Living with Jackie Chan

Living with Jackie Chan

by Jo Knowles

It's his senior year of high school and Josh isn't spending it with his best friends.  Instead, he's moved four hours away to live with his karate teaching uncle.

He has to get away.  Far away.

He has to get away from the rumors, the stories, the looks, and, especially, her.

He has to get away from the girl he got pregnant because he can't stand thinking of that night, what he did, and what he shouldn't have done.

So now he's four hours away, living with his uncle, and sleeping under a poster of Jackie Chan.

He's also living a floor below a couple who have a baby that cries at 2 a.m. like clockwork.  And he's living in the same building as fellow high school senior, Stella.

Now he has a routine each day and a plan to just get through his last year of high school before moving far away from the life he thought he didn't want anymore.

Final thoughts:  I only found out after that this was the sequel to Jumping Off Swings, but that doesn't mean I was lost.  I wish now that I'd read the other book in order to understand Josh's friends a bit more, but the story still reads well.  The thing that actually bugged me most of Josh's uncle, Larry.  He just seemed like an ADHD teen hyped up on sugar... all... the... time.  He had a few moments of great restraint and insight, but he was mostly bouncing off the walls, showing off his karate skills, and acting like a little kid.  But I liked Josh's story and his friendship with Stella. Nice story.

Rating: 4/5

The Fever

The Fever

by Megan Abbott

Deenie lives in a small town with her brother and her dad.  Her mother left years ago after having an affair.  In addition to her family, Deenie has her best friend, Lise, and a couple of other girls with whom she spends her time.

One day, Lise has a violent attack in the middle of class and collapses.  She ends up in a coma in the hospital.

When another friend suffers an attack, parents become worried.  As a third girl falls, the one thing that connects them all is Deenie.

As the panic grows, Deenie searches for clues to find out what is really going on.

Final thoughts:  Bland and confusing.  There are multiple points of view, a couple of which are just unnecessary.  The author goes out of her way to misdirect the reader, with no real purpose for doing so.  There's also a preachy quality, as if Abbott is very anti-vaccine and uses the HPV vaccine as the prime suspect in all of the attacks.  The real reason for the hysteria is never really explained at all even after the initial cause is revealed.  Maybe there was an attempt being made to explain the hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials, but that never really worked, either.  Blah.

Rating: 2/5

Promise Me Something

Promise Me Something

by Sara Kocek

Reyna Fey just can't seem to get a break.  Her mother died when Reyna was just seven years old. Her father was in a near-tragic accident that put him in a coma from which he's just starting to recover.  And she's been forced to go to a different high school from all of her middle school friends due to a redrawing of the district lines.

She's alone on the first day of school.  Until Olive Barton shows up in her life.

Olive is different from anyone she's ever known.  She's brash, loud, and speaks her mind no matter what.  She's also gay and Reyna's never known someone who was gay before.

Reyna was raised Catholic, so she has a difficult time dealing with Olive's admissions.

When a train accident changes Reyna's world, she must face many questions in her life head on.

Final thoughts:  Started one way and ended another, with a winding story that touched on many issues, but never settled any of them.  Reyna's Catholic and hates foul language in the beginning of the book, but her religious issues don't even come up with Olive's admission. Everything deals with how Reyna is trying to fit in with the crowd, but even that is barely covered.  Could have been so much more.

Rating: 2/5

The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant

The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant

by Joanna Wiebe

Anne Merchant is used to living near the very rich.  Her dad is the mortician in a small, wealthy community and Anne is his "weird" daughter with the crazy, bipolar, dead-by-suicide mom.

Two years after her mother's death, Anne is sent to Cania Christy, a boarding school on a small island, dedicated to the education of the children of the ultra-wealthy.  Anne has no idea how her father can afford the tuition, considering his lack of funds, and she has no idea what the tuition would even be for a school where the students all wear the most trendy clothes from the choicest of designers.

What Anne does know is that there are secrets at Cania Christy.  Every student has a guardian who watches them 24/7, grading them on every tiny decision and mistake.  Every student has a PT, or "theme" that guides them through all of their classes.  The student who succeeds the best at achieving his or her PT is the Valedictorian of the class.  And being Valedictorian is what everyone wants... everyone.

So Anne must now find out the truths that everyone else seems to know, before she gets expelled from what could be her last chance.

Final thoughts: I liked it as I read it, but now have questions after it's done.  Some of those questions are spoiler-ish, so I won't go into them here, but they are bugging me.  It also ended on a kind of cliffhanger that felt kind of forced and like the author wants a guarantee that the reader will be back, instead of making the reader want to come back with an excellent story.  Anne was OK.  Ben was a snooze.  Villius was evil incarnate.  And the rest of the students were caricatures and stereotypes.  The mystery itself was actually quite mysterious, though.  Don't look deep at this one as you read and you could really have a good time.

Rating: 3/5  (4/5 as a read it... but the questions... the many questions...)

Spellbinding

Spellbinding

by Maya Gold

Abby has spend her entire life being invisible.  No one notices her and that's OK.  The only person she wants to notice her is the cutest, most popular guy in school, but being ignored by him only helps Abby because there is no way she wants to get noticed by his girlfriend and mean girl of the school.

Suddenly though, things are changing.  Things happen around Abby just because she thinks them, even if she doesn't really mean them.  And things really start to go her way when she turns sixteen and finally gets her license.

With her license, she now has some freedom.  Like the freedom to drive over to Salem and see the cute coffee-shop guy, Remy.  And the freedom to get a job near the coffee shop, making it a guarantee she'll see him often.

But Salem has a history, and Abby is about to find out how much that history means to her.

Final thoughts:  Meh.  So much awkwardness.  Too many standard "moments".  Too many unanswered questions.  And too strange an end resolution.  The story just flips around in the timeline with flashbacks occurring with no warning, and changes in time and location occurring between one paragraph and the next.  Abby is all over the place being a good girl when required and then planning revenge spells and love spells in cruel ways.  She gets one guy to fall in love with her and then basically ignores him except when at school or if it's needed in the story.  The mean girl thing goes really far and then flips it by making the reader feel almost sorry for them.  Abby isn't really sympathetic and there just is no real reason to care about her, Remy, or the story in general.  And what's with the dad's girlfriend?  What is the point of having her there at all?  I kept expecting her to be a part of the evil plotters but she's just a nobody who takes up space on the page.

Rating: 2/5

The Throne

The Throne

by Beth Goobie

It's the first day of 10th grade and Meredith Polk has decided she doesn't want to wait to "make it".  She wants to be at the top of the social pyramid now and the best way she knows how is to take the literal top seat in her first class.  So on day one, she's the first to arrive and she claims her new seat.

However, the heir to the chair had waited for that spot for three years and he is not happy she's in it.

Suddenly, Meredith finds herself on the receiving end of a series of gum attacks and it looks like things are going to get a lot worse before they get better.

Final thoughts:  It may be set in high school, but it feels like middle school.  Maybe it's because of the teens I see every day, but the teens in many novels just don't feel like they're written well.  They often don't feel like they're in high school and this is no exception.  There's also a secondary story with Meredith finding out the truth behind her parents, their deaths, and her entire family line.  That whole thing felt odd and more like filler than anything else.

Rating: 2/5

House of Cards

House of Cards

by Ilana Waters

Sherry has been living on her own in Paris, France, for a few months now.  She's busking with other fortune tellers on the streets, hoping to get a few tourists to pay a few Euros for her predictions.  When she's approached by a mysterious man, she tells his fortune and he leaves, presumably never to be seen again.

But that's not the way the story ever goes.

The man's "friends" take an opportunity in a dark alley to kidnap her and take her as a meal to their vampire Master.  The only thing that can save her is her frighteningly accurate tarot predictions.

Unfortunately, she's now trapped, and finds that her mysterious man is, as well.  They are both prisoners in a vampire world led by a power-hungry man who is more than a little unstable.

Final thoughts:  Really?  The vampire craze needs to end with this book.  It's messy and melodramatic.  The language is stilted and unrealistic.  The characters aren't built well and the ending is just kind of there.  And please clarify how a girl on a tight budget, even with an "allowance" from her parents, can afford the amazing view described in the book.  Or how she's a prisoner, but allowed to walk around all over, even outside, immediately after capture?  It all felt strange and awkward. 

Rating: 2/5

When We Were Good

When We Were Good

by Suzanne Sutherland

Katherine is facing her final year of school without her best friend: her grandmother.  Her grandmother had always been there even when her overly busy parents weren't, so when she passes away from a heart attack on New Year's Eve, it means that Kathy doesn't have her most important person anymore.

And that's when Marie walks into her life.  Marie's a straight-edge, no booze, no drugs, no filter-on-her-mouth, kind of girl.  She talks and talks, filling in the silence in Kathy's life with words and with amazing music.

Together, they face their final days in school, as well as the anger of former friends.  Kathy learns more about herself in these months than she ever knew before.

Final thoughts: Decent read about self-discovery and personal relationships.  It's LGBTQ only in the vaguest sense, since it's not the real focus of the story, but it does impact it.  Nothing really stands out as either good or bad.  It's OK.

Rating: 3/5

Unfed

Unfed

by Kirsty McKay

After six weeks in a coma, Roberta "Bobby" wakes up to find that not only did the zombies not get stopped, they've multiplied.  A LOT.  In fact, Scotland is now completely quarantined.  Yes, the entire country has been cut off from everyone else.  It's every man, woman, and child for him- or herself.

Even the military hospital she's in isn't safe.  When little children zoms break into her room, Bobby's time to recover is officially over.  On her way out, she finds Alice and Pete, as well as a new guy, Russ.

Together, they must follow her mother's clues and try to track Smitty, Bobby's on-again/off-again something-ish, and then track down mom herself.  

However, there's a very powerful, very well-funded, and very well-armed group who want them alive, though they won't be too sad about dead, and Bobby's group is running out of options.

Final thoughts: Missed the first book, Undead, so much of this lacked depth for me since the characters had basically been established beforehand.  However, McKay does a good job keeping the reader in on the most important information without drowning in back story.  Unfortunately, it doesn't always hold up when "villains" from the previous book appear and there's no way to know why we're supposed to hate them.  Ok for what it was, but I don't really need to go back and read the first one.

Rating: 3/5

Out of This Place

Out of This Place

by Emma Cameron

When you're almost an adult, but you still have to follow the rules of the real adults, life can be difficult.  They make the decisions.  They tell you what to do.  They are in control.

For three teens who are getting ready to head out into the world, there are big decisions to be made.

Luke has no idea what to do with his future; he just knows that he doesn't want to stay where he is.

Casey has a father who is over-controlling and who has always behaved like Casey was the reason he never got further in life.

David, a.k.a. "Bongo", has an addict for a mother, an abuser for a stepfather, and a brother who's being adopted by a family who don't want him around.

None of them feel like they belong where they are.  And all of them just want out of this place.

Final thoughts: Super quick read since it's a novel-in-verse. The stories are interesting and the way they overlap is creative.  Unfortunately, some of it just felt forced and I was often confused by the schooling issue.  The novel is set in Australia, which functions on a different type of education program than here in the states, so I was really struggling to figure out how people could leave school and move on without graduation, while others keep studying and choose their classes to prepare them for university or careers.  I was also frustrated by the end with how the people merged and the decisions that were made.  However, for those who are straining to get through life while they wait to become adults, this is a sympathetic story.

Rating: 3/5

Fat Angie

Fat Angie

by E.E. Charlton-Trujillo

After Angie's sister was captured during the war in Iraq, her family became famous... or infamous.  They were interviewed and followed everywhere.  When Angie couldn't take it anymore, she had a nervous breakdown and tried to kill herself in the middle of the high school gym.

Time has gone by and she's back at school to repeat her failed freshman year, only to find that things haven't really changed.  To everyone at school, she's still "Fat Angie".  To the bullies who taunt her wherever she goes, she's still "Fat Angie".  Even in her own mind, she's "Fat Angie".  And to her couldn't-be-bothered mother, she's just a fat disappointment.

But Angie's world changes when she meets the new student, KC Romance.  She's a girl who may be as messed up as Angie; and she may be the only person who really sees Angie for who she is.  When Angie's with KC, she's no longer "Fat Angie".  She doesn't have to try and be something she's not.  And she doesn't have to pretend... even to herself.

Final thoughts:  While I was bugged by the fact that she is referred to as Fat Angie throughout almost the entire book, except for obvious plot points and whenever she's talking to KC, I get what the author was going for.  However, I really wanted to yet at the characters for constantly using that phrase.  Angie is well-written as a character and the reader can really get into her head, especially if you can relate to any of her issues, from an MIA sister, to being overweight, to the jerk brother and/or uncaring mother, to the budding understanding of her own sexuality.  I liked Angie's growth, but was a little disappointed in some of the weird conversations.  KC's own "lingo" is odd and can be difficult to follow.  Overall, a good read, though.

Rating: 4/5

All the Truth That's in Me

All the Truth That's in Me

by Julie Berry

Four years ago, two teen girls disappeared.  Days afterwards, the body of one of them was found.  Two years after that, Judith finally came home, though she wasn't whole.

For two years, Judith lived with her captor, unable to escape until he set her free after cutting off most of her tongue to make sure she couldn't talk.

Now Judith is more reviled than pitied.  Her mother has forbidden her to even attempt to speak, even to tell her own story. So people assume that she was raped and that her maidenhood has been taken, making her a burden on society because no one would ever want to marry someone who was impure. 

But there is one person who inspires Judith and makes her want to share her story.  He's the boy she's known all her life.  He's the one she watches.  And he watches her.

When their small town is attacked, Judith must seek out the one person she should avoid and she must either learn to speak or watch everything be destroyed.

Final thoughts: OK.  Let's start off with the cover, because this is what is messing with how I feel about the entire book.  The cover is amazing, but it has pretty much NOTHING to do with the story.  The cover shows a girl with a modern hairstyle and a TON of eyeliner.  The book is about a Puritan girl and an early settlement.  She wouldn't have shown her hair, let alone had that style, nor would she have worn make-up.  So the reader opens this book expecting one story and ends up in a completely different time period, which made it a shock to read and distracted during much of the first part of the book.  HOWEVER, the book is amazing!  Written in first person and addressed entirely as if she was speaking to the boy she loves, the initial few pages take some getting used to, but are completely worthwhile to read.  Judith is well-written, caring, selfless, and honest.  Her story is compelling and her love feels real.  A beautiful tale.

Rating: 5/5

Book Blogger Hop

Today's Question:

Do you blog for a living or for fun? 

My answer:

Both... kind of.  I like posting my reviews and leaving my thoughts about books, especially since I often forget them over time and now I've got a great place to go back and remind myself.  But I started this blog as an announcement page for the school library in which I used to work, and I've got it linked on the home page of my current school library, so it's also a work-related thing.

However, if is the question is more geared to the "do you make money off of it" type of thing, then the answer is "no".  I've never monetized the page, mostly because with only 55 followers and not that many views when considering how long I've had this thing up and running, I'd probably end up owing people instead of getting any cash.  ;-) 

 

Paper Valentine

Paper Valentine

by Brenna Yovanoff

In January, Lillian died from starvation as a result of anorexia.  It's July and she's still around, haunting her best friend, Hannah.

It's the hottest summer on record and death is everywhere.  Dead birds line the streets and dead bodies are starting to appear.  Young girls aren't making it home alive and they need Hannah to find their killer.

Leaving behind paper valentine hearts and children's toys at each crime scene, the killer is leaving clues though the cops have no leads.  But Hannah has something the police don't: witnesses.  The girls themselves are reaching out to Hannah and begging her to stop the murders.

When the killer gets too close, Hannah runs out of time.

Final thoughts: This was OK.  There was a lot to offer with this story, but I finished it and felt unfulfilled.  I wish that things had been more fleshed out.  I wish the haunting was more explained, especially since it felt like it wasn't even real for so long.  I kept expecting Hannah to realize that there weren't really ghosts and that she was a little crazy.  Maybe some of this was because Hannah kept reading like she was a child herself instead of the high school student she was supposed to be. It wasn't just that she came off as naive; she also seemed childlike in her words, her emotions, and her overall demeanor.  Her younger sister behaved as if she was older.  There were also unanswered questions like the birds and why Finny had such a terrible reputation.  Decent book, but not great.

Rating: 3/5

The Different Girl

The Different Girl

by Gordon Dahlquist

Veronica is trying to remember her past before she loses it all.  While she tells her story, more and more strange things about her come to light.

Veronica is learning about the world on her small island, bit by bit.  With three other girls who are identical to her in every way except for their hair, she studies her area, her home, the weather patterns, the insects, and more.

While it may seem dull to some, for Veronica and the other girls, this is what they do every day.  They observe and then report their observations to Robbert and Irene, who take note of their observations and keep an eye on them.

The first real moment where Veronica and the girls are revealed to be more than they seem is when Irene presses a button to put them to sleep.  When May arrives on the island, having washed ashore after her uncle's boat sank, the girls realize just how different they are.

Can they figure out the secrets of their own creation and the world around them before it's too late?

Final thoughts:  No.  No they can't.  And that's the failing of this book.  While the premise is interesting, it's too ambiguous overall and there's just not enough details where they're needed.  It's never revealed why the girls are there, what they were created for, or why they're in danger.  There's really no plot to this at all.  Is this just a VERY long exposition for a future book?  Who knows.  Who cares?  Not me.

Rating: 2/5

Believe

Believe

by Sarah Aronson

At just six years old, Janine Friedman became the most famous girl in the world, all because she was the lone survivor of a suicide bomber's blast.  She was labeled the "Soul Survivor" and believed to be a miracle.

Now, ten years later, on the anniversary of the event, which included the deaths of both of her parents, she's in the spotlight again, begin followed by reporters just like her mom had been, all seeking a story from the miracle girl.

All her life she has had to dodge the paparazzi who want to get the exclusive pics and interviews.  She has a very small group of friends that she can trust and a desire to be famous because of what she can do instead of how she survived.

But things become much more complicated when she gets chased from her own parents' graves and events lead to Janine having to question her own personal beliefs and faith.

Final thoughts:  The beginning was good and I really felt for Janine, but things got strange fast.  She's repeatedly accused of being selfish and a bad friend even though there's really no evidence of that.  Janine's not very sympathetic and her "friends" are just horrible.  Over and over they want to use her and her fame for their own personal issues and pet projects, but when she says no, they call her selfish.  She's accused of constantly reminding people who she is, even though she's just trying to live her own life.  No one is well written here and the story devolves into a big mess at the end.  Bland and dull.

Rating: 2/5

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

by April Genevieve Tucholke

Violet White and her twin brother, Luke, have been on their own for a while even though they aren't yet seniors in high school.  Their parents have gone off to be artists in Europe.  Their grandmother died a few years back.  And while their family used to be the second richest in town, they are now barely holding on to their dilapidated mansion and looking for someone to rent their guesthouse just so that they can afford groceries.

In walks River West.

He's got money.  He's got a good story.  And he's everything Violet never knew she always wanted.

He's also very dangerous.

He has secrets and those secrets are deadly.

Violet must decide how far she's willing to go to find out the truth before the truth finds her.

Final thoughts:  This thing is messy.  The cover is really the only thing that it all has going for it.  River is just a horrible, horrible person and the fact that Violet can't seem to decide how she feels about him is just annoying.  There is a complete lack of plot here and a number of things that don't add up.  Tucholke has all these characters who just happened to be linked in funky ways and those ways are revealed with stupid contrivances.  Hidden letters?  Really?  Ugh.  Yet another first in a series that I won't be reading the rest of.

Rating: 1/5

Ink

Ink

by Amanda Sun

When Katie Greene's mom died suddenly, leaving her an orphan, Katie was forced to move to Japan to live with an aunt she barely knew.  As the months have gone by, she's learned the culture and the basics of the language, but she still hasn't learned how to fit in.

When she meets Yuu Tomohiro, she finally finds her voice and a possible connection, but it's short-lived.  Tomo is a Kami, a descendent of the former Japanese emperor's family and even one of the Japanese gods.  His gift is creating life from ink and that life doesn't always follow his directions.

Now that Katie's in his life, the ink starts to become more dangerous, as do the people around Tomo, including his friend who has ties to the Yakuza. 

Are they meant to be together or does the world need them to stay apart?

Final thoughts: This started off well, but began sinking into the realm of Twilight, including all the bad boy/shy girl plot points of Meyer's book.  He's not really human.  She's not safe with him, but she can't stay away.  There's a few background friends and a second love interest.  It's kind of messy and a few people are only brought in for moments just to forward the plot, not to really be part of the book.  What really annoyed me was the constant use of Japanese words.  It makes sense in the beginning, especially as she's learning the language, but later it's just THERE.  If she's become fluent in Japanese and they are all speaking in Japanese, but it's translated into English for our benefit, why keep using a couple of words again and again?  Prime Example: Keitai.  That's the Japanese word for cell phone, but "cell phone" is NEVER used except in the glossary at the back.  If everything else can be translated into English, why not "cell phone"?  Why keep saying keitai over and over and over again?  First in a series and there's a prequel novella out there somewhere, but I don't much care and won't search it out to read it.

Rating: 2/5

Crash Into You

Crash Into You

by Katie McGarry

All her life, Rachel Young has been the perfect daughter.  Born to replace a sister who died from leukemia long before she was born, Rachel's job is to make sure her mother is happy, especially around Christmas.  For years, Rachel has lived with panic attacks that have sometimes even sent her to the hospital, all because she's been living a lie.  She's not perfect.  She's not her sister.  She's not girly.  She hates dresses and she LOVES cars.

For most of his life, Isaiah Walker has been on his own. Even when he lived in foster care and group homes, he had to learn how to be strong for himself and not care about others. His only love in life is cars because most of the girls he's met are nothing but trouble.  All he wants now is to pass his certification test and log enough hours to become a certified mechanic and get his own garage.

When Rachel stumbles into Isaiah's life during a street race, Isaiah suddenly falls head over heels for the shy rich girl.  He starts off feeling like he needs to protect her, only to find that she's stronger than anyone he's ever met.

Now they must work together and save each other before a street race bookie destroys them both.

Final thoughts: This is book three in a series from McGarry, but I actually didn't know that until I was preparing this review/booktalk.  It's a book that stands alone despite being the third book with already established characters.  I really enjoyed Rachel and Isaiah.  They were a good couple together and they were also great alone.  Rachel's family dynamic was a little odd at times and some of the problems seemed forced, but her brothers were well written and interesting.  I can see teens devouring this read quickly and then begging for more.  Girls will like the romance and guys will love the street racing.

Rating: 4/5

The Mageri Series

The Mageri Series

by Dannika Dark

Zoë Merrick had always been a little bit of an outsider. She was the only child of a mother who basically ignored her.  She has a smart mouth that has gotten her into more than a little trouble. And she has a strange ability to shock people with her fingers without even trying.  Being born on a plane in a lightning storm can do that to a person.

One night, she's attacked and killed, only to wake up in a body bag and escape to the middle of nowhere.  That's when she meets Adam.

Hours later, she's safe, but no longer looks anything like she did, and now she's got new feelings and new abilities she never had before.

When she meets Justus de Gradi, he reveals that she is now Mage.  She has a light within her that can be used as a weapon, but is also like a drug to other Mages.  She must learn how to manage her powers and defend herself from those who would harm her.

She has a long, difficult road ahead of her. She gets a new name, Silver, to go with her new life. When she meets Logan Cross, she finds the man sent to kidnap her who finds that he can't live without her.

Her immortal life will never be the same.

Final thoughts: This is an addicting series with a number of interesting twists and turns.  The first four books are solid, but the fifth feels messy.  There seems to be a scramble at the end to tie up loose ends and explain events.  There is also a scene that's set up to connect the Mageri books to a novella set in the same world, but that scene just doesn't fit in the overall story and is never referred to again.  The one thing that bugged me throughout the books was the name of the city they're in: Cognito.  She literally named the city Cognito.  That just annoyed me, especially when there were sentences that made it become "in Cognito". 

Rating: 4/5 for the first four books.  2/5 for the last one.

Cinderella Screwed Me Over

Cinderella Screwed Me Over

by Cindi Madsen

Darby Quinn has had her heart broken far too many times.  Bad relationships seem to be the norm for her, so she decides that she's had enough.  No more fairytale romances for her.  In fact, she's even written out a case study of each relationship, the corresponding Disney prince, and where and how each all went wrong, so that she can recognize the signs if she ever starts to fall in love again.

But she didn't count on meeting Jake Knight.

When Jake first enters her life, Darby thinks he's just like the other former princes in her life, but he's determined to prove her wrong.

Can this woman, who has declared love to be an unrealistic dream, find that it really exists?

Final thoughts: Cute fluff though sometimes frustrating.  Darby's bad history with men is really not that bad in the grand scheme of things. Many women have had much worse, so I'm not sure why these "princes" are so bad that it would cause her to swear off relationships altogether. I also can't really understand why Jake sticks around through Darby's yo-yo feelings.  However, the overall story is nice and Darby's friends and relatives redeem Darby herself.

Rating: 3/5

Princesses Don't Get Fat

Princesses Don't Get Fat

by Aya Ling

When Valeria, Princess of Amaranta turns sixteen, she's finally eligible for marriage.  When the day for her three suitors comes to challenge for her hand, they all work their hardest... to throw the contest.  None of them wants her after seeing her.

Princess Valeria is a big eater, in both senses of the word.

There's nothing Valeria likes more than a few cakes, cream puffs, and chocolates.

So, in order to help her daughter lose a little weight, and maybe gain a husband, Valeria's mother sends her to the Academy in Riviera to train her to become a fighter... or a least help her get rid of a few pounds.

And the plan seems to be working, until Valeria finds her way to the kitchens.

How does an overweight princess fulfill her marital duty when all she really wants to do is eat?

Final thoughts: Cotton candy book all the way.  You don't take this one seriously at all.  It's fluffy and sweet, though not intellectually "filling" at all.  It's just cute, though it has flaws.  The point of view keeps changing and the character development is rather shallow, but it's still a quick, fun read.  The bonus "Princes Don't Bake" isn't great, but continues the story decently.

Rating: 3/5

When Love Comes to Town

When Love Comes to Town

by Tom Lennon

It's the 90's in Dublin, Ireland, and Neil Byrne is finally becoming who he was always meant to be.  He's finishing his exams and preparing for his future.

He's also preparing to live as a gay man instead of hiding as a gay teen.

For the first time in his life, Neil starts to go out and meet other gay men to try and figure out this society that's eluded him all this time, but in which he feels he belongs.

Surrounded by family and school friends who constantly disparage gays and tell off-color jokes, Neil's more than a little afraid of what will happen if the truth gets out.

But what will happen to his heart and soul if he never is true to himself?

Final thoughts:  Interesting take on the problems of one teen coming to grips with his own being, as well as the fears and prejudices of those around him.  Just twenty years after it was written, it's hard to imagine what it must have been like for a teen in heavily Catholic Ireland before social media and cell phones, let alone what it must have been like for a gay teen.  Sadly, Neil is never really a sympathetic character and the constant interior monologues, especially toward the end, become difficult to follow.  It felt more like the author didn't want to take the time to describe certain scenes, so he just had Neil stream-of-consciousness monologue those moments. OK for today's teens, but probably much more impactful when it was originally written in 1993.

Rating: 3/5

Sick

Sick

by Tom Leveen

It's just after 11 on a Tuesday morning and the biggest decision Brian has to make is whether or not to go to his fourth period class.

Nine hours later, everything is different.

In just nine short hours, Brian's life has completely changed.  His school has completely changed.  The world has completely changed.

In just nine hours, nothing is the same... especially not Brian.

Final thoughts: Ignore the publisher's tagline.  That will just disappoint you.  This is not The Breakfast Club or The Walking Dead.  This is insanity on the high school campus in ways never seen before and with a sly little wink at Twilight.  There are a few moments of extra information awkwardly jammed in to help the author explain things like the layout of the school or the progression of the disease, and Kenzie's medical history doesn't quite fit, but these are nitpicks in a pretty decent story. Don't try and take this one seriously; just sit back and enjoy the ride.  Please note that the chapter start illustrations are very much a part of the story and fun to watch progress.

Rating: 4/5

The Boy on the Bridge

The Boy on the Bridge

by Natalie Standiford

It's 1982 and Laura is living her dream.  She's staying in Leningrad, learning all about Russia, while living there for a semester abroad.

She's also learning that much of what has been said about the Communist nation is true.

The KGB does listen in and watch people.  The black market is thriving with illicit and illegal American items.  There are purists and others who will turn you in to the KGB in a heartbeat, if only to avoid getting arrested themselves.

However, there's also beautiful poetry, amazing music, and romance.

When Laura meets a handsome man outside of her dorm, she finds the love she's always dreamed of.

But is her love true, or does he have an ulterior motive?

Final thoughts:  Very bland and kind of boring.  Too much time was spent by Standiford talking about Russia, including the language, the culture, and the food.  It felt as if she was showing off all of her research instead of focusing on the characters and the story.  Laura was annoying and Alyosha just didn't spark anything.  I kept putting this book down and only picked it up again reluctantly.

Rating: 2/5