Review: What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Released: May 10th, 2011
Published by: Penguin Young Readers Group
Series: Stand Alone Novel
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
Source: Chapters
Page Amount: 402
School Rating: A
Age Group: Young Adult

Summary -

In the past two years, Mclean Sweet has moved four times. At each stop, she assumes a new persona, but it never quite works. Whether she's an effervescent cheerleader or an intense drama queen, nothing can permanently dispel the turmoil and rage at her mother since her parents' divorce.

Sarah Dessen's novel about a teenager and her restaurant manager father captures the vulnerability that young people often experience after the dissolution of their family. A compelling story; strong characterization; and with a touch of romance.

Review -

I waiting forever to get my hands on WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE, since I turned to the very last page of her previous novel, ALONG FOR THE RIDE. I’ve been a huge fan of Sarah Dessen for about three years now, and I’ve read every single one of her novels. She has done it again!

Mclean was a character that had to grow on me. She wasn’t one of those characters where I loved her from the beginning. After she grew on me a bit more, she became one of my favourite characters from a Sarah Dessen novel. On the other hand, Dave was one of those characters that I loved from the beginning, from the very moment he was introduced.

I loved the storyline that Dessen came up with for this novel - one of her most creative. I loved the whole idea of changing yourself, and how it isn’t as easy as its cracked up to be.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, I think it’s the perfect summer read, a book about love, changing, and how important it is to be yourself.


Cover Comments -

When this cover was first revealed, I wasn’t a huge fan of it, but after reading it, I really like it! I think it fit’s the story perfectly, but I got a lot of comments from my friends of what Mclean was trying to do.
Ratings -

Plot 9/10
Like able Characters 9/10
Problem Development 8/10
Solution Effectiveness 10/10
Writing Style 10/10
Character Development 8/10
Cover 8/10
Setting 10/10
Ending 9/10
Beginning 8/10
=
89%

Love,

Sierra

In My Mailbox: 30 (A Couple of Days Early!)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren. Her and her blog are too awesome for words. She is one of my biggest blogging inspirations.

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Right now I don't have a video for In My Mailbox, but if I do end up filming and posting one on Youtube, I will add it to the blog. The books I got this week were:

Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller by Sarah Miller

So... I ask you... What did you get in your mailbox?

Review: Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Released: April 26th, 2011
Published by: Blazer and Bray
Series: Bumped, 1
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
Source: Netgalley
Page Amount: 336
School Rating: B+
Age Group: Young Adult

Summary:

When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents
are forced to pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children,
making teens the most prized members of society.

Sixteen-year-old
identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and had never met
until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Until now, the twins have
followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception
contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the
perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her
best friend Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her
whole life in religious Goodside, preparing to be a wife and mother. She
believes her calling is to bring Melody back to Goodside and convince her that
“pregging” for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is
running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous,
genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of
mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one
that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in
common.

First Line:

“I’m sixteen. Pregnant. And the most important person on the planet.” Melody, pg 1

Cheesy Back Cover Quote:

“Megan McCafferty’s first novel in a new YA series leads up to what nobody will be able to predict. I can already tell”

Review:

I read BUMPED awhile ago, so sorry if some of my accuracy is off a little bit. I didn’t get around to writing a review for it, so I am writing it now.

McCafferty’s BUMPED was a really fast read, it picked me right up in the beginning and didn’t let go of me. I did find it confusing towards the beginning, but it makes sense as you get a little bit further into the book.

Melody and Harmony were very likable characters. I think I connected more with Melody than I did with Harmony, just because me and Melody grew up in the same type of environment rather than Harmony grew up in something totally different from me.

Overall, this book was a great read. I think its something that all teenagers need to read, just to fully understand how teen pregnancy is only good if the world truly needs it.

Cover Comments:

The cover fits perfectly with this novel, and honestly I really like it.

Ratings:

Plot 8/10
Like able Characters 7/10
Problem Development 6/10
Solution Effectiveness 8/10
Writing Style 9/10
Character Development 8/10
Cover 8/10
Setting 9/10
Ending 9/10
Beginning 7/10
=
79%

Love,

Sierra

In My Mailbox

Blogger won't let me upload a video, but if you would like to see it you can check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERgnjsJDNv8

Books I got this week:

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Flowers in the Attic Series (all 4 books) by V.C. Andrews
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Living Dead in Dallad by Charlaine Harris
The Twilight Companion: The Unauthorized Guide to the Series by Loiz H. Gresh

Thats what I got in my mailbox this week, what did you get in yours?

xoxo
Sierra

In My Mailbox: 28

No books this week! ): Maybe next week!

Love,

Sierra

Review: Glee- The Beginning by Sophia Lowell

Information:

Released: August 5th, 2010
Published by: Poppy
Series: Glee, 1
Overall Rating: 3 out of 5
Source: Chapter’s (Local Book Store)
Page Amount: 216
School Rating: C+
Age Group: Young Adult

Summary:

Fans are clamoring for more showmance, more mash-ups, more Cheeri-os...more Glee! Now, Gleeks everywhere can spend more time with uber-ambitious Rachel Berry, outrageous Kurt Hammel and dreamy Finn Hudson with these completely original stories about everyone's favorite Glee Club.

Want to know what was happening with Rachel, Kurt, Quinn and Finn before Will Schuster took over the Glee Club? Find out in the first Original Glee Novel, a prequel that transports readers to McKinley High's hallways before the show began.

Each Original Glee Novel reflects the show's intelligent comedic sensibility and quirky, heartfelt storylines.

First Line:

“Rachel Berry paused outside the door of Principal Figgin’s office just long enough to straighten her knee socks and smooth down the sides of her corduroy skirt.” - Page 1

Cheesy Back Cover Quote:

“It was interesting to see what happened to our favourite Gleeks before Mr. Shuester took over the Glee club. Lets just say things didn’t go as smoothly as you may think”

Review:

This book took me awhile to pick up. The first time I heard of it, I actually didn’t watch Glee, so naturally I didn’t want to pick it up because I didn’t watch it. Once I started watching the show, I wanted to read this book. This book was iffy for me.

The plot and story was… okay. A lot of it was incredibly inaccurate, but if it wasn’t for that, I think I would have liked it more. If I could get over that, I think I would have liked it a lot. I like the whole concept of knowing what happened to Glee club before Mr Shue came into the picture.

The writing, was again okay. It was written in third person, which I felt didn’t fit for the story. I think every chapter should have changed to a different POV, I think that would have been a better way to go.

I obviously love the characters to death, because its my favourite show and if I don’t like the characters, what’s the point in watching it? In this novel, Kurt is my favourite.

Overall, this novel was a overall okay for me. I think it would be a good read for some people, but I think I am such a perfectionist when it comes to my books that I could find all of the flaws in it. I do plan on reading the rest of the books, though, just to see if they end up getting Blaine into them.

Cover Comments:

I can honestly say I HATE this cover. I wish that they would have made it look less like a TV show cover. That may not make sense, but I wish they chose a cover that looked like a actual book cover. Maybe one that was shot at McKinley High?

Ratings:

Plot 10/10
Like able Characters 10/10
Problem Development 5/10
Solution Effectiveness 5/10
Writing Style 7/10
Character Development 4/10
Cover 2/10
Setting 10/10
Ending 8/10
Beginning 8/10
=
69%

Love,

Sierra

Review: Beach Blondes by Katherine Applegate

Information:

Released: May 6th, 2008
Published by: Simon Pulse
Series: Stand Alone Title
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5
Source: Cole’s (Local Book Store)
Page Amount: 721
School Rating: A
Age Group: Young Adult

Summary:

Three months. Three guys. One amazing summer.

Summer Smith is in for the best summer of her life. Between the cold weather and her boyfriendless existence in Minnesota, Summer is ready for sun, sand, and boys in the Florida Keys. And by the end of the first day, she has more than enough to keep her busy:

Adam, the senator's son, has looks, power, and all the money in the world.

Diver, the mystery man, is mellow, intriguing, and definitely unique.

And Seth, the perfect guy...only he has a girlfriend.

But with new friends, cute guys, and miles of hot white sand, Summer's in for more trouble than she thinks....

First Line:

“I hate my life. I hate my life. And I hate Sean Valletti” - Summer Smith, Page 1.

Cheesy Back Cover Quote:

“Beach Blondes was a light, fluffy chick lit read that I would take to the beach any day. That is one thing that I can’t say about a lot of books.”

Review:

I always knew that BEACH BLONDES was a book. I have seen it in the bookstore before, and I remember thinking that the book looked scary because of its size. Other than that, I never gave it the time of day. I saw it in someone’s Youtube video one time, but I don’t remember who’s, but I remember them saying they really like it, so I decided to pick it up. I am really glad I did, because I found BEACH BLONDES to be a really enjoyable novel.
Although the plot is pretty cliché, I really enjoyed it. I would take this on one of my vacations and read it on the beach, because of its story and plot. The story didn’t take long to develop, within the first two chapters I would say it really started rolling.

I have never been a fan of third person writing, and that is what this was written in. It seemed to go well with the story though, because I seemed not to mind it as much as some books. I guess it fit the story, even though I wish she did write it in first person, because it would have shown a whole lot more of the emotion I think this book lacked.

I loved the characters in this book. Summer was a very nice character to read, she wasn’t crazy yet she wasn’t a goody two-shoes. The other supporting main characters were amazing too, and I loved Seth and Diver.

I think everyone should give this book a chance. I understand that it may not be for everyone, I just think that it’s a book that you should give it at least one chance, because it really is a good book. It may be too girly for some people, but I can’t say I didn’t like that about the book.

Cover Comments:

I think the cover is truly beautiful. One thing that they should have though about when they chose a cover like this was if you were going to bring this book to school it does bring a lot of attention to yourself, and your book. I do think it is pretty, though.

Ratings:

Plot 8/10
Like able Characters 10/10
Problem Development 6/10
Solution Effectiveness 5/10
Writing Style 9/10
Character Development 10/10
Cover 10/10
Setting 10/10
Ending 10/10
Beginning 10/10
=
88%

Love,

Sierra