Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott

Title: Something, Maybe

Author: Elizabeth Scott

Summary:

I wonder what it would be like to do high school things. To go out on the weekends. To kiss a guy. To have a normal life. A real one.

Everyone thinks their parents are embarrassing, but Hannah knows she's got them all beat. Her dad made a fortune showcasing photos of pretty girls and his party lifestyle all over the Internet, and her mom was once one of her dad's girlfriends and is now the star of her own website. After getting the wrong kind of attention for way too long, Hannah has mastered the art of staying under the radar...and that's just how she likes it.

Of course, that doesn't help her get noticed by her crush. Hannah's sure that gorgeous, sensitive Josh is her soul mate. But trying to get him to notice her; wondering why she suddenly can't stop thinking about another guy, Finn; and dealing with her parents make Hannah feel like she's going crazy. Yet she's determined to make things work out the way she wants -- only what she wants may not be what she needs....

Once again, Elizabeth Scott has created a world so painfully funny and a cast of characters so heartbreakingly real that you'll love being a part of it from unexpected start to triumphant finish.

Rating: 4.5/5

Review:

As a huge fan of Elizabeth Scott, this novel exceeded my expectations in most ways, but in one way I was really disappointed.

First, the good. All of Elizabeth Scott's books are fantastic. Of course this was no exception. Once again I enjoyed her funny and relatable characters, and her true-to-life situations that are more than easy to get sucked into.

Judging by that alone, I loved it.

Here's the real downfall: apart from Living Dead Girl, all of her books are exactly the same. Obviously they all have different characters, plot, etc. But as far as writing style and depth, they're all the same. Fantastic? Yes! But strikingly similar? Yep. The good thing is that when I start reading Elizabeth Scott I always know I will get a book I love and enjoy. But that is also the downfall. When will she start showing growth and variety? Living Dead Girl was good, if not downright amazing. That was a good first step, but now I'm looking for more range.

However, that didn't stop me from completely devouring Something, Maybe... and absolutely loving every second of it.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Title: The Adoration of Jenna Fox

Author: Mary E. Pearson

Summary:

Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a coma, they tell her, and she is still recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn't remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers?

This fascinating novel represents a stunning new direction for acclaimed author Mary Pearson. Set in a near future America, it takes readers on an unforgettable journey through questions of bio-medical ethics and the nature of humanity. Mary Pearson's vividly drawn characters and masterful writing soar to a new level of sophistication.

Rating: 3/5

Review:

Futuristic fiction is slowly but surely becoming one of my favorite genres, especially in ya literature. And while I can say that The Adoration of Jenna Fox didn't come close to the spectacular wonderful-ness of other books in this genre (Skinned, Uglies, The Hunger Games... just to name a few of my favorites) it still had it's good qualities.

One thing I loved about it was the characters. They were all entirely believable, and the best part- they each where their own. Everyone had different thoughts, beliefs, attitudes... it was such a wide range and the different characters really moved the story along nicely.

Another thing I'd like to address is the setting. I don't know what year this takes place in; it could be ten years or fifty. I love that this book is so obviously set in the future, but it is still so very close to present-day. It gives the story more of a sense of urgency, which makes it easier to take this book seriously. In the not so distant future, this could be a huge issue-- which is why there's more substance, and it's not just a book to entertain.

Now, onto my problem, and the reason this book didn't have as big an impact on me as it should have-- the language. I think the author wrote this book beautifully, but the problem is that it seems so overdone. Things were too far expanded when I believe the reader could have formed their own conclusions. At times it felt much too wordy and confusing, and that's what I believe made this novel somewhat less of what it could be.

Graceling by Kristen Cashore

Title: Graceling

Author: Kristen Cashore

Summary:
Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight--she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug.
When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po's friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace--or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

Rating: 3.5

Review:
I didn't really have any specific expectations when I started reading this book, but I had heard that it was good.

I'm really glad that I took the time to read it. While it's not the greatest fantasy I've ever read, it still had a magical quality about it that made it impossible to put down.

The book had it's problems, though, in my opinion. I wasn't a huge fan of how the plot progressed; in the beginning it seems that the story will go in one direction, but it ended up going in another direction completely. And while I loved the relationship between Po and Katsa, I didn't feel that the relationship was portrayed in a wholly believeable manner... something about it just felt forced.

Overall, however, I would definitely recommend it. It's fast-paced and I really enjoyed reading about such an interesting and unique character and story.

I think I've figured it out

I am determined to post some new reviews. It bugs me that I have none, because there are thoughts I want to share and I have no way to share them.

What I've been doing lately is keeping a review binder, where I hand-write my reviews. This is so much easier for me because it means that I can take my binder to a place that has internet access (the library, my friend's house, etc) and just type up my reviews. I don't have to worry about getting a flash drive to save them on, or anything like that.

So sometime in the near future (tomorrow? possibly) I will have a review posted. Or two. It depends on how much time I have.

It's not much... but it's something!

<3 Chelsie