Showing posts with label Contemporary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Contemporary. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Review: The List - Siobhan Vivian


Author: Siobhan Vivian
Series: N/A
Pages: 332
Publisher: Push
Release Date: 4/1/12
ISBN-10: 0545169178

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/Book Depository

An intense look at the rules of high school attraction -- and the price that's paid for them.

It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn't matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up.

This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, "pretty" and "ugly." And it's also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection of the two.


What to say, what to say? I was surprised that I liked this book as much as I did. I was expecting some kind of superficial fluff, but what I got was a very real story about the horrors that can plague people in high school. Thankfully this isn't exactly what my high school was like thankfully, it makes you realize, hey it could have been worse. 


One of the best parts of this was we of to see and get to know each girl on the list and we got to see there friends and in some cases family's. We got a very clear look at where the girls start this story, and a clear look at there journey and there ending. We got to see how the list effected the girls close friends, and families. And trust me when I say that each of these girls went on a journey. Being on the list changed each of them.


When I finally found out who wrote the list I was kinda surprised. Although I do see how it makes sense and it gave this whole story, a rounded feel. I'm not sure there was anything here for me to complain about, this was well written, and thought out. In the end I was moved by parts f this story and I truly enjoyed this one. This book gets 5 stars from me!




Monday, March 18, 2013

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight - Jennifer Smith

Release Date: January 2, 2012
Publisher: Poppy/Little Brown
Page Length: 236 Pages
Rated: YA 14+

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/Book Depository



Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.



I saw everyone rave about this book,but still sat here saying "that just isn't for me". But I still bought it and it say on my shelf glaring at me. So when Angela from Reading Angel started her page count contest, and posted her April TBR list I formed my own list and this book made it. As I followed my list and approached this book I seriously thought about skipping over it, but I decided just to try to get thought it. Low and behold 4 pages in and I couldn't put this book down. 

Hadley reminded me a lot of myself when it came to her feelings on her father so it was easy for me to relate to her desire to be any where but where she was, doing anything but what she was about to do. As she goes on remembering things about her old life while trying to come to terms with the changes she faces I felt for her. It's not easy to have your whole world changed and at times you can feel so helpless. 

Then we meet Oliver, and the ease at which the two start talking and eat dinner together although they are perfect strangers can't help but make you smile. There banter throughout the flight and the silly things like the duck on the napkin just warm your heart. They make it all look so effortless. When the time come for them to go there separate ways at the airport my heart broke a little.

Once Hadley makes it to her fathers wedding you can again feel her reluctance, she isn't sure she belongs here, and she is just so angry at her father for so many reasons. Slowly though as you go through the ceremony, to the pictures you can see how her conversations with Oliver on the plane make her think that maybe it isn't so bad.

When Hadley realizes why Oliver is really in London she does something so fantastic yet unusual that you can't help but hope it works out for her. In the end of that I feel that I did, although it is clear that Hadley doesn't. But I think this was an important part in Hadley opening up to her father and letting him back in.

I just about balled as Hadley made peace with her father and for her new life. I was so relieved, I wanted her to be happy, and while she no longer has the traditional family she can still be happy. She let go of her anger and started to understand why her father made the choices he made. Watching them clear the air and find a place of love, happiness, and acceptance.

When Oliver made and equally as crazy move as Hadley did earlier I was so excited. The only thing missing from her happily ever after was him. I am not even sure I have the words to describe how I felt in the last few pages of this book. This was an emotional ride that I enjoyed so much. I give this book 5 huge stars, and beg anyone who hasn't read this yet to please do so.








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