5 Pool-Side-Worthy-Books Dose 1: YA Fiction ("Girl" Books)

Summer is basically here! Or at the very least it's fast approaching, considering this is Memorial Day Weekend which means... The Pool! And I don't know about you, but when I go to the pool if I don't want to swim or plan on spending time in the sun (not really sun tanning because I don't tan but more getting myself a healthy dose of that Vitamin D Magic that I am literally medically diagnosed as deficient in Vitamin D).
ANYWAYS here are 5 YA Fiction books typically said to be "girl" books that I've read and totally approve of as pool-side reads.

1. Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standiford
Okay, sure, the time of the year isn't exactly summery (in fact, it's December, so not at all summery. The exact opposite in fact). But the story is written as three extensive letters from three sisters, and it is crazy entertaining. If you enjoyed the Lizzie Bennet Diaries on YouTube (which you should SO check out if you haven't... click here to go to the playlist), you will love this. Off the top of my head I would say this is kind of a mix between Dash and Lilly's Book Of Dares and Audrey, Wait! and Anna and the French Kiss (authors in order: Rachel Cohn & David Leviathan, Robin Benway, and Stephanie Perkins). Basically, read this book at some point in your life!
Song: Little Black Dress by Sara Barielles

2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
You saw this coming. If you haven't gathered from how often I mention this book that I'm absolutely in love with this book, I'm surprised. If you haven't read it, pick it up and get your swimsuit and sunscreen, get your butt to the pool and read it. Equal parts forbidden love and emotion and family and friends and school pressure and French awesomeness and film, this book is one of the best YA books recently, and Stephanie Perkins is definitely one of the best YA writers out there!
Song: You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift
           I Just Laugh by Never Shout Never!



3. The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle
*Note: DEFINITELY a PG-13 book. Not too graphic in the more adult aspects but they're still there. Amazon says grade 10 up, and I would say do with that what you will.*
They say don't judge a book by its cover, but let me just say this book is every bit as magnificent as its cover. Full of first love and other first times, I think this is an awesome summer book because of the whirl-wind nature. This book will sweep you in and hold you hostage in the best way. The way it stands out most is that it's not entirely a book about the "before" but more also about the middle part, the part of relationships that can get skipped sometimes.
Song: Stay With Me Feat. Cady Groves (Acoustic) by Breathe Electric

4. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
It has all of the essentials to a good pool read: mess of a love story, fake boyfriend complete with real feelings, and a mortifying accident that changes everything forever- this time, the letters she wrote to find closure get mailed out to all the boys she wrote them too. But those letters were totally private, and now they're totally not, and it's totally not okay. I would so completely recommend this book that I'm kind of reconsidering rereading it. Sure, this book has some flaws, but all do and for a lighthearted read this is definitely worth picking up- that being said, it's not everyone's cup of tea so I'd read a more extensive plot summary and maybe read a few pages in your local library or book store before deciding.
Song: Mess is Mine by Vance Joy



5. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
Pool. Forbidden fruit. Cute guys and not-so-sly spying. Cute kids and politician parents and basically this book is the best ever summer book. Like, pick it up and read it now and you won't put it down until you come out the other side. Summary in short: Girl with uptight politician mother gets pulled into the neighbor's family and of course everything changes.
Song: Sweet Little Something by Forever in Your Mind


*                                                                            *                                                                                *

You may have noticed that I entirely left Sarah Dessen off the list... She's getting her own, because... Well, because I love her.

Hope these sounded good to you- what's book is missing from this list, in your opinion?

Happy Summer and happy reading!
xoxo

R

REVIEW: Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Sydney grew up in the shadow of her charismatic and fearless brother Peyton, but when the prodigal older son's streak of reckless and illegal behavior escalates and changes not only the whole Stanford family but throws an innocent for a loop as well. Sydney's mom treats it like the PTO, like it can all be fixed by cookie sales and dinners with the parents of other inmates-- yes, inmates. And Sydney's father is also  busy with his own life and his own messy relationship with his son. If Sydney felt invisible before, that was nothing compared to now. But after she switched schools, she met the open and warm Cathams- a new best friend Layla and her gorgeous and funny older brother Mac. Yes, Peyton changed everything, but Sydney is determined to change it for the better.

In classic Sarah Dessen fashion, this book weaves together themes with unmatched skill. Family, a classic Dessen theme, plays an integral part in this novel. She also explores self-discovery, as Sydney speaks for herself and grows up before the reader's eyes. The family dynamics set the storyline perfectly, and are realistic and believable. The dynamic between the Mrs. Standford and Sydney is tense, and develops appropriately through out the book.

The relationship I found most interesting was the relationship between the Standfords (and, more specifically, Sydney) and Ames, Peyton's old best friend, who became Mrs. Standford's replacement for Peyton. The relationship represents Mrs. Standford's immaturity when dealing with this situation, and the strained relationship- if you can call it that- set me on edge the way it was supposed to. The craftsmanship Dessen showed while executing this particular part of the story is impressive, and shows maturation in her work.

The voice and writing style is unique to this book, in the same way that the voice of The Moon and More marked a departure from the general tone of her books- which is not to say that they were all the same or bad. This just marks a new era of her work. Sydney writes with a voice mature and eloquent, and simple, but it is entirely appropriate for her age. In fact, Dessen is one of few YA authors who can capture the voice and mannerisms of young adults without making them sound immature. The biggest reason I put down YA books is that the voice of the narrator is too immature; for example, Geek Girl by Holly Smale. That book didn't require the same thought and careful consideration as this Saint Anything. Not to say it wasn't a good book; just obviously more suitable for a younger demographic.

The reason this book is likely to be a favorite of mine (it's too soon to say) is because it is so well written. I'm hard pressed to find a fault in this book; someone on Shelfari or Goodreads said this wasn't a stand-out in Dessen's catalogue, but I disagree. Sure, this isn't the most exciting book; it's not crazy eventful, and there is far more narrative than dialogue. That being said, as someone frequently guilty of skipping text that seems arbitrary or superfluous, I read every word of this book.

In short: buy this book literally now. Or hit up your local library.

Rating 5/5

Would I Recommend: YES YES YES

To: Sarah Dessen fans, high schoolers, well literally anyone

If You Liked...
Any Sarah Dessen book
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

My Playlist for this Book:

Running Out Of Time by Motion City Soundtrack

Practice Makes Perfect by Cute is What We Aim For

Brave by Sara Barielles

I'm Only Me When I'm With You by Taylor Swift

Links:
Buy it on Amazon here, Barnes and Noble here, Powell's here, or be a boss and Buy Independent!!!
See it on Goodreads here or on Shelfari here.
Read an article on the book from Entertainment Weekly here, and see the author's blog here.
She's going on tour for this book! See the tour information here.

Peace out girl scouts

R

xoxo

Book Haul: Independent Book Store Day, Amazon, and the Library

Hey there hey there :)

Let's jump right in, shall we?

Independent Book Store Day

A little while ago, on a fine may day, the nation celebrated Independent Book Store Day. So my sister and I trooped off to a local chain limited to our area. Here are the books I got:

Love and Other Theories by Alexis Bass
The one rule to not getting your heart broken in high school: don't fall in love.
A theory I don't subscribe to and probably should, this book follows the popular and beautiful Aubrey as she's put to the test when (you guessed it) a super hot and super different boy comes to the school. It sounds like a cliche, but here's hoping that it'll prove me wrong!

Life by Committee by Corey Ann Haydu
All's fair in love and war, right? At least, that's what Tabitha is telling herself to rationalize the fact that she is totally falling for someone else's boyfriend-- and not just from afar. Oh no, there are late night instant messages that drag on way past the sun's gone down, and some intimate moments that are usually just for between two involved individuals (and no, that's not a spoiler- it's on the back cover!). Then Life by Committee, a website dedicated to freeing us from our reservations and taking the chances we wish we would, falls right into her lap right when she needs it the most- or the least? I already read this one- review coming soon!

Amazon

Totally only ordered this because she's the bomb and it just came out... so it was shipped to me on the day it came out and I'm so glad because if I had had to wait another day I would have gone insane :)

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen
Sydney's life turned upside down and inside out and she it seemed like she was the only one who really understood what was going on. Her mom definitely didn't get that Peyton, her only son, wasn't "away"; he was in prison. And prison couldn't be handled like all his school conflicts, no matter how hard she tried to treat it like PTO. The replacement son creeped Sydney out, and everyone treated her differently, so she changed schools. Follow her as her life changes :)
I've read this one already too (finished it the day I got it #shameless)
I actually also single-handedly convinced my local library to order it :) The amazing pull us long-time volunteers have!

The Library

Speaking of the library, I picked up three books when I was there the other day-- two off the display I was organizing for the middle schoolers because I am, as already stated, #shameless, and another because it had the word "band" in the title and because I live and breathe and dream marching band, I couldn't resist. I guess one good thing came out of me losing my favorite book- I found this one while trying to check it out of the library! Let's hope it makes up for it.

Geek Girl by Holly Smale

Harriet Grammars (yes, the name is perfect for her) had one friend and one stalker and absolutely no interest fashion- that was Nat's (the aforementioned lone friend) thing. But then suddenly Harriet- awkward, geeky, target-prone Harriet- is living Nat's dream. But can she pull this off, and more importantly, will she lose her friends, or family, or herself in the process?
*read my review of this book HERE! :)

Famous Last Words by Katie Alender

Another book I found when I was organizing the shelves for the middle school display, and I'm super excited to read this one. Because a thriller set in Hollywood- what could be better? I'm saving this one for Monday, when the pool opens. Not because it's a quote-unquote "beach read"(which aren't actually a thing, to be clear) but because the premise (and yes, the cover) just scream "pool!" and "summer!" to me :)
(Yeah, that's not a description... so click here to go to the Goodreads page :) )

Notes from an Accidental Band Geek by Erin Dionne

Forced to play an instrument outside of orchestra and- gasp!- stand while playing, Elsie joined marching band to go to an orchestra camp. But it's surprisingly fun (which is true in real life), and she starts to enjoy the music (and the cute boys).
(I'm tired. I don't know much about this book- sorry!)

Other review coming up: The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien (I have to read it for English!)

Look for these reviews coming up :)

XoXo

R

REVIEW: Geek Girl by Holly Smale

Meet Harriet Manners. Girl. Geek. International supermodel? -from cover of book

"Harriet Manners is a geek. She always has been, and she thought she always would be—but when she's discovered by a modeling agent, she leaps at the chance to reinvent herself. There's only one problem: Harriet is the definition of awkward. Can she transform from geek to chic?"
-Summary of book from shelfari.com.


Written by former model Holly Smale who, much like Harriet Manners in her book Geek Girl, was discovered as a model at fifteen, this book targets the audience of Meg Cabot's Princess Diaries series (well, not the latest, very adult installment, but the earlier ones), which is to say, middle school girls who have not yet experienced being fifteen. Because, from what I can tell, I was fifteen more recently than Smale and, because of that, I can see that the voice of the narrator is immature for a fifteen year old. At times the dialogue is far fetched and unrealistic, and I had issues with some of the characters. But first, let's get a more concrete description nailed down.

The book starts off with Harriet being Harriet, which is to say endearingly childish and funny in a smart but kind of immature way. Her humor relies on interesting facts that really made the book for me. That's one thing that I loved about the book- even when Harriet was confused about who she was, her voice showed that she was still the same Harriet, just confused about who she was supposed to be. One focus in the book is on Nat and Harriet's friendship, and I have to say that even if this isn't my most favorite book, the fact that Smale focused more of the book on this relationship than the budding romance between Harriet and Nick (a super cute male model with awesome lion-like hair). Nat- for the record- is awesome, and, yes, crazy different from Harriet, and that difference is what causes the storyline: Harriet is a geek, and Nat has wanted to be a model since she was a kid. And now Harriet's living Nat's dream and worries that, considering they were already growing apart as their interests diverged, this could force a bigger wedge between the two of them, one that might mean the end of the only friendship she has.

Except for Toby, her stalker- literally. Another geek, just as strange as Harriet, who literally follows her around and worships at her feet. Don't get me wrong, this isn't entirely unrealistic, but it's too extreme and he's too open about it for it to read realistic. I've had my fair share of boys (and girls) with unhealthy obsessions, but this one is overwrought. The resolve gives it some credibility, and in the end is worth the trouble, but when factored into how unrealistic a lot of aspects of the book are.

Ironically, the unrealistic part of this book isn't the storyline, even though it sounds really outlandish. It's the stuff of daydreams, but it's also the stuff of Holly Smale's teenage years, so it's hard to find a fault in this. And if anyone had the knowledge to write this book, it's Holly Smale; she literally lived that storyline. But the writing is inconsistent; sometimes extremely well thought out and at other times immature or seemingly self-satisfying, which is to say that some moments are the kind of things that one would write in a book on Wattpad, or that would be edited out. Cutesy and insignificant as they may be, these moments detract from the book as a whole.

The character other than Toby that I took issue with was Willbur, who was all stereotypes, misconceptions, and cliches. Entirely unrealistic, his vernacular was ridiculous and not in a charming way. Sure, it was funny, but it, to put it in theater terms, broke the fourth wall and pulled the reader (i.e. me) out of suspended disbelief. I also found the pacing of the book terrible; it took too long for her to be discovered, and then after that there were only two or three big events left in the book. I kept waiting for more to happen.

Overall, I enjoyed this book but I went into it with high hopes and I was a little let down by the immaturity of the writing. That being said, I would definitely recommend this to middle schoolers because the themes addressed in the book are extremely relevant to them, and Harriet's voice will connect to middle schoolers without a doubt. I enjoyed the book just fine as a quick read, and will probably pick up the sequels from the library like I did this one, and will probably read it like I read this one: quickly in one sitting, in only a few hours. I look forward to it, but I'm not bumping them up my to-be-reads nor am I thinking about purchasing them.

Rating: 2/5
Would I Recommend: Yes, but keep the above in mind. It's still a worthwhile read is read purely for entertainment.
To: Middle schoolers, and anyone with patience. It's laugh out loud funny at parts and lighthearted- definitely a good read for when in need of a pick me up if you can handle a few issues.
If You Liked...
The Princess Diaries Series by Meg Cabot (or really any other Meg Cabot book meant for YA or youth readers-- especially Airhead)
Awkward by Marni Bates


My Playlist for This Book:
Unsweet Sixteen by Wakefield
La La Land by Demi Lovato (don't judge me)
Princes and Frogs (Underdog Remix) by Superchick

Peace out bro scouts
R

A Belated Introduction

Hello there!

My name's Robin, and I'm a junior in high school (fun, I know). In case you haven't noticed, this is a blog wherein I review books or talk about books. Just generally speaking, really. More things I write about are books, books, books, books. So this is going to come at you in three parts.

1. Where This is Coming From

Two and a half or so months ago I started volunteering at my local library because I knew that the NHS (National Honors Society) kids would all be abandoning their posts, so I took it up instead. And I'm so glad I did, even though I'm not actually like touching books all the time. My first day I labeled, my second day I organized the puppets, last week I checked books into storage, and this week I picked out children's books for the summer reading list for 0-3 year olds. I asked about reviews, and then I realized I could just do my own, and viola.

2. What's Going On

Every Tuesday I pick up 3 books when I go to the library. I finished two of three last week, and so my last one I will finish and review over the weekend. The three for this week I will write reviews for and they'll go up Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of next week.  Then the same goes for the following weeks, and those that I fail to finish I will review on the weekend. And these updates will go up on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays when I don't have a review finished. They'll probably be lists or the like, so I hope you enjoy!

3. Who Am I

Hello, how are you? I'm a musician (hence the playlists), a book lover (hence the reviews), and a longtime blogger (hence the blog). Over time you'll get to know me better, and hopefully someday I can redirect you also to the blog I've run for years.

Peace out girl scouts
XO

R

REVIEW: The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy By Kate Hattemer Review

Following in the large and un-fillable footsteps of John Green, Kate Hattemer strove in this debut novel to accurately capture what it's like to be in high school. And that she did, as we follow the dynamic foursome of close, nerdtastic friends on their vigilante rampage against the reality TV show that has taken over their arts school. As it all progresses, our lead finds himself lost, trying to figure out why everything suddenly seems different. So will their long poem take down the TV show?

I had high hopes for this book, and I wasn't completely disappointed. The plot was original, and the way that Hattemer fit the TV show in doesn't feel like a new writer approaching her first novel hoping to present some bright and shiny new idea that relies on the novelty of TV. While some books that rely on technology instead of skill, Hattemer's plot utilizes it without letting it be the defining part of the book. When all is said and done, I won't look back on this book as a book about a reality TV show. The uniqueness of this book are the characters, who are unparalleled in YA. I will remember the unique struggle of the main character Ethan, as he struggles, overlaying an imagined person or personality over a real person or personality, psyching himself out so much he can no longer see clearly or really understand relationships.

My issue with this book isn't the main character being whiney, as a lot of people complain of him being, because his sarcasm is entertaining and his whiny-ness is really characteristic of teenagers-- I would know, I am one. My issue is that learns his lesson really late, and I would have liked to see character development further through the novel. The issue is addressed (in my opinion) too late in the book. I think Ethan's relationship with Bacconaise the gerbil was hilarious and quirky, and I found it funny when Ethan would talk to Herbert, his drawing mannequin, but I think that this all needed to have resolved sooner.

I like the way that Ethan's love life was handled, especially the lack of a definite ending (no spoilers, I promise). I love the way it developed, and I love the way that it all progressed. I adored Maura, the ballerina, and her storyline. And she was just one of the spectacular support characters in the book. The main teacher, dubbed BradLee, had such a distinct character-- I mean, he has a favorite punctuation mark for goodness sakes (the interrobang, if you were wondering which, looks like ‽. My favorite is the ampersand (&)). And then there's Miki Figgin Riegler. This is the most John Green about the whole book, along with the spectacular themes.
In fact, it's had not to think of John Green while reading this book, due to the extensive references of the long poem "Cantos" by Ezra Pound. These references are essential to what makes this book so incredible. I can't imagine myself enjoying this book without them. One central idea of the book is a Pound quote, "I should have been able to do better." With John Green, incorporating other works is something he does in a lot of his works (especially his claim to "popular" fame, "The Fault in Our Stars"). Hattemer's use of Pound's work is perfect in the book, and makes the plot work.
I'm definitely interested to see more work from this author, and would one hundred percent pick this book up again!

Rating: 4.5/5
Would I Recommend: Yes! It's laugh out loud funny.
To: Readers of John Green or anyone looking for an easy read that has actual substance and humor.
If you liked...
Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway
Any John Green book, esp. Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

My Playlist for this Book:
Out of my League by Stephen Speaks
All the Small Things by Blink 182
Give a Damn by A Rocket to the Moon

Links:
Buy this book on Amazon here, from Barnes and Noble here, from Powell's here, or be a boss and Buy Independent!!!
See this book on Goodreads here and Shelfari here.
Read a review from Kirkus here and see this book on the author's site here.


Peace out book scouts :)

R

REVIEW The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Cassie was raised to be perceptive by her mother, who made her living as a con artist until her murder acting as psychic. Which meant Cassie had nowhere to go, as her father was overseas. She's shipped off to live with her grandmother however pretty soon her talent to read people was flagged in the FBI's system and she found her way out of her situation: she was invited to join an elite training program run by the FBI. She saw this as her opportunity to help others from experiencing the heartbreak she'd been dealing with due to her mom's murder, so she moves to DC. Soon, the new case her teachers are working on turns personal, sending her and her four classmates into a tailspin chasing a serial killer on the coattails of the FBI.

I found this book while checking in books at the library I volunteer at and switching them to storage, and checked it out as soon as my shift was done. I read in that night. It was a relatively easy read, as it reads more like a crime show episode than anything else. I think this book would be a great read for anyone who's not the biggest reader as the entertainment value of this book rivals crime shows. I have no big complaints about this book, really, which is awesome.

As far as romance goes, I just wanted to address this because it's such a big part of young adult fiction, but with this story the focus of the book is Cassie and her relationship with her past instead of her romantic relationships. Yes, there is romance, and yes, it is my least favorite kind: a love triangle. But the dynamics of the love triangle are so integral to the story without the focus being on the romance but rather the interplay between the involved characters and how those interactions affect the plot. For once, the heroine isn't stupidly more worried about her love life than the issue at hand, so that really impressed me.

The police terminology defined was all information I'd already gathered through my years of watching crime shows with my parents every school night, but they were presented in a new way and were demonstrated without collapsing into any sort of cheesiness so I take no issue with that. For those not as well versed in criminal terms, the crash courses on the theories are perfect and concise.

I'm excited to see how the love triangle carries into the next installment of the series, which I will be reviewing soon, and I'm anxious to see if the terminology is as well defined and established. I'm excited to see how they handle the continuation (no spoilers) and am worried that it was also follow the way a TV series can, dragging one storyline through episodes or seasons even.

As far as the characters go, there are quite a few. I found some the agents to be a bit cliche, but not necessarily in a bad way. However, Cassie is the only one who really had character development, but considering the fact that she's the only one who was under duress, and some of the characters seemed a bit flat at times, but I had to strain to even think of that. I love the characters, don't be wrong, I just think that the background characters were unevenly represented and yeah, they all had purpose in the the plot but I think that at some times there were too many characters.

Overall, this book is a fast read that is entertaining through the end, and it is so well written and well organized and well developed. I would definitely read it again, and look forward to reading the next book in the series!

Rating: 5/5

Would I recommend: Yes

To: Anyone who loves crime shows, especially shows like Criminal Minds. Anyone who isn't huge into reading, as this is as entertaining as a TV show.

If you liked...
Virals by Katie Reichs
Heist Society by Ally Carter

My Playlist for this Book:

Conspiracy by Paramore

Sometimes (Alternate Version) by A Rocket to The Moon

Think About It by American Authors

:)

R