Book Review: Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

Title: Bloodrose
Author: Andrea Cremer
Series: Nightshade Book #3 of 3
Publisher: Philomel
Released: January 3, 2012
Website: http://www.andreacremer.com/


Book Summary:

Calla has always welcomed war.

But now that the final battle is upon her, there's more at stake than fighting. There's saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay's wrath. There's keeping Ansel safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers' magic once and for all. And then there's deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

First off this far too adult in nature to be a young adult book in my opinion.

Skip this paragraph if you don't want a spoiler. I was extremely annoyed that after sleeping with one character Callah was then making out with the other one while in nothing but a towel and who knows how far that would have gone if they weren't interrupted. This book should have been cleaned up or marketed only to adults.

Thanks to a disgruntled reader who started her ranting review I can't believe Andrea Cremer.... I knew some of what was coming in the storyline. I debated whether to just skip the final book in this series but decided I wanted to know how the story ended. I didn't really love the ending. I was actually unsatisfied with it.

I do think the way Andrea writes is well done.  She drew me back into a story I didn't like and kept me reading to the end.  I just didn't like where she went with her story line.

Rating: 2.5 Stars - Take it or leave it

Content: Langauge, sex & violence

Source: Library

Book Review: The Anti-Prom by Abby McDonald

Title: The Anti-Prom
Author: Abby McDonald
Series: None
Publisher: Candlewick
Released: March 8, 2011
Website: http://www.abbymcdonald.com/


Book Summary:

Three unlikely allies team up for a night of rebellion, romance, and revenge in a high-stakes dramedy from acclaimed young author Abby McDonald.

They’ve spent years at the same high school without speaking a word to one another, but that’s all about to change. Popular Bliss was having the perfect prom until she found her BFF and boyfriend making out in the back of a limo. Bad girl Jolene wouldn’t be caught dead at the prom, yet here she is, trussed up in pink ruffles, risking her reputation for some guy - some guy who is forty minutes late. And shy, studious, über-planner Meg never counted on her date’s standing her up and leaving her idling in the parking lot outside the prom. Get ready for The Anti-Prom, Abby McDonald’s hilarious, heart-tugging tale about three girls and one unforgettable prom night.

Under usual circumstances this is a book I would have put down after reading the first couple of chapters, but circumstances were not normal.  This was the only audio book I had with me at work and I had a mundane task to complete so I just kept listening.  By the time work was done I was nearly half way through the book and then kept listening because I wanted to know how everything turned out.

The first half of the book was just ok, it was entertaining but I really didn't care about the characters and found it to be a little far-fetched and cheesy. However it held my interest enough to continue to the end and I did like the ending. So its rating went from a "not my kind of book" or "wouldn't recommend" to a "take it or leave it" kind of read by the end. There really isn't much more I have to say other than if it looks like something you might enjoy perhaps you should check out a few other reviews to see what others thought about it since it really wasn't my cup of tea.

Rating: 2.5 Stars - Take it or Leave it

Content: Too much for my liking. Lots of language including a couple uses of the F word, talk and descriptions of everything that goes with a stereotypical prom, after parties & frat parties.

Source: Library

Book Review: Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Title: Beauty Queens
Author: Libba Bray
Series: None
Publisher: Scholastic
Released: May 24, 2011
Website: http://libbabray.com/

Book Summary

The fifty contestants in the Miss Teen Dream pageant thought this was going to be a fun trip to the beach, where they could parade in their state-appropriate costumes and compete in front of the cameras. But sadly, their airplane had another idea, crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with little food, little water, and practically no eyeliner.

What's a beauty queen to do? Continue to practice for the talent portion of the program - or wrestle snakes to the ground? Get a perfect tan - or learn to run wild? And what should happen when the sexy pirates show up?

Welcome to the heart of non-exfoliated darkness. Your tour guide? None other than Libba Bray, the hilarious, sensational, Printz Award-winning author of A Great and Terrible Beauty and Going Bovine. The result is a novel that will make you laugh, make you think, and make you never see beauty the same way again.

First off this is only a partial review because I didn't finish this book. I only made it through the first 7 chapters of Beauty Queens.

This book is irreverent, sarcastic and laugh out-loud funny. It was great fun for an hour or two as the narrator of the audio version gives an amazing preformance.

Unfortunately I don't think I can make it through 400 pages (14 hours) of mockery, shallowness and sheer stupidity. By chapter seven the language that up until then had been bleeped out (Beauty Queens don't swear) was no longer being bleeped and it seemed like the subject matter was taking a turn. What had been funny was starting to get old and instead of laughing I was rolling my eyes.

Beauty Queens was a Best of 2011 pick by one of the Best I've Read Blogs so I gave it a try.  There are many people who love this book and I totally understand the mixed reviews. There is no denying that Libba Bray is a great writer. I really enjoyed her Gemma Doyle trilogy but 400 pages of Beauty Queens was just too much for me.

Rating: 2.5 Stars - Take it or Leave it

Content: language, lesbianism, innuendo, crude humor (after reading a few reviews my understanding is there is a lot more content in later chapters)

Source: Library

Also by Libba Bray

Book Review: Luminous by Dawn Metcalf

As reality slips and time stands still, Consuela finds herself thrust into the world of the Flow. Removed from all she loves into this shifting world overlapping our own, Consuela quickly discovers she has the power to step out of her earthly skin and cloak herself in new ones-skins made from the world around her, crafted from water, fire, air. She is joined by other teens with extraordinary abilities, bound together to safeguard a world they can affect, but where they no longer belong.
When murder threatens to undo the Flow, the Watcher charges Consuela and elusive, attractive V to stop the killer. But the psychopath who threatens her new world may also hold the only key to Consuela's way home.

I had a hard time getting into this one. Luminous was very unique and different which is a plus in a world of young adult books where all too often it is the same story told over and over again. I had no clue where this story was going which is also a plus since so many books are so predictable.

Unfortunately I never really connected with any of the characters and at times was confused with how things worked in this strange world of the Flow. Reviews seem to be split on this one and I understand why. This book is very original and creative and has some very beautiful writing but I had a hard time caring enough about the story line & characters that it took me a long time to get through this book.

If Dawn writes another book I'll likely read it because I do like the way she writes.

Content: Some language including the F word

Rating: Tough call - 2.5 Take it or leave it - There are a lot of 5 star reviews so please read one of those before you decide to forgo reading this one.

Source: ARC tour through The Teen Book Scene

Book Review: Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach

Fifteen-year-old Felton Reinstein has always been on the smallish side, but in his sophomore year he starts growing...and growing.

During gym one day he smokes the football jocks in a 600-yard race. Felton has never been interested in sports, but there's no doubt-he is "stupid fast." As he juggles his newfound athletic prowess, his mom's sudden depression, an annoying little brother, and his first love, he discovers a shocking secret about his past which explains why he's turning out the way he is.

This book has received fabulous reviews and ratings on goodreads. Seriously it currently has a 4.63 rating which is pretty hard to obtain. I'm really not sure why it wasn't a hit with me. I had the hardest time getting into this book and ended up skimming a good portion of it.

This book will likely be a hit with male readers. Although this wasn't a favorite of mine I'm sure many people will enjoy the honesty of Felton's character as he faces the challenges of growing up.



Content: language throughout

Rating: Hard to rate this one - 2.5 Stars - I didn't love it but you may.

Source: ARC Tour through The Teen Book Scene