REVIEW - Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols

TITLE: Endless Summer
AUTHOR:  Jennifer Echols
GENRE: contemporary, romance

PUBLICATION DATE: May 25th 2010

 

BLURB:

Two irresistible boys. One unforgettable summer.  Lori can’t wait for her summer at the lake. She loves wakeboarding and hanging with her friends—including the two hotties next door. With the Vader brothers, she's always been just one of the guys. Now that she’s turning sixteen, she wants to be seen as one of the girls, especially in the eyes of Sean, the older brother. But that’s not going to happen—not if the younger brother, Adam, can help it.Lori plans to make Sean jealous by spending time with Adam. Adam has plans of his own for Lori. As the air heats up, so does this love triangle. Will Lori’s romantic summer melt into one hot mess?

REVIEW:

Endless Summer consists of two parts – The Boys Next Door and Endless Summer, and it’s a quick, entertaining read. An absolute ‘must-read’ for summer!

Lori is a girl who grew up surrounded by men – her father, her brother and the boys who live next door. She’s tougher, rougher and less girly than any of her female friends. Whom she doesn’t have that many. It’s only a matter of time she falls for one of the boys next door, though. Which one will that be? Sean, the boy she believes her mother picked for her or Adam, the boy she is friends with since forever?

The characters Jennifer Echols created are extremely likable and alive. And, above all – Lori and Adam are barely sixteen years old and they act like it. I was quite tired of the books with very mature teenagers that are filling YA books nowadays. I wanted something silly but adorable, and Jennifer Echols gave me that.

Adventures that Lori and Adam are a part of are completely ridiculous. Their plans to get together or mischievous plots to outsmart their parents make you literally face-palm and laugh out loud, because – yes, because they are so adorable while doing so.

I absolutely adored Adam – he makes mistakes (many of them – he can’t probably spend five minutes without making one) but his heart is made of gold. Even though he’s the scapegoat of his older brother’s wrongdoings, the reader knows who is the real villain here. And it’s definitely not Adam.

All in all, I can recommend Endless Summer to everyone needing some entertainment, hot guys, characters that make you fall for them in a blink of an eye and teenagers that don’t have the whole world to worry about, just their tiny, serious teen problems. It was my first – and definitely not last – book by Jennifer Echols.

Overall rating:

4.5 stars out of 5

 

REVIEW - Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

 TITLE: Boy Meets Boy
AUTHOR:  David Levithan
GENRE: contemporary, lgbt
PUBLICATION DATE: May 10th 2005


BLURB:

This is the story of Paul, a sophomore at a high school like no other: The cheerleaders ride Harleys, the homecoming queen used to be a guy named Daryl (she now prefers Infinite Darlene and is also the star quarterback), and the gay-straight alliance was formed to help the straight kids learn how to dance.

When Paul meets Noah, he thinks he’s found the one his heart is made for. Until he blows it. The school bookie says the odds are 12-to-1 against him getting Noah back, but Paul’s not giving up without playing his love really loud. His best friend Joni might be drifting away, his other best friend Tony might be dealing with ultra-religious parents, and his ex-boyfriend Kyle might not be going away anytime soon, but sometimes everything needs to fall apart before it can really fit together right.

This is a happy-meaningful romantic comedy about finding love, losing love, and doing what it takes to get love back in a crazy-wonderful world.

REVIEW:

I love contemporary books so it’s quite a mystery that I survived so long without reading any of David Levithan’s books. Boy Meets Boy was my first encounter with his works and it left me… not sure if I am going to pick up his other books.

For such a short story, there’s a lot going on in Boy Meets Boy. We meet Paul and his world; his family, friends and love interest. The school Paul attends is quite unusual, his friends – even more so.

I couldn’t connect with Paul at all – he got everything too easy. His attitude was also hard to believe. I am not saying that every gay kid should have it the hard way in life – I am merely observing that Paul seemed problem-free, careless even. He kept on hurting those around him. His intentions were noble, but the way he tried to deal with things just didn’t work.

Despite that, the book was quite an entertaining read. It was quick and funny, quirky and laugh-out-loud hilarious at times. I think I liked Levithan’s way of writing dialogues the most – they felt very real. No witty comeback all the time, characters were struggling for the right answer – and that’s how it’s in real life.

All in all, this book could have been better. It deals with homosexuality, coming outs and transgenders so it should be thought-provoking, at least in my opinion. It wasn’t moralistic nor did it try to teach us a lesson, for which I am glad. But still, I wanted to feel more for the characters.

Overall rating:

3 stars out of 5

 

REVIEW #21 - Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

 TITLE: Looking for Alibrandi
AUTHOR: Melina Marchetta
GENRE: contemporary
PUBLICATION DATE: Dec 18th 2007

SOURCE: library

BLURB:

For as long as Josephine Alibrandi can remember, it’s just been her, her mom, and her grandmother. Now it’s her final year at a wealthy Catholic high school. The nuns couldn’t be any stricter—but that doesn’t seem to stop all kinds of men from coming into her life.

Caught between the old-world values of her Italian grandmother, the nononsense wisdom of her mom, and the boys who continue to mystify her, Josephine is on the ride of her life. This will be the year she falls in love, the year she discovers the secrets of her family’s past—and the year she sets herself free.

Told with unmatched depth and humor, this novel—which swept the pool of Australian literary awards and became a major motion picture—is one to laugh through and cry with, to cherish and remember.

REVIEW:

Originally published in Australia in 1992, Looking for Alibrandi is Melina Marchetta's debut novel. It's my first book by this author and I can tell you one thing - she's lived up to my expectations. All the praises are fully deserved, as Melina Marchetta skillfully navigates between smaller story of just one family and a larger, global problem of cultural, ethnic and generational differences.

The plot revolves around Josephine Aribaldi, 17 year old Australian girl with Italian roots, raised by his single mother. As she uncovers the story of her mother and grandmother, their secrets and life aspirations, she discovers not only a deep bound connecting the three woman but she finally realizes who she really is.

It's a great coming-of-age book, with great both main and secondary characters. Josie is lost and still searching for what she really wants from life, but readers can tell she's on the right track. I liked her especially for her fierce attitude and the fact she wasn't afraid of speaking her own mind.

What I also liked was that there were big declarations, conversations about love and marriage, but it ended just like almost every teenage crush ends. 

You won't find epic car chases and epic fights in Looking for Alibrandi. You won't find sugar-coated half truths. But if you're looking for a smart, deep book that deals with a lot of problems of teenage girl who is different but wants to fit - this book is definitely for you.

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

REVIEW #17 - Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

 

TITLE: Catching Jordan
AUTHOR: Miranda Kenneally
GENRE: contemporary
PUBLICATION DATE: Dec 1st 2011

SYNOPSIS:

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.

I have a confession to make.

I'm European and yet I love American football. I'm not crazy about it and I know next to nothing about it, but I love movies and tv shows about it. Yes, I am a Friday Night Lights fan, how did you guess? You can't blame me for loving Garrett Hedlund in the movie and Taylor Kitsch in the tv show though.

That was the reason I've always wanted to read Catching Jordan, even if the synopsis didn't appeal to me all that much. I read it and I don't regret it. All the rave reviews the book is getting - totally deserved!

What I loved the most in this book were the characters and their relationships. Jordan is a great main character - very unique in her aspirations and tomboy attitude. Many books these days display a female main character that is supposed to a) be a tomboy b) go through a metamorphosis. While Jordan is definitely a), there's no b) and I loved it so much. And her being a tomboy is totally different than girls in the other YA books, where the girl wears sneakers and old jeans and doesn't wear make up and suddenly she's such a tomboy. You can tell this annoys me a lot. But Jordan is a tomboy with her whole being. She hangs out with guys, she thinks a lot of things that girls do are weird/disgusting/silly. Of course, deep down, she just needs a girlfriend to talk to, but it's like her hidden identity. 

Other characters were just as lovely - I don't think anyone could hate Sam Henry, even if he had some flaws. I liked Jordan's family, her friends (especially Carter, but JJ was awesome too). As for the romance - I didn't expect that. I really didn't, which proves I'm as dense as Jordan. ;) For a while I hated what was happening in the book BUT after some time I realized it's more like real life than anything. Small complications that lead to a bigger thing. And that not always we're supposed to stay with the same person, because he or she is not right for us. I liked it.

What I didn't like was that Jordan was very quick to judge. I know the cheerleader stereotype is alive and well in the US (and as a consequence, all over the world), but does that mean that every cheerleader is bitchy and/or stupid? Come on. I'm glad there were characters like Marie and Carrie, who dulled my disgust a bit, showing that cheerleaders can be fun characters as well.

To be honest, I wouldn't mind reading a book about cheerleaders. Their practices, contests, joys and hard times. It could be quite a good book!

This book is hilarious, it's witty, it's fun. I usually read on the bus, so passengers were a little shocked to witness my snickering and giggling when I did so.

Overall, it's a fun, quick read that a lot of you will enjoy. It's not necessarily deep nor makes you think, but it's good to read something light and funny from time to time, right?

Overall rating:

4 out of 5 stars.

REVIEW #12 - Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

TITLE: Lola and the Boy Next Door

AUTHOR: Stephanie Perkins

GENRE: contemporary, romance

PUBLICATION DATE: Sept 29th 2011

SYNOPSIS:

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:

First thoughts
ST. CLAIR!!! Oh God, that is so not what I wanted to say. But... St. Clair!
I rushed to read this book as soon as I finished nna and the French Kiss and I heard that certain characters will be making appearance there. ;)

Cover

Again, not really my type. I like this cover a lot less than the Anna and the French Kiss cover too. 

Plot

It's a bit like a role-reversal in Lola's case, compared to Anna.The story is heartwarming and full of funny situations too, but this time it's the girl that is taken and, dare I say? She is kind of the bad guy here. I loved watching here grow enough to come to a serious decision about her relationship(s).
The romance was cute (as always in Stephanie Perkins' books, it seems!) and it was such a quick and enjoyable read I haven't even noticed when I finished it!

Characters

First of all, let me tell you: THERE'S ST. CLAIR. And Anna. But. St. Clair is here! And I might have melted a bit when he and Cricket became buddies. The image in my head was so cute I almost swooned in real life!
Now, the main characters.
Lola is a very complex character and while I enjoyed reading about her, I couldn't pin for her as much I did for Anna. I don't know if it was caused by the fact I'm closer to Anna (personality-wise) or that she felt more mature than Lola? Still, Lola is a colorful and likable character who's not without flaws.
Cricket! Let's stop here for a second and look at the twins' names. Cricket (Graham) Bell and Calliope Bell. Oh my. I usually roll my eyes at very extraordinary names, but in that case, they really fit!
So Cricket is this nice guy next door, and I think it's actually my favorite kind of a guy. I liked everything about him - his looks, the little details like the rubber bands and his hair sticking up, his insecurity, living in the shadow of his sister or how upset he was once he learned the truth about Alexander Graham Bell.
But my two favorite characters from the book? Andy and Nathan, Lola's dads. They were amazing. Not stereotypical (I snorted when Andy said at one point "I'm trying very hard not to use the word fabulous", which was awesome in the context) and utterly lovable. Both rather strict and both loving Lola very, very much. I think it was impossible not to love them - they were the "spine" in Lola's life and I'm glad she had them.

Writing

I think Stephanie Perkins restored my love for contemporary books. Flooded by dystopian novels, I've completely forgotten that I do, in fact, love normal teenage romances too. ;)

Overall

Loved it.Not as much as Anna, because I couldn't relate to the characters as much as I did in Anna's case. But still, it's an amazing, fun read I would recommend to everyone!

Rating

4.5 stars out of 5.

REVIEW #10 - Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

TITLE: Anna and the French Kiss

AUTHOR: Stephanie Perkins

GENRE: contemporary, romance

PUBLICATION DATE: Dec 2nd 2010

SYNOPSIS:

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.
As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

REVIEW:

First thoughts:
I just hope there's my own St. Clair waiting for me somewhere you guys!

Cover

Not really my type, but it's cute enough so it fits the story!

Plot

Thrown a bit out of my safe zone (I am majorly fond of dystopian novels), I plunged into the story. I rarely read contemporary YA and after two awesome reads (this one and The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky) I've come to a decision: I NEED TO READ MORE OF THEM.
Anna and the French Kiss is just what everyone says about it: adorable (but not over the top adorable), full of humor (but not exaggerated one) and it feels as if I were reading about myself and my friends!

Characters

I love what Stephanie Perkins did with her characters - she wrote them SO well, even the cliché ones. First things first - Anna is an absolutely lovely character. She makes mistakes, but they're not infuriating, dumb ones. She's just human. Although I totally screamed "OH NO!" aloud when she did what she did in the later part of the book.
Do I really have to talk about St. Clair? HE WAS SO PERFECT. And I don't use capslock that often, ok. Sure, he had flaws. Annoying ones, sometimes. Painfully, he reminded me of some in real life boy situations. ;) But even so, I loved St. Clair.
What I enjoyed was the fact that every character that appeared in the book seemed very alive, from Anna's friends like Mer, Bridge, Rashmi or Josh to St. Clair's dad.

I found Anna's father hilarious, by the way.

Writing

First person POV, through Anna's eyes. The writing is excellent and familiar in that friendly, comfortable way. It makes you laugh on one page and scream at the character (be it from frustration or glee) on another!

Overall

Loved, loved, loved it! I can't wait to read "Lola and the Boy Next Door", it sounds just as fantastic as Anna. I recommend this book to fans of contemporary books and not only. Even such a dystopian die-hard fan like me could enjoy it so much!

Rating

5 stars out of 5.

(I won the copy of this book at Paperback Treasures blogoversary giveaway. Thank you so much, Hannah!)