Cinderella Society review

Cinderella Society

Kay Cassidy

336 pages

Category: YA/romance

Source: Purchased/own

Rating:

Challenges: YA, Chick lit, 100+, Debut Authors

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Jess Parker survives by staying invisible. After nine schools in ten years, she's come to terms with life as a perpetual new girl, neither popular nor outcast. At Mt. Sterling High, Jess gets the chance of a lifetime: an invitation to join The Cinderella Society, a secret club of the most popular girls in school, where makeovers are the first order of official business. But there's more to being a Cindy than just reinventing yourself from the outside, a concept lost on Jess as she dives tiara-first into creating a hot new look.

With a date with her popular crush and a chance to finally fit in, Jess's life seems to be a perfect fairy tale. That is until the Wickeds—led by Jess's archenemy—begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers her new sisterhood is about much more than who rules Mt. Sterling High School. It's a centuries-old battle of good vs. evil, and the Cindys need Jess on special assignment. But when the mission threatens to destroy her new dream life, Jess is forced to choose between this dream realized and honoring the Sisterhood. What's a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn't want to wear it anymore?

Review:

I had read soooo many really great reviews of this book that I thought that I would check it out as well. Though I didn't absolutely HATE the book, I didn't absolutely LOVE the book either. I guess some parts of it cut a little bit to close to home. But anyways, that's neither here nor there.

Writing wise I thought that Kay did a pretty good job of writing from the mind of a teenager. Jess is "the new kid" and is being bullied by her secret crushes sister. Which leads to an invitation to join the secret Cinderella Society, which in the beginning Jess is skeptical about. Because she feels it is an elaborate prank against her by her nemesis, but then she starts to really enjoy it UNTIL she is asked to gather info about a Reggie (regular kids) that she's tried to befriend in the past and is basically told that you can't "save" everyone. That's the point where Jess starts to resent being a member of the society.

Lexy is Jess's nemesis and is REALLY good at it. There was a very traumatic event that happened in her life that caused her to go from a "good girl" to a "wicked girl" that I'm not going to give away. Lexy's whole goal in life is to make Jess and a select few others lives miserable and for a while she succeeds in spades. Then Jess grows a backbone and decides not to take it anymore.

All the while Jess has a super huge crush on Lexy's older brother Ryan. And the feeling is mutual. Ryan is a pretty complex guy. At first you think he's just your typical high school jock (AKA...A Jerk) but then you get to the mini golf date and you realize that there is oh so much more to him than that.

I guess my only faults with the book are that Lexy is written with basically NO redeeming qualities and Jess is written in almost a "it's all about me" sort of fashion....You know typical TEEN mentality. Like I said earlier I liked the way that Kay was able to write from the teen perspective, I just didn't particularly care for the way that the two main characters were written. I thought that the supporting characters were written very well though.

Even though I am middle of the road on this book I totally would recommend reading it. A LOT of people have enjoyed it A LOT. Here are what others are saying about Cinderella Society:

The Compulsive Reader
The Page Turners
Chick Lit Teens
Bookworming in the 21st Century
The Book Cellar

Rules of Attraction review

Rules of Attraction

Simone Elkeles

336 pages

Avaliable April 13, 2010

Rating:

Challenges: YA, Chick Lit, 100+

Synopsis:

Carlos Fuentes doesn't want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him in Boulder, Colorado. He wants to keep living on the edge, and carve his own path?just like Alex did. Unfortunately, his ties to a Mexican gang aren't easy to break, and he soon finds himself being set up by a drug lord.

When Alex arranges for Carlos to live with his former professor and his family to keep him from being sent to jail, Carlos feels completely out of place. He's even more thrown by his strong feelings for the professor's daughter, Kiara, who is nothing like the girls he's usually drawn to. But Carlos and Kiara soon discover that in matters of the heart, the rules of attraction overpower the social differences that conspire to keep them apart.

As the danger grows for Carlos, he's shocked to discover that it's this seemingly All-American family who can save him. But is he willing to endanger their safety for a chance at the kind of life he's never even dreamed possible?

Review:

I was visiting one of my favorite book webpages recently and they had posted about an opportunity to win one of 20 advance copies of Rules of Attraction. This book was at the TOP of my I MUST HAVE list so I filled out the form, I actually didn't think I'd win, but I was pleasantly surprised when I checked my mailbox last Thursday and found a copy. Maybe my luck is changing?!

I had a very hard time putting this book down. I had read Perfect Chemistry not all that long ago and I LOVED Alex and Brittany's story, so I was really excited to read about Carlos and Kiara. Like with Perfect Chemistry I was NOT disappointed. Think West Side Story only with a happy ending.

Carlos plays the part of a bad ass real well. Though there are times when his "softer" side shows. You really start looking forward to seeing the "softer" side even though they are far and few between....cause believe me he's pretty much in bad ass a good chunk of the book. Then he meets his match in a little goody two shoes named Kiara. Oh how the "mighty" have fallen!

Kiara is as I just said above a little goody two shoes. She's never cut class, she's never done this, she's never done that. But she has a quirk....She stutter's and as a result has been picked on because of it. She's into cars, preferably VINTAGE. She volunteers to be Carlos' peer guide and this is were an unoffical WWIII starts. Pranks, trash talk you name it it happens.

Then Carlos get's himself into a little bit of trouble and comes and lives with Kiara and her family and things start to change. Yup. A little bit predicatable but I still love it!

In the end good prevails over evil and everyone lives happily ever after...Until book three....which I can hardly wait for.

A Match Made in High School review

A Match Made In High School
Kristin Walker
278 pages


Ratings:






Synopsis:

When the principal announces that every senior must participate in a mandatory year-long Marriage Education program, Fiona Sheehan believes that her life can't get any worse. That's until she marries her "husband": jerky jock Todd, whose cheerleader girlfriend, Amanda, has had it in for Fiona since day one of second grade. Even worse? Amanda is paired with Fiona's long-term crush, Gabe. At least Fiona is doing better than her best friend, Marcie, who is paired up with the very quiet, very dorky, very big Johnny Mercer.


Pranks, fights, misunderstandings, and reconciliations ensue in an almost Shakespearean comedy of errors about mistaken first impressions, convoluted coupling, and hidden crushes.

Review:


There is a reason this book got 5 boots out of 5 boots....It's FREAKING AMAZING! Not only is the plot one that I've never read before....a MANDATORY marriage education program....the humor is pretty dang AWESOME too! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! I'm actually writing this review on 4 hours of sleep...and once I post this I'm gonna go get some more that's for sure! I picked this book up because all the ARC reviews I had read on it said pretty much the same thing....."Read this book! Awesome and totally hilarious!" Again, I'm jumping on the bandwagon and saying READ THIS BOOK! IT'S AWESOME AND TOTALLY HILARIOUS!


Here's a small passage, just to showcase a little bit of the humor:


"I could tell Maggie Klein realized the problem at the last second, because she made this squeaky inhalation. But it was too late. Zoe fell backward into the trembling arms of Izzy McCully, and continued falling with him beneath her. They thudded to the floor, and all that could be seen of Izzy were his spindly arms and legs flailing from Zoe's sides, making her look like a Hindu goddess on her back."


When we first meet Fiona she is in love with Gabe. But Gabe doesn't even know she's alive. Marcie is Fiona's best friend who has been helping her with her "Gabe craze" for a VERY LONG time. On the first day of senior year, the boom is dropped....They find out that the entire senior class must participate in a mandatory marriage education program for the whole year and will be randomly paired up with a partner. Of course Fiona has been having some pretty crappy luck and ends up being paired with uber-jock Todd Harding....One of the few people that Fiona can't stand! Marcie get's Johnny Mercer who is a bigger guy, quiet with a secret crush on one of the characters. And Gabe? Well Gabe get's paired up with Amanda (uber-jerk...I mean jock Todd's girlfriend).


From the first time Todd and Fiona converse in the book you can tell that they pretty much hate each other. The pranks and name calling start and the surprises start happening. Some of the surprises you expect, which I think actually helped the story in my opinion. Some were not so expected....Which made it all that much more fun and funny, for me anyway. So for real....If you haven't read this book yet....DO! NOW! YOU WON'T BE SORRY!


What we're really thinking:


Jamie - I LOVED this book! I haven't laughed that hard or that often in a pretty long time!

Gus - I'm glad you enjoyed , but you kept waking me up! The upside....LOTS of cuddle time!

Laci - I'm with Gus on this one!

For Keeps review

For Keeps
Natasha Friend
272 pages
Available: April 6, 2010
Rating: 3/5

Source: Around The World Tours

Synopsis:

For sixteen years, Josie Gardner and her mom, Kate, have been a team. It’s been the Gardner Girls against the world, and that’s how Josie likes it. Until one day, in the pet food aisle of Shop-Co, they run into the parents of Paul Tucci, Kate’s high school boyfriend—the father Josie has never met. If Mr. and Mrs. Tucci are back in town, it’s only a matter of time until Paul shows up. Suddenly Josie’s mature, capable mother regresses to the heartbroken teenager she was when Paul moved away. Meanwhile, Josie’s on the verge of having her first real boyfriend, while her free-loving best friend, Liv, begins yet another no-strings-attached fling. When Josie learns some surprising truths about Paul Tucci, she finds herself questioning what she’s always believed about her parents—and about herself. In FOR KEEPS, Natasha Friend tells a fresh, funny, smart story about what happens when a girl gets the guy she always wanted and the dad she never knew she needed.

Review:

I got this book Monday afternoon in the mail and sat down and devoured it on Tuesday. I honestly don't know how I feel about this book. I sort of felt that it was a little bit predictable (but in a good way...if that makes sense)....Mom had a baby as a teen, baby is now 16 and has yet to meet her dad, dad's parents move back to town (only a matter of time until dad shows up), mom freaks. Bring on the chaos!

Overall, I liked the characters...but the one that kind of wore me the wrong way a little bit was Liv. Every girl needs her BFF but I think Liv was a little bit overboard (for my taste anyway.) In the beginning it was ok but as the story went along it kind of got old. Loved Josie's relationship with her mom! Even in the "rough" moments. Writing wise...I didn't particularly like the way Josie and Rigg's relationship was written....it made Josie look like Riggs was more important than her mom. I also didn't care for how everytime Rigg's does something wrong she's mad at him for hardly no time at all and then just up a forgives him. But on a postive note....The book (characters and all) is written in a manner to keep the book very "real."

So overall, I didn't dislike the book but I didn't LOVE it either. I think that it was very "real" fiction.

What I really thought:

The Beginning: Wow those two really ARE close!

The Middle: LIV YOUR DRIVING ME CRAZY! I'm NOT enjoying Josie and Rigg's relationship AT ALL!

The End: I'm pretty sure I've seen this in TV show form somewhere?

Fat Cat review

Fat Cat
Robin Brande
336 pages
Rating: 3/5
Source: Purchased with my own money
Challenges:
Synopsis: (from Barnes and Noble)
You are what you eat. . . .Cat smart, sassy, and funny—but thin, she’s not. Until her class science project. That’s when she winds up doing an experiment—on herself. Before she knows it, Cat is living—and eating—like the hominids, our earliest human ancestors. True, no chips or TV is a bummer and no car is a pain, but healthful eating and walking everywhere do have their benefits. As the pounds drop off, the guys pile on. All this newfound male attention is enough to drive a girl crazy! If only she weren’t too busy hating Matt McKinney to notice. . . .This funny and thoughtful novel explores how girls feel about their bodies, and the ways they can best take care of their most precious resource: themselves.
Review: I just got done reading this one a couple days ago. I was very surprised at how accurate the author was....writing from a teens perspective and all. Cat is an overweight teen, who until she is assigned to do a crazy science project that takes up 7 MONTHS of her life, doesn't feel the need to change. During the course of her science project Cat takes to living like our very earliest human ancestors....That means NO chips, TV, junk food (if the Hominids didn't have it neither did Cat, with a few safety exceptions though) and walking pretty much everywhere. As Cat gives up pretty much all of the unhealthy habits of today's teens the pounds start dropping and the guys start to pile up. The only downside is that Cat is to busy hating her former best friend Matt McKinney.
I enjoyed the book a lot but I thought that Cat's "hatred" for Matt kind of got old as the story went on. Sure he did something that hate-worthy but at the same time Cat spent 4 YEARS dwelling on it. I did like how the author took something as mundane as a science project and turned it into something that actually makes you think twice about that Twinkie. I thought that certain aspects of the ending were a little bit predictable but it was still a good ending. I do like a story with a happy ending!
What I really was thinking:
The Beginning: I have no idea how she's going to pull off this science experiment. I wonder why she hates Matt so much?
The Middle: Really re-thinking those Hershey Kisses. Now that I know why she's mad at Matt I wish she would just get over it!
The End: I could totally see parts of this ending coming. The rest of it totally out of left field!

Perfect Chemistry review

Perfect Chemistry

Simone Elkeles

368 pages

Rating: 4.75/5

Source: Purchased off of bookcloseouts.com
Challenges: 2010 YA Challenge, 144 Books in 2010, 100+ Challenge, 10 in ‘10 Chicklit Challenge, 2010 Once Upon A Time Challenge

Synopsis: from Barnes and NobleA fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers. When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she’s worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

Review: I had heard so many AWESOME things about this book all over the book blogging community that I felt that I needed to read this book in order to determine if it lived up to all the AWESOME things that I had read about it. Needless to say, I am pleased to report that it most definately did. While I was reading Perfect Chemistry I almost automatically thought of it as a retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet only with a happier ending. I really loved the characters…You felt for them both. Both of their lives are basically one big lie to keep themselves from being too vulnerable, but the scary part for both of them is that they both see right through each other. The story itself was pretty great….once I got started reading the book I soooo did NOT want to put it down. I really liked that the story was told from each character’s point of view so you always knew what the characters were thinking. Overall, I most definately have found a new author to add to my list of favorite authors!

The 10 in '10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge

(Information borrowed from Chick Lit Teen’s blog):
Co-hosted by teen book blogger Jessica (www.chicklitteens.com) and YA author Kay Cassidy (www.kaycassidy.com), the 10 in ‘10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge is your chance to read some fabulous teen chick lit books with other chick lit fans. The challenge runs from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010. Here’s how to participate:
1) Grab the official 10 in ‘10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge logo above and put it on your site with a link back to this page to let people know you’re playing.
2) Choose 10 teen chick lit books to read in 2010. Or select the ones you know you want to read and leave the rest of your list open to see what comes your way in 2010. (We’ll be talking about the great teen chick lit books we’ve read each month, so you may find some new ones that catch your eye!)
3) Click on the Mr. Linky button below to share your list if you’ve posted it on your blog. If you don’t have a blog, simply comment below with your choice of books and let us know you’re in like Flynn.
4) Each month, Jessica and Kay will alternate hosting the official check-in post where you can share the books you’ve read for the challenge. And be sure to let us know what you thought of them!

Oh, and did we mention PRIZES???
We know you’ve got a ton of books in your TBR pile. To make it even more fun to read the teen chick lit ones, we’ll be doing fun, impromptu giveaways throughout the year for participating challengers who check in with their progress!
And, of course, we need to have an awesome grand prize you can drool over, right? For challengers who read 10+ teen chick lit books during 2010 and let us know on our monthly check-in posts, we’ll be putting them in a drawing for a fabulous prize basket filled with great chick lit books, cool swag, and even some DVDs! Watch the monthly check-in posts for super secret peeks at the grand prize package.
And even more cool chick lit stuff…
We love all things chick lit, so we want this to be more than just a reading challenge. We want it to be a challenge where readers can come to talk about the chick lit books they’re reading and loving and get to know some terrific chick lit authors too. So…
In addition to the monthly check-ins, we’ll also be featuring exclusive chats throughout the year with some of your favorite chick lit authors! Stay tuned to the monthly check-ins for more details about how to get involved in the chats and to see who’s coming on board.
And now it’s your turn!
Are you ready to join the fun? Excellent! Then grab the logo, share your 10 in ‘10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge reading list, and gear up for a fabulous 2010!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I know if a book is “chick lit”?
A: If you think it is, it is! There’s no standard definition for chick lit, and we definitely don’t want to be the chick lit police. So we’re leaving it up to each challenger to decide if a book qualifies for the challenge. If you’re looking for examples to guide you, books like Meg Cabot’s The Princess Diaries series, Jen Calonita’s Secrets of My Hollywood Life series, and Tera Lynn Childs’ Oh. My. Gods. series are all great examples of teen chick lit.

Q: What if I don’t have a book blog?
A: No worries at all. Simply share your progress in the comments on the monthly check-in posts on Jessica and Kay’s blogs. Better yet, share your thoughts in places like Goodreads, Shelfari, Amazon, and BarnesandNoble.com too. Let your voice be heard!

Q: What’s the deal with the chats? Are these real-time chats or interviews on the blog?
A: Real-time chats. Our guest authors will be joining us on Chatzy at a scheduled time to chat about all things chick lit (including their books). It’s a fun, informal chat that will be open to all. We’ll be sharing the schedules in the monthly check-in posts, so keep your eye on them for more details coming soon.

Q: I LOVE teen chick lit. Can I read more than 10?
A: Absolutely! 10 is the minimum number of books needed to be eligible for the grand prize drawing, but you can read as many teen chick lit books as your heart desires and check in with them all. The more, the merrier!

Happy reading!
Jessica and Kay

My List:

1. Perfect Chemistry – Simone Elkeles
2. A Match Made In High School - Kristin Walker
3. Cinderella Society
4. Rules of Attraction
5. Sing Me To Sleep
6. Fat Cat
7. The Secret Year