Natasha “Tash” Bohner just turned eighteen. Theoretically, that should mean escaping from trailer park purgatory—and her less than stellar relationship with her widowed mother—and running away to Los Angeles with her anorexic best friend, Margot. But as we all know, life is known for taking some very shitty, unexpected turns. Already the scourge of the Guthrie High gossip mill, Tash’s undesirable reputation explodes into infamy when she assaults the captain of the wrestling team. (Despite the fact that he deserved it,) the principal tells her that she’s on her last strike.
Again, see: above. Re: shit happens. When Margot’s will to live is finally severed by the leader of the Guthrie Bitch Squad, Tash vows to get revenge on the most popular girl in school—no matter what it takes. Because of a promise she made to her favorite teacher (to not get expelled), Tash is forced to get creative. She realizes she’s going to have to beat the popularity-obsessed Becca Foster at her own game, by running against her for prom queen. And winning.
In order to succeed, Tash will have to do the unthinkable: she’ll have to join student government, pretend to be well-adjusted, and actually try in school. Also, she’ll have to quit swearing so goddamn much.
It’s like a fucking Cinderella story up in here. Only, it’s high school. So there aren’t any happy endings. (Just beginnings.)
Shy girls don’t yarn-bomb the school fence at dawn, and they definitely don’t skip school to hang out with Patrick Hayes—student council president, football vice-captain (and president of his own fan club).
But then, best friends don’t usually resort to blackmail.
Fifteen-year-old Mabs is the shadow to Olivia’s sun. That’s how it’s always been. But when Olivia goes on a semester-long exchange to France, Mabs can no longer hide behind her best friend.
When a letter arrives, postmarked Paris, the last thing Mabs expects is blackmail. And unless she completes the enclosed list of dares by the time Olivia gets home, Olivia will send the love poem she stole from Mabs’s diary to the boy it was written about.
What’s even worse than the possibility of Rob Eno (her way too easily decipherable codename for the former object of her affections) seeing that poem, or her best friend thinking that she’s a friendless recluse who needs to be blackmailed into getting a life, is having to admit it just might be true.
After a few humiliating attempts, Mabs realises the only way she’s ever going to get the list finished in time is to enlist the help of an extrovert. Enter Patrick Hayes, her brother’s pain-in-the-neck best friend. The ultimate extrovert, he might be the only one who can help Mabs finish the list, and step out of Olivia’s shadow.
Courtney's Review
I was really excited for this novel when I read the blurb because a) I am a huge fan of Young Adult and b) it involved blackmail. Hah! The heroine's best friend is the outgoing one, so when she gets to go to Europe for a semester she decides to take matters into her own hands for getting Mabs to come out of her shell. There is a letter, a list, and a threat to reveal her deepest, darkest secret to her long time crush if she doesn't follow through with it.
Mabs is reaalllllly mad at this turn of events. She likes being a wallflower, and she doesn't feel like she needs to change. She swears off Olivia...but wouldn't luck have it that her brother's best friend Patrick finds out about the list. And when he decides to help her complete it...she agrees, even if she acts like having Olivia's brand of fun may actually kill her!
This story reads really, really, really fast. I think Goodreads lists it in at 155 pages, but I felt like the characters were fun, the premise was fun, and the entire thing just a lot of fun. You may or may not want to have nostalgia shot your way for your awkward teen years, but I enjoyed it immensely. I couldn't wait to see if she completes her tasks, or if her crush would find out about her, or if she and Patrick would continue to develop into best friends. I loved his character, and I think you will too.
The Oyster's Autobiography is fun, there is a bit of angst, there is a lot of frantic thoughts on Mabs part as she struggles through her sophomore year without her best friend, but the journey she goes on is well paced, well written, and full of secondary characters that made me smile, sad, and mad. I enjoyed it so much! Check it out.
Fourteen-year-old Bonnie MacDonald couldn't be more excited for a camping trip on an island off the coast of Thailand with her fellow Amelia Earhart Cadets-the daughters of the men and women stationed there during the Vietnam War. But when a strong current deposits the girls on what their boatman calls the "forbidden island," things take a turn for the worse: A powerful storm comes to destroy their campsite, the smallest of the junior cadets is found dead, and their boatman never returns. What once seemed like a vacation in paradise has become a battle against the elements.
Peppered with short, frantic entries from Bonnie's journal, Lost Girls is a page-turning, heart-pounding adventure story about a group of teen girls fighting for their lives. ~From GoodReads
I'll just come out and say it, I didn't like LOST GIRLS. So, to spare you and myself, I'll make this short.
I can't even give a definite reason to back that up, either, which makes me feel like a jerk. It's odd, really, since I typically love survival stories. LOST is maybe my favorite show ever, and I even loved Castaway. I think the reason I didn't like LOST GIRLS is the narrative. The entire story is told through the eyes of Bonnie, a teenage girl living in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. The story read as a "stream of consciousness" which is a hit-or-miss for me. Bonnie is by turns horrified, hysterical, numb, detached and angry. All of those reactions are understandable, but it made reading the story a chore for me. Oh, and there was a scene that was total "WTF"-ery for me. It was bizarre, surreal, and unexplained.
I will say this for LOST GIRLS, the author didn't sugar coat the story at all. The girls endured horrific circumstances, realistic dangers, and extreme brutality in their living conditions. So while this made for fairly gross scenarios, I appreciate the author made the story as realistic as possible.
LOST GIRLS just wasn't the book for me. If this had been a book that I happened to pick up, rather than received from the publisher, I wouldn't have finished it. I also kept reading because I wanted to know if the girls were rescued, and who survived. This was not due to an investment in the characters, but simple curiosity. I hate that I felt that way, since I'm usually an empathetic reader, but there you have it.
**There are a lot of readers who enjoyed LOST GIRLS. For an alternate point-of-view, check out this review I found at GoodReads. **
Favorite Quote:
"I'll start at the beginning. I remember when my journal was new and pristine, with clean white pages and a sky-blue hardback cover. Now it looks the way I feel - dirty, battered, torn, ripped, shattered, falling apart." (pg xii)
Published July 10th 2012 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
I have spent every summer since I was ten years old with my father in London. Every summer, since I was ten years old, has been uneventful and boring.
Until this year.
And this year, after a freak volcanic eruption strands me far from home, I have learned these things:
1. I can make do with one outfit for three days before I buy new clothes.
2. If I hear the phrase, “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” even one more time, I might become a homicidal maniac.
3. I am horribly and embarrassingly allergic to jellyfish.
4. I am in love with Dante Giliberti, who just happens to be the beautiful, sophisticated son of the Prime Minister of a Mediterranean paradise.
5. See number four above. Because it brings with it a whole slew of problems and I’ve learned something from every one of them.
Let’s start with the fact that Dante’s world is five light-years away from mine. He goes to black-tie functions and knows the Prime Minister of England on a first name basis. I was born and raised on a farm in Kansas and wear cut-off jeans paired with cowboy boots. See the difference?
But hearts don’t care about differences. Hearts want what they want. And mine just wants to be Dante’s girl.
My heart just might be crazy.
OhMyWord. I loved Dante's Girl!
From the moment I met Reece, I adored her, much like Dante. And really, what's not to love? Reece is as natural and realistic as they come. She was friendly, open, funny, and I honestly had no idea what she would say at any given moment. Her inner freak-outs were hysterical. Her honesty was refreshing. The girl is straight-up no BS. She'll do anything for boy she loves, but she will not play games or settle for less than what she deserves.
"He's either going to be true to me or we're not going to happen. I love him, but I deserve to be loved back." (ebook, 63%)
What a fantastic girl! I wishwe had more characters like Reece. She is truly a force to be reckoned with.
As for Dante, the object of Reece's affection. Dante isn't a Prince, but he's close enough. He's that dreamy boy we've all dreamed about (mine was Prince William), but sadly, 99.9% of us never find. He's courteous, generous, loyal. Did I mention that he's Adonis-style handsome?
" 'You're the handsomest person in the world,' I announce. 'I don't care if it's a word or not. You are it, one way or another.'" (ebook, 45%)
Dante's only flaw is trying to please those he loves, even when it makes him unhappy. I can think of worse things. Dante is determined to be with Reece. He'll go to whatever lengths it takes to make her happy. <happy sigh...>
How beautifully romantic is it to imagine being taken to a gorgeous island in the Mediterranean, amongst centuries-old architecture, olive groves, and the sea? Courtney Cole did a wonderful job of painting a gorgeous picture. The rolling hills, the winding roads, the sand... I almost felt as if I were there. It was like a mini-vacay for my brain.
Dante's Girl was such a fun, fast-paced read. It's actually the perfect story for a lazy summer afternoon. And the story, like I said, it appealed to the girl in me who always imagined being whisked a way by a Prince (or the son of a Prime Minister). But you know what else? It simply appealed to me as the lover of an awesome story. Dante's Girl was funny, it was romantic, and it was a true delight. I can't wait to read the next installment of The Paradise Diaries.
Favorite Quote:
" 'I'm sorry,' he says. 'Please don't go home. I feel like I have this chance - this chance to do what I'd really like to do with someone who I really like. I don't know how to go about it, but I'd really like for you to show me.' " (ebook, 51%)
"I rest my head against the stone tiles behind me and add more water to the huge, deep tub. And then more bubbles. Because a sad girl deserves bubbles, dang it. And my bubbles keep popping. And isn't that a great analogy for life right now? My bubbles keep getting popped.
Sigh." (ebook, 63%)
Welcom to The Bookish Babe's stop on the STREAMLINE Blog Tour. This tour is hosted by the lovely ladies at AToMR Book Tours. You can find the complete schedule here. My stop inclued a review of STREAMLINE and information about the giveaway hosted by the author.
Seems like Leo Scott has it all: looks, brains, and athletic talent. He’s captain of his high school swim team with a bright future in college and beyond. But Leo has secrets. His mother’s crippling car accident has devastated his family and left Leo to deal with his father’s abuse, battered and alone.
Leo’s girlfriend Audrey Rose is poised for her own share of success. As one of Florida’s top high school swimmers, Audrey dreams of college swimming stardom. But there’s an obstacle to her glorious rise to the top. Her number-one supporter--her father--is in prison for murder.
Part murder mystery, part tale of young love in a military family, this gripping story takes readers on a journey from Pensacola to Annapolis. Leo and Audrey must band together to rise above the adversity they encounter and find their true selves in the process. When everything’s on the line . . . streamline. ~From GoodReads
This review is so hard for me to write. To be honest, and this is a little embarrassing, I'm tearing up just thinking about it STREAMLINE. It has been enlightening and thought-provoking, to say the very least. So I'm not going to recap the synopsis. I'm not going to dissect the characters. I just want to touch on the impact of STREAMLINE.
The issues that are touched upon in the story: family, substance abuse, teen relationships, trust, honor...they were all dealt with in an amazingly realistic, unglossed manner. The thread of the story that impacted me most was that of domestic abuse. As the child of a child of abuse, my heart literally aches. The author's detail is unflinching. Not only does the story put abuse in the spotlight, but it also delves into the reasons the victim feels shame, responsiblity and sometimes can't walk away. I personally appreciate that that angle of abuse, the victim's, was delved into. Many times, when a situation becomes to painful, we look away. I couldn't look away and I appreciate that this story gave me so many insights into the mindset of the victim.
STREAMLINE is also a love story. A beautiful, sweet, and touching love story. Leo and his girlfriend, Audrey, are the kind of couple that I love to read about. They are a true match, a team. Their relationship is basically healthy, honest, and doesn't revolve around drama. They are quick to apologize and to forgive. Audrey and Leo are a couple that I'll hold close and won't soon forget.
Ultimately, STREAMLINE is a story of love and triumph. It's a story that could have tremendous impact on anyone, but especially a teen in a precarious situation. I would love to see available to every teen.To give those who are troubled hope and encouragement, to give those who encounter the troubled, empathy and understanding. I intend to recommend it to as many people as possible.
Favorite Quote:
"The bleeding was swift and sharp. It left Leo dazed on the floor, bleeding from the lip and moaning. His head pounded with each beat of his heart. As he watched his father stalk away in disgust, Leo realized the irony of his dad teaching him not to be violent by beating the crap out of him."
(ebook, 7%)
"Unencumbered by sopping clothing and unburdened of family worries, Leo felt what Audrey had tried to describe: liberated and uninhibited." (ebook, 59%)
Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do as following:
·Grab your current read
·Open to a random page ·Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page ·Be careful not to include any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others.
Make sure to share the title and the author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR piles.
This week's Teaser is from
Sixteen-year-old Macy Queen is looking forward to a long, boring summer. Her boyfriend is going away. She's stuck with a dull-as-dishwater job at the library. And she'll spend all of her free time studying for the SATs or grieving silently with her mother over her father's recent unexpected death. But everything changes when Macy is corralled into helping out at one of her mother's open house events, and she meets the chaotic Wish Catering crew. Before long, Macy joins the Wish team. She loves everything about the work and the people. But the best thing about Wish is Wes—artistic, insightful, and understanding Wes—who gets Macy to look at life in a whole new way, and really start living it.
~From GoodReads
My Teaser:
"This felt right. Not just leaving, but how I was doing it. Without regret, without second guessing. And
with Wes right there, holding the door open for me, as I walked out into the light." pg 276
I have spent so many years reading soley paranormal books. I feel so silly that this is the first of Sarah Dessen's books I've read. It, for sure, will not be the last.
