Review: WANDERLOVE by Kirsten Hubbard

Bria tries to escape her present when she signed up for a tour group by herself. She was in the Guatemelian (is that right?) airport when she meet Rowan and Starling, to backpackers who thought she was one too. But when they meet again in a wet market, the truth was out. Rowan then invited Bria to his hotel for the night, not thinking Bria would go. His expectations proves wrong when Bria shows up, abandoning her tour group. She soon finds out that Rowan was just pulling her lake, only that she couldn’t go back to the hotel because the last boat is gone. Bria was compelled to stay, but swears that she’s outta there first thing in the morning. Starling, the wild backpacker who’s the sister of Rowan, asks Bria to stay and keep an eye on her brother. Eager to really experience backpacking, Bria agrees, only to find herself on an unexpectedly fruitful journey, making her understand the core destination: Wanderlove.

Wanderlove is a beautifully crafted novel of travelling, falling in love and essentially finding your own self.

I love the characters! Bria is sensitive and thoughtful, and the fact that she draws made her even more endearing to me. I understand her hunger to draw, and how the longer you dropped your pencil, the longer it takes you to pick up the pencil again. I connected with her and pitied her past, while yelling at her and Rowan to just kiss already. It was amazing to watch her grow from one who travels just to escape the past into a young woman who’s brave to live her life. Rowan, on the other hand, is an experienced backpacker with a sketchy past. I like his fun and semi-reckless personality, and the good guy hiding beneath that uncaring exterior. He, might have top my list of favorite guys. Starling is a charitable backpacker, in a doing charity work kind of way (she teaches in Guatemala). She is truly memorable, a caring elder sister to Rowan, a strong and slightly comedic presence in the novel. The other characters, such as the bead maker and Jack, are also enjoyable, but a little less crafted as their screen time is less. Hubbard did an excellent job of crafting the characters, especially the leads, her extreme details making the characters even more alive.

The author also made the relationship between Bria and Rowan realistically. There are awkward moments, insecure, feelings, wonderings, intimate moments and the romance scenes. Their relationship was a good one, slowly blossoming and growing. It was fun to see them engage each other, and to plain yell at them sometimes for being so, secretive. The dance around the truth for both of them is frustrating at times.

Another thing I love for in the novel is the scenes: carefree backpackers tracking the roads, beautiful lakes, children running along the streets. These are the vivid pictures Hubbard painted in my mind. Bria’s insight is in tuned with the scenery, complementing the pictures perfectly. There are drawings between the pages, showing how well Hubbard could draw. This is another favorite point of mine in Wanderlove. The drawings are able to portray Bria’s mood at that exact moment.

The prose, oh the prose! It was beautiful and mesmerizing. Hubbard is a really talented writer. She made my eyes water and laugh at the laptop screen like a mad woman. I felt the hollow of Bria, the ecstasy of travelling, the urge to flee, both literally and metaphorically. I felt Bria’s hesitation, Rowan’s elusiveness, Starling’s concern. I felt everything. I was so sad when the characters are hurting, and my heart ached when they ached, and when the story ended.

The only thing I didn’t like is the way clues were dropped but addressed way too late in the novel. Since it’s narrated completely by Bria, we don’t know anything else that she doesn’t know, but the clues were clear, yet somehow Bria couldn’t figure out the truth. In other words, the writer wishes to create suspense, but it wasn’t as successful as intended. Perhaps the clues should be a few lesser or more subtle.

Wanderlove is less a YA romance, but more about the concept itself: the love of endless travel to experience life, to understand yourself. In the end, I end up more than I bargained for. There are no exact words to describe this novel, you’ll have to read it to really get it.

The cover is beautiful, simple and warm, though I would prefer a hand drawn picture as a cover over this.

Ratings: 4.5 stars (I’ll be the first one in the bookstore to buy it!)

For more info about the book or author, please click here (it's a neat website, I assure you)

Review: NEW GIRL by Paige Harbison(to be published January 31, 2012)

Courtesy of NetGalley(Harlequin Teen)

Rebecca "Becca" Normandy has been missing since last year, and left her spot at the prestigious private school, Manderly empty. So, New Girl(NG for short), unnamed, got Becca's spot, only to find that the real Manderly is far different from the one in her imagination. Becca, being the golden girl-popular, beautiful and whom everyone loves, seems to dominate Manderly still even when she's disappeard. NG is accused of trying to steal Becca's place by her roomie, Dana, and is warned not to go for Becca's ex-boyfriend and ex-fling. Everyone seems to despise her, except for Max and Johnny. The only problem is, the two guys who are not repulsed by NG are Becca's ex. Ah well, NG might just have to suck it up and stick to her senior year, no matter how hard it is, because, she is not a coward, and she will never live in Becca's shadow.

Beautiful and haunting, Harbison brings us a retelling of the well-known gothic novel, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, set in the technology-filled 21st century.

I like strong, independent leads, and the NG is one of them. Even when she's come to Manderly with hopes, only to be crushed by the people there, she stays strong despite the constant emotional abuse from her peers. It's beautiful that she doesn't realize how exceptional and capable she is. Becca, the new girl before NG, albeit pretty, is mean, selfish, and manipulative. She loses her virginity to a guy and threatens him to be with her, even when he doesn't love her, all the while lusting for the guy's best friend, and throwing herself all around. She's just that popular girl you love to hate, and in this case, compelled to hate. And the two guys, Max and Johnny, are just redundant and conflicting, though they tend to fall flat. Some of their actions-and fights- made no sense, though their loyalty towards each other as best friends is kinda sweet. And crazy roomie Dana is just too crazy for me to start with.

The voice of the narrator, a.k.a. NG, is clear and relatable, while Becca's chapters are demanding equal attention as well. The story is another like of mine. I like the how NG is dumped into a new school, with shoes too big for her to fill. I like the twisted way Becca manipulates people into doing what she wants. I like the mystery in between the romance.  Plus the fact that we didn't know what's the NG's name until the last page. Really, it's on the the last page.

However, there are still some flaws in this novel. Harbison's attempt to explain Becca's irrational actions are well thought but not thorough enough. Romance: not convincing enough. And Max and Johnny are annoying, even if they're hot. The ghost scenes(yes, ghost scenes) are a little out of place, and unnecessary.

The other thing that's not contributing is the sex and party the kids indulge in. I just don't think dorm kids could, or would party that hard. There's one scene near the ending, where Becca's talking to NG about the truth, is preachy, and again, unnecessary, as it's just a retelling of the events earlier. Maybe the author didn't think us readers could figure out the truth.

Flaws aside, New Girl actually made me think about bullying, partying and sexual harassment. New Girl deals with those, and a few more. It explores how peer pressure and the need for attention could affect someone's life. In this novel, you see how one tiny action changes a person's life into a road down hill. Harbison is sending heavy messages to readers by her novel.

New Girl is a special kind of story, though not without flaws, it will grab you with it's intense atmosphere, startling romance and nutsy teen hormones.

The cover is at the same time suiting and unsuiting. I get the water idea, but the girl is not the NG, or Becca, so...

Ratings: 4 stars

For more info about the book or author, please click here

Review: ROSEBUSH by Michele Jaffe

Jane is found, near death in a rose bush, a victim of hit-and-run. She couldn’t move at all, and the memory of the night of the accident was lost to her. But when a threat was written in the bathroom mirror, she finds her voice and scream. She believes that someone was trying to kill her on that night, but failed to do so. And the killer is still trying to murder her. But who would want to kill her? After all, she’s  one of the popular girls in school, has a sweet boyfriend, and two awesome BFFs. Sometimes the truth is a very thorny thing.

Michele Jaffe brings us a powerful psychological and sexy thriller. Fast paced and in a smooth flow, Rosebush will have you hooked right from the beginning.

     Jane is a beautiful and popular girl in her school. At first she seems shallow, but as the story unfolds, she seems to gain more dept. Except for Jane, the other characters are pretty two dimensional and boring. Jaffe didn’t write her side characters well enough, though the boys are hawt.

     The novel is full of suspense, and Jaffe write the psychological part very well. The writing keeps you on edge, and there’s none awkward scenes in the novel. Still, some minimal parts of the novel appears shallower than it seems.

     Although the synopsis just look like another novel about a popular girl caught up in mystery, Rosebush is none of the ordinary. Jaffe puts a lot of new twists in the novel and keeps you guessing on every page, no matter the murderer or love interests. Yes, there are love interests, but the thriller is even better, although I find the reason of murder a little forced. Also, I love how the way Jane's relationship with her mother and step-father mend and build throughout the novel.

     A twisted psychological killer written by a new voice, Rosebush is one novel you ought not to miss. Jaffe show readers that she has the potential to be Stephen King in the YA world.

     Cover: A little boring for me. Maybe less rose. Or maybe a huge rose dripping with blood would be nice.

Ratings: 4 stars

For more info about the book or author, please click here

Review: VIRTUOSITY by Jessica Martinez

 Courtesy of Simon and Schuster Pulse It!

Carmen is a violinist in competing for first place in the prestigious Guarneri competition, for a one year contract, a tour around the world as the soloist and for the ownership of the most expensive and beautiful sounding violin in the world for a year. She has no competition, for she is the best among the best. That was before Jeremy King. Infuriating, arrogant, and the only one who could beat Carmen, he is the threat, as well as the love interest. Soon, Carmen begins to defy her mother/manager, go for late-night-outs, kisses Jeremy and surprisingly, she finds the passion for music that was long since lost. But she still can't tell Jeremy about her secret-her addiction with anxiety pills, no matter how charming he is, and there is absolutely no way she can let him win the competition too. Sick with her addiction, sick with people always telling her what to do, and sick of doing what's expected, she's heading for a crash, and being on the top means that you have an extra length to fall.

     Beautiful and inspiring, Virtuosity is a novel that strikes straight to the heart of readers, music lovers especially. Lyrical and brilliant, Martinez keeps you eager for the next line. There was never a dull moment, for it is full of tension, emotions and romance. 

     The characters are extremely relatable, especially Carmen. She is strong yet vulnerable, and able to confront her own fears and problems. Extremely talented, she leads an unusual life, yet still strives to live a normal teen life. It's hilarious yet sweet as hell.

     Jeremy King is an awkward, humorous yet awesome and talented British lad(why am I reading so many novels with British guys lately?). Completely believable, as Carmen is. Jeremy will be one of your favorite guys. The other characters are very human too, their actions and emotions make sense and will also catch your heart. Everyone has their stories, and their past make them who they are in the novel.

The relationships between the characters are expertly constructed too. I loved watching Carmen grow into the talented woman she is, Carmen's bombastic and sad relationship with her mother and Carmen's relationship with Jeremy.

     The world crafting is immensely successful. You sense the city Carmen is in, and you'll get the tension in between the lines. You'll understand more about the classical music world than you'll ever know. This is another reason why I love the novel. 

     Despite the novel is mainly about classical music, non-musical readers will find themselves sucked in by 

Carmen, Jeremy and the Guarneri, and understand everything they're going through. Every scene is well crafted, oozing with emotions and atmosphere when it's supposed to be. 

     The main reason I love this book is because of the music and drive. For me, Carmen's need to strive is that much more endearing and heart wrenching. Being a pianist myself, I understand Carmen's need to excel, to win, to be the best of the best, her passion. Even if you do not play an instrument or love music, you'll know and understand the feelings and actions Carmen have. Some parts-some despairing parts-I find my nose sore and eyes wet. This shows how good of a writer Martinez is. 

     Virtuosity is a wonderful debut novel from Jessica Martinez, fully capturing the voice and life of a child prodigy, turning in to a talented young woman, while she finds love in the brutal world of classical music. A definite job well done, clean and expertly executed.

     The cover is gorgeous! The exact profile of Carmen in my eyes. I can feel the passion and desperation, all at once.

Ratings: 4.5 stars

For more info about the book or author, please click here

Review: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO SURVIVE THE APOCALYPSE by Lucas Klauss

 Apocalypse fanatic Phillip Flowers is a fifteen year old on the track team. No matter how impossible practices might seem with the (devil) Mr. Farragut on his back , he always has his two friends, Asher and Mark to support him. One sunny afternoon(isn’t that how most stories start?), Phillip sprains his ankle and a girl, Rebekah comes to his aid. And of course, it was love at first sight for Phillip. Then Farragut, or Ferret, as Phillip prefer, sees them and questions the authenticity of Phillip’s sprain. Rebekah defends him and in a heated discussion(okay, so maybe I’m exaggerating),  Phillip promises to join in on Wednesday. But what is Wednesday? Youth Church! Eventually, with the help of Rebekah, atheist Phillip starts to believe in Jesus, and love. However, even Jesus couldn’t see the rotten disaster that’s heading their way.

Funny and witty, Klaus brings us a tale of faith, friendship and love. One of the few novels narrated by male protagonists, the pace is decent with hilarious moments in between. Klaus successfully constructed the voice of a fifteen year old boy, in doubt, in search, in love.

Phillip is a fleshed out character. Funny, awkward and smart, he couldn’t be a more perfect lead. His fascination with apocalypse is highly entertaining, and his honesty and awkwardness often getting him into 

trouble with Rebekah and his friends.

The other characters are well constructed too. Faithful Rebekah, single parent Mr. Flowers, Asher, a** hole Mark. Their causes and actions are well thought and have  a certain impact on how the plot unfolds. In short, they are life. You could find traits of friends and family not unlike the characters in the novel.  

The plot though, is a little lacking in action. Not that it’s a bad thing, since this isn’t dystopian or adventure. Everything keeps building up to the not-so-dramatic climax, then falls slowly to the end.

The love between Rebekah and Phillip is sweet and innocent, and it might bring our readers back to their first love. Also, the fights between Phillip and his friends are pretty realistic, such that it make me think about my own friends. There are also a few scenes that explore the aspect of motherly love, or rather the lack of it, and the cause. Klauss wrote the scenes well, as they captured emotions and guilt completely. The scenes fully demonstrate the effect of a broken family.

Klauss’ novel will make you think about your own faith. Why believe, how to believe, who to believe, as Phillip himself asks. There are some issues presented that I agree with, but I don’t necessarily agree with the interpretations of the Bible of one of the characters. Rebekah’s refusal to date a non Christian also annoys me, though it is more of a family cause.

Klauss’ debut, Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse is humorous and entertaining, showing what bring us together and what pull us apart. A truly deep and thought-provoking read. 

Cover: plain. Not the worst, but not the best either. Which means, I wouldn't be picking it up in the stores.

Ratings: 4 stars

For more info about the book or author, please click here

Review: THE MERCHANT'S DAUGHTER by Melanie Dickerson(released on 29 Nov)

Courtesy of NetGalley(Zondervan)

Annabel Chapman is a young girl in medieval England. She is forced to serve her landlord, Lord Ranulf le Wyse to pay her family’s debt. She fears her new boss as rumors described him as a tough, unsmiling man with a disfigured face and an injured hand. Yet, when she goes to Lord le Wyse’s manor, she finds herself in the good care of the head servant, Miss Eustacia. Bailiff Tom, an old wicked man has his eyes on her, and tries to force himself on her, but when Annabel is under her lord’s care, Bailiff Tom leaves her alone, or so she thought. When Annabel finds herself having inappropriate feelings for her lord, she hides her feelings and acts indifferently. Little does she knows that her lord has the same feeling for her too, only that he is too aware of his bitter past with beautiful woman. Will the two be together in the end, or will they be separated by fate?

     Dickerson crafted a beautiful tale of love and bravery in medieval England, falling into the history-fiction genre. Moving in a decent pace, The Merchant’s Daughter is full of noble values and forbidden emotions, though lacking of adventure and action.

     The characters of the novel are genuine and highly believable. You get to feel their emotions, thoughts and feelings strongly. Annabel Chapman, the heroine, is very lovable, and almost perfect; a stark contrast to Lord le Wyse, distant and cold, marred and disfigured. Bailiff Tom and the other characters are, as well, very expressive and three-dimensional. You could almost grab them out from the words.

     The relationship between Annabel and the Lord is the complete kind. You could see their relationship develop and bloom, while you hang on every page hoping that they’ll get they deserved. The relationship between the other characters are dynamic too, absolutely reasonable and realistic.

     

     Another thing I like about The Merchant’s Daughter is the way no action, no word is waste. Every word, every gesture made sense and is crucial to the plot development. In simple words, every thing leads to the next.

     In the plot sense, there is no real climax in this novel. There is a lot of building up, leading to the not-so-epic climax. Climaxs, actually. This novel is more focused on the development of a relationship rather than the guts and gore. So those who favor action steer clear of this novel.

     In a nutshell, The Merchant’s Daughter is a heart-grabbing, slow brewing pot of a love tale, set in a beautiful medieval England.

     The cover is pretty, but not so much of my taste, though romantic and very artistic.

Ratings : 4.5 stars

For more info about the book or author, please click here

Review: A BLUE SO DARK by Holly Schindler

Fifteen-year-old Aura Ambrose has been taking care of her mother since her father left them years ago. Life has been barely manageable then but it's even worse now, since her mother's schizophrenia has been so bad that she couldn't work anymore. Watching her own mother falling because of the disease, Aura shuns her own artistic and linguistic talents as she believes that art=crazy. It doesn't help that her best friend is doing nothing, cause she's too wrapped up in her own issues(pregnancy, boyfriend, whatnot). Watch Aura come into terms with her own artistic abilities and her mother's illness.

     Deeply moving and surprisingly relatable, Schindler spins a new tale of love. What I love most about the novel, though short(200+ pages) is the writing. Beautiful and highly lyrical, it felt like song to my ears, or extremely magickal writing to my inner poet(ress). I especially love the poems in the books, but now I can't give you an example cause the book's with my friend, and my memory ain't that good.

     The plot is well crafted, with some unexpected twists and expected turns. One thing though, I don't get why there's a male interest in the novel, as it doesn't help the plot a bit. That can be omitted, even if the novel's short enough.

     The main character, Aura is likable, though not lovable. Not because she is not a good protagonist, but because she throws and burns her art. Yes this is a small matter but it annoys me. A lot. Still, put that aside and you'll have a good story as you watch Aura grow from a broken girl to a sure and confident young lady proud of her art.

  
      I also love the development of the relationship between Aura and her mother. Authentic and believable, you sense the love of Aura towards her mother and her fear of losing her mother and herself. This is how good a writer Schindler is.

     The theme of A Blue So Dark is about healing. The relationship between Aura and her mother, Aura and her BFF, Aura's mother and Aura's grandmother and Aura's fear of becoming schizophrenic mends and heals as the dynamic propels the plot forward. Beautiful stuff, as I'd said.

     A little wacky, a little moody and a lot of love, A Blue So Dark is a beautifully crafted literary novel that'll make any literary lover's heart go "zing". Romance fans steer clear, though it doesn't hurt to be moved now and then.

     The cover : Beautiful! And it corresponds in a scene from the novel. You'll find out if you read 'til the end.

Rating: 4.5 stars ( half a star reduced for the unnecessary romance and half a star added for the lyrical writing)

* mild swearing included

For more info about the book or author, please click here

Review: BLEEDING VIOLET by Dia Reeves

Biracial and biculture(Hanna’s words, not mine) Hanna Jarvinen (the last name is different, but I don’t know how to type it) is a normal teenager hitchhike to find her mother, Rosalee in Portero, Texas. Okay, Hanna is far from normal. She is manic depressive, hears voices, hallucinates and has a history of violence. With that, she thinks she will  stand out in Pertero, but she is far from wrong. No matter how strange Hanna is, Portero is stranger with its doors that lead to somewhere and the monsters that plague the town. Rosalee gave Hanna two weeks to make a friend in order to stay, and when she starts dating a Mortmaine, initiates who guard the town from danger, all hell broke lose. Watch Hanna and Wyatt(the boyfriend) battle evil and discover the truth about Portero.

     Bleeding Violet is dark and moody, just my type of novel. Reeves created a wonderful world of paranormal, letting us follow Hanna through her fitting in in Portero. There’s also some gore provoking action too, and more than enough steamy romance. What I love about Bleeding Violet is the darker mood of the novel the language made you feel. There are laughs, but more ew factor.

     Hanna is a lovable character, though not your typical one. She is the first patroganist I’d read that is loose in the mind, in a good way. She lacks the stereotype patroganist’s qualities, like sweet and kind. But Hanna is sweet in her own way and perhaps even more ass-kicking than most female characters. She is ultra witty too, always ready with a sharp response-you’ll know after the first few chapters.  Also, it’s not everyday you get to read about females characters of color.

     The side characters are less developed, except for Rosalee and the subject of interest, Wyatt. Well, there’s not many side characters anyway. I like how Hanna and Rosalee’s relationship grows, from pushing away to acceptance at last. It’s like watching a game of tug-and-war, always guessing who would tire faster and give in.

     The romance of Hanna and Wyatt is a fully developed one. There’s no love at first sight or pathetic puppy dog love, just two people despising each other at the beginning to falling in love during interaction at the end. The conversations and fights between the two are very realistic and resemble a real life couple. And they went through thick and thin together, so that just makes their relationship that much stronger. There’s enough chemistry and you’ll simply heart the couple. Enough said.

     For the paranormal front, there’s no vampires or werewolves, only the kind of monsters you were afraid of when you’re still young. And Reeves was pretty creative with her monsters. There was action scenes too, described vividly so I could see Hanna slicing off meat.

     All in all, Bleeding Violet is a crazy paranormal, the key elements in it working together perfectly. Reeves brings us a psychotic, nutty tale full of everything for everyone, going through the life the strangest girl on earth. The insane girl inside of me just LOVE this novel.

     Normally I pick a book up by its cover(not a good habit, I know) and Bleeding Violet captures my attention instantly. What do you think that says?

Ratings: 5 stars

* Contains swearing and sex, for mature readers

For more info about the book or author, click here

Review: EVERY OTHER DAY by Jennifer Lynn Barnes(to be released on 27th Dec, 2011)

Courtesy of NetGalley(Egmont USA) program

Seventeen-year-old Kali D’Angelo is not quite human, yet not quite monster, as she couldn’t sense pain, fear or adrenaline. Every 24 hours that is. Since she was 12, for 24 hours she is a dauntless warrior, hunting and killing hellhounds; and for the next 24 hours she is a vulnerable teenage girl, and she spends every minute of her human girl life anticipating for the arrival of the next cycle. Three weeks in her new school, Kali meets self proclaimed school slut and ultra perky blonde, Skylar Hayden. On the same day, Kali spots an ouroboros on Bethany  Davis, her father’s boss’ daughter -a sure sign of an infection of chupacabra, a life draining and memory sucking monster- she lures the creature into her fragile human body, expecting the creature to last long enough to be killed off when her body switches to hunter mode at dawn. However, her expectation fails, as the chupacabra seems to suck her life out at a faster rate than normal, so she fainted. When she wakes up, Skylar urges her and Bethany to flee from school, as her instincts tells her that something bad is happening. And it is. A woman and man knows about the chupacabra that was in Bethany’s body, and it sounds like it’s an intentional injection, and they’ll stop at nothing to retrieve the creature, even murder. Now, Kali has to flee for her life, and protect her two new found friends, all the while keeping the chupacabra at bay. Can she do it, or will she die at the attempt?

     Near perfect, Every Other Day is a breath of fresh air in my long line of YA reads. Fast paced, action-packed and supernatural-packed, this tale hooked me from the start, though lacking on the romance front. More centered on the friendship part and trust, you’ll find yourself a little surprised by the twists of events. The language is realistic and flowing, narrated by Kali and will sometimes making you laugh and shake your head at her.

     Kali, the main character is a witty, smart, loyal person, not so different from Rosemary Hathway in Vampire Academy(my review here). Barnes made her strong, and also vulnerable. Breakable. The loss of motherly -and fatherly- love at a tender age left Kali afraid of intimate relationships. It also made Kali who she is today. Family and trust issues are the factors leading to the ending of the story, and what makes Every Other Day relatable to most people. It doesn’t hurt that Kali is pretty good in kicking hellhound’s asses. Pardon my French.

     Skylar, the supporting character is a sunny fluffy blonde, sweet and endearing, kinda like your best friend. Her psychic power rocks too, even when she has a not so favorable end. Bethany though, is a complete opposite off Kali and skylark. She is what you called a pampered bitch, though there is more to her than what meets the eye.

     The love interest –I’m giving you a treat here- Zev is one of the paranormal –another treat- is the centre of event (kind of). Though he appears for quite a while in the novel,  his presence is not strong, merely enough to get the plot going. Sorry romance fans, no hot steamy scenes in this novel.

     Now that I’m writing this review, I realize that I don’t like the way the relationship between Kali and Zev develop. There’s not much interaction between the two and somehow they fall in love. That’s my only grudge.

     In Every Other day, you’ll find yourself reading about the strong bond between friends, the tug-of-war between family members and the cruelty of humans and paranormal creatures alike. Perhaps YA fans will find Barnes as a new favourite.

     The book cover was decent, although not my fave. Maybe that's just my obsession with dark, moody covers. 

Ratings: 4.5 stars

To be released on 27th December, 2011


For more info about the book or author, please click here

* check back on 5 Nov for a review of Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Review : BROKEN SOUP by Jenny Valentine

      Jack Clark died when he was sixteen. Since then, her mother has been shocked into a shell, unable to work or even take care of her other two children. Mr. Clarke filed a divorce and left Rowan and her little sis, Stroma in the custody of their mother. Little did he know that now his ex-wife could only lay in bed all day sleeping, leaving her two children to fend for themselves. So, Rowan has to take care of her sister and mother, and preventing her father to sense out the truth, in fear of sending her mother to the hospital. When a stranger picks up her photo negative which doesn't really belongs to her, it changes her life. She made a new friend, Bee who was in the store that day and developed the photo negative. The photo was developed! It was Jack, more alive than ever! It sent Rowan into a confusion : who was the stranger and why did he gave her the photo negative?

      Broken Soup is a story that will make your heart wrench, nose run and tears spill. The plot was beautiful. It's unimaginable how a normal family broke down after the death of one member., and the endless grieving.The main character was strong, though a little lost, but she eventually found hope and love.  The starting was a little cliched though, with a withdrawn mother and children to defend themselves after a death of their dearest. Rowan, as the main character, has a clear and lively voice, eventhough I'd found some details unnecessary. Yet you'll find yourself empathizing with Rowan after the first few pages.The supporting characters are well written too : young and chatty Stroma, quiet Bee who has a younger brother to tend to, Carl, Bee's teenaged dad, and Harper Greene, the second most important character in Broken Soup. Valentine skillfully portrayed the mind of a sixteen year old, drawing us in to the world of loss and heartbreak. Life after death is never easy, but it helps when you don't have to go through it alone.

      The cover : simple and sweet. And very pinkish.

Rating : 4 stars

For more info about the book or author, please click here

Rebiew : HOW TO BE POPULAR by Meg Cabot

How To Be Popular starts in the voice of high school student Stephanie Landry. An accident that occurred five years ago involving cherry Super Big Gulp marked her destiny to be unpopular until now. But poor Steph's life is about to change when she found an old book " How To Be Popular". And so she strikes, gaining popularity while getting the attention of the the school's most popular guy. In the end, she realizes that being popular is not all, but being true to yourself is.

Cabot's work is delightfully funny and enjoyable, highlighting what most teenagers want today-to be in the "It Crowd". The plot is set in a decent pace, slowly unfolding Steph's unknown feelings for best friend, Jason. Cabot writes about friendship, loyalty, being true to yourself and a very bitchy popular girl in the book. If you like teenage drama, this is a book you will love.

When I saw it on the racks, I have to buy it, even if I have to beg. The cover is simple, but the story is great.

Ratings : 3.5 stars

 For more info about the book or author, please click here