Posts Tagged: 2012 YA releases

YA Ebook Review- Someone Else’s Fairytale by E. M. Tippetts

27 Sep, 2012 by in Someone Else's Fairytale Leave a comment

Someone Else’s Fairytale
by E. M. Tippetts
Ebook, 310 pages
Published January 28th, 2012
by CreateSpace Independent
Publishing Platform
ISBN: 1467940151
Book Source: Amazon
Rating: 4.5 stars
Book Summary From Amazon.com: Jason Vanderholt is Hollywood’s hottest actor. Chloe Winters hasn’t bothered to see most of his movies. When they meet by chance, he is smitten and Chloe becomes the woman every other woman in America is dying to be, but it just isn’t her fairytale.
Danielle’s Review: In this every-young-girl’s fantasy, Chloe Winters inadvertently bumps into famous movie star, Jason Vanderholt, only she doesn’t know it and she doesn’t care. Chloe has her own problems. She’s trying to get into graduate school, make a living at a coffee shop and not ignore her shallow mother who hasn’t grownup herself. Someone Else’s Fairytale is a fun story with a large cast of dynamic characters. Chloe, herself, is an honest and straightforward heroine. This is a nice change from the wounded sarcastic damsel in distress that has to be both strong and witty at the same time. Chloe is no damsel. She is scarred from a horrible past, but doesn’t make excuses for it. Except when it comes to letting herself love. Her friends are fallible and her pathetic mother is likeable in her own way. Because Chloe loves them all, I did, too. Her lack of self-righteous judgment is an admirable trait that she carries through to the final pages. It took me awhile to get into this book.
It is romantic, but expected. Once the plot starts moving though, it draws you back in curiosity and hope to see some of Chloe’s life come together as her secrets unravel.
This is a clean romance, one that is easy to appreciate as Chloe holds on to her virtue in the face of tough choices and temptations. She maintains her standards while at the same time not holding anyone else up to her decisions. A few times, I did find myself frustrated at her ignorance to her doting movie star’s attraction, so I was glad when she finally accepted someone had feelings for her. Someone Else’s Fairytale is a cute read. It’s genuine and believable despite its fairytale premise, and that’s why it works. The story sends a positive message without choking readers on squeaky clean images. It is well written and enjoyable. I can recommend this book happily to Young Adult readers of all ages (though it does contain some mature themes), as I look forward to buying more of Ms. Tippett’s books.
Danielle Thorne

About the Author (Amazon.com): Emily Mah Tippetts writes romance as E.M. Tippetts. She is a former attorney with degrees in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University and business law from UCLA. Originally from New Mexico, she now lives in London with her family. She is a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and thus often includes LDS (Mormon) characters in her work. When she isn’t chasing her small children or writing, she designs jewelry.

Read it now for 2.99

Audiobook Review- Seeds of Rebellion

17 Jul, 2012 by in Seeds of the Rebellion, simon audio Leave a comment

Seeds of Rebellion

by Brandon Mull
Audiobook, 15.5 hours
Published:   March 13th 2012
by Simon & Schuster Audio
ISBN 1442346388
Book Source: Publisher
3.5 Stars
Book Summary From Goodreads: The second epic installment of Brandon Mull’s #1 New York Times bestselling fantasy series!
After the cliffhanger ending of A World Without Heroes, Jason is back in the world he’s always known—yet for all his efforts to get home, he finds himself itching to return to Lyrian. Jason knows that the shocking truth he learned from Maldor is precious information that all of his friends in Lyrian, including Rachel, need if they have any hope of surviving and defeating the evil emperor.Meanwhile, Rachel and the others have discovered new enemies—as well as new abilities that could turn the tide of the entire quest. And as soon as Jason succeeds in crossing over to Lyrian, he’s in more danger than ever. Once the group reunites, they strive to convince their most-needed ally to join the war and form a rebellion strong enough to triumph over Maldor. At the center of it all, Jason and Rachel realize what roles they’re meant to play—and the answers are as surprising as they are gripping.
Review by ephrielle:
Better than the first book. There isn’t so much of the book spent on discussing odd things like hippo oral travel; either that or I grew an immunity to oddity. Probably the later since the world is no less odd. Name it and it is done in this world. There are a few moments of mind bending discourse. Spirals of logic that are confusing.

Favorite Quote: “Are you trying to break my brain?”

Ferrin is a deeply troubled individual. He has an advanced team of debators running rampant in his mind. They have each set up camp for good and evil and he is left being a mangled mess in the middle. Their arguments are so advanced he doesn’t know who he is anymore.

There are some harrowing situations and unbelievable warriors. A world where trust is measured in the currency of flesh. As in give me a piece of your flesh so that I can kill you if you backstab me. Not a very friendly exchange.

Ever wish you could slay your enemy with a single word? Read this book and see how that would play out. Overall it was an entertaining listen. There was a section somewhere past halfway that dragged but it didn’t last too long. Very diverse group of characters and an immense catalog of dangerous situations and places. Much like a dream or nightmare brought to life; very strange.

Content: Moderate violence

About the author: Brandon Mull resides in a happy little valley near the mouth of a canyon with his wife and three children. He spent two years living in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile where he learned Spanish and juggling. He once won a pudding eating contest in the park behind his grandma’s house, earning a gold medal. Brandon is the author of the New York Times bestselling Fablehaven series and The Candy Shop War.


Find more about author Brandon Mull on Twitter /  Website / Facebook

Book Review- Illuminate

11 Jun, 2012 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment

Illuminate
by Aimee Agresti
Hardback, 511 pages
Published:  March 6th 2012
by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN   054762614
Book Source: Publisher
2 Stars
Book Summary From Goodreads: Haven Terra is a brainy, shy high school outcast. But everything begins to change when she turns sixteen. Along with her best friend Dante and their quiet and brilliant classmate Lance, she is awarded a prestigious internship in the big city— Chicago—and is sent to live and work at a swanky and stylish hotel under the watchful eyes of a group of gorgeous and shockingly young-looking strangers: powerful and alluring hotel owner Aurelia Brown; her second-in-command, the dashing Lucian Grove; and their stunning but aloof staff of glamazons called The Outfit.
     As Haven begins falling for Lucian, she discovers that these beautiful people are not quite what they seem. With the help of a mysterious book, she uncovers a network of secret passageways from the hotel’s jazz-age past that leads her to the heart of the evil agenda of Aurelia and company: they’re in the business of buying souls. Will they succeed in wooing Haven to join them in their recruitment efforts, or will she be able to thwart this devilish set’s plans to take the souls of her classmates on prom night at the hotel?
     Illuminate is an exciting saga of a teen’s first taste of independence, her experience in the lap of luxury, and her discovery she may possess strength greater than she ever knew.
Review by ephrielle:
This book not only is huge but it felt so long. It took most of a week for me to get through two thirds of it. It seemed to improve around three hundred pages. The story and the characters all started to flow and pique my interest. This quickly faded back to less than exciting and then into a confused mess of chaos.

Early on the vibe I got from this book was something very similar to Another Faust by 















Content: Mild to moderate violence

About the author: Aimee Agresti is an entertainment journalist with ten years of experience writing, editing, and chatting up celebrities. A former staff writer for Us Weekly magazine, she has interviewed everyone from Angelina Jolie and George Clooney to the stars of The Hills, and even penne

d the magazine’s coffee table book Inside Hollywood.

In addition to Us, her work has appeared in People, Premiere, DC Magazine, The Washington Post, Boston magazine, Women’s Health, Mademoiselle, and the New York Observer. She lives in Washington, DC.


Find more about author Aimee Agresti on Twitter /  Website/ Blog

The Golden Flute: Adventures of Lilli and Zane #1

05 Jun, 2012 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment

The Golden Flute:
Adventures of Lilli and Zane #1
by Catherine Lanigan
Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected publication date, June 12th 2012
by Cedar Fort
ISBN: 1462110231
Source: Netgalley
3 Stars
Summary from Goodreads: Masterfully written by award-winning author Catherine Lanigan, this thrilling action story keeps you guessing through every twist and turn. Cross continents and connect the clues along with teen treasure hunters Lilli and Zane as they try to stay one step of ahead of danger, find the ancient artifacts, and keep them far away from their enemies. A must-read for adventurers of all ages!

Cathy’s Review: Lilli is 14 years old, her dad finds ancient artifacts and he’s gone a lot, leaving Lilli in the care of her nanny, Nancy. Lilli has been having a lot of strange dreams featuring her mother, Arlette, who died five years earlier. Arlette seems to be trying to tell Lilli something…something to do with a golden flute that Arlette sent to Lilli, ironically on the day that she was murdered. The flute came to Lilli, but it has always been broken, it doesn’t make noise. Lilli and Nancy are just getting ready to join Lilli’s father JC in England for spring break. But when Lilli’s next door neighbor’s, Zane and Teddy spot some men breaking into Lilli’s house right after they’ve left, they know that there’s going to be trouble for Lilli and Nancy and they hurriedly get tickets on the same flight to London. It’s a good thing they did, there’s no way Lilli and Nancy could be prepared for what comes next! 

This book had a lot of action and adventure in it. The plot moved maybe a bit too fast for me. It was hard to keep up with just which character was narrating the story. The story jumps from Lilli to Teddy to the criminals to her father…you get the idea. I really liked Teddy’s character, he was just a cutie. I could picture a little boy acting just like he does, trying not to show his crush on the older Lilli, but trying to be kind to her at the same time, plus he’s such a computer nerd! I didn’t really feel like the other characters were quite as well developed as Teddy. I do however think that the target audience of young adults will really enjoy the story and the characters!

Content: Clean


About the author:  I am an author of over 30 published books and am constantly researching the next 30. I love gardening, cooking, reading, loving my old friends and making new friends. 
Find out more about author Catherine Lanigan: Goodreads/ Website/ facebook

Book Review- Suffocate by S.R. Johannes

25 May, 2012 by in S.R Johannes, suffocate Leave a comment

Suffocate 
by S.R Johannes
E-Book, 30 pages
Publication Date: May 21st 2012
by Coleman & Stott
Book Source: publisher
5 Stars 
Summary from Goodreads:  Suffocate is the first novelette in THE BREATHLESS series. It is a 15,000 word young adult thriller that combines the dystopic and science fiction genres.

For centuries, the world outside the Biome has been unlivable. Today, marks the first time anyone will attempt to leave the suffocating ecosphere. Eria is not worried because her scientist father has successfully tested the new Bio-Suit many times. It’s a celebratory day until something goes horribly wrong. In the midst of tragedy, Eria uncovers a deep conspiracy that affects the very air she breathes.

If those responsible find out what she knows, they won’t stop hunting her until she takes her last breath.

Crystal’s Review: I first fell in love with S.R Johannes writing style after reading her book Untraceable. I was very excited to read her newest piece of work Suffocate. The book was very short, however the author managed to pack a lot of excitement into this short story. She quickly captured my interest with her description of the current condition of the world and the ecosphere where people now live. The main character Eria, she is a unique character and by the end I felt like I had connected with her character, I knew I was going to want to know what happens with her and be excited to read the next novelette. I was so pleasantly surprised by how many twist and turns the author was able to fit into this story. She revealed enough to get the reader interested while leaving enough unkown to make the reader hungry to read the next part of the story. I did guess the reasoning behind the accident fairly quickly after starting the book having read the goodreads description however I did not feel like that took away from the book as I still wanted to see what Eria would do. The twist at the end is a big one that I would have never guessed. I cannot wait to read the next part of the story and I urge you to get a copy of Suffocate from amazon, you can read it within an hour or so and I promise you will not be disappointed!
Content: Some scenes of violence and death.

Crystal
About the Author: When Shelli was younger, she spent all her time outdoors, hiking, camping and living the Girl Scout Way.

Somewhere along the way, she got away from nature and earned an MBA in Marketing, kicking off an 18-year marketing career in Corporate America.

Eventually, Shelli traded in her expensive suits, high heels, and corporate lingo for a family, flip-flops, and her love of writing. She started her own marketing & communications business where she worked with Spanx, Goody Hair Products, Chick Filet, and the Boys & Girls Club of America.

In addition to juggling nap schedules and client meetings, Shelli focuses on her writing. She is a frequent speaker on marketing and book publicity at SCBWI conferences across the U.S, and runs a popular book marketing blog, Market My Words


In her spare time (yeah right!) and if the kids allow (yeah right!), Shelli obsesses over movies, reads children’s books (over and over), and still dreams of sleeping in on the weekends. But most importantly, she is finally getting back to her roots by running her own Girl Scout Troop in Atlanta, helping girls get back to nature.

She currently lives in Atlanta with her dog (Charley), British-accented husband, and the huge imaginations of their little prince and princess that someday will change the world.

You can purchase Suffocate for only 99 cents at
Amazon –

Suffocate Book Launch

21 May, 2012 by in S.R Johannes, suffocate Leave a comment

It is May 21st and guess what that means?
S.R. Johannes’ Suffocate is out today!
Suffocate is the first novelette in THE BREATHLESS series. It is a 15,000 word young adult thriller that combines the dystopic and science fiction genres.
Here’s a little about the novelette…

“For centuries, the world outside the Biome has been unlivable. Today, marks the first time anyone will attempt to leave the suffocating ecosphere. Eria is not worried because her scientist father has successfully tested the new Bio-Suit many times. It’s a celebratory day until something goes horribly wrong. In the midst of tragedy, Eria uncovers a deep conspiracy that affects the very air she breathes.

If those responsible find out what she knows, they won’t stop hunting her until she takes her last breath.”
The 2nd novella in the series, CHOKE, is scheduled for Fall 2012. The 3rd, EXHALE, is scheduled for Winter 2013.

You can purchase Suffocate for only 99 cents at
Amazon –
Also you can add it on Goodreads! 
Author Bio: S.R. Johannes is the author of Untraceable (a teen wilderness thriller) and On The Bright Side ( a tween paranormal).
She started out writing for her local school paper, winning a state Nutrition essay contest for “Be a Smart Cookie”, and singing in a local Jazz band. Somewhere along the way, she earned an MBA in Marketing and embarked on an 18-year marketing career in Corporate America working as a marketing and communications consultant.
In 2000, S.R. traded in her expensive suits, way-too high heels, and corporate lingo for a family, flip-flops, and her love of writing. She started her own marketing & communications business, www.bilaninc.com, and continues creating materials for a variety of large profit and nonprofit clients, including Spanx, Goody Hair Products, Chick Filet, Delta, CARE, and the Boys & Girls Club of America.
S.R.’s dream is to publish children’s books and magically imprint the imaginations of kids. In addition to juggling nap schedules while attending client meetings, Shelli focuses on her writing. She is a frequent marketing speaker at SCBWI conferences across the U.S and runs a popular marketing blog, Market My Words (www.faeriality.blogspot.com) where she provides marketing advice for authors in the hopes of helping them better market their words.
In her spare time (yeah right!) and if the kids allow (yeah right!), Shelli obsesses over movies, reads children’s books (over and over), wishes she could squeeze in Bikram Yoga sessions, and dreams of sleeping in on the weekends.
She currently lives in Atlanta with her dog, British-accented husband, and the huge imaginations of their little prince and princess that someday will change the world.

Book Review- Pack of Lies

10 May, 2012 by in Pack of Lies, Sara Dailey, Staci Weber 1 comment

Pack of Lies
by Staci Weber and Sara Dailey
eBook, 146 pages
Published:  April 8th 2012
by Boroughs Publishing Group
ISBN  9780984898862
Book Source: Publisher
3.5 Stars
Book Summary From Goodreads: The last thing Allison Wright ever expected when she moved to Red Ridge, New Mexico was to come muzzle to muzzle with the wolf of her dreams.

Seventeen-year-old Allison Wright is convinced she’s losing her mind. Uncontrollable mood swings, hot flashes, and the urge to punch anyone who gets in her way are suddenly becoming everyday occurrences. Before her erratic behavior gets out of hand, Allison’s mother finally comes clean about her dark secret. Mom is a werewolf, and soon Allison and her brother Aiden will suffer the same fate. When Allison reaches her breaking point, the family leaves their life in Texas to move to Red Ridge, New Mexico where they rejoin the pack that Allison’s mother left behind almost 20 years ago.

Unfortunately, not everyone in Red Ridge is thrilled about Allison’s arrival, especially when she attracts the attention of the very handsome, very taken, soon-to-be alpha, Cade Walker. Little does Allison know, her mere presence is causing a rift in a once unified pack. Not only has Cade been forbidden from being with Allison by his father, the pack’s alpha, Cade’s girlfriend, Kendall Stuart, will stop at nothing to get Allison out of the picture. Well on her way to becoming the next alpha’s mate, Kendall expects to rule the pack by Cade’s side even if it means teaming up with a rogue werewolf with an agenda of his own. Determined to get rid of Allison permanently, when Kendall and the rogue join forces, all hell breaks loose and no one in the pack is safe, especially not Cade and his true mate.

Review by ephrielle: First and foremost Pack of Lies is a romance with a splash of paranormal. The story isn’t deep or full of flowery description. It is a classic example of a young teenager’s dream of how romance works. You meet a guy, fireworks ensue and you can’t live without the other. On the same track you can’t take the book too seriously. If you try to think too much all the holes will ruin it. Consider this story to be much like Superman keeping his identities separate with a pair of glasses and a curl of hair. This book seems to have two parts. Part one, the first three quarters, is awesome. I didn’t want to put the book down and go to sleep. It is complete and utter fluff but scrumptious all the same. I loved it and had the biggest smile on my face. That first portion really felt like the perfect read to refuel tired batteries. If reading is losing its appeal this book can help get you back on the go. There were a couple of great lines, one of which left me laughing for minutes. I even laughed so hard I woke up my hubby. My favorite part came when Allison turned into a wolf and was ready for some justice. I was so excited I couldn’t read fast enough. Sadly, I didn’t get to read her kicking some were-bum. She is talked up as such a fighter, but not once after her move to the werewolf estate does she live up to expectations. I loved Aiden at the beginning. He is exactly the older brother I always wished I had. I cracked up when the big reveal went down. Okay kids, sit down, I need to tell you something. Wait, I really don’t know how to tell you. Okay here goes nothing, I’m a werewolf and so are you. ( I paraphrased of course.) Hilarious in its bluntness. 
The second part of the book is a whole other story. I would almost say they were written by two different people. The characters start to lose their identities. Dylan is a great example of this. He starts off mysterious and tips the scales into scary land. But once you hit part two he isn’t any of those things and really rather weak. What happened? Some of the characters start to get annoying and weak. Cade is a prime example here. He vacilates between whiny weak waste of space and the stud he was painted as. The pace at the end is very fast and the story gets very thin. Sort of a “don’t ask because we won’t tel”l or maybe “we don’t know.”
Before the second portion I would have given this book a solid four but the ending really pulls it down. I would recommend this as a great light, put a smile on your face, read, just don’t let the ending get in the way.
Favorite Quote – “I’m older. It should have happened to me first. Right? It’s like I’m slow or something. Like I’m a were-tard.”
Content: moderate swearing and violence

About the authors: Both Sara Dailey and Staci Weber are avid readers, English teachers, friends, wives, and soccer moms. They have been teaching together for the past eight years, and writing together for four. Pack of Lies is the second young adult novel for this duo.


Find more about authors Sara Dailey and Staci Weber on twitter/ Twitter – Dailey/ Website/ Blog

YA Book Review- Revived

12 Apr, 2012 by in revived 2 comments

Revived
by Cat Patrick
Kindle Edition, 218 pages
Expected Publication Date: May 8th 2012
ASIN B005UK9SXU
Book Source: publisher
5 Stars
Summary from Goodreads: As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.

A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency’s true goals, she realizes she’s at the center of something much larger — and more sinister — than she ever imagined

Crystal’s Review: I just finished this book and I am not even sure how to start this review. My mind is still spinning from everything that happened in the book. I can say this, I loved this book! After reading the description I was immediately intrigued. Revived did not disappoint. The story was well paced and exciting right from the start. However there is much more to this book than just a super secret government program. The connections between the main characters in this book felt strong and real to me. I felt in-sync with Daisy as she began to really understand death from a different perspective. It is hard to describe how engrossed I was in this book without giving away important plot points. I guess the best way to put it is I felt like I was going through the book with the main character. I felt excited when she felt excited and sad when she was sad. As she begins to unravel the answers to her questions I found myself continuously shocked. During one of the last chapters when a big twist is reviled I literally sat here with my mouth open. This book kept me interested until the end, I was intrigued by the government program, swept away by the romance and touched by the friendship that develops in the book. You definitely do not want to miss this book! Pre-order Revived now or rush to your local book store when it comes out.

Content: One scene of underage drinking, brief sexual situation.

Crystal


Cat Patrick is an author of books for teens. Her debut novel, FORGOTTEN (available now), is about a girl who can remember the future instead of the past, and was praised by NYT bestselling author of Thirteen Reasons Why, Jay Asher, as a “mindbending,” one-sitting read. The book is being translated into 21 languages and Paramount bought the movie rights, with True Grit’s Hailee Steinfeld attached to star as the main character, London Lane.

Patrick’s second (unrelated) novel, REVIVED, is about a girl who’s part of a secret government program to test a drug that brings people back from the dead. REVIVED will be available in the US May 2012, and in the UK and Australia Summer 2012.

Patrick lives near Seattle with her husband and twin 3-year-olds, and is afraid of zombies, planes, and zombies on planes.

Visit the author’s website/ facebook/ twitter


Book Review- Belles by Jen Calonita

30 Mar, 2012 by in YA contemporary 2 comments

Belles
by Jen Calonita
Ebook, 247 pages
Expected Publication Date: April 10th, 2012
by Little Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN 0316091138
Book Source: Publisher
4 Stars
Book summary from Goodreads: Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she’s ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn’t go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn’t thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates’ Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls’ lives forever
Crystal’s Review: Isabelle has lived on the wrong side of the tracks her whole life. Not knowing her father and her mother having died in a car accident she has spent the majority of her live being raised by her grandmother in Harborside, North Carolina. While many people believe Harborside to be a dirty, dangerous place Isabelle loves it. She spends as much time as possible in the water where she feels the most comfortable. She is a swimmer, just like her mother was, and even spends her free time giving free swim lessons at the local community center. As much as she loves this place things at home are complicated. Her grandmothers health has been declining quickly and the days when her grandmother cant seem to remember her are happening more regularly. Then one day everything changes, Isabelle’s case worker Barbra shows up and tells her that her grandmother will be going to live in an old folks home and she will be going to live with her uncle, a senator, and his family in Emerald Cove. Isabelle struggles to fit in with her new family, especially her cousin Mirabelle who seems sunny on the outside but soon makes it obvious that Isabelle is just a pain in her side, and the snobby rich kids who attend her new private school are even worse. Eventually she begins to find her way but just as she feels like she may finally be getting the hand of this new life a secret is revealed that may be too much for her to handle. Belles is the touching story of the differences that can tear a family apart and what it takes to bring a family back together. This book also gets bonus points for being set in my home state of North Carolina! I would definitely be suggest this book to anyone looking for a good read.

Content: One scene of underage drinking
Crystal
About the Author: It’s no secret how Jen Calonita knows the inside scoop on young Hollywood. A former Senior Entertainment Editor at Teen People, Jen has interviewed everyone from Reese Witherspoon to Zac Efron. An entertainment journalist for the past ten years, Jen has written for TV Guide, Glamour and Marie Claire. It was her work in the entertainment world that inspired her first series, Secrets of My Hollywood Life. Jen has also published to stand-alone novels. When the self-professed entertainment junkie is not working, she can be found doing one of three things: scrapbooking, watching Glee, or going to the movies. Jen resides in Merrick, New York with her husband Mike, sons Tyler and Dylan and their Chihuahua, Captain Jack Sparrow. Learn more on her website/ facebook/ twitter/ blog

Review- Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters

20 Mar, 2012 by in meredith zeitlin, putnam, YA contemporary 1 comment

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters
by Meredith Zeitlin
Paperback, 282 pages
Published:  March 1, 2012
by G.P. Putnam’s Son
ISBN 978-0-399-25423-9
Book Source: author
3 stars
Summary from Amazon: Laugh-out-loud funny high school drama – perfect for fans of Lauren Myracle and Meg CabotLet’s say you’re fourteen and live in New York City. You’d
think your life would be like a glamorous TV show, right? And yet . . . You don’t have a checking account, much less a personal Black American Express card.You’ve never been to a club, and the only couture in your closet is a Halloween costume your mom made from an old laundry bag.In other words? You’re Kelsey Finkelstein – fourteen and frustrated. Every time she tries to live up to
her awesome potential, her plans are foiled. Kelsey wants to rebrand herself for
high school to make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny. But just because
Kelsey has a plan for greatness . . . it doesn’t mean the rest of the world is
in on it.Kelsey’s hilarious commentary and sardonic narration of her
freshman year will have readers laughing out loud – while being thankful that
they’re not in her shoes, of course.
Jodi’s Review: Let’s face it, the first year of high school is a challenge, no matter who you are. The main character, Kelsey is ready to face her first year of high school head on. Kelsey has decided to do something this year. Kelsey wants to make a mark, stand out. Kelsey does manage to stand out, but perhaps not in ways she planned. From upsetting a very popular Junior girl the first day of school to a horrible first date, this book is full of laughs. Many teenage girls can relate to the trials and tribulations high school brings. I as a parent however, would want make sure I discussed with my daughter some of the subjects that arise in this book. I recommend this book for ages 14 and up.
Content: Underage drinking, drug use, sex, and homosexuality
Jodi