Book Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Book: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Genre: Contemporary YA Fiction

Rating: A+

Plot:

(taken from Goodreads page)

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Review:

My favorite part about this book was that it felt real. The characters were dynamic and were very believable. Lola was a person I would love to be friends with. Cricket was a person that any girl could fall in love with. Lola's two dads were great comic relief and were for sure my favorite characters.

This novel throws you right into the life of a teenage girl living in San Francisco. She is dating an older guy in a band and she thinks her life is perfect the way it is. This is until the Bell twins move back in to the house next door.

Through the whole novel for some odd reason I felt bad for Max. I knew I should not because he was more or less a jerk, but for some reason I still did. The love story was believable and you could feel the connection between the characters.

I love how in this novel Anna and Etienne were not just briefly mentioned but they were main characters coming in and out and actually affecting the story. If you are looking for a cute quick read then Stephanie Perkins' Lola and the Boy next Door is the exact book you need. I read this book in about a day because I just needed to know how it would end.

If I could just have all of Lola's outfits i would be truly happy. I am not a big fan of Contemporary YA but Stephanie Perkins makes me wish all books were like her's. This is a refreshing read and i can not wait until the next companion novel, Isla and the Happily ever after.

- Haley :)

Top Ten Tuesday?

Oh uh hello there? Yes i realize i have not posted in forever and so that is why i am here now. I have given up on NaNoWriMo and school is slowing down a bit so i decided to come back to this old thing here. I have not read much lately because of NaNoWriMo but in the past two days i have read three books so reviews by me should hopefully be coming soon. I know Casey has some kind of schedule going on but to be honest i forget what it is. :P I decided today instead of writing a review for you all i would do a weekly meme called "Top Ten Tuesday" which was created by The Broke and the Bookish . This weeks list is:

Top Ten Books on my To be Read list this Winter:

1. Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle: I have been meaning to read this book for forever. I have just been waiting for snow so i can curl up and read it like it was meant to be read.

2. Goliath by Scott Westerfeld: The last book in the Leviathan trilogy has been on my mind since i finished Behemoth but i just have no had time to start it. I love this series though so i am super excited to see how Westerfeld ties everything up.

3. Gone by Micheal Grant: This is series i have been meaning to read since i first saw it in the bookstores. I have heard many amazing things about the books yet for some reason i still have not picked it up and started reading it.

4. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin: I have been hearing about this book since BEA last year and every since then i have wanted to read it. The plot entrances me yet i still have not picked it up off my bookshelf for some reason.

5. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin: I think the only reason why i have no picked up this book to read yet is because the size of it intimadates me and the words are so tiny. The plot sounds so intriguing yet it just looks so long and scary :P

6. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick: I remember the first time Casey picked this up in the bookstore because she thought the cover was pretty. She keeps telling me that i need to read it i just have WAY too many books to read so hopefully i will get to this one this month

7. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare: This is a book i am so excited to get this winter. Cassandra Clare is just an amazing story teller and her books always tend to surprise me.

8. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger: Every other english class last year got to read this book except mine. My teacher did not like the book so we did not get to read it. I have always wanted to read this book though i just have no had the courage to dive into it yet.

9. Elixir by Hilary Duff: This book i picked up just because it was written by Hilary Duff and she was pretty much my hero when i was younger and i am just really curious if she is actually a good writer.

and lastly,

10. The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler: This plot just sounds brilliant and i need this book and my hands right now. I have heard only amazing things about this book and i can not wait to read it.

Okay so there you happy? You got a long post from me finally after like months and months of me being pretty much dead to the world. I promise i will try and post more here and hopefully i will be going book shopping soon to get more books to read and review for you! :)

-- Haley <3

Book Review: The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker

Book: The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker
Author: Leanna Renee Hieber
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 322 (Mass Market Paperback)
Favorite Character: Alexi. Oh, definitely Alexi.

Plot: (From Goodreads)
What fortune awaited sweet, timid Percy Parker at Athens Academy? Hidden in the dark heart of Victorian London, the Romanesque school was dreadfully imposing, a veritable fortress, and little could Percy guess what lay inside. She had never met its powerful and mysterious Professor Alexi Rychman, knew nothing of the growing shadows, of the Ripper and other supernatural terrors against which his coterie stood guard. She saw simply that she was different, haunted, with her snow white hair, pearlescent skin and uncanny gift. This arched stone doorway was a portal to a new life, to an education far from what could be had at a convent- and it was an invitation to an intimate yet dangerous dance at the threshold of life and death.

Review:
I picked this book up because Leanna was having a signing with a friend of mine, and I read it on the way back home. I didn't finish it on the ride, it just wasn't long enough, but I just couldn't put it down. And even when I had to, I'd pick it back up quickly and continue reading. This was an amazing read, it's not something I would of picked up, if I'd seen it in a store, just because the cover doesn't really look like something I'd normally read, but I loved it.

However, I couldn't tell you exactly why I loved this book so much, I just did. I loved the characters, the plot, the mythology, the setting. Victorian England is a favorite place of mine and I love reading about it, especially in this book. Leanna just captures it so well.

So I'd suggest that you pick this one up and give it a try. And it's sequel and maybe the prequel.

Book Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Book: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Author: Ransom Riggs
Genre: SciFi, Fantasy(Paranormal, Histoical Fiction (YA)
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 352 (Hardcover)
Favorite Character: I really couldn't pick one, so I'm just going to go with Jacob.

Plot: (From Goodreads)

A mysterious island.

An abandoned orphanage.

A strange collection of very curious photographs.

It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.


Review:
This book wasn't at all what I was expecting of it, but I really enjoyed it. I liked how the pictures were worked into the story and how they compared to what I had been visualizing was always interesting.

The characters in this book are amazing. I'm not going to say too much about them since I don't want to give too much away, but they are definitely a main reason to check this book out. And Ransom Rigg's writing is another, I found myself really enjoying it.

I'm not going to say anything else so I don't risk giving anything away, because it's really fun to read not really knowing anything about it. (Also, I love the cover and title, they're just amazing!)

Book Review: Wither

Book: Wither (The Chemical Garden #1)
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Genre: Dystopian (YA)
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 358 (Hardcover)
Favorite character: Gabriel, just... Gabriel. I really loved Jenna, though, too.

Plot: (From Goodreads)
By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children. When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?(

Review: 


I don't know why I loved this book so much, it was just so different then other books that I'd read. I still haven't really read anything like it. I'd read dystopian before,but the fact that these girls were going to die so young was just so different. And all three of these main girls were amazing and I adored them.

I, also, really enjoyed Lauren DeStefano's writing and how she described this world, because it may still be earth in places we know, but so much has changed between now and this fictional dystopian future. I think that's why I liked it so much, was because it didn't take much description for one to know what was being spoken of.

Anyway, to sum it up, I really loved the writing, plot, and characters. If you like dystopian then this is a good one, but if you don't really like said genre, then, this might not be the best book for you. If you've never read dystopian, then, maybe now is the time to try it out, it's a pretty fantastic genre, I love it.

Book Review: The Goddess Test

Book: The Goddess Test
Author: Aimee Carter
Genre: Fantasy(Mythology, Romance (YA)
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 293
Favorite Character: I think Kate's mom, which is kind of random, but I really liked her. And Henry, of course.

Plot: (from Goodreads)

EVERY GIRL WHO HAS TAKEN THE TEST HAS DIED.

NOW IT'S KATE'S TURN.

It's always been just Kate and her mom--and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear that her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld--and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy--until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she suceeds, she'll become Henry's future bride and a goddess.

IF SHE FAILS...


Review:

At first it was a little hard to get through, not because it was bad by any standards, but it was just different. I really enjoyed this book as a whole, though. I love Greek Mythology, any mythology really, and all of these retellings are just amazing. And I like that this one isn't really a retelling of the Persephone/Hades myth. I mean, it is, but it's a whole different story.

I really liked all the characters and, while there is a list of who is who, I had a bit too much fun trying to figure out which one was which. Henry was very dark and tortured, but he wasn't really that dark, just dark to kind of hold people at arm's length really.

On the whole, this was a really good book. The characters were interesting and real, the retelling aspect was done well, and the writing was enjoyable. So if you like Greek Mythology, or even if you don't, I'd suggest giving this one a try.

Book Review: The Son of Neptune

Book: The Son of Neptune (The Heroes of Olympus Book 2)
Author: Rick Riordan
Genre: Childrens
Rating: 5/5
Page Count:
Favorite Character:

Plot:
Percy doesn't remember any of his life before he woke up in the she-wolfs company, except the name of someone: Annabeth.
Frank is a klutz, but his grandmother said he's descended from heroes. He hopes his father will claim him soon, he hopes it's Apollo. He feels like an ox, because of how bulky he is, but he is allowed to share his deepest secret with his closest friend, Hazel.
Hazel should be dead, she died. But her brother thought she deserved a second chance. However, she doesn't think anyone will like her at all when they find out about her "gift."
Together can they finish the quest and try to save the camp?


Review:

This book blew me away. There might be spoilers for the first book in this series, The Lost Hero, so if you haven't read that you might not want to read this, but go read The Lost Hero. Go. Now. It's amazing. Anyway, I read this in pretty much one sitting, in one day. I was trying not to, trying to slow it down so I could savor it.

The characters in this book, I loved. Obviously, Percy I had already read about and was already extremely attached to, so it was surprisingly nice to, well, see him again. Even if he had no idea who he was at first. The other characters, though, the new ones I really enjoyed learning and getting to know them.

The writing in this book is as good as ever. I really enjoy Rick Riordan's writing style so I wasn't surprised that I liked it. So if you read the Percy Jackson series and read the first book in this series but you're unsure about this one for whatever reason: read it. It's amazing and good.

The Name of the Star

Books: The Name of the Star
Author: Maureen Johnson
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Paranormal (YA)
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 372
Favorite Character: Rory, definitely.

Plot: (From Goodreads)


The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London, it's the start of a new life at a boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Review:

So Maureen is possibly one of my favorite people in the world, not just authors. And it's definitely in part because of this amazing sense of humor she has. And it passes over into her books, you can just tell. That is probably one of the main reasons I liked this book so much.

The other, aside from it being about Jack the Ripper, was that it was just so good. Ghosts, Jack the Ripper, it was like this book was made for me. I tried to read this book slower, but it was just so good I devoured it.  And I love the characters in the book. They're developed and they're wonderful and fun. I'm a big character person, I like being able to understand what a character is about.

Some of the humor in this book, as I said before, had me laughing hysterically. However, I'd suggest that you read this book. You should just read it, no matter what.

Book Review: The Power of Six

Book: The Power of Six
Author: Pitacus Lore
Genre: SciFi/Fantasy (YA)
Rating: 3/5
Page count: 406
Favorite character: I really couldn't pick one. Maybe Sam. But probably Marina

Plot: (From Goodreads)

I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me . . . he's one of us.

Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.

I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.

And I'm ready to fight.


Review:

I loved the plot, but the reason the rating is so low on this book is because I felt like all of the characters just were off, they weren't acting like themselves. And I feel like that was to fulfill the plot requirements.

The reason that the rating isn't lower is because I did enjoy the book, still, even if I felt like the characters had all had a personality change on me.I, obviously, didn't outright hate this book, I just didn't enjoy it as much as the first. I still really enjoy Pittacus Lore's writing style just because it's so weird, there's no other way to describe it.  If you enjoyed I Am Number Four, I'd suggest giving this one a shot.

I think the main reason, besides the plot, that I liked this book enough that I gave  it 3/5 stars is the new character that's introduce, Marina. She's number seven and I really enjoyed reading about her story. She's such an interesting character and I really don't have anything bad to say about the parts of the book with her in it, she might be the reason I read the next one. And just to figure out how it ends. (Also, I hate the thought of leaving a series unfinished)

Did you like this one more then I did if you've read it? What're your thoughts on it?

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Book: Stardust

Author: Neil Gaiman

Genre: Fantasy Adventure

Rating: B

Plot:

This story starts off in the small city of Wall. Tristan Thorn lived in wall all his life. One night Tristan and the women he fancied, Veronica were taking a stroll when a star fell from the sky. Veronica said that if Tristan received the exact star that she would give him anything his heart desired. Thought to get this star he would have to cross over the wall that stands between his normal suburban life and the land of Faerie. On this journey, he is not the only person searching for the star, which leads to many problems.

SPOILERS SPOILER SPOILERS SPOILERS

Review:

I did see the movie first and then read the book so my review might be slightly biased.

When Neil Gaiman wrote this book it was obvious he was trying to make a fantasy fairy tale for adults and show them anyone can enjoy fantasy. Because he did this I found this book shifting between adult and children. For one you have the cute little tale of the boy, Tristan, going to win the affection of his true love then you have very disturbing images like when the Witch cut apart the unicorn. There are also a few sex scenes, which in a fairy tale you just don't expect to be reading about how the main character was conceived.

While some parts of the story I found obvious there was also the quick and surprising action scenes that I really did enjoy. Like when the Star ends up at the inn with Primus. I also really enjoyed the character development between the Star and Tristan. Their constant banter gave the book the humor relief it needed.

The land of Faerie was describing beautifully and for a minute you really do believe a land like this could exist somewhere. The way the market was described and how they went into detail about the things being sold there really just made me want to go. I wouldn't mind owning a glass flower or a bottle of dreams. A coat of night would also be pretty cool.

The one thing that really changed this rating from an A to a B was the characters. You will find this out very quickly but when I read a book I need to be attached to a character. I need to care about where they are and what happens to them. In this book i didn't feel that for any of the characters. Tristan slightly annoyed me at times and the Star never really stood up for herself and what she wanted. She also doesn't really have a name until almost the end of the book.

Overall, I really would suggest this for a teen audience (as long as you don't mind sex scenes) and for anyone that loves fantasy and learning about a new land. Also you must like adventure a lot of this book is Tristan traveling, but traveling also means new people. So there are a lot of characters to go around. Stardust is magical and intriguing, a really great read.

-- Haley

p.s. I never really introduced myself. My name is Haley and I am the other blogger here. Nice to meet you! :) Also this is my first review ever. So be nice! :P

Just a Hello.

So this is a blog made for book reviews. Hello, I'm Casey, I'll be posting book-like THINGS here. Containing book recommendations and possibly giveaways when we get to a certain number of followers, or something. Also, we might be vlogging about said books. Sometimes there might be a lack of blogs, if we have finals or we're away, but on other times there might be more then 1 post a day. It's going to be very laid back, especially at first. Maybe later we'll have a schedule.

And by 'we're,' I mean, there is going to be more then just me. You see, I am boring. But I do like books. And so does my friend Haley who will be joining me in this book blogging and possibly vlogging fun. We shall see how this goes.

Here are some links to find us:

Casey:
www.twitter.com/werewolfluvr119
werewolfluvr119.tumblr.com
youtube.com/user/werewolfluvr119


Haley:
www.twitter.com/shopaholic3100
shopaholic.tumblr.com
youtube.com/user/shopaholic3100

And there is a YouTube channel connected to this, that we aren't sure what we'll do with yet, but here:
www.youtube.com/user/storynotions

And if you go "I wonder if Casey/Haley is on *insert random social media*" Probably. Just search the username.