fallen another shot.

I still didn't fall in love with it. I liked it well enough, but it didn't blow me away. There were times when the story dragged for me, especially toward the end--enough to make feel like I was going to fall asleep. By the time I finished the book, I felt a little relieved that it was over, but curious enough to want to read Torment. Aside from the story dragging in places, I just didn't quite connect with any of the characters. I really liked Penn, but as far as Luce and Daniel go, there was nothing about them that made me feel strongly about them, whether negatively or positively. I didn't care for Cam too much, and I didn't like Molly, but my feelings for them weren't incredibly strong, either.

That being said, there was scene in the novel that was incredibly sexy. I won't give away what it is--if you haven't read Fallen yet, you'll just have to read it and find out for yourself. But that one scene was so, so good, and I hope we get more scenes like it in Torment and Passion. Angels are incredibly interesting, so I look forward to seeing how the story progresses in the rest of the series. I'm glad I gave Fallen a shot, and I plan on reading the rest of the series, and I really hope it's as good as I've heard it is.

New Book Deals: Kiersten White and Jessi Kirby

I was on Facebook this morning and saw that Jessi Kirby, author of Moonglass, had posted a link to Publisher Weekly's Deals: Week of September 12, 2011. Here are some of the new book deals that are listed on the site (I've just paraphrased everything, so if you want the full details, head over the official announcement).


Kiersten White: Erica Sussman at HarperTeen bought four new books by Kiersten White. White's third book in the Paranormalcy series will be released next summer. The new book deal includes Mind Games, which has been described as a "dark thriller" about two teens who have special powers in a world where corporations rely on psychics and mind readers. The book deal includes a sequel to Mind Games as well as two standalone novels.


Jessi Kirby (I copied and pasted this directly from the announcement): "Leigh Feldman at Writers House sold world rights to a YA novel, tentatively titled Golden, by Jessi Kirby, to Kirby’s editor, Alexandra Cooper at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Kirby’s debut, Moonglass, bowed from S&S in May and her next book, In Honor, is scheduled for May 2012. In Golden, a reserved high schooler finds the journal of a local girl who died a decade earlier and starts looking into the mystery behind her demise."


When I saw that Jessi Kirby has a new book deal, I squealed. Okay, not out loud, but I am so excited to know that she has a third book in the works. I love Moonglass, and I can't wait for In Honor, and now I'm just as excited for Golden. I haven't read the Paranormalcy series yet, but I can't wait to, and I'm sure White's new books will be great, too.


These were the only two YA deals I saw on the list, so if you want to know what other book deals have been made recently, be sure to check out the announcement.

Review: Bad Taste in Boys

Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
Publisher: Delacorte Books
Pages: 208
Release date: July 12, 2011
Format: eBook
Website

Someone's been a very bad zombie.

Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steroids are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate!

She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town. . . and stay hormonally human.

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When I first heard about Bad Taste in Boys, my initial reaction was, "Zombies? No, thank you." The only zombies I liked at that point were the zombies in 28 Days Later. I had only read the first book in The Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy, and I didn't really care for it, so I didn't want to bother with any other zombie books. But then I read the rest of The Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy, and I really enjoyed it, so I finally decided to read Bad Taste in Boys.

I'm glad I did. It was cute. It was fun. I've heard people describe it as scary and horrific, but it didn't strike me as either of those things. I thought it was more humorous and lighthearted than anything else. I don't know if it's supposed to be a sort of zombie parody or not, but I don't really care, either. I had way too much fun reading it and giggling, especially when Kate mentioned/made fun of sparkly vampires. Twice.

I like the entire premise of the story. I don't want to give anything away, but the how the zombie virus started was great. It was predictable in places. I knew who was responsible for the virus before it was revealed. Some things that were obvious to me weren't obvious to Kate. But I was okay with that. When Kate realized something that I had long ago figured out, I just thought, "Well, duh. How did you not see that one coming?" I wasn't frustrated that it was predictable in places, and I was never frustrated with Kate for not realizing certain things sooner.

And of course, I have to mention Kate and Aaron's relationship, just because I am so glad that it was a cute relationship in the beginning stages. It didn't jump into a full-fledged romance like relationships in other novels do. I appreciated that.

Overall, Bad Taste in Boys is definitely worth the read. It's the first in a series, and I can't wait to see what Kate gets herself into next. The end of Bad Taste in Boys might have hinted at it. . . . I hope.

Book Trailer and Giveaway: Ladybird, Ladybird

Ladybird, Ladybird is a new book by Abra Ebner. Published by Crimson Oak Publishing. Ladybird, Ladybird is a paranormal/ghost romance set in rural America. I am super-excited about this novel. After reading Hereafter by Tara Hudson, I am in love with paranormal/ghost romances, and I am a country girl at heart, so I love things that take place in rural America.


Here's the summary from Good Reads:

Samantha was born on a full moon to a mother already dead. Revived by doctors and given to her unloving father, Samantha was raised a cursed child, her only friend the ghost of her mother who speaks to her through keys. From the inside out, Sam burned with life, a fire so vivid it kept her peers at a distance, all except one. Leith, a quiet farmboy with a broken heart and demons of his own, enjoys the seclusion his classmates grant him, but the seclusion is all too familiar to Sam.

When their worlds collide... fires burn.

Want to know more? Check out the trailer.

It gets better--you could win a $50 American Express giftcard as part of the book trailer and eBook release. Enter the giveaway, and make sure to mention that you heard about it from The Bookscape Report.  The giveaway ends on Sunday, September 18 at 11:59 p.m. PST. Good luck!

Review: Silver and Stone

Silver and Stone by J.D. Thompson
Publisher: J.D. Thompson
Pages: 132
Release date: August 3, 2011
Format: eBook
Website

Welcome to high school high society hell, where last season’s slingbacks can warrant a lunch table demotion, the wrong date will knock you off the it-list and behind every pair of oversized Chanel sunglasses lies a secret people are dying to keep.

As if senior year at Weatherford Preparatory School wasn’t hard enough, sixteen year old Alexis Bardolph had to add school outcast to the curriculum.

A new found notoriety following a family scandal, her lacrosse star boy-friend dumping her for a former BFF and a string of perpetually bad hair days were among the many things going wrong in her already turbulent teenage life.

But when the haunting nightmares that have plagued her since childhood begin to take an eerily tangible form and several Holler Creek residents are reported missing, Alexis can’t help but wonder if there isn’t more to her hellish dreams than meets the eye.

The unexpected arrival of a mysterious and dangerously handsome new student ultimately leads Alexis to troubling truths that not even her wildest imagination could have conjured.

-----

I had so much fun reading Silver and Stone. I can only imagine how fun it must have been for J.D. Thompson to write it. This is the type of book that makes me remember why I love paranormal romance. It's impossible to talk about this book without talking about the romance. Lucas is definitely swoon-worthy. When I think of Lucas, I think of his green eyes, and that at point, my thoughts aren't terribly coherent--it becomes something like, "OMGljouwernslujdf." I don't even know what to say about Lucas other than he's my new character crush.

Aside from the romance, which is sexy and cute and amazing all at once, it would also be impossible to talk about Silver and Stone without talking about the mystery aspect of it. I love it that from the beginning to the end, we're taken through an incredible mystery. Are there things I wanted to know more about while I was reading? Absolutely. Am I glad that not everything was revealed right away? Definitely. I like it when the mystery isn't solved halfway through the novel. I like it that Alexis doesn't know about her history, or Lucas's history, until we get close to the end of the novel. It's much more interesting than the girl finding out her crush is a vampire/werewolf/insert other paranormal creature here when we're only a few chapters into the book. That's not to say I don't love the novels that are like that, but it was refreshing to just watch Alexis and Lucas and their romance while watching Alexis go through her nightmares and visions and try to figure out what was going on at the same time she was. I like it that not everything was revealed to Alexis, or to me, right away. Plus, not knowing everything in the first book means there are more books in the series to look forward to. I did feel like this book was too short, but that's just because I want more, and thank goodness I'm going to get more, since this is the first of a series. I can't wait to see how Alexis's and Lucas's story unfolds.

Overall rating: 4/5

Books I'm Anticipating

I doubt I'm going to make this a regular feature, because with school starting tomorrow, I don't think I'll have the time, but I wanted to share some of the books I can't wait get my hands on. . . sort of like Kristi at The Story Siren's Books to Pine For, which is awesome. Jen at Makeshift Bookmark has a similar feature, A Peek At My TBR. Both features inspired this post. Some of the books I'm waiting for have already been released and some haven't.

Fever by Lauren DeStefano § February 21, 2012
Twisted by Sara Shepard § July 5, 2011
Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen § September 20, 2011

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick § October 4, 2011

In Honor by Jessi Kirby § May 8, 2012

Two Truths and a Lie by Sara Shepard § February 7, 2012

Truth by Julia Karr § January 19, 2012

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver § March 6, 2012

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins § September 29, 2011

Ghost Flower by Michele Jaffe § April 12, 2012

Review: Hereafter

Hereafter by Tara Hudson
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 416
Release date: June 7, 2011
Format: Hardcover
Website

Can there truly be love after death?

Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.

Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, Hereafter is a sensation you won't want to miss.

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The opening sentence of Hereafter hooked me right away:

"It was the same as always, but different from the first time."

 As soon as I read that, I wanted to know more. I needed to know more. Hereafter's opening sentence is one of the best opening sentences I've read lately. It does everything an opening sentence should do.

I love the premise of Hereafter. Usually, I hesitate to read ghost stories, because ghosts are one of the few things that freak me out. Hereafter, though, isn't a scary ghost story. It's beautiful and delightful. It makes me want to read more ghost stories. . . . Even the scary ones.

I'm not too sure how I feel about the characters. Overall, I liked them. Amelia was wonderful. She was likeable and interesting, and I liked going on her journey with her. She was a little more passive than I would have liked, though. Joshua was also great, although sometimes I felt confused by his character. At times, he seemed self-assured and confident. At other times, he seemed immature and naive, and those things just didn't quite go together for me. Still, I loved Amelia and Joshua and their relationship.

There were conflicts in the novel that were just fun to read about, too. My favorite conflict is actually the one between Joshua's grandmother, Ruth, and Amelia. I don't want to give anything away, so the only other thing I'll say about it is that for me, it was one of the more interesting conflicts. The idea that Amelia doesn't remember anything about her life or death was also very interesting to me, and I wish that had been explored more, or in a different way, than it was.

Herafter is awesome. I'm so glad it's the first of a trilogy, because I definitely want to know more about the world Amelia lives in.

In My Mailbox: 34

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. Check out her blog for more details.


I received one book for review this week:

Silver and Stone by J.D. Thompson
Summary (from Good Reads): Welcome to high school high society hell, where last season’s slingbacks can warrant a lunch table demotion, the wrong date will knock you off the it-list and behind every pair of oversized Chanel sunglasses lies a secret people are dying to keep. 

As if senior year at Weatherford Preparatory School wasn’t hard enough, sixteen year old Alexis Bardolph had to add school outcast to the curriculum.

A new found notoriety following a family scandal, her lacrosse star boy-friend dumping her for a former BFF and a string of perpetually bad hair days were among the many things going wrong in her already turbulent teenage life.

But when the haunting nightmares that have plagued her since childhood begin to take an eerily tangible form and several Holler Creek residents are reported missing, Alexis can’t help but wonder if there isn’t more to her hellish dreams than meets the eye.
The unexpected arrival of a mysterious and dangerously handsome new student ultimately leads Alexis to troubling truths that not even her wildest imagination could have conjured.

Silver and Stone is the first of a series, Bloodlines. I am so excited to read it. Thank you, J.D. Thompson, for sending me a review copy!

That's all I got this week. What did you get? Happy reading!