REVIEW--Goodbye, Rebel Blue

Happy Tuesday!  Tuesdays are officially my least favorite day of the week (which I'm not alone on and probably inspired this book).  And today it's foggy.  So a blah-looking Tuesday.  So let's review a book I loved to cheer it all up, ok?!

Today's review is on Goodbye, Rebel Blue by Shelley Coriell.  The cover is so striking (of course, I AM obsessed with all things blue).

• Realistic fiction
• Standalone novel

The Gist:
Rebecca (Rebel) Blue is what her nickname replies--rebellious.  She lives with her cousin, aunt, and uncle after her mom passed away and she just doesn't fit into their suburban, rule-following lifestyle.  After-school detention is no surprise for her, but it is for goody two-shoe Kennedy Green.  When Kennedy and Rebel make out bucket lists as an after-school detention assignment, Rebel doesn't take hers seriously.  But Kennedy is killed on the way home that night and Rebel finds herself completing the items on Kennedy's bucket list in her honor.

What I Loved:

• Rebel doesn't complete Kennedy's bucket list exactly as written. She has to be creative in finishing the list (gondolas/kayaks), and I think this is a good lesson--sometimes your big dreams can be closer than you think.
• Rebel's own bucket list is hilarious--vacuum a magic carpet?!
• The story is fast-paced and engaging.
• There was strong characterization here--not as fluffy as I first expected.

What I Didn't Love:

•  A police officer hints that Kennedy's death wasn't an accident, but that's as far as that plot line goes.  I would have loved for that to be explored.
• The story was a little predictable.

My favorite quote:
"I try to live fully and passionately in the moment without a bucket list, but maybe other people need one to get them started."

A fun read that gets you inspired to live beyond the typical day-to-day.  Four stars for me!

 
Don't forget to watch my YouTube channel!  I'll be back with a Rebel-inspired outfit!

REVIEW: A Time to Dance

Time for another review!  I read this book back over the summer, but I'm finally cranking out a review for it (isn't it crazy how life can just put things on the back burner?!).  Today's review is on A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman.

 

• Realistic fiction/Multicultural
• Standalone novel 

The Gist: 
Veda is a dance prodigy in India and defines herself by her dance ability.  After being elated at winning a competition, she is in an awful accident and loses a leg.  Veda must now learn to adjust to her new life and learn how to dance all over again.

What I Loved:

• This book showed me a side of a culture that I had never seen before.  I felt like I was learning as I was reading.
• Veda's feelings for her therapist (and his lack of feelings in return) was very real.  I've seen this happen in school settings before and found this representation to be spot-on.
• This book wasn't just about preparing for a competition; it was about learning to readjust your life and loving something so important to you.
• I loved Veda's grandmother.  A great role model in a fictional character! 

 What I Didn't Love:

• As much as I enjoyed learning, there was a LOT to take in with this book.  I did have to do some research (especially on bharatanatyam) to make sure I was following the story correctly.
• Veda's recovery seemed REALLY fast.  From reading Josh Bleill's nonfiction book One Step at a Time, I learned a lot about recovery from losing a body part.  I think Veda should have had more recovery time before dancing so soon.

My favorite quote:
"I love that he's such a gentleman.  I hate that he's such a gentleman."

A fairly enjoyable read for me, but one that I had to focus on in order to fully follow.  Three stars from me!

 
I'll have an outfit for Veda this week so come back to check it out!

REVIEW--Darius & Twig

Today I'm bringing you a review of Walter Dean Myers' Darius & Twig.  This was a quick read for me (it's a fairly short book) since I kind of knew what to expect with Myers.  So enough chit chat...let's jump right in!

• Realistic/Urban fiction
• Standalone novel

The Gist:
Twig is a competitive and skilled long-distance runner.  Darius is a writer who creates Fury, his peregrine alter ego.  Both want to pursue their passions but are growing up in the dangerous, unpredictable Harlem.  And that setting doesn't make it easy to go after their dreams.

What I Loved:

• This book gets to the heart of the characters.  It sends a message that there is so much more to a person than the outside.  

What I Didn't Love:

•  I wanted more from the minor characters--Darius' mom, Twig's uncle, Herb, Sammy.  Maybe because the book was so short it just didn't go past a surface level characterization.   
• I couldn't understand what Twig wanted.  Did he want to be a runner?  Did he want to give up?  Confusing. 
• The mom's advice seemed hard to follow.    

Favorite quote:
"Idiots don't know they're idiots, which is unfortunate."

As you can see, this was not a favorite of mine.  I just felt that overall it was lacking.  Which is too bad, because Walter Dean Myers is a renowned author, and I just wasn't invested in the story.  Only 3 stars for me.

 
I'll be designing an outfit for Twig tomorrow--catch you then!

REVIEW--The Sound of Letting Go

Have you been checking out my YouTube channel?  I LOVE posting videos about fashion and book-related topics, so make sure you check it out and subscribe!  Here are a few of the latest videos in case you've missed them:

Probably my favorite video I've made yet--the Inside Out tag!

Get to know me a little bit through the New to Booktube tag!

Today I'm reviewing The Sound of Letting Go by Stasia Ward Kehoe.  So let's jump right in!

• Standalone novel
• Realistic fiction / Novel in verse

Gist:
Daisy has always been the easy child, the good child.  Her younger brother is autistic and very high on the spectrum, meaning he can't handle attending public school, changes in his routine, or anything unexpected.  So Daisy never has friends over to the house for fear that her brother will have an outburst.  She never has a boy over.  She drowns herself in her jazz music.  And it's just so difficult.  But even more difficult is when her parents decide to send her brother away to an institution.  And the life that Daisy has created for herself suddenly changes and she just doesn't know how she will carry on without her brother and "normal" routine.

What I Loved:

• I LOVE that this is a novel-in-verse, because the subject matter is a little heavy.  Having it in verse made it a little easier to read and just less threatening in that way.
• This book just gets it.  I work with autistic students and I see siblings of autistic students.  Kehoe totally captures the emotions and struggles of having autism be a part of a family.  Especially the parent dynamics that constantly fluctuate.
• I liked how Daisy used music as both an escape but also a way of expressing herself.  That's definitely a healthy way of doing things.

What I Didn't Love:

• There's a love triangle here (which is fun to read!) but I didn't like how Daisy was changing herself for bad-boy Dave.  She dressed differently, acted differently--not so much a healthy message.  Additionally, I had a hard time believing that she wouldn't have any friends over because of her brother.  True friends are able to look past situations like that and love in spite of it.

Overall a really enjoyable read and one that I will definitely be passing on to others.  Four stars!

An outfit for Daisy coming tomorrow--AND an outfit for Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children!

REVIEW and Outfit--Cracked

I'll be honest--rehab books are not my favorite.  They're usually pretty depressing and even foul to an extent.  And I don't always want to add more drama to my life when I read!  So when I was assigned to read Cracked by K.M. Walton for an Indiana reading list committee, I knew I had to gear myself up for it.  But wow was I surprised!  Today I'm reviewing and sharing an outfit for the book!

• Standalone novel
• Realistic fiction

The Gist:

Victor's life is completely miserable.  He has no friends, his parents expect nothing less than PERFECTION from him (and punish him when he doesn't achieve it), and is relentlessly bullied by a classmate named Bull.  So he decides to end it all and swallows a bottle of sleeping pills.

But Victor wakes up in a rehab hospital, and now not only does he have to deal with his problems, but he also has to share a room with a teen boy and allow him to deal with his problems.

And then Victor sees his roommate--and it's Bull.

What I Loved:

• This book just had me from the plot.  How often do bullies and victims end up paired together at school, in sports, etc?  
• There's a double point of view--Victor and Bull both tell the story.  It's fascinating to see the story from both of their views.  At times you feel sorry for Bull and his living situation, but then you see his actions toward Victor and you remember that he truly is a bully.
• Victor's time in rehab not only shows how he deals with Bull but how he deals with his inward struggles and insecurities.  A lot of depth here.
• Definitely satisfied with the ending.

What I Didn't Love:

• The adults who worked in this rehab facility were idiots.  Victor is imploring with the employees to switch his room, and no one would give him the time of day.  Aren't they there to LISTEN to their patients, at the very least?!  Man I hope these characters aren't based off real-life people.
• The man who Bull "meets" in the cemetery is a little too good to be true.  

A really enjoyable read for me and one that I think my students will love as well (even though I said I don't prefer rehab books, teens LOVE them!).  This will be an easy one to recommend!

I thought I would design this book's outfit for Victor.  Victor is smart and well-behaved and his family/teachers expect top-notch performance from him.  So I designed an outfit that gives off a smart, studious vibe.  And here it is:

Wouldn't you assume that a guy wearing this outfit was a well-behaved young man?  That is definitely the expectation for Victor.

• The plaid shorts, denim shirt, and gray sweater all give off a preppy vibe.  The muted colors make the outfit appealing, not overpowering.
• Boat shoes do the same and really solidify this as a "good boy" outfit.
• A bright silver watch is the perfect accessory for a guy.

What do you think?  Would you like to see a guy wearing this?  Get all the details for the outfit here.

More fun coming this week!

REVIEW and Outfit--The Bridge from Me to You

Happy Monday!  A new week...and a new review!  Today's review is one of my June reads--The Bridge from Me to You by Lisa Schroeder.  This was a super quick read for me--I read it in ONE day with my two boys at home (applause, please).  

I have so much I want to share this week--reviews, videos, an outfit--that I'm also sharing the outfit that I designed for this book in this post.  Bonus!  So let's jump right in!

• Standalone novel
• Romance/Realistic

The Gist:

Lauren has a secret, a secret that has taken her away from her mother and to live her senior year with her uncle and his family.  

Colby is a star football player and he doesn't know how he's going to tell his family that he doesn't want to play college ball.

Two lives that will intersect.  When maybe they need it the most.

What I Loved:

• This book is cute, wholesome, and hopeful.  Like a Hallmark movie in a book!
• The book is told through both poetry and prose.  Lauren's side is told through poetry while Colby's is in prose.
• Lauren's secret isn't revealed right away, which keeps you wondering why she's really living with her extended family.

What I Didn't Love:

• Ok, this book is pretty darn cheesy.  Now I know I compared it to a Hallmark movie above, and Hallmark movies are relatively cheesy.  But there were some eye-rolling moments.  I work with football-playing teens everyday...they don't talk like Colby.  A too-good-to-be-true story.
• What Colby's friend Benny was doing/what caused his accident was never explored.  This could've been an interesting side plot.
• We never see Colby and Lauren's lives in school, the football game details.  I just think so much more meat could've been added to the book.
• The cover--it carries from the front to the back...but what's with the fence?  They don't walk on a fence...
• Because of the different in voice (poetry v. prose), I felt like I knew SO MUCH about Colby's story but not nearly as much about Lauren's.  Prose just goes so much further than poetry and when it's divided, the attention between the characters is obviously different.

A quick read, yes, but a cheesy one that wasn't overly impressive.  Only 2 stars for me.

 

But even though this read wasn't at the top of my list, I DID want to design a great outfit for Lauren!  Lauren's cousins are known for their matching stocking hats that they wear to the football games and Lauren even herself joins in.  So this outfit is what I would wear if I were wearing a stocking hat to a game:

It doesn't scream football, right?  Lauren isn't a "yay go rah!" kind of girl, but she does join her younger cousins in wearing a matching ski hat to a game, so this outfit is a really trendy outfit to wear even when you have to match a crowd.

• Colby's school colors were blue and gold, so I made gold a main feature of this outfit.
• Plaid and quilted vests are staple items for Fall, and they are perfect for football games.
• Distressed skinny jeans and combat booties give an edge while the monogrammed earrings keep it girly.

I totally want to wear something like this to a football game--would you?

For details on this outfit, check here.

So much to come this week!  Check back for all kinds of book/fashion goodness!

REVIEW: I Was Here

What a weekend!  It started with the MOST BEAUTIFUL wedding of some friends of ours.  Beautiful because of the decorations, sure, but mostly because of the bride and groom.  We love these two and consider them such close friends.  Can't wait to hang out now as married friends!  (I cried through their ceremony's procession. I didn't even cry at my own wedding!

And then the weekend took a crazy dramatic turn...I think I got some poison ivy on my chin that spread over my entire face Sunday morning.  We're talking one eye practically puffed up so much that it wanted to close, major itching...bleh.  Thank goodness for MedChecks open on weekends!

Today I'm reviewing I Was Here by Gayle Forman.  I LOVE Gayle Forman--her books If I Stay and Just One Day are some of my favorite romance/realistic books.  I become so drawn into her characters and story lines.  So let's jump into this one!

• Standalone novel
• Realistic fiction

The Gist:

Cody and Meg were best friends; in fact, Meg's family practically helped raise Cody.  So when Meg commits suicide during her freshman year of college, Cody is shocked and devastated.  When Cody goes to Meg's college house to collect her things, she learns that Meg was hiding a lot...and that someone may have helped her with her death.

What I Loved:

• The characters.  Like I said, I love Gayle Forman's characters, and these characters are so real.  I can picture them all--relationships aren't perfect and people often show their true colors.  And those features are definitely a part of this book.
• Bradford especially was SO real.  His scene may not have had a climactic ending, but I can totally see him as a real person.
• This book is a true look at grief, especially an unexpected death.  Well-done in portraying the characters' various reactions.
• Cody's eventual revelation of her mother, Tricia, was nicely done.

What I Didn't Love:

• In one scene, Cody fearfully asks permission from a homeowner to use their WiFi while cleaning their home, and the homeowner seems a little disturbed by it.  I don't find this too realistic--no one really cares if you use their WiFi, even if you're "at work."

My favorite quote:

"Alice..returns with a cup of coffee for me, which she announces is free-range and fair-trade and shade-farmed in Malawi, and I nod along as if my coffee needs to go beyond hot and caffeinated."

I just loved this book--yes, it's about suicide and grief but it was so well-written that I found myself reading it so quickly.  An easy five stars for me!

An outfit based on Cody coming up!  

REVIEW: Extraordinary Means

Just a few days left of Robyn Schneider Week!  Today is a review of Robyn's new book, Extraordinary Means, and wow did it not disappoint!  Believe me, I had high expectations after reading her first book and was super excited to jump into this one.

So let's get talking about it!

• Standalone novel
• Realistic fiction

The Gist:

Tuberculosis is back as a full-on threat, and there is no cure.  Lane is a teen diagnosed with the disease, and he has been sent to Latham House, a boarding school/camp/medical facility that will keep him quarantined and monitored until he can return to society, a cure is found, or he dies.  Lane is devastated by this change in his life, since it means he likely won't receive early acceptance to Stanford, get to take his SATs, or graduate with his class as salutatorian.  But then he sees Sadie, a girl who used to attend the same summer camp as him, and he starts to see living in a new way.  And even though living with TB is horrible, being at Latham House might not be so bad.

What I Loved:

• The cover!  Robyn Schneider said at a recent author event that she thought the cover was "ok," but I love it!  So beautiful, eye-catching, and meaningful.  It even kind of matches Robyn's first book.
• The overall message of this book is beautiful and beautifully portrayed.  Put down the attitude of what you wish would happen and just LIVE.  The characters represented this so well.
• A perfect mixture of humor, romance, devastation, and suspense.  I'm not always a realistic reader, but I am falling in love with this genre because of books like this.
• Once again, the characterization is spot on.  I want to be a part of Sadie's crowd.
• The ending...still has me thinking about it.  And an ending should do that.

What I Didn't Love:

• There's a lot of internalization in this book--much more thinking than action for both Lane and Sadie.  I think I would have read faster if there had been more action.

My favorite quote:
"But I like to think of all those little moments that add up to the final one, because it meant that my death would be my own, the result of my life, and not just something that happened to me."

A great book--Robyn Schneider brought her A-game again!  Have fun reading it!

An outfit based off of Sadie's group of friends tomorrow!

REVIEW: The Beginning of Everything and The Start of Robyn Schneider Week!

YOU GUYS.  This week is going to be SO FUN on the blog!  If you watched my June TBR video, you saw that I LOVE Robyn Schneider.  Her books are witty and clever AND she's a YouTube beauty guru...so we were obviously meant to be best friends.

I got to meet and interview Robyn a little over a week ago while she was touring for her newest book, Extraordinary Means.  And I love her even more after meeting her!  So I decided to make this "Robyn Schneider Week" on the blog!  I will review both of her books, show off some outfits I designed for both of them, and post my interview with Robyn.

So let's jump right in!

Today's post is a review of The Beginning of Everything, Robyn's first book.  I picked it up on a whim and was SOLD by page 3.  Definitely one of my favorite reads of 2015.  Even one of my school's English teachers, who coaches football and prides himself on being manly, told me he "freakin' loved it."  Yes, it's just that good.  So let's get reviewing!

• Standalone novel
• Realistic fiction

The Gist:
Ezra Faulkner seems to have it all--at the end of his junior year he is a star tennis player and a front-runner for Homecoming King and has a popular girlfriend.  But when he catches his girlfriend in the act of cheating and leaves a party hurriedly, he is hit by another car and has his life changed forever.  Now a bit crippled and unable to play tennis, he loses his so-called friends and popularity status.  And on the first day of his senior year, Ezra finds himself completely starting over.  But when he meets Cassidy Thorpe, a girl unlike any others, he realizes that this may just be his chance in re-identifying himself.

What I Loved:

• First of all, Schneider's dedication to her parents at the beginning of the book is witty and adorable.  Completely sets the pace for the book (and when do dedications ever do that?).
• The first three pages just got me...Poor Toby at Disneyland on his birthday!!!
• And speaking of the first three pages, the cover is genius!  Love love love it!
• I want to be friends with Toby, Phoebe, Austin, and the rest.  The characterization was fantastic.
• I thought I had figured out the twist involving Cassidy, and I was disappointed that I had it solved.  And then I learned that I DIDN'T have it figured out.  

What I Didn't Love:

• There's a bit of a plot hole towards the end.  Did no one ever look for the person who hit Ezra in the accident?  No police reports/investigations?  I feel like that would have been a curiosity.

My Favorite Quotes:

"That everyone's life, no matter how unremarkable, has a moment when it will become extraordinary--a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen."

"The funny thing about gold is how quickly it can tarnish."

"We're taking the road beyond the road less traveled, and being on time will make all the difference."

Gosh, I just loved this book.  Witty, heart-wrenching, mysterious.  Five stars from me!

Tomorrow you'll see an outfit for EZRA--yep, a guy's outfit!  Inspired by his joining the debate team.  So come back and check it out!

REVIEW: Landline

Happy Monday, everyone!  I SO hope you are having the lovely weather that we're having in Indiana right now!  Our family spent the weekend exploring the creek behind our neighborhood, going on "tractor" (lawn mower) rides, and just soaking in that beautiful sun.  I feel refreshed and energetic to start another week.

Today's review is on Landline by Rainbow Rowell.  I met Rainbow at an author event a few years ago and she was exactly as I pictured her--both bubbly and quiet, appreciative, and genuine.  With a little bit of flower power mixed in. :)

Last fall, Landline was ALL that I was hearing about from so many readers.  Although it's one of Rowell's adult novels, readers of all ages were eating it up and singing its praises.  And that's what's so great about Rowell...she takes something like a magical yellow phone and turns it into an engrossing, can't-put-down story.  So let's jump right into my review!

 

• Standalone novel
• A mixture of realistic/fantasy/romance

The Gist:

Georgie McCool (yes, that's her real name!) has finally hit her big break in Hollywood--she is about to pitch her own sitcom to the network.  The only problem?  The network needs multiple scripts in just a few days and it's the week of Christmas.  The week when Georgie is supposed to fly with her husband Neal and two daughters to Omaha to visit Neal's family.  And even though Neal and the girls allow Georgie to stay behind in California, Georgie knows that this might be the one thing that pushes her marriage over the edge.  And that by gaining a sitcom, she might be losing a husband.

When Georgie tries to call Neal from her mother's old yellow landline phone, she gets Neal to answer.  But not present-day Neal.  Neal from their dating days, when his father was still alive and Neal and Georgie were in the midst of an argument.  And Georgie realizes--if she's talking to Neal in the past, she may have the chance to fix their later marital problems.

What I Loved:

• Like I said, this is a book about a magical phone.  So to most people, that might sound too silly to read.  But Rowell has a way of making this a nonstop read.  Her writing makes her characters (and even a magical phone) real.  I can completely picture this family living today.
• This isn't straight-up romance.  There's bittersweet moments, arguments, frustration, questioning...but there's also romance.
• I love the wittiness of the characters.  It makes me want to be friends with them in real life.
• The secondary characters are so good.  I want to work with Georgie's partner or eat pizza with her sister...maybe even babysit her mom's dogs!
• I had no idea how it would end...and it ended greatly.

What I Didn't Love:

• Like with so many other things, I think this book got hyped up to me SO MUCH that I expected it to change my life.  It was a great read, but I just know that I'm less enthusiastic about it than just about everyone else.
• I'm sad to say this...but I just wasn't in love with Neal.  He seemed so moody, and at times I felt like he darkened Georgie from her bright, bubbly self.  
• I couldn't stop picturing Georgie as Rainbow Rowell herself...is it just me that did this?  Every time I read about Georgie's physical description, I just kept thinking about Rainbow herself.  Hmmm.

Rowell never disappoints, and this was a great one!  A great read for teens and adults alike!

An outfit for Georgie coming up this week, a review and outfit for the book Belzhar (so good!), and I'll show you TWO ways that I recently styled denim and LOVED it! Catch you back here tomorrow!

REVIEW: Panic

Happy Monday, everyone!  We got COVERED in snow this weekend in Indiana, but that gave my family a chance to watch movies, eat chicken soup, and just nap around...it was perfect!

Today's review is on Lauren Oliver's book Panic.  I listened to this book on my way home from YALLFEST and was able to listen to it all within that setting.  And what an experience that was--I was gripping the steering wheel so tightly during a tiger scene (yes, there are tigers!)!

But I'm getting ahead of myself.  Let's jump into the review:

 

• Standalone novel
• Realistic

The Gist:
In the town of Carp, graduating seniors join in a thrilling game of Panic.  The game started since there's nothing else to do in Carp, but has grown to be a much-anticipated and even deadly part of summer.  Here's how it works: graduating seniors who join the game complete very dangerous, terrifying tasks.  If they finish the task, they move on to the next round.  If they refuse to compete or fail, they are out of the game (if they aren't killed in the process).  The winner receives $50,000.
Heather wasn't expecting to play the game...but when she sees her recent ex-boyfriend pawing his new girlfriend, she impulsively joins the game.  She joins Dodge, a player who is out for revenge, and other friends in a game that will prove to be completely life-changing...and life-threatening.

What I Loved:

• I love reading about games and challenges and reality show-like dares (my favorite childhood book is The Westing Game).  And that's completely what this book is about.  The challenges are fun to read (and thrilling and terrifying as well!) and are unpredictable.
• Even though this is a book about a death-defying game, it's also all about relationships.  I loved getting into the deep stories of Heather and Dodge.  With this being a 400+ page book, it was nice to have a mix of the nail-biting with the relationships.
• The ending!  Everything wrapped up in a very surprising way for me.  This was the part that got me so impressed with Oliver's writing.
• There are some big issues (especially teen issues) in the book that made me feel like the read was worth my time.  Issues like family troubles, revenge, a secret crush, and secrets in general.  And like I said, they all wrapped up so well for as much as what was going on.

What I Didn't Love:

• Ok, so it was a little unbelievable.  This game could not be pulled off year after year with teenagers, at least not the teenagers that I'm used to working with everyday.  Teens can't keep secrets and this game is a complete secret every summer.  It was fun to think it could happen, though!
• The cover--I think it's a cool cover but I really don't think it fits the book that well. 

Such a fun read and so fun to read with my friend Emily on the way home from South Carolina!

Yep, 5 stars!  I know, that doesn't happen very often.  But so so good!

REVIEW--To Be Perfectly Honest

Wow, what a few weeks!  

You know what happens when you let your three-year-old watch train videos on your phone?!  You run out of data!  So blogging from home has been VERY challenging lately, which leads me to my two-week hiatus.  Plus we had Thanksgiving--ours was fantastic and relaxing and I hope yours was, too! 

Our sweet little family on Thanksgiving--all 3 of my guys are in plaid!

My first pecan pie--it was DELICIOUS!

Today's post is a review for To Be Perfectly Honest by Sonya Sones.  This is a novel in verse (I feel like such a speed reader when I read these!) about a big fat liar.  Well, maybe she's not big and fat--just a liar.  Let's jump right in!

Such a sweet face--but she's a liar.  Don't trust her!

• Standalone novel
• Realistic fiction, novel in verse

The Gist:
Colette is a liar, and she'll tell you that she is (that's pretty much the one thing you can trust her on).  Her lying probably comes from the fact that her mother is a HUGE celebrity, which often puts Colette and her younger brother on the sidelines.  Lying gives Colette something to do and allows her to escape her feelings of being left out.
When Colette's mother takes the family to the middle of nowhere so she can film her next movie, Colette is completely annoyed.  Until she meets Connor--a sexy motorcycle rider who also shares feelings for her.  Colette hides her mother's identity so Connor won't ditch her for an autograph...but then starts to wonder if Connor will still like her once he knows about her lies.

What I Loved:

• The title.  So clever and cute.
• Colette's younger brother has the CUTEST lisp...it's so fun to read all the "thweet" things he says.
• I loved that Colette was such an unreliable narrator.  Maybe it's the English major in me, but I loved having something so literary like that to discuss with my students.
• As a novel in verse, the book is a quick read, but it's also pretty light; despite some heavy issues that pop up, I didn't feel overwhelmed and felt it was overall a little "fluffier."

What I Didn't Love:

• I knew every time that Colette was lying.  She didn't fool me once.  She'd tell a story and then say something like "Aren't you shocked that everything I just told you wasn't true?!"  Um, nope.  I knew it all along.
• A trick that Colette and her family play on someone near the end of the book was over-the-top and completely unrealistic.  I think I even rolled my eyes as I was reading.
• There's a little twist at the end with Connor that I saw coming from the start.  Just sayin'--if you're a liar, you better be prepared for liars.
• The cover--she's a pretty girl, but the cover just doesn't get much across.

My favorite quote:  
"Only idiots believe everything they read in the National Enquirer.  Unfortunately, most people are idiots." 

An ok read for me, but a bit forgettable.  I wish I'd had the audio version, though, just to hear the little brother's lisp!

Some outfits coming up soon!

REVIEW--We Are the Goldens

Hey, readers and fashionistas!  I'm excited about today's book review--I loved this book because it was such a surprise for me.  I expected controversy and edginess, and I got a deep-thinking and realistic portrayal of a sister's internal struggle.  So good!

Today's review is on Dana Reinhardt's newest book, We Are the Goldens.  I had read her book The Things a Brother Knows and really enjoyed it, so this was an easy grab for me.  But I LOVED it.  Let me explain why:

•  Standalone novel
• Realistic fiction

The Gist:

Layla and Nell are the Goldens.  And Nell absolutely adores her sister.  Loves living a few years behind her and looking up to her.  But Nell notices that Layla is more distant than normal, uninterested in normal high school things, and unconcerned with school gossip.  And then she learns of Layla's big secret.  A secret that could change their family's life forever.  A secret that haunts Nell's every moment.

What I Loved:

• The point of view of the book--it's second person, which is so rarely seen in fiction.  Nell is speaking to Layla throughout the book, giving her behind-the-scenes info on the decisions she's made.  So effective since this book is all about looking at a situation through Nell's eyes.
• Even though I wanted major action to happen in the end, I'm glad it didn't.  It just didn't need it.  This book is about Nell even more than it is about Layla.
• This book is so gosh darn realistic...and that's all I can say about that since I work in education.
• I didn't think the adults were weak in this book.  The parents cared about their girls and appeared to be very realistic as divorced parents.

What I Didn't Love:

• The cover. Just doesn't work for me.
• Even though I loved the ending, my students won't like it.  I'll have to convince them why it's the best choice. 

Favorite quote: "They had three times the pool to choose from when putting together their team, so of course they were better than us.  Plus it was a Jesuit school, so they probably had God on their side to boot."

Such a great book--I highly recommend it!

Yep, 5 heels for me!

I'll be designing a Nell-inspired outfit soon!  I'm headed to YA'LL Fest tomorrow...can't wait to tell you all about it!

REVIEW--Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass

Ok, don't be turned off by the title of this book.  I have to admit--I'm not a fan of the title because it will turn some readers away immediately.  So I didn't have the highest expectations for the book.  But I was wrong.  Let me explain...

 

• Standalone novel
• Realistic fiction (urban fiction)

The Gist:
Piddy Sanchez just moved to a new school and isn't necessarily happy about it.  Her mom has taken her away from all that's familiar and put her in an urban, and let's be honest, depressing school.  But she's focused on getting good grades so she can move forward to be a veterinarian.  And then a friend approaches her at school one day to drop the bomb that Yaqui Delgado wants to kick Piddy's a**.  And this is a shock to Piddy, because Piddy doesn't even know what Yaqui looks like.  But Yaqui knows Piddy and knows that her boyfriend was checking Piddy out, and that's all she needs to want to get revenge.  Piddy is now scared to go to school or to walk home alone, and she's just not sure who she can trust.

What I Loved:

•  I was completely engaged in this book.  I cared about Piddy and her situation (and I've seen way too many students caught up in misunderstandings that turn violent).  It was realistic (which is too bad) and meaningful.
• I felt like the adults were realistic, and even though they weren't always completely helpful, they also weren't weak.  They helped Piddy in the best way they knew how, which again is something I see so often through working in public schools.
• I was satisfied with the ending.  It wasn't perfect and people could judge it as making Piddy look either strong or weak, but again, I think it was pretty darn realistic.  

What I Didn't Love:

• The title.  Not trying to be elementary here (even though I'm not a cusser myself), but I know many people who would completely pass this by because of the title.  And I may have an issue booktalking it in my school. 

A great read that so accurately depicted real life in an urban school and neighborhood.  I definitely enjoyed it!  

I'll be designing an outfit for Piddy, so check back for that soon!  And also coming soon is something I like to call "How NOT to Dress like a Librarian."  Should be fun!

REVIEW--Pretty Girl-13

Hi, readers and fashionistas!  So guess what today was--yep, the first day of school!  Wow, the first day is always exhausting but yet fun at the same time.  I can already tell that it's going to be a really fun year with my students--they seem excited to be in the library and they all seem to be readers.  We are ready to tackle the school year!

Today's review is on Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley.  I'm so glad that I read this book and Elizabeth Smart's memoir so close to each other.  Even though the stories have definite differences, they nevertheless connect in their content.  So let's jump right in!

 

• Realistic fiction
• Standalone novel

The Gist:
When Angie Chapman went on a camping trip at age 13, the unthinkable happened--she was kidnapped.  Just gone, and no amounts of searching or media pleas brought her home.  Fast forward three years later, and Angie walks in her front door, completely unaware that she has been missing.  Her memory loss of where she has been and how she returned home is a complete mystery, and it will take a deep look into her psyche to find the answers.

What I Loved:

• I have not read anything about this kind of psychological situation before.  Angie suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder, and I was fascinated by the way it impacted Angie's life.  She could fall into another identity so quickly and unexpected, and I found it so interesting to see how she responded to that.
• I love the cover.  The doorway really fits the plot.

What I Didn't Love:

• Angie is gone for three years and I didn't find her return home to be that welcoming.  Students at school didn't care, her dad has anger/blame issues that prevent him from caring for her, there's little media attention--I just expected so much more from a kidnapped girl case.
• I found Angie's therapy sessions, which were highly successful in eliminating various identities, to be a little unrealistic.  Seemed a little too good to be true and the longer I read the more I found it unbelievable.
• Just lacked depth for me--I couldn't relate to Angie or her parents or her friends. 
• If I had been kidnapped, I would want to know what the heck happened/who was involved.  But when Angie has the chance to uncover some secrets, like the odd inscription on her ring, she keeps the message to herself and doesn't investigate.
• Didn't care for the title.

Just not a big fan of this one.  I didn't find it believable--not just Angie's split personalities but the side characters as well.  Just two stars for me.

I'll be posting an outfit, though, to fit a few of Angie's personalities, so check back for that tomorrow!