Review: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

ISBN: 9780385730587
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Release Date: September, 2001
Series: The Sisterhood, #1
Page Count: 294 pages

BOOK BLURB:
 "Once there was a pair of pants. Just an ordinary pair of jeans. But these pants, the Traveling Pants, went on to do great things. This is the story of the four friends - Lena, Tibby, Bridget and Carmen - who made it possible."

REVIEW:

What I liked:

• Very easy read. Short, well written and interesting. Easy to get into and get through.
• A very honest portrayal of the characters as human beings, as teenage girls. Often, main characters are GOOD, with a few minor blips along the way. This book showed imprefect girls (like in real life) and their mistakes and what they learned from them.
• Connected to each story, found myself crying through out some of the scenes or laughing out loud while reading in public.
• Each character was distinct, I always knew which point of view I was reading from.
• Just a great feel good, girly book. That's not always my favorite kind of book but its good to  have one every once in a while!

 What I didn't like:

• Being told from four points of view, I wish each part throughout the book was longer than a page. Sometimes it was hard to just jump from PoV to PoV from page to page.
• Carmen was just an awful character. I felt sorry for her but she was just a pain in the ass, borderline BAD kid. She was manipulative and rude and dishonest. I know this isnt a flaw of the book - this is obviously what the author intended - I just DIDNT like this character.
• The ending was sort of unexpected and anticlimactic. I expected more I guess. I was getting closer and closer to the end and started thinking - ok, when is it going to start to wrap up?

   
   SUMMARY:

It occurs to me that I was 12 years old when this book was released. And here I am, 23 1/2 years old FINALLY getting around to it. I was already fond of this story going into it, having seen the movies and having read the 4th book (I know, randomly out of place), so it was clear that I was going to like this one. I really enjoyed it, minus some minor hitches throughout, such as the sucky character Carmen that I wanted to slap and tell to grow up! At least she knew she was being a brat. Anyway, I liked this one and I'm surprised because I generally... okay, NEVER read contemporary YA, or chick lit or whatever you want to classify this. I guess I've realized that the disdain I had for contemporary was unfounded and I can definitely start giving more of it a try.

   RATING: ★★★★

I liked this one a lot and would recommend it to anyone who likes YA, contemporary, chick lit, or just saw these movies and enjoyed them. They are cute and fun and enlightening and address difficult subjects in an easy way.

Have any of you read this or at least seen the movies? Do you agree or disagree with the point I've made? Love hearing from you guys!

A.

Review: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

ISBN: 9780373210268
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release date: April, 2011
Series: The Goddess Test Series #1
Page count: 304 pages

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS:

"It's always been just Kate and her mom - and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear that her mother won't live past the fall.
Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld - and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.
Kate is sure he's crazy - until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride and a goddess.

If she fails..."

REVIEW:

     WHAT I LIKED:

• This book gripped me emotionally within the first 10 pages and I was hooked.
• Carter's writing is beautiful. I read a few reviews on this one saying her writing was elementary and too simple. I thought it was more along the lines of straightforward and I connected very well with the story.
• I liked that though Kate was "broken", she was the stronger one in this story - emotionally, I mean. Henry was the vulnerable and wounded one though many feared him. It's nice to see a female character who pursues a man (one that isn't a cheating, lying asshole - cause girls pursue guys all the time. Just not the right ones.)
• This book was based around Greek mythology, but I connected to the characters as separate people, as humans, not just Gods and Goddesses.
• I also saw a few reviews saying that none of the characters acted like their godly counterparts and they couldn't tell who was who. I beg to differ - I knew James, Ava, Diana and Phillip immediately, and only had to look in the back to verify or check for a few of them. Though that may be because I spent so much time researching while reading the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan.
• Henry's attitude toward Kate. I know, I know, shouldn't I hate him because I feel bad for Kate? For some reason, it seems realistic to me and that's what made me like it - not necessarily the pain or heartache between them or whatever. Do you know how many people out there spend their lives with one person while very well knowing that there was once a person they loved much more? Its sad and horrible, but I think some of you may know I dig the difficult subjects and things that tug at my heartstrings, such as not-quite-requited love.
• Unpredictable but not in a bad way. I was able to tell who was who and I wasn't so confused by the God/Goddess thing that I couldn't keep up, but there was still the element of mystery. I'm usually good at figuring out whodunit long before the book is over, but this one kept me guessing almost until the very end.

     WHAT I DIDNT LIKE:

• Kate was just all of a sudden okay with leaving her whole life behind to live with Hades, and though she recognized that it was crazy, she kind of just went along with it. It didn't seem totally realistic.
• I was confused throughout the whole book as to whether the characters that I knew to be Gods and Goddesses also knew who they were. I had a sneaking suspicion that things would end up the way they did, but it was confusing trying to figure it out throughout the book.
• I did lose a bit of my connection in a small part in the middle of the book, mainly when Kate is studying and the weeks are skipping by as she spent time with Henry. I think the book could've been a little longer and Carter could've spent more time on showing HOW Kate and Henry connected and ended up at the point they did.
• I don't like the way the book ended in that James told Kate that things would "be different" between her and Henry, James, friends, etc. I know that they get to act like Gods/Goddesses now, but I liked them as they were!
• The seven deadly sins thing - I think it was cool and clever - just weird when mixed with the whole Greek mythology thing. It almost didn't fit.
• I didn't like the concept of the Underworld in this book as compared to the "real myth" if that makes any sense. Though, in theory, I like the idea of the "real" afterlife being so open to interpretation, I like my mythology to be pretty straightforward, and I think I accepted enough deviation with the Gods/Goddesses being so different to begin with. I'm not sure why but that aspect kind of ticked me off.

SUMMARY:

I can honestly say I cried from like page 1 to page 50 consistently, and if I hadn't been sitting in front of a couple of my fiancé's co-workers when I finished this book, I would've been crying also. It gripped me right from the beginning with the impending loss of her mother and kept me hooked most of the time with her growing relationship with Henry.

I would also like to give a whopping THANK YOU to Rick Riordan, the author of the Percy Jackson series for introducing and so accurately teaching me about Greek mythology. I wouldn't have understood this book so well if I didn't know what the hell was going on, and though I may have enjoyed it more if I didn't know anything, I was pleased. I didn't like the weird changes to the Underworld as described by Henry, but I liked the story of what happened to Persephone as it was a believable continuation to what the myth says happened.

There were some things that annoyed me but I couldn't put this one down and I was rooting for Kate and Henry the whole time, hoping Kate could be the one to heal him. Damn you Persephone! All in all, this was a great read and I really want to read the next one to see what happens with Kate and Henry.


RATING: ★★★★

I enjoyed this story very much and I cant wait to read the next one. I would recommend this to any one who likes YA fiction or unique retellings of Greek mythology or any mythology at all, really. Great read!

Have any of you read this? What did you think? Do you agree or disagree with my opinion?

A.

Top Ten Tuesday - Authors on Auto-Buy

I just love Top Ten Tuesday (The Broke and the Bookish). :) Its probably my favorite feature to participate in. This week's topic is:

What authors would you have on auto-buy - that you would buy anything they've written, no questions asked?

I love this question! I dont quite know that I have 10 of them but there are actually quite a few authors I'd have on my auto buy list:

7. Stephenie Meyer - I know, I know, she is on everybody's shxt list lately, but honestly I enjoyed her writing even if Bella and Edward sucked. I adored The Host and though I havent purchased/read The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, it is on my list to read regardless, because I am a fan of Meyer

6. Marissa Meyer - Just loving Cinder so much, and I've been on the prowl for anything that has Meyer's name on it. Scarlet shall be mine, and all the short stories in between!

5. Rick Riordan - I think there is only one book of his that I dont own and thats because it is part of a series with like 50 books with a million other authors and I just do not have the time and dedication to get into that. Other than that - I will read anything he's got. Cannot wait for the fall when House of Hades comes out!

4. Suzanne Collins - I just need her to write more. After Hunger Games I am left desperate for another installment, or a new dystopian.. something. Anything, Ms. Collins, ANYTHING!!

3. Nora Roberts - I dont read much romance anymore, but anything that is written by Nora and not by her alternate personality by the pseudonym of J.D. Robb I will read. I already own most of her books, and one day I will own them all. Just love her.

2. Jodi Picoult - I own almost everything she has written, and almost all of the books that I do own, I purchased simply because she wrote them. I will read everything by her. I will!

1. J.K. Rowling - I saved the best for last. I heard some not-so-great things about The Casual Vacancy but I bought it anyway. Havent read it yet - but I will. If Rowling wrote the revised edition of the dictionary, I'd buy it. I will buy and read ANYTHING she writes from now until the end of time, because I am a loyal servant to the Queen. Okay, I know, sounds cult-ish, but its true. She is the Queen and I will always buy what she puts out there, even if the reviews arent great.

What authors are on your list? :)

A.

Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

ISBN-13: 9780316042673
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: December 2009
Page Count: 563
My Rating: ★★★


Synopsis:

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

 In-Depth Review:

I have mixed feelings about this book. Let me start by saying overall - I liked it a lot, and cant wait to read the next one. There were some low points to the book, but not enough that it took away from the story. When I was reading the review before I read this book, I saw some people nit-picking on the writing style. I'll address this by saying: WHAT?! Garcia and Stohl's writing styles are magnificent. I didnt have a single problem with their writing, detail, grammar - the editing was perfectly fine. I did have a few issues with some of the dialogue but this is something that I feel happens in every book, and doesnt bother me much.

When I started this book I decided to take notes, which ended up looking like one big run on sentence in one big running commentary. The first thing I wrote down when I started this book was why I couldnt figure out how Ethan and Lena went from passing eachother in the hall to Ethan running after her in a storm, taking her home and hanging out on the border of Ravenwood. Someone please tell me how this happens? I know they "feel like they know eachother" or whatever, but then further into the story, things get awkward and they act like they DONT know eachother that well. That was something that left me feeling a little weird while reading the story. A couple of things like this bothered me throughout, but I dont want their to be any spoilers, so I wont specify. But what I'm getting at is that I felt like they just jumped into a relationship, a story, a "we're in this together" with barely any time to get to know eachother.

I had a problem with the fact that Ethan seemed almost completely unafraid and eager to find things out, meanwhile Lena was sulking in her room and causing monsoons. What the hell Lena!? Grow up!

I didnt hate the book though, I actually enjoyed it very much. I thought it was really interesting finding out about Wate and Duchannes family trees and taking a few well described trips back to the Civil War. I flew through this book at first actually. It ended up taking me about a week and a half to read it but that was because of my schedule, not because of the slow pace of the book.

I very much enjoyed having this book written from Ethan's point of view. Some reader's didnt love this aspect because it was different. On the contrary, I liked this aspect a lot because it was refreshing, nice to have a different point of view, especially because I dont think I could have dealt with bratty Lena as the narrator. She was too busy being mad about not being a normal kid to grow and be a dynamic character. She was annoying, point blank. A few things were left unexplained that again I wont mention specifically, but I'm really hoping the next book goes more in depth.

I also loved that Lena writes all the time - on her hand, in her notebook, on her ceiling - as a writer, it was something I could relate to.

The last thing I have to address is the ending. I think that the ending could have been way worse and honestly leading up to the very last page, I thought it was going to be. I was expecting it to be anticlimactic, and trust me, it didnt end the way I expected it to and it confused me a lot, but I was pleased with the ending and anxious for what happens next. I just cant imagine being in Lena's shoes and being able to get through it.... I wont elaborate, but for those of you who have read it - I'm sure you agree.

Final thoughts....

Like I said, there were some low points in the book for me, but the authors made me feel Ethan and Lena's inner turmoil, I felt like I was IN the story. The plot and characters were so original and unique and they kept me wanting more every time I had to put the book down.

Rating: ★★★

This one gets four stars (*see edit below) from me. I enjoyed it and cant wait to read the next one, and encourage fans of YA and supernatural novels to pick it up too!

Have any of you read this? What did you think? Do you agree or disagree? I'd love to hear what you think!

A.

EDIT:  After careful consideration of this book after reading this book, I've decided to drop the rating from a four-star to a three-star rating. I did enjoy the book, but shortly after moving on to another book, I realized I had little desire to continue on to the next book and was actually confused and annoyed about some aspects of this book. I did still enjoy the book, as my three star rating shows, but I didnt love it.

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by a blog of the same name, Booking Through Thursday! The idea is simple:

 

"Copy the questions, paste them into your blog and answer them.

When you're done, come back here and post a quick comment or trackback letting everyone know so we can read your responses. Be sure to leave a link to your actual post! (Just type in the web-address--Wordpress will automatically turn it into a link for you.)"

 

So this week's topic is:

"I’m usually torn. I love giving and sharing books, but it can be hard. The giftee can be difficult to please, or you don’t know what they’ve read (or what they thought of books they have read). Even people who love to read and love to get books can be hard to gift books to … so, does that make you pause and reach for the neckties or DVDs or sweaters … anything BUT a book at gift-giving time? How do you feel about getting books yourself? Are you picky or easy?"

 

I LOVE giving books as gifts, haha. Most of my family and friends do not like to read as much as I do.... or at all. I bought my boyfriend a book for Christmas - The Walking Dead, Rise of the Governor. Sounds nice, right? Uh.. well we've been together for almost six years and I've seen him reads maybe a total of four books in the last six years. Why did it buy it? because I cant help myself!

 

My sister just had a baby 2 1/2 months ago and I told her I'm going to buy my niece books for every holiday and that I am going to read with her all the time. I bought my 2 months old niece a book for Christmas. I mean it was a squeaky Elmo book that she could chew on, but still.

 

As for me, if I could get ONLY books for holidays, I'd be set. However, I don't like just any book. A couple of times, I gave my mom or boyfriend lists of books I wanted so they could buy them for me - or just asked for gift cards to the local bookstore. I got gift cards for Christmas and the next day went to the bookstore to load up... they then tell me their system is down and they cant take gift cards at that time. What did I do? Went home and ordered four books online - express shipping, thank you very much!!

 

So yes, I am a book/reading girl through and through. Become my friend, I'll be gifting you a book and you're GOING TO LIKE IT! :))

 

What about you? How do you feel about giving/receiving books as gifts?

 

Happy Readings!

Manda C. :)

Waiting on Wednesday & WWW Wednesday

 

It's Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Breaking the Spine!

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted [at Breaking the Spine], that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating."

This week's upcoming release is Sever by Lauren DeStefano!

Release date: February 12, 2013

 

From B&N:

Time is running out for Rhine in this conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Chemical Garden Trilogy.

With the clock ticking until the virus takes its toll, Rhine is desperate for answers. After enduring Vaughn’s worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother, an eccentric inventor named Reed. She takes refuge in his dilapidated house, though the people she left behind refuse to stay in the past. While Gabriel haunts Rhine’s memories, Cecily is determined to be at Rhine’s side, even if Linden’s feelings are still caught between them.

Meanwhile, Rowan’s growing involvement in an underground resistance compels Rhine to reach him before he does something that cannot be undone. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future—and about the past her parents never had the chance to explain.

In this breathtaking conclusion to Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden trilogy, everything Rhine knows to be true will be irrevocably shattered.

 

I cant wait for this one! I havent read Fever yet but it's sitting on my shelf calling to me. It'll be one of the next I read I'm sure.

 

Whats your waiting on pick!?

See.. I told you!

Haha, here I am two+ months later, and I’ve yet to review anything.

I have a confession… I’ve barely been reading. Not for lack of trying anyway, but for lack of time and because I’ve been draaaggginnnggg through the Hobbit for the last MONTH!

I couldnt take it, honestly. It wasnt a bad book at all. Actually, when I started reading it, I flew through the first half. Then it started to slow down, and I started ordering books with my birthday and Christmas money and I had all these new books begging to be read and that can really get distracting and…
Well you get the point. Really though, I’m not going to do a review on the Hobbit because I struggled so much getting through the second half and when I finally finished it I felt a huge weight lift from my shoulders, and I really dont want to go back into that right now. I’m postponing the plans I had to read the Lord of the Rings Trilogy because as many wonderful things as I’ve heard about it, if they are like the Hobbit, I will need A LOT of time and patience and dedication to get through THREE of them. Ugh.
However, I did hear marvelous things about the movie and I have plans to see it soon. I never like to see movies before I read the book, no matter what it is, so now that I’m done, I may go. I’ll let you know!

I havent yet figured out what to read next. My next confession is that I have way too many books to read. I just keep buying and buying faster than I can read them. I need help, I know. But you can see how hard it would going to be for me to pick ONE to read right now. I’m torn between Fever by Lauren DeStefano, The Last Hope by Nora Roberts, or picking up the Giver by Lois Lowry again to read the entire series ending with her bran new book, Son, which is the one I’m totally pumped about. However, I’m not quite ready to go into a four book series, so I think I’m going to go with a different one for now until I get out of this reading funk I’ve got going.

I did make a New Year’s resolution to blog more. I know that that is probably a bad idea. I mean who keeps New Year’s resolutions? I hardly ever do. But it’s 2013, a new year, and new me… maybe? I hope.

What is your New Year's resolution? Anything to do with books or blogging?

Happy Reading!

Manda C

*This post was previously published on 1/7/13 then moved to this new blog site.

Back to blogging!

Hey there!

I’m giving myself a warm welcome back to the blogging world, if you couldnt guess.

For those of you who never followed me, I have had a blog previously, and have since deleted it, for several reasons. That blog was called Happy Readings Reviews. It was on WordPress and Blogger. I’d had it for a while, maybe a year or so, and I sort of fell off the wagon and hadn’t posted anything since May of this year. – YIKES!

Needless to say, I wanted to get back on the wagon, but I’m still iffy as to how it will work out. I am so strapped for time that my posts could be daily or monthly (at best). But I’ve missed everyone so much, and missed having an informal method of creative outlet that I just had to come back.

So why did I create a new blog, you ask? Wouldnt it behoove me to keep and continue with my old one, you say? Well, sure, except I felt like I’d tarnished my reputation a good honest and blogger and become the blogger who couldnt get it together, who made promises to post things and didnt come through. Well that blogger is long gone! I just wont promise things anymore! Haha, no – I kid.

In all seriousness, I’m not planning for frequency, I’m planning for consistency. I will make one promise: to give honest reviews! My goal is for my fellow readers and bloggers to read a brief review, written by yours truly, and to have a solid idea on whether a book is worth reading. (My reader/writer’s heart tells me that every book is worth reading, but you know what I mean!)
So tune in, for my first review on my new blog will be coming shortly. I’m currently reading Insurgent by Veronica Roth, the second in a trilogy, second to Divergent, by the same author, and I’ll be letting you all know what I think.

Happy Readings!

Manda C.

*This post was previously published on 10/31/12, then moved to this new blog site.