Never Enough by Denise Jaden
Release Date: July 10, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 400
Summary: From the author of Losing Faith, a novel about two sisters and the eating disorder that threatens to destroy their family.
Loann’s always wanted to be popular and pretty like
her sister, Claire. So when Claire’s ex-boyfriend starts
flirting with her, Loann is willing to do whatever it
takes to feel special…even if that means
betraying her sister.
But as Loann slips inside Claire’s world, she discovers
that everything is not as it seems. Claire’s quest for
perfection is all-consuming, and comes at a
dangerous price. As Claire increasingly withdraws
from friends and family, Loann struggles to
understand her and make amends. Can she heal their
relationship—and her sister—before it’s too late?
My Thoughts: What a wonderful second novel from Jaden who sucks you into this story that is a gut wrenching, heart breaking story.
We are introduced to Loann and her sister Claire. In Loann's eyes, Claire is perfect. She's older and always been the one to look up too, according to their parent's. Loann has spent her life being told, "why don't you try to be more like your sister, more popular, more outgoing, more everything.?”
Loann has gotten used to being in the background. She also has a crush on Claire's boyfriend Josh, at first. The crush started a long time ago, before he was Claire's boyfriend. Loann has spent a lot of time fantasizing about him even though she knows she shouldn't.
The book opens up on Loann's birthday and Claire and Josh got her an old camera. Loann gets really into pictures and meets a boy along the way. His name is Marcus and his locker is next to hers.
As the story progresses we learn that Claire has a lot of problems, an eating disorder and Marcus has his own set of problems.
Gosh, this book made me want to cry so many times. I felt so sorry for all the characters. Even the crap that Loann goes through with Josh made me want to cry. This girl has a lot to deal with and has the bravery and ability to really help those around her.
Never Enough was a great sophomore novel and I enjoyed reading it. It's more contemporary than anything but deals with some mega serious subjects. I wanted to take all the characters, snuggle with them, and tell them it would be ok. But it isn't always ok, and I need to accept that. A lot of denial is also going on through this novel. The girl's parents, they were so naive. Maybe deep down they saw it but were afraid to do anything real about it. I don't know but I wanted to make everyone's life better.
Never Enough was a great novel about sisters and what they really mean to one another. And love and friendship and how that can win out over anything.
Overall: Enjoyed it. Didn't love love it like I wanted too but I did enjoy it. It was a serious read, not the normal "fun" read I would normally do. It was so serious!
Cover: Like it. Its not too fancy but it works.
What I'd Give It:
Don’t You Wish by Roxanne St. Claire
Release Date: July 10, 2011
Publisher: Delacorte Books For Young Readers
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 368
Summary: When plain and unpopular Annie Nutter gets zapped by one of her dad's whacked-out inventions, she lands in a paraallel universe where her life becomes picture-perfect. Now she's Ayla Monroe, daughter of the same mother but a different father—and she's the gorgeous, rich queen bee of her high school.
In this universe, Ayla lives in glitzy Miami instead of dreary Pittsburgh and has beaucoup bucks, courtesy of her billionaire—if usually absent—father. Her friends hit the clubs, party backstage at concerts, and take risks that are exhilirating . . . and illegal. Here she's got a date to lose her V-card with the hottest guy she's ever seen.
But on the insde, Ayla is still Annie.
So when she's offered the chance to leave the dream life and head home to Pittsburgh, will she take it?
The choice isn't as simple as you think.
My Thoughts: This book was so different than anything I have read lately. It was a good different.
We start off the book being introduced to Annie Nutter, who has a brother, a mother and an inventor father. He is always brainstorming some idea and trying something new out. While shopping one day, Annie's mom finds a magazine with an article about an ex boyfriend. He is pretty wealthy, she starts to wonder what her life would be like if she had married the other man.
One day, Annie is messing with her dad's newest invention and she gets sucked into another universe. She wakes up to find herself as the other guy’s daughter. What does that mean? It means she has a new father a new brother, a big house, the whole works. It also means she has new best friends, and an actual boyfriend. She's not a nobody anymore, she's actually popular! Her name isn't Annie anymore either, its now Ayla.
To me, she will always be Annie though. Annie tries to fit in and stay up to date on being popular, even if this means changing her personality and trying to be "cool."
We get to experience Annie's new life as Ayla, and all the change she has to go through. She has to do whats right for her regarding her new family, new friends, and new boyfriend.
She also meets a boy who isn't who he seems. Annie instantly clicks with him and becomes his friend. She learns some deep dark secrets about him. To everyone else, he's not popular at all, he's homeless, he's a loser.
Annie has to evaluate her priorities and decide to do whats right. Does she want to keep Ayla's life or go back to her own? Does she want to go from being popular to a nobody again?
Overall: Don't You Wish was a fun cute read. Yes, it had life lessons throughout the book but it was also funny and enjoyable. Can you imagine going in and taking over a stranger’s life? Read this book and than you can say you have done it! I really enjoyed reading this one and once I started I couldn't stop!
Cover: Love it Love her sunglasses, very catching! Also love the colors and the way its faded out.
What I'd Give It:
Once by Anna Carey
Release Date: July 3, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 368
Summary: Sixteen years have passed since a deadly virus wiped out most of the Earth’s population. After learning of the terrifying part she and her classmates were fated to play in the rebuilding of New America, eighteen-year-old Eve fled to the wilds and Califia, a haven for women determined to live outside the oppressive rule of the king of New America. However, her freedom came at a price: she was forced to leave Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. Eve quickly learns that Califia may not be as safe as it seems and soon finds herself in the City of Sand and the palace of the king. There she uncovers the real reason he was so intent on her capture, and the unbelievable role he intends her to fill. When she is finally reunited with Caleb, they will enact a plan as daring as it is dangerous. But will Eve once again risk everything—her freedom, her life—for love?
Brimming with danger and star-crossed romance, and featuring a vivid dystopian landscape, this electrifying follow-up to Eve, which bestselling author Lauren Kate called “a gripping, unforgettable adventure—and a fresh look at what it means to love” is sure to appeal to fans who crave the high-stakes adventure of The Hunger Games and the irresistible love story of Romeo and Juliet
My Thoughts: Oh, how I enjoyed this book just like I did Eve. It's going to be very hard to review, so if you haven't read Eve, beware and go away from this review.
We are back with Eve whom at the end of book one finally made it to Califia . The little sanctuary where people go to get away from the confinements of the city and the schools. Everyone takes care of themselves and helps out with daily chores and the life inside Califa. Only women are accepted so everyone else is refused. Caleb is refused.
I still love Eve's personality. Yes at time she seems like she's really love struck and its instant love between her and Caleb, but so what, it seems like they actually share a bond and get each other.
Eve is living her life when Arden shows up. Remember, Arden is the girl from Eve who Eve was traveling with. Arden and Eve are enjoying each other when they find out Caleb is alive and he is out there hurt. They go after him and they get captured. Eve is taken to the King where she finds out she is not who she thought she was. Not even close. He doesn't want her to bare his children, say what?
Eve is thrown into this new world, this new life, without the boy she truly loves and into the arms of a new suitor named Charles. Charles seems like he is a nice enough guy but he's no Caleb.
Eve and Caleb sneak around and Eve has a plan to escape, until that plan goes awry. That's all I'm going to say. In Once, we find out Eve's real background and how she plays in all this. The ending was very frustrating for me. I'm not sure if it will change and things aren't what we believe them to be or not. A lot of betrayals, and secret alliances take place in Once. It's hard to tell who to trust really.
The battle has just begin and Eve is right smack in the middle of it. She has to fight for her life.
Overall: Oh gosh. I love this series but each book ends on a major cliffhanger and I am so frustrated waiting on the next book. What is going to happen to Eve and Caleb, can it be true? And what about Charles? And the King? Why is he such a jerk? LOL.
Cover: Love it! I love how she is standing there once again, and all the beautiful colors.
What I’d Give It:
52 Reasons To Hate My Father by Jessica Brody
Release Date: July 3, 2012
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, And Giroux
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 352
Summary: What's a girl gotta do to earn her dad's trust (fund)?
Famous teen heiress, Lexington Larrabee, has never had to work a day in her life. But all of that changes on her eighteenth birthday when her ever-absent, mogul father decides to take a more proactive approach to her life. Every week for the next year, she will have to take on a different low-wage job if she ever wants to receive her beloved trust fund. But if there’s anything worse than working as a maid, a dishwasher, and a fast food restaurant employee, it’s the arrogant, albeit moderately attractive, college intern her father has assigned to keep tabs on her. Readers of all ages are sure to fall in love with Jessica Brody’s delightful riches to rags comedy
My Thoughts: We are introduced to Lexington who is a socialite. She is the daughter of a famous man. She is a girl who is wealthy, spoiled and only cares about herself and her popularity and what she can get out of the world.
When Lexi wrecks her car just days before her 18th birthday, her dad has another idea on how to make Lexi straighten up. She will take 52 weeks worth of jobs. That means 52 different jobs in order to get her big trust fund. The plan was she would get it as soon as she hit 18, but boy does she have another thing coming. She has 4 brothers, and her mother is dead. Lexi is the only girl in the family and has always been taken lenient on.
With the help of her new babysitter, aka Luke, a hired hand by her father, Lexi must complete 52 jobs from a maid to a dishwasher. She's beyond horrified that she has to do this. She's never worked a day of her life, now she's expected to clean someone else's toilet. What’s a girl to do?
I loved watching her complete each job and make her video logs to update Luke on her progress. Oh Luke, you were such a cute and adorable guy!
I love Lexi and her whit! She makes a big deal out of everything and you can't help but laugh at her and the way she sees things. Yes, she's spoiled but she's also a riot!
Overall: 52 Reasons To Hate My Father was a great novel! I just love Jessica Brody and her humor! All her books are extremely funny and cute! And yet full of such serious messages! I really enjoyed this one, and if you're looking for something light, fluff, and not about vampires this is the book for you!
Cover: The cover is cute! Its so realistic and I Love how she is wearing that hat!
What I'd Give It:
Taken At Dusk (Shadow Falls #3) by C.C. Hunter
Release Date: April 10, 2013
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 380
Summary: Step into Shadow Falls, a camp for teens with supernatural powers. Here friendship thrives, love takes you by surprise, and our hearts possess the greatest magic of all.
Kylie Galen wants the truth so badly she can taste it. The truth about who her real family is, the truth about which boy she’s meant to be with—and the truth about what her emerging powers mean. But she’s about to discover that some secrets can change your life forever…and not always for the better.
Just when she and Lucas are finally getting close, she learns that his pack has forbidden them from being together. Was it a mistake to pick him over Derek? And it’s not just romance troubling Kylie. An amnesia-stricken ghost is haunting her, delivering the frightful warning, someone lives and someone dies. As Kylie races to unravel the mystery and protect those she loves, she finally unlocks the truth about her supernatural identity, which is far different—and more astonishing—than she ever imagined.
My Thoughts: I love this series!
Welcome back to Shadow Falls!!!! I started off Taken At Dusk and had to refresh my mind what happened in the other novel. It has been a while since I read it! Right away I remembered Kylie and her friends, and the sweet sweet guys Lucas and Derek.
It was so much fun seeing Kylie interact with Miranda and Della. I love those girls. And Socks; her skunk!! What a cutie!
In this novel, Kylie is trying to figure out more about her family history and what she really is. She gets to see her dad a few times and she’s haunted by another ghost who just wants to find out answers. And Kylie is all for helping her, but it also seems like Kylie has made an enemy because someone is trying to kill her. And she thinks it might be Mario, or Red.
And Lucas and Derek, my feelings are still going strong for both of them. I still can’t choose! They are both so freaking adorable.
There are a few new faces at camp as well. I loved seeing new characters.
Taken At Dusk finally gives us some answers we are looking for, but in the process also gives us more questions. Arrrggg.. And that cliffhanger! Oh man, I wish the next book was out now!
If you enjoyed the rest of the series, you’ll love Taken At Dusk, just like me! And we finally get to know “what” she is! YES!
Overall: Loved this one! Can’t wait to see more of Kylie and her friends in the next book! I’m so anxious for it! Wish it was already out! A lot of surprises in this one!
Cover: Like it. Like the redness to it!
What I’d Give It:
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