The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Read a synopsis here!
Number of pages: 433
I think I tried reading this book once a couple years back and for some reason I could never get into it. So, I decided to try picking it up for a second time and I'm so glad I did! I don't know why I didn't like this book the first time because it was such a fantastic read this time around!
I flew through this book and was constantly picking it back up again because it was so good! There was always so much suspense and I wanted to know what would happen next. Every time I thought something would be resolved, a new problem or situation occurred that added more complexity to the plot and added even more depth to the characters.
This had equal parts suspense and romance set in New York in 1899. Elizabeth Holland is doomed to marry a man she does not love but she is forced to do it for circumstances beyond her control. She feels deeply conflicted, not only because her best friend Penelope is in love with the man she is going to marry, but because Elizabeth loves another man, whom she cannot marry due to societies regulations. 
This book has a massive love triangle er...more like a pentagon. Be ready to be kept on your toes for who loves who, who hates who, and who is bound by which circumstances. This is a book that you really have to concentrate on, but it won't seem like a chore because the plot is so intense and captivating that you'll remember all the characters special foes and woes from the very beginning.
The one thing I didn't like about this book was the language. No, there wasn't any cursing, but this book is set in 1899 and the vernacular was a little too...loose too be believable. The narration sort of made up for it however, by throwing around words like "abhorrent" here and there but the characters never would have talked like that in 1899.
I guess I can see why the writer, wrote it that way however, because it is so much easier to understand and young adults would not have to struggle with the reading. This leads to a lower reading level, but a much faster read too.
I loved this book and I cannot wait to read the second one (which I just picked up at my brand new library today!!!) Hopefully the second book will be as jam packed with suspense, love, and adventure as this first one was!
(And I absolutely LOVE the cover! Usually YA books have girls in pretty dresses on the covers for no reason but this one actually makes sense! It's so beautiful and elegant!)
See you soon!
Paige

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July Book Haul

Here's what I got!
A Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont (Kindle)


After the Moment by Garret Freymann-Weyr


Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves


Torment by Lauren Kate


The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte by Syrie James


Forbidden by Syrie James


Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick


Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder


That's all I got this month! 
See you soon!
Paige

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The Hunger Pains: A Parody by the Harvard Lampoon

Read a synopsis here!
Number of pages: 157
As some of you may know I am not a huge fan of the Hunger Games. I think it has received a lot more hype than it deserves, but that's just my opinion. I didn't really like the book and I thought the movie was a lot better with more ability to see the actually get a feel for the emotions and scenes that are occurring throughout the story.
So, when I heard about this book I jumped on it right away and went to my library to pick it up. As you can see it was extremely short, which was a good thing because if the book went on any longer I wouldn't have been able to finish it.
It was a funny parody, but it started to become very stupid and very NOT funny, very quickly. I realized that even as a parody I hated the Hunger Games. The parody almost made it worse for me because the book was just THAT stupid. I don't really like using that word to describe a book, but there's no other way to really express how dumb it was.
And I know it was meant to be written that way, but come on. It was getting a little too ridiculous at times. The characters were all complete idiots who had no sense, there was barely a plot (if you haven't read the Hunger Games don't read this. You won't get it. Plus, you need to read the Hunger Games to know the general gist of this story because they do a horrible job of explaining it here)
Parodies are supposed to be funny! And this was hardly funny at all! That's why I was glad it was so short, because if it had dragged on as long as the original Hunger Games, then it would have been even more excruciating. 
Kudos to the Harvard Lampoon for making this parody (they also did one of Twilight, which I would like to read sometime) but I think they need to work on making it a little funnier, and a lot less...pointless, dumb, etc.
Very quick read, I went through it fairly quickly (probably so I could end my misery and not have to drag out this book any further) and even if you do like the Hunger Games I would suggest picking this up and reading it. However, if you are sensitive and can't handle a parody, or someone making fun of another's work, then this is definitely NOT for you because you will become very angered by the story.
By the way, I just love the cover!
See you soon!
Paige

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Gossip Girl: The Carlyles: Love the One You're With by Cecily von Ziegesar

Read a synopsis here!
Number of pages: 240
(This is going to be a slightly shorter review because I read the book about two weeks ago)
I think this is, by far, the best Carlyles book in the entire series. The first one was good because it was a new series, with new people, but this last book was a great way to end the series.
I really like books that take place on an island, especially rich people on vacation and that's what this was! So the Carlyle family goes on an island vacation and the triplets bring some of their friends along and there is, of course, lot's of drama, but also many problems that have persisted since the first book are put to rest.
Everything was resolved extremely well and there wasn't any issues that were left on a cliffhanger.
This was a great book, but I'm glad the series is over. It wouldn't have lasted as long as the Gossip Girl series, and honestly didn't need to. I felt that the triplets had more depth and each book went through a lot more than one Gossip Girl book did. 
Of course all the books were light and fun reads and I enjoy Cecily von Ziegesar's work, but I think I'm done with her books for awhile. I won't be reading the It Girl series because it'll probably be too much like all her other works. Of course I could be wrong, but it's time to move onto other books.
See you soon! Sorry for the short review!
Paige

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Gossip Girl: The Carlyles: Take A Chance On Me by Cecily von Ziegesar

Read a synopsis here!
Number of pages: 240
These books are starting to sound too much like the original Gossip Girl series. The way the characters are starting to act and behave is suspiciously similar to Gossip Girl. And you're probably thinking, well yeah! Cecily von Ziegesar wrote both series'!
But in actuality, she didn't! She created The Carlyles series, and a lady named Annabelle Vestry was the one who actually wrote the series. And it doesn't even say her name on the front cover! If I was her I'd be a little upset, because it takes a lot of work to write a book!
But I'm not here to rant and rave about marketing, I'm here for reviews! So let's move on... (But just a side note about the marketing; I do LOVE that red dress on the right there!! SO cute!)
The series is starting to lose its appeal for me. It started out strong, but is continually becoming weaker and weaker. I'll still read the fourth book in the series to see how the story ends, but let's just say I'm glad there's only four books.
Don't get me wrong, I love the writing style, the cattiness of the girls, name dropping of designers, restaurants, etc., and the deliciousness of the boys, but the the plots are becoming boring. I had to keep convincing myself to read the book, just so I could be finished! (That's never a good thing and always a sign that the book is dull from beginning to end)
I also liked these books, at first, a bit more than the original Gossip Girl one's because there was less drug and sex references, but that's starting to become more common as well. Again, I'm all for having that in a book, because I am by no means a book burner, but I just had higher hopes for these characters. I also originally though these characters were a little more innocent in the beginning of the series, compared to Gossip Girl, but they've become cynical and...dry. Some seem to have little life left in them which leads to a disappointing and unrelateable character.
Normally, we want to look up to these characters and we wish we were like them, but now...They've lost their superiority, at least for me they have. They're less enviable. Because when you start to envy a characters clothes more than their attitude, you know there is a problem.
Overall, I wish the plots were a little more interesting and I hope the next and final book in the series does not disappoint me as much as this one.
See you soon!
Paige

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Gossip Girl: The Carlyles: You Just Can't Get Enough by Cecily von Ziegesar

Read a synopsis here!
Number of pages: 208
This is the sequel to the first Carlyles book appropriately called The Carlyles, and it was just as good as the first! The beginning was a little slow but they usually are for me with Gossip Girl books, I'm not sure why. But as soon as you really get into the story and what issues are going on in the current novel, the book gets better and better. Gossip Girl/Carlyle books, for me, are like the TV show The Hills; totally addicting and a guilty pleasure! Sure there are books with more quality out there, but I just love diving right into these books where there's tons of backstabbing, hooking up, name dropping, and just overall, bad girl/boy activities. 
Plus I would totally love to move to New York!
I don't want to give away anything in this review so it will be fairly brief; Avery is still trying to live a classic and old fashioned New York life just like her grandmother did. Sometimes that doesn't always work out for her though...Avery also has to deal with her arch nemesis Jack again, who stirs up more trouble than she can handle. Especially with all the baggage she has in her own personal life.
Baby is now enjoying New York a little more, but she keeps noticing things that would make either her sister or her brother happy, but not her. Baby is a very conflicted person. She's happy most of the time, but the rest of the time she feels frustrated and unhappy with the old fashioned ways of NYC. Very unlike her sister who feels NYC isn't old fashioned enough...Hmm
Then Owen, also has conflicts with his friends and there are some large rumors spread about him around his school and he has to deal with those as well. (And some other stuff that I can't tell you about without spoiling it!)
I think I liked the first book better, simply because it was the first book, but I like how the characters are developing more and more throughout each novel. I also noticed more snarky interjections from Gossip Girl herself, throughout the novel, which I actually liked. She (or he? Really it could be either) has such a sarcastic attitude, but at the same time she has a lot of sense. A perfect narrator! 
Overall, I can't wait for the next one and can't wait to see what other kind of trouble these kids get into!
(Also, is it just me or do they seem way more sophisticated than their age level? They're only juniors in high school but they have such authority and power. Maybe it's because they're rich....)
See you soon!
Paige

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In My Pants Tag

So John Green technically started this tag and basically you find books that no one else has and make a...ahem dirty sentence out of it. Well, not a sentence, but take the title of the book and add "In my pants" to the end of it to see what nasty, freaky, dirty things come up. I think you can also only choose books you own? I could be wrong. Check out mine:
(and for those of you who have done this tag; sorry if I've repeated any!)

The Great Gatsby in my pants
Me and Mr. Darcy in my pants
Thrill Ride in my pants
The Boyfriend League in my pants
Island Girls (And Boys) in my pants
A Year in Europe in my pants
To Catch a Pirate in my pants
When It Happens in my pants
Waiting For You in my pants
Take Me There in my pants
Geek Magnet in my pants
Unwind in my pants
I Am Not a Serial Killer in my pants
If We Kiss in my pants
Better of Famous? in my pants
Twelve Long Months in my pants
Played in my pants
Snow in my pants
They Came to Baghdad in my pants
Funerals are Fatal in my pants
The Man in the Brown Suit in my pants
Some Like it Hot in my pants
Beautiful Stranger in my pants
The Daughters Break the Rules in my pants
And my all-time favorites: Is He or Isn't He in my pants and What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw in my pants

Sorry for the dirty post, but I hope it made you laugh as much as I did!
See you soon!
Paige

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Labor of Love by Rachel Hawthorne

Read a synopsis here!
Number of pages: 296
Out of all of Rachel Hawthorne's books, that I've read so far, I think I liked this one the least. This teen chick lit takes place in New Orleans where Dawn and her two friends Jenna and Amber are rebuilding houses for the post Hurricane Katrina effort. Once the girls land in New Orleans they try to experience the most of the city and go to get a psychic reading. At the reading the psychic predicts that the girls will meet boys and fall in love but will also go through some heartbreak. The reading is actually pretty cryptic and throughout their stay in New Orleans, the girls try to determine if certain events occurred like the psychic predicted.
After the psychic reading the girls are exploring more of New Orleans and actually run into the boys that they were predicted to meet by the psychic. Dawn's friend Jenna immediately hits it off with one of the boys and her friends have no choice but to pair up with the other two because Jenna and her new boy interest have wandered on their own. Dawn begins to talk with Brady, but she warns him that she doesn't want a relationship because she just got out of a bad breakup where her boyfriend cheated on her at prom. Brady, however, wants a relationship and they agree to only be together for the time that Dawn is in New Orleans, even though he and his friends go to a college in Houston, which is where Dawn and her friends live.
The story continues on with the ups and downs of their relationship, exploring more of New Orleans, and building houses for those affected by the Hurricane.
I really liked the idea of the story with the girls volunteering to help build houses (like Habitat for Humanity). You don't see too much of that in teen books where people voluntarily help out the community. It was nice to see, also how they balanced their love lives and time in New Orleans with things like a curfew and limited budget. The story felt really realistic. 
However, I thought the love story aspect of the book was a little dry. I couldn't connect with Dawn, Brady, or either of their friends. The story felt too fake to me. There was too many times when I thought that Dawn was being desperate even though she kept insisting that she didn't want a relationship. She seemed a little hypocritical to me. And Brady didn't seem to notice this, which made it seem like all he wanted to do was get in her pants...er, not make her a good girl?
I liked the story, but it just wasn't one of my favorites by Rachel Hawthorne. If the story didn't include the girls going to New Orleans to help volunteer, I don't think I would have finished the book. But the sub plot, setting, and overall, circumstances helped hide the fact that it was a pretty terrible love story.
See you soon!
Paige

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Liebster Award

Wow! Huge thank you to Sidra over at the World of Ardis book blog, for tagging me for the Liebster Award. For those of you who don't know, it's a blog award for those who have 200 followers or less. To be considered to receive the award a blogger must; reveal eleven facts about themselves, answer eleven questions, tag eleven other bloggers for the award, and then ask eleven questions to the people they tagged. So here we go for mine!

Eleven Facts About Me:

1. I have been reading practically before I could walk! My parents always gave me books over toys as a kid and I think that really helped me be as passionate as I am about books, even today, 17 years later!
2. I have a guinea pig named after a character from a Jane Austen book! Can you guess which one?
3. The longest book I've ever read was Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (1,000+ pages!) and I read it when I was in 8th grade. That was a huge accomplishment for me and I felt I could really expand my horizons and not be so intimidated by the size of books.
4. I've played soccer for 6 years! I'm not the best but it's a lot of fun and great exercise!
5. I want to eventually get my PhD! Before that however, I want to go to school to learn how to become an editor. It's my dream to work at one of the big publishing houses. 
6. One of my favorite shows is The Hills. I love Lauren Conrad, she seems like such a sweetheart and I also love her L.A.Candy series! I can't wait to start the Fame Game series!
7. I've never broken a bone in my body! I've had sprained ankles, toes, and fingers, and dislocated elbows but no broken bones!
8. I have a reading bucket list. Basically, a list I made up of all the classics I'd like to read before I die. I haven't even gotten half way through! I really need to work on that!
9. I'm a huge fan of writing letters! I love writing and receiving mail. Email seems so impersonal these days so it's always nice to get a letter in my mail box every once and a while.
10. I don't have a favorite color! If I absolutely had to choose I guess I would say purple because I seem to gravitate towards it but I'm not crazy obsessed with the color (I mean, my room's green!). But my blog is purple!

Eleven Questions and Answers

1. Contemporary vs. Historical? Which do you prefer and why?
I think I prefer historical but I read more contemporary. It's hard to find really well written historical fiction for teens, but once I do I gobble it up like a melting cookie. I love how the history is defined like that's the way it happened you can't change it, but then author's change bits and pieces here and there to make it there own and I think it's so cool to see how each author does it differently.
2. Any favorite villains? Who from what book, and why?
I really enjoy reading about snarky little drama queen, I'm-the-coolest-in-the-school type villains. Think of the mean girls from The Clique series by Lisi Harrison, or The Alphas series also by Lisi Harrison, The Daughters series by Joanna Philbin, or even from books like Snow Queen by Emma Harrison. They're hilarious because in the end their own vain usually makes them screw up and it's so easy to laugh at them. 
3. Your MOST favorite book to date and why?
I can only choose one? That's tough. Hm, probably Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. When I first picked up Pride and Prejudice in 7th grade I was skeptical that it would be too hard to read but I devoured that book in a matter of a few days. Plus I love every thing that has to do with Pride and Prejudice; the movies, the spin offs, the modern retellings, it's all so cool to read about.
4. Real books vs. Ebooks, which do you prefer and why?
Another tough one. Okay so I love real books, they are my passion and I still love sitting down and reading a real book, but with the price of new hardbacks these days, it's much cheaper to buy an Ebook. I love my Kindle I think it's amazing, but nothing beats the smell, the feel, and the experience of reading from a printed, physical, copy.
5. Favorite genres? Why?
Teen chick lit; I love the sappy romance stories, they're so cute. Dystopian; I love the fantastical worlds that authors can build up and I love seeing their take on how they think the world will be 100 years from now or some other extended time. Teen horror; I love a good scary book but they're kind of hard to find. I don't mean like Vampire Diaries, I mean like full on you are scared can't sleep at night, horror. Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz was one of the few books I've found that truly scared me. That book was amazing (if you have any horror recommendations drop them in the comments down below! I'd love to hear them!). I like a little bit of action/adventure (think the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson) but not too much. Teen chick lit/romance is still my all-time favorite genre. Historical fiction; Kind of already explained above and lastly, mystery. Not necessarily teen mysteries, I don't seem to like those too much, but Agatha Christie is one of my all-time favorite authors. She is a literary genius.
6. Ever cried due to a book? What book and why?
No, I don't think I have. I mean sure, there are a lot of sad books but I don't think they've made me cry. I might have cried when I read A Walk to Remember, but I'm not 100% certain. 
7. Which do you prefer buying your books or borrowing from the library?
Buying! 100% buying! (Sigh, I miss Borders..) I love going to my used bookstores around my area and picking up tons of books for really cheap. I love the feel of cozy little bookshops too. If it was more economically practical I would love to open a bookstore. Buying books online is a lot of fun for me too!
8. How do you feel about love triangles?
If they are written well I love them! If they are written poorly....eh I get turned off by the book.
9. How many books have you read this year and do you have a goal how many you would like to read this year?
I have read 48 out of my goal of 150 books this year.

10. If you could live the life of one character from a book for a day, what character would it be, and why?

I would obviously choose Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice! To be able to land the handsome Mr. Darcy and go on that roller coaster of feelings and romance, sigh. That would be amazing. Not to mention to experience the culture of that time period.

11. Dark and brooding male protagonist with different emotions and layers or a good-natured and "heroic" protagonist.

Definitely the good-natured one. I don't usually like dark and brooding, it's a little creepy, especially in teen books because no kid should be THAT mysterious. Come on. To me it's just not believable and it can get annoying. I like the good natured one's (nice guys don't always finish last). And Mr. Darcy is dark and brooding but that is a literature masterpiece and was a different time period. In those times it was okay, he was mysterious, not some creepy vampire trying to get at a teenage girl. Oops did I just say that?

I tend to go on and on, sorry about that!

My questions for you!

1. Name your most hated book and why you disliked it so much.

2. Is there an author you own/read all of their works?

3. Approximately how many books do you own and how do you organize them on your shelves?

4. What do you think of authors who write pretty much the same story again and again but still make tons of money?

5. How do you judge how you will buy a book? By the cover, recommendations, etc.

6. Where is your favorite place to read and why?

7. What is your opinion about risque topics being put into teen books and adults condoning this?

8. Do you write in your books or do you feel like that is defacing the book? If yes, what do you write in your books? (Textbooks don't count!)

9. What is your opinion on celebrities who write books? Is it really them or a ghost writer?

10. Which do you prefer to take on a long plane ride? Books or an Ereader?

11. Narwhals; fact or fiction?

(I SAY FACT!!!)

Tagged Bloggers:

1. New Books On My Shelves 

2.Read Between the Covers

I'm cheating on this, I had such a hard time finding people with less than 200 followers so here's what I'll do. Leave your name and blog name in a comment below and you can tag yourself!

Thanks guys! See you soon!

Paige

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June Book Haul

Here are all the books I got in June!

I grabbed a couple classics from my used bookstore (however, all the classics were brand new) since they were all under $5 and I figured I should expand my reading horizons over the summer so I got:

The Giver by Lois Lowry
See my review here!


The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
See my review here!


A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
I will not be doing a review of this play since I read it in school a while back.


Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Review coming soon!


The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
Review coming soon!

I also got a few books through Paperbackswap.com so here's what I got:

Gossip Girl: The Carlyles by Cecily von Ziegesar
See my review here!


Gossip Girl: The Carlyles - You Just Can't Get Enough by Cecily von Ziegesar
Review coming soon!


Suite Dreams by Rachel Hawthorne
See my review here!


Labor of Love by Rachel Hawthorne
Review coming soon!


Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
Review coming soon!


The Year I Turned 16 Omnibus (Includes: Rose, Daisy, Laurel, and Lily) by Diane Schwemm
Review coming soon!

And lastly my grandparents gave me a couple of books for my birthday too:

Paper Towns by John Green (hardcover)
Review coming soon!


Sugar and Spice by Lauren Conrad (hardcover)
Review coming soon!

A pretty good month of book buying! Hope you guys had a great month too!
See you soon!
Paige

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Suite Dreams by Rachel Hawthorne

Read a synopsis here!
Number of pages: 288
Rachel Hawthorne does it again with another cute teen chick lit book! Her books are such light and fun reads (perfect for the summer) and, like I've said before, even though they may be a little predictable, they're still very, very good.
Actually, this book wasn't as predictable as I thought. There were a few twists that surprised me and the story, near the end, didn't follow her usual form of writing/endings like the rest of her books. So, it was nice to see a change up.
Suite Dreams takes place in Vermont where it is currently snowing up a storm! (Pun intended) Alyssa is currently on winter break from classes at college, but she is still taking an extra class, in the hopes that it will help her graduate early. Alyssa's boyfriend, well not really because they decided to take a break, signed up for the couch surfing program and flew off to Australia where he will crash on people's couches. In exchange for Rick, her (ex)boyfriend, flying there, another guy flew to Vermont to take his place and surf on people's couches. The Australian that comes back is, of course, a really hot guy, and he ends up staying on Alyssa's couch.
She is confused with her feelings towards Jude, the Australian, because she recently "broke up" with her boyfriend, she knows Jude will be leaving at the end of the break, she doesn't know if he feels the same, and she doesn't want to get distracted with boys if she's taking an extra class. However, a lot of situations arise which change her mind about a lot of her dilemmas (Go read it and find out what happens! I don't want to spoil it!)
I really liked this book! Rachel Hawthorne's writing is simple, doesn't require you to think to hard, and the stories are always adorable and have you rooting for the main characters from page one. However, some of her characters could be considered "Mary Sue's" (a character that is not described that well and could fall into any category of looking like someone. Generally used so the reader can relate to the main character and imagine themselves as that character. Bella Swan. Need I say more?). Alyssa was running a little into the Mary Sue category for me. I had to go look up her name!
The same can be said of the boys too. The boys in Rachel Hawthorne's books are all the same pretty much except for one major factor. In this case, he was Australian. However, the settings are described beautifully and really transports you to where the characters are so that kind of makes up for the lack of character descriptions. 
I would definitely recommend her books though! Light, fun, easy, reads that are fairly short! Go check them out!
See you soon!
Paige

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Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

Read a synopsis here!
Number of pages: 170
This was a really short and really harrowing book. I was deeply moved by it from beginning to end. The entire story takes on a sort of somber tone that is not lifted until the very end, and even then it is still daunted by darkness.
In Living Dead Girl, a girl, we don't know her real name for the majority of the novella, is kidnapped by a man named Ray when she is 10 years old. She was on a field trip with her classmates when she wandered away and he said he would "show her back to her classmates". Eventually, they leave the aquarium where the field trip is occurring and he takes her back to his house. He starts to call her Alice and requires that she stays his "little girl" forever.
Two days after her kidnapping she attempts to run away, but Ray finds her and tells her that if she ever tries that again he will go to her house where her family lives and kill them. Throughout the story we see flashbacks of when "Alice" was first kidnapped and how she dealt with her kidnapper and the circumstances and it really puts into perspective what people go through when they are kidnapped and why they simply don't just run away. We are shown the fear that Alice feels from her kidnapper and all the things she learned to do to obey him and at all costs not make him angry. Ray also has rules for Alice that she must follow like not talking to police, staying silent, and most of all remaining a little girl forever.
However, it is impossible to not grow older and a couple of days before her 15th birthday Ray realizes that she is not as little as she once was and he begins to abuse her even more. He is angry with the fact that she is growing up and he tells her that it is her duty to find a new little girl for him. Alice is sent to the park so that she can find the next "Alice" for him and there is an entire slew of events that follows after she finds this girl.
I would say it's a tale of survival, but at the same time it's not. It's not the perfect story of being able to overcome a situation, but the ending is satisfactory to my standards. This was really eye-opening and kind of scary. It seems like one of those books that parents and adults would not want their kids reading because it's SO true and parents want to protect their kids at all costs. However, I would say that this could be used as a learning tool between parents and kids to show that kids should never talk to strangers and should stay together as a group. Really good book, and definitely pretty dark. I'm going to need a light read after this to brighten my reading mood because this got me pretty down.
Really short book though and I flew through it in about an hour!
See you soon!
Paige

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The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James

Read a synopsis here!
Number of pages: 298
This being the second novel I've read by Syrie James I think I can safely say I love her writing even more now! She writes impeccably and the twist that she added to the way of writing as Jane Austen instead of about her or her books was simply fantastic!
How did Syrie James do this you ask? Well here's what happens in the book; Ms. James writes as Jane Austen writing her diary about her life (the interactions and basic things that happen are made up, but the places she went and the people she met are real!). Jane's life parallels many of her stories and we can see from this fictional piece of work perhaps how Jane got the ideas for her stories (any true Jane Austen fan will notice the similarities between her stories, and Syrie James helps out along the way by adding footnotes that make the whole story a lot more adorable than it already is).
Jane accounts her daily life and how she feels about moving homes, meeting new people, dealing with her family, and the struggles she encounters with her writing. Now, I don't know if this is true or not but it's written in the story, Jane often feels she should give up her writing because she isn't good enough, or because she's a woman, etc. Thankfully for me er the world, she continues to persevere and write her stories with the push and support from her sister Cassandra and Jane's love interest Mr. Ashford (who sounds absolutely charming!).
I love the way this story was written (can't say I loved the ending though...not because of how it was written but because...well you have to go read it! I don't want to spoil it!). There are only so many ways authors can switch up, flip around, and totally change the worlds that Jane Austen has created, but to create a story where Jane Austen herself is put into a slightly fictional world, well, let me just say that it TOTALLY worked! I loved this story from beginning to end and Syrie James' writing always grabs me from the beginning and begs me to read what happens next as quickly as possible.
I would definitely recommend this to any true Jane Austen fan who has read most/all of her works (like me!) because it is such a cool way to view the world of Jane Austen, literally through her eyes, and the way England was in the early 1800's. 
5 out of 5 stars for me! I will definitely be reading this again (if I ever find the time...)!
See you soon!
Paige

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Fallen by Lauren Kate

Read a synopsis here!
Number of pages: 452
This book was...amazing!!! I seriously had my doubts about it, and I'm not really sure why. The story was fantastic! A lot of people think that it's really similar to Twilight but I didn't think they were THAT similar. Twilight does not set the precedent for a book where a girl does not believe a boy is not mortal/human. I'm like 99% positive there were books like that before Twilight came out (Actually I'm 100% sure of it because the Night World series and Vampire Diaries series were written before Twilight, in the 90's so ha!).
Anyways, staying on topic, Fallen was great! And it ended on a total cliff-hanger! I can't wait to go out and buy Torment so I can see what happens next.
So, in Fallen, Luce is sent to a reform school which is really strict, but all the kids get away with doing things that are against the rules anyways (sneaking out of school grounds, holding parties, sneaking in forbidden contraband like food and electronics). So Luce befriends one of the craziest most bizarre girls, Arriane, and a girl that she can really relate too, Penn. Luce's love interest include Daniel who she really likes but he is extremely mysterious with her and sends lot's of conflicting signals. A boy that genuinely shows interest in her is Cam, whom Luce can't decide if she likes or not because of Daniel (yes this story has a slight love triangle but it's not too over the top). The characters were all boat loads of fun too. All of them had so many different quirks and such different personalities that they all meshed together somehow and it worked. The end of the story may have you reaching for some tissues...(I really want to tell you guys!!! Go read this and see what I'm talking about!!!)
Anyways, there are a lot of circumstances that lead too Luce trying to find out more about Daniel and this is how she gets herself in some deep trouble. I don't want to say too much more for fear of spoiling it but there was tons of twists and turns in this story and just when you though one thing was going to go one way...BOOM! It totally veers off in another direction! Very exciting read!
Like I said before it also ended on a cliff-hanger so reading the next book will be a must for me. I can't wait to see how things get resolved. This book had tons of action, romance, twists, and overall just bad ass fun! I hope the next books follow that same pattern too!
Definitely one of my all time favorite books!! (I also like that this isn't about vampires it's about...well you can figure that out on your own too once you read the book!)
See you soon!
Paige

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Gossip Girl: The Carlyles by Cecily von Ziegesar

Read a synopsis here!
Number of pages: 243
Wow! Another fantastic book by Cecily von Ziegesar! I think I'm going to like this series more than Gossip Girl! Not really sure why, perhaps the characters were a little more relatable and the story moved along a lot more quickly. There was also a lot less main characters to keep track of. Much easier for the story to move more quickly because then you don't have to keep going back to one character and then another, and another; in general the story will move much more slowly.
Anyways, so a group of triplets, the Carlyles, move to New York from Nantucket and basically take on the Upper East Side (this is a spin-off series from Gossip Girl, obviously, so there are references to the old characters. For example, the Carlyles live in Blair's old penthouse). Avery and Baby go to Constance Billard, just like Serena and Blair did. However, this time the girls start out as the nobodies with a famous, dead, grandmother who used to wreck havoc on New York back in her day. 
Avery is trying to become one of the popular girls at Constance Billard and is vying for the position of Student Liaison (the Student Liaison, makes decisions for the rest of the class). Her enemy Jack, short for Jacqueline, is also campaigning for the position, and the girls go on a rampant of back stabbing. Oh fun!
Baby hates the fact that she had to leave Nantucket behind, along with her boyfriend, and is trying to overcome heartache in Manhattan. She is also trying to break as many rules as possible (cussing in French class on the first day? Awesome!) to get kicked out of Constance Billard's so she can be transported back to home sweet home. However, her views begin to be questioned when she meets some very interesting people...
Owen, the last Carlyle triplet, goes to St. Jude's and is attempting to get over a girl he had a fling with over the summer in Nantucket. He's also trying to make some new guy friends, because he didn't have many before he moved because he was always going after girls and the guys didn't want to compete with him. Surprise, surprise, however, the guy that Owen befriends has some shocking circumstances that will put Owen in a tight place.
I adore Cecily von Ziegesar's writing and I can't wait for the next book. Yes, there is the typical partying, drinking, and overall, misbehavior by teenagers, but you can't hide this from teens forever! Let them read these books and look at is as a learning tool to show that after the party is over, there's ugly hangovers to deal with and ruined reputations (doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but to a teenager it is).
Five out of five stars for another name-dropping, trash talking, overall guilty pleasure of a novel! Can't wait for the rest of the series! I've already ordered the next one's!
See you soon!
Paige

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The Time Machine by H. G. Wells

Read a synopsis here!
Number of pages: 108
You would think that because this is such a short book, I would get through this book fairly quickly, but no. It was a fantastic book but it's one of those where you have to take your time and devour every word to really absorb the story to its fullest extent.
So here's what happens; The Time Traveller, as he's called in the story, takes his Time Machine and basically transports himself into the future. He lands 800,000 years in the future and then describes how the world is different and the adventures he went on. The Time Traveller is telling this story to a group of men, who, in the end, must decide for themselves whether or not to believe him.
What I really liked about this book was that it took off right from the beginning; literally. There wasn't much time spent setting up the scene, characters, etc. and the story built upon itself as it grew and progressed. Actually, by the end of the story I knew more of what the Time Machine and the future looked like than the actual Time Traveller himself. However, this was good because I think the story was less biased, somehow, like his physical attributes didn't take away from the story. I was able to enjoy the world as it was, through my eyes, not the attributes of another.
The scenes were painted so vividly and described so carefully and this really helped enjoy the future as it was (will be?). It was also scary to think "Will this ever happen? Will the future really be like this?" Just a heads up to someone living 800,000 years from now let me know (because by then you probably really will have time travel).
This was such a great classic and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in perhaps super natural, or dystopian worlds. It's a fairly short read so check it out!
See you soon!
Paige

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The Giver by Lois Lowry

Read a synopsis here!
Number of pages: 179
This book captivated me from page one. I know that sounds totally cliche but it did! The Giver is the story of a dystopian world where everything is the same and the citizens are governed by people who monitor everything they do and say. These people are taught from a very young age to not be rude, to say things precisely as they mean them, and to be honest (there's many other rules, but those are some of the main one's). Jonas is an eleven year old boy when the story starts and he is very wise, that's the impression I got from him. Apparently so does the so-called government he lives under because at his ceremony of becoming twelve he is given the job of The Receiver, which is a very honorable position in the community.
From here, Jonas' whole life turns around, he is encouraged to lie, be rude (ask questions) and not accept things as they appear. Throughout the story we see how Jonas grows and learns from The Giver. There a couple of plot twists that completely caught me by surprise but they really helped the story move and grow.
I loved this book. It was flawlessly written and is so simple, yet so complex. There is a lot of deeper meanings and messages. It also makes a person think about "What if we had to live that way? How would we survive without simple basics like creativity and choices?".
I can't wait to read the next three books in the series although they are not necessarily sequels, but companions. This book ends on a sort of cliffhanger so you'll be guessing until the very end and have to come up with your own conclusion.
Overall, an amazing book, which I initially had my doubts about, but I would know recommend to anyone! This is also a fairly short read so check it out!
See you soon!
Paige

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Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

Read a synopsis here!
Number of pages: 346
I wish this book had been a lot better. It was good but it didn't completely grip me, pull me in, and make me want to spend hours upon hours reading its pages.
The story follows Alexis as she tries to cope with whether or not her sister Kasey (I hate that name so I'm glad they cast her as the sort of villain in this book) has become possessed. Alexis realized that this slight possession started when they moved into their new, grand, and Gothic house a few years ago. However, lately the possession has started to become more violent and controlling of Kasey's body. Alexis wants to get to the bottom of this sort of mystery of who's possessing her sister and why before Kasey begins to harm any more people or herself.
I have to admit, based on the way Kasey treats Alexis while she's possessed it's a miracle that Alexis wants to help her sister. Any normal person would think they're sibling is going crazy, would tell their parents, and attempt to get them diagnosed with some mental disorder (By the way I found that a little unrealistic about this book; there was hardly ANY parent interactions. Yes, her mom worked long nights and her dad was in the hospital but that's beside the point).
This book was written a little strangely. I don't think I really liked Kate Alender's writing style. The way things are described and told leaves a lot of room for you to fill in the blanks yourself and I typically don't like doing that when I'm reading because I might assume something and then find out later it was wrong, so it changes the whole dynamic of the story.
Either way I gave this book three stars out of five, but I was being liberal so it probably deserved a 2.5. I will not be reading the next books because this one ended really solidly so I don't feel the need to have to know what happens next.
See you soon!
Paige

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May 2012 Book Haul!

I only got a couple of books this month so here we go!
Crank by Ellen Hopkins


Thrill Ride by Rachel Hawthorne


Anthem by Ayn Rand


Yepp, so not a great book buying month, but I plan on getting a ton more over the summer and I'm trying to lower my (literal) To Be Read pile.
See you soon!
Paige

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Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Read a synopsis here!
Number of pages: 537
Another great book by Ellen Hopkins! I didn't like this one as much as Tricks but it was still wonderful. Ellen Hopkins' writing is so dark but it is also heartfelt and makes you really connect with the narrator and see what they are going through. So, this story follows a girl who becomes addicted to "crank" or meth. Throughout the book we see how Kristina personifies her inner bad girl to become "Bree", a girl with no shame, and this results in her downward spiral of addiction, depression, and a whole mess of other problems.
Whenever I read these books I always see how horrible these situations are and it makes you kind of realize that the world isn't perfect and stuff like this happens to teenagers and adults alike, every single day. Kind of a harrowing thought, but it happens. I would recommend these books to a lot of teenagers for that reason because it really shows you how catastrophic the consequences can be once you become addicted to drugs, or, really, anything else.
I also like how the books are written in a sort of verse that doesn't rhyme. If the books rhymed, I don't think I'd like them half as much but since they don't to me the words just look like they are put into funny shapes on the page. If this was written as a full story too, I think there would have to be a lot more detail, but since it's in verse the story is a little more loose, but it works.
Definitely would recommend this one for people 14 and up, because there are some sensitive subjects, but after the 14 year old mark this should be read by teens. Honestly, reading Ellen Hopkins' work, makes me think "I'll never make the same mistakes these kids did. I don't want that to be me." And I think that's part of the point Ellen Hopkins is trying to make with her work; to spread awareness and prevent other teens from getting messed up in the wrong stuff.
I can't wait to read the next two books because this one kind of ended at a cliff-hanger!
See you soon!
Paige

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