Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
If you like: Summer romance, Adult fiction
Similar to: Nicholas sparks novels, The Peach Keeper by: Sarah Addison Allen
Ages: 18-100
I was surprised at how much I loved Heat Wave. It is about a woman named Carley, who lives on Nantucket, and who is widowed at the age of 32. She is left with a paid off house, no money, 2 children, and some very opinionated in laws. Carley is forced to make a whole new life with the help of a few old best friends, a few new ones, and a really attractive guy. She decides to take care of her family financially by opening a B&B, and is happy at the way everything just falls into place.
I loved this book, and would recommend it to adults of all ages. I actually told my sister-in-law about it before I had finished it, but she is 25 weeks pregnant right now, and there is something in there that probably isn't appropriate to read if you are currently pregnant. Either way, this book was about love and loss, and learning and growing from it.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
If You Like: stories of sisterhood, romances, stories about finding yourself
Similar to: Nicholas Sparks Novels (but targets a younger crowd as well as adults)
Ages: 16-60
Sisterhood Everlasting was a great finale to the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. It made me realize all of the duds I had read in the years between the 4th one and this one because this book was just so good.
At first, I was upset with where Ann Brashares took the story, but I was already captivated by her writing. After page 100, I couldn't put the book down, and finished it that day.
It's a story of 4 best friends on the verge of 30 and the seperate lives they've created for themselves. There's always something that brings the four girls together, and this time, they really grow up and find themselves in the process.
This book was an overall amazing book, especially for a series that was supposed to end at book 4.
If You Like: stories of sisterhood, romances, stories about finding yourself
Similar to: Nicholas Sparks Novels (but targets a younger crowd as well as adults)
Ages: 16-60
Sisterhood Everlasting was a great finale to the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. It made me realize all of the duds I had read in the years between the 4th one and this one because this book was just so good.
At first, I was upset with where Ann Brashares took the story, but I was already captivated by her writing. After page 100, I couldn't put the book down, and finished it that day.
It's a story of 4 best friends on the verge of 30 and the seperate lives they've created for themselves. There's always something that brings the four girls together, and this time, they really grow up and find themselves in the process.
This book was an overall amazing book, especially for a series that was supposed to end at book 4.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
If You Like: Young adult romance, cliques, girls being cutthroat
Similar to: Mean Girls, The Princess Diaries, Twilight
Ages: 13-30
I loved this book. Courtney Summers develops the plot wonderfully and is an amazing, captivating writer. I could not stop turning the pages until the book was finished. It has been a long time since I stayed up all night finishing a book.
The story is about Regina who gets accused of sleeping with her best friend's boyfriend, Donnie, when in reality, Donnie tried to rape Regina. Anna (Regina's best friend) and her group of friends make Regina's life a living hell. She has no one to turn to, so she sits with the only other loser in the school, Michael, and they start to form a friendship.
Regina can take anything Anna and her friends dish out until Anna has something that is so big that it forces Regina to dump Michael without giving him an explaination. She is forced to go back and be Anna's slave in order to protect Michael.
This book makes hanging out with the girls from Mean Girls look like a walk in the park. The relationship between Regina and Michael is one of the hottest relationships I've read about since The Princess Diaries. Overall, an awesome young adult read.
If You Like: Young adult romance, cliques, girls being cutthroat
Similar to: Mean Girls, The Princess Diaries, Twilight
Ages: 13-30
I loved this book. Courtney Summers develops the plot wonderfully and is an amazing, captivating writer. I could not stop turning the pages until the book was finished. It has been a long time since I stayed up all night finishing a book.
The story is about Regina who gets accused of sleeping with her best friend's boyfriend, Donnie, when in reality, Donnie tried to rape Regina. Anna (Regina's best friend) and her group of friends make Regina's life a living hell. She has no one to turn to, so she sits with the only other loser in the school, Michael, and they start to form a friendship.
Regina can take anything Anna and her friends dish out until Anna has something that is so big that it forces Regina to dump Michael without giving him an explaination. She is forced to go back and be Anna's slave in order to protect Michael.
This book makes hanging out with the girls from Mean Girls look like a walk in the park. The relationship between Regina and Michael is one of the hottest relationships I've read about since The Princess Diaries. Overall, an awesome young adult read.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Fireworks (Four Summer Stories)
Overall rating: 4 out of 5 stars
If You Like: Summer romances, beach reads, short stories
Similar to: Mistletoe
Ages: 13-25
Miss Independant by Lauren Myracle
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
If you like: Sappy teen romances
Similar to:Cinderella
Ages 13-18
For a short story, I found this one pretty good. The only complaint I have is that the story took it's time developing characters and back stories, and then basically everything else was crammed into 12 pages. It almost seemed like the author was writing and then realized she had to finish her story in just a few more pages, so she rushed to fill in the ending.
Megan is a girl who never cared about makeup, clothes, or the prettiest hair style. It is her birthday, and she cannot stop thinking about Pete, a gorgeous guy she met during her assistant teaching job. He was fixing the air conditioner, and she never had the courage to take their relationship past the point of saying hello in the hallway.
Now, on the night of her birthday, her cousin, Porter Ann, has passes to the hot new club in town, and rumor has it that Pete is going to be there. Porter Ann treats Megan to a makeover so she looks hot for Pete.
At the club, Megan sees Pete and it is just as she imagined. They spend some time together outside and share the most magical kiss. The problem is that it's Megan's curfew so she runs out of the club without even saying goodbye. Realizing that, she tries to get back in the club to say goodbye but the bouncer won't let her in again. Luckilly, Pete walks out and offers to give Megan a ride home. What a magical evening.
Sure this story was a bit sappy, but I am a girl who loves sappy romances.
A Nice Fling is Hard to Find by Sarah Mlynowski
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
If you like: Teen romance, summer flings, foreign field trips
Similar to: The Princess Diaries, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Ages: 13-25
This story, unlike the last one, was very well written, very well develop, and an overall great story.
Lindsay is going on a field trip to Europe with her best friend, Becca, Becca's twin brother, Tommy, and some other people from school. She plans to have a fling with a handsome French guy. When they get there, the tour guide is quite a hunk, but he seems like he might be out of Lindsay's reach. Becca hooks up with another American on their tour, so that leaves Lindsay to look for prospects. She sees a cute Russian guy, Vlad, who is also on their tour and thinks he might be her fling.
On the last night of Vlad's tour, he asks her to meet him for a date. At dinner, Pierre, the french tourguide also asks her out. She can't possibly meet the both of them, so she tries to imagine who's lips she sees kissing. Surprised by who's lips she pictures, Lindsay finds love in unexpected places and realizes she can have more than just a fling.
This story was a sweet and pure romance that, to me, never gets old.
Cabin Fever by Erin Haft
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
If you Like: Summer romances, camp stories
Similar to: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Huge
Ages: 13-25
This story seemed a little rushed, but I guess every story squeezed into 50 pages is going to feel that way.
Molly's home away from home is summer camp. She is so excited to be going and seeing her crush, River. She has been drooling over him since the first summer she went to camp. Everything seems perfect until her fashion obsessed sister, Dakota, decides she is going to come to camp.
When Dakota and Molly first get to camp, Dakota starts by stealing Molly's best friend Jess, and she also starts to flirt with River. Molly is beyond furious, and tries not to let it get her down. Still, she cannot help but be angry that her little sister is ruining the camp time that she treasures so much.
Dakota arranges for an overnight with Rider's cabin, and ina surprise twist, Molly realizes that her sister is not the shallow, stupid girl she thought she was. She might even end up liking her sister, and she might still have a little summer romance despite her sister coming along.
I really liked this story. It was the classic tale of a summer romance at camp.
Night Swimming by Niki Burnham
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
If You Like: Summer romances, short stories on the beach, college
Similar to: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Ages: 13-25
I really like this story, and could pretty much sum it up by saying it was short and sweet.
Wynn is taking a summer creative writing class, when she meets a cute boy named Caleb. They instantly hit it off and find out that they have a lot in common.
Set on a beachside college campus, this story is one of the pure, sweet summer romances that occur between a boy and a girl. It is not overly dramatic, and it leaves me longing for the days when I was young enough to be so carefree.
If You Like: Summer romances, beach reads, short stories
Similar to: Mistletoe
Ages: 13-25
Miss Independant by Lauren Myracle
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
If you like: Sappy teen romances
Similar to:Cinderella
Ages 13-18
For a short story, I found this one pretty good. The only complaint I have is that the story took it's time developing characters and back stories, and then basically everything else was crammed into 12 pages. It almost seemed like the author was writing and then realized she had to finish her story in just a few more pages, so she rushed to fill in the ending.
Megan is a girl who never cared about makeup, clothes, or the prettiest hair style. It is her birthday, and she cannot stop thinking about Pete, a gorgeous guy she met during her assistant teaching job. He was fixing the air conditioner, and she never had the courage to take their relationship past the point of saying hello in the hallway.
Now, on the night of her birthday, her cousin, Porter Ann, has passes to the hot new club in town, and rumor has it that Pete is going to be there. Porter Ann treats Megan to a makeover so she looks hot for Pete.
At the club, Megan sees Pete and it is just as she imagined. They spend some time together outside and share the most magical kiss. The problem is that it's Megan's curfew so she runs out of the club without even saying goodbye. Realizing that, she tries to get back in the club to say goodbye but the bouncer won't let her in again. Luckilly, Pete walks out and offers to give Megan a ride home. What a magical evening.
Sure this story was a bit sappy, but I am a girl who loves sappy romances.
A Nice Fling is Hard to Find by Sarah Mlynowski
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
If you like: Teen romance, summer flings, foreign field trips
Similar to: The Princess Diaries, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Ages: 13-25
This story, unlike the last one, was very well written, very well develop, and an overall great story.
Lindsay is going on a field trip to Europe with her best friend, Becca, Becca's twin brother, Tommy, and some other people from school. She plans to have a fling with a handsome French guy. When they get there, the tour guide is quite a hunk, but he seems like he might be out of Lindsay's reach. Becca hooks up with another American on their tour, so that leaves Lindsay to look for prospects. She sees a cute Russian guy, Vlad, who is also on their tour and thinks he might be her fling.
On the last night of Vlad's tour, he asks her to meet him for a date. At dinner, Pierre, the french tourguide also asks her out. She can't possibly meet the both of them, so she tries to imagine who's lips she sees kissing. Surprised by who's lips she pictures, Lindsay finds love in unexpected places and realizes she can have more than just a fling.
This story was a sweet and pure romance that, to me, never gets old.
Cabin Fever by Erin Haft
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
If you Like: Summer romances, camp stories
Similar to: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Huge
Ages: 13-25
This story seemed a little rushed, but I guess every story squeezed into 50 pages is going to feel that way.
Molly's home away from home is summer camp. She is so excited to be going and seeing her crush, River. She has been drooling over him since the first summer she went to camp. Everything seems perfect until her fashion obsessed sister, Dakota, decides she is going to come to camp.
When Dakota and Molly first get to camp, Dakota starts by stealing Molly's best friend Jess, and she also starts to flirt with River. Molly is beyond furious, and tries not to let it get her down. Still, she cannot help but be angry that her little sister is ruining the camp time that she treasures so much.
Dakota arranges for an overnight with Rider's cabin, and ina surprise twist, Molly realizes that her sister is not the shallow, stupid girl she thought she was. She might even end up liking her sister, and she might still have a little summer romance despite her sister coming along.
I really liked this story. It was the classic tale of a summer romance at camp.
Night Swimming by Niki Burnham
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
If You Like: Summer romances, short stories on the beach, college
Similar to: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Ages: 13-25
I really like this story, and could pretty much sum it up by saying it was short and sweet.
Wynn is taking a summer creative writing class, when she meets a cute boy named Caleb. They instantly hit it off and find out that they have a lot in common.
Set on a beachside college campus, this story is one of the pure, sweet summer romances that occur between a boy and a girl. It is not overly dramatic, and it leaves me longing for the days when I was young enough to be so carefree.
Love You, Hate You, Miss You by Elizabeth Scott
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
If you like: Teen books about addiction, books about loss, a little bit of romance
Similar to:Speak (the dark, sad feeling you get while reading both books)
Ages: 13-18
This book was the kind of book that I just kept reading and hoping it would get better, but it never did. It was not an awful book, but I just wanted there to be something more. I guess, after reading Elizabeth Scott's first two books, I figured it would be one of those predictable teen romances. It was far from that, and that is why I was disappointed. I guess it just shows how vast the author's writting topics are, which shows she's capable of writing anything well.
This book is about a girl in high school, named Amy, who is a recovering alcholic. After getting out of a rehabilitation facility, she has to visit a psycologist, who constantly clicks her pen, every week to talk about the car accident in which she lost her best friend, Julia.
Before the accident, Amy's parents were so wrapped up in each other, that they barely gave Amy the time of day. She was free to do what she wanted, when she wanted, and they never suspected anything was going wrong in Amy's life. Now, they are forced to try have relationships with Amy and watch her every move.
Amy had never had a sober relationship with a guy before either, and now she cannot believe the feelings she is having for a boy named Patrick. Throw in a new best friend who used to be awful to Amy, some evil girls who are still awful to Amy, Julia's mother who blames Amy for the accident, and the constant guilt that she killed her best friend, and that's the story.
This book is written both as Amy sees the world, and in letter form to her best friend Julia, which I thought made the story really emotionally moving and compelling to read. I am not sorry I read this book, I just wish I knew it would be all sunshine and happiness before I got into it.
If you like: Teen books about addiction, books about loss, a little bit of romance
Similar to:Speak (the dark, sad feeling you get while reading both books)
Ages: 13-18
This book was the kind of book that I just kept reading and hoping it would get better, but it never did. It was not an awful book, but I just wanted there to be something more. I guess, after reading Elizabeth Scott's first two books, I figured it would be one of those predictable teen romances. It was far from that, and that is why I was disappointed. I guess it just shows how vast the author's writting topics are, which shows she's capable of writing anything well.
This book is about a girl in high school, named Amy, who is a recovering alcholic. After getting out of a rehabilitation facility, she has to visit a psycologist, who constantly clicks her pen, every week to talk about the car accident in which she lost her best friend, Julia.
Before the accident, Amy's parents were so wrapped up in each other, that they barely gave Amy the time of day. She was free to do what she wanted, when she wanted, and they never suspected anything was going wrong in Amy's life. Now, they are forced to try have relationships with Amy and watch her every move.
Amy had never had a sober relationship with a guy before either, and now she cannot believe the feelings she is having for a boy named Patrick. Throw in a new best friend who used to be awful to Amy, some evil girls who are still awful to Amy, Julia's mother who blames Amy for the accident, and the constant guilt that she killed her best friend, and that's the story.
This book is written both as Amy sees the world, and in letter form to her best friend Julia, which I thought made the story really emotionally moving and compelling to read. I am not sorry I read this book, I just wish I knew it would be all sunshine and happiness before I got into it.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
If you like: Teen romance that always good with classic love stories in any kind of situation
Similar to: The Last Song, Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
Ages: 13-30
Sarah Dessen is an amazing author who never lets me down, and she succeeded in writing another great book. She writes about girls in different situations that makes their life not perfect, but these girls usually get to experience the ultimate love story and realize that whatever is going on in their lives will get better.-
McClean lives with her dad who works for a business which requires them to move all over the world in order to fix up restuarants that are in need of help. In just two years, McClean has moved four times, and everywhere she moves, she assumes a new identity. So far, she has been Beth, the cheerleader, Lizbet, the cool laidback girl, and Eliza, the sporty girl. When she moves to her new town, she intends to assume the identity of Liz, but for some reason, when her cute neighbor asks her name, she tells him it is McClean. She has never used her real name in the towns she has lived in since her parents were married.
McClean's relationship with her Mom is anything but perfect. Ever since her mother left her father for the coach of a local basketball team, McClean has sided with her Dad, which means living with him, and not liking her mom because of what she did to McClean's dad. McClean's mom loves her, and tries so hard to reach out to her daughter.
In the past, McClean would always make friends she knew she would not get too attached to, and she would always keep them at a distance, but in this new town, she instantly makes a group of close knit friends and she also gets to know and love the staff of the restaurant her dad is fixing up.
With a model of the town that needs to be completed soon, a mom that is just trying to win back the love of her daughter, and a dad that is always on the move, Mclean has her hands full. Good thing she has a group of kick butt friends and an awesome cute guy who thinks the world of McClean. McClean realizes that her life is different than it seems, and maybe, in this town, she will put down some roots.
I would recommend this book to any teen reader and young adult because it is a great read about love and growing up.
If you like: Teen romance that always good with classic love stories in any kind of situation
Similar to: The Last Song, Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
Ages: 13-30
Sarah Dessen is an amazing author who never lets me down, and she succeeded in writing another great book. She writes about girls in different situations that makes their life not perfect, but these girls usually get to experience the ultimate love story and realize that whatever is going on in their lives will get better.-
McClean lives with her dad who works for a business which requires them to move all over the world in order to fix up restuarants that are in need of help. In just two years, McClean has moved four times, and everywhere she moves, she assumes a new identity. So far, she has been Beth, the cheerleader, Lizbet, the cool laidback girl, and Eliza, the sporty girl. When she moves to her new town, she intends to assume the identity of Liz, but for some reason, when her cute neighbor asks her name, she tells him it is McClean. She has never used her real name in the towns she has lived in since her parents were married.
McClean's relationship with her Mom is anything but perfect. Ever since her mother left her father for the coach of a local basketball team, McClean has sided with her Dad, which means living with him, and not liking her mom because of what she did to McClean's dad. McClean's mom loves her, and tries so hard to reach out to her daughter.
In the past, McClean would always make friends she knew she would not get too attached to, and she would always keep them at a distance, but in this new town, she instantly makes a group of close knit friends and she also gets to know and love the staff of the restaurant her dad is fixing up.
With a model of the town that needs to be completed soon, a mom that is just trying to win back the love of her daughter, and a dad that is always on the move, Mclean has her hands full. Good thing she has a group of kick butt friends and an awesome cute guy who thinks the world of McClean. McClean realizes that her life is different than it seems, and maybe, in this town, she will put down some roots.
I would recommend this book to any teen reader and young adult because it is a great read about love and growing up.
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