Book Review: Crash by Lisa McMann (Visions #1)

Published: 2013

Genre(s): YA / Paranormal

Jules is a high school student who works in her family's Italian restaurant. Lately, she's been experiencing horrifying visions of the future in which people die in a crash at the rival restaurant. 

The rival restaurant is owned by the Angotti family, which includes a teen boy named Sawyer. Jules has had a huge crush on Sawyer since 7th grade (she's like 17 now) but because of their families' rivalry, they haven't really spoken to each other for years. She needs to warn Sawyer of the future, but he thinks she is going crazy. How can she save him before it's too late? 

My thoughts: 

I wanted to like this book, but Jules's voice sounds monotone and not engaging at all.

Personal Post: Hermitage

Source

No book review post today. I went on a volunteering trip to a free opthalmology clinic in Tecate

Book to Movie Review: The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

Release Date: August 21, 2013

Director: Harald Zwart

Writers: Jessica Postigo (screenplay) 
Cassandra Clare (novel)

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones IMDB page

Spoilers alert!

When actress Lily Collins heard that there was going to be a City of Bones movie, she frantically made a bunch of phone calls so that she could get the role of Clary, a teenage girl who is thrown into the chaos of the war between Shadowhunters (the race of nephilim, half-angel and half-human warriors) and the forces of demons. 

Pacing / Action. 

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill -- Debut Book Review

Goodreads | Amazon

Published 2013

Release Date: September 6, 2013

Publisher: Hyperion

Genre(s): Sci-fi Thriller / Dystopian / Time Travel / Romance

Uh, okay--WOW. I mean, what else can I say? I just finished reading this book. I looked for it on the fifth after reading around some blogs on what to read--this one has gotten quite some buzz and the plot sounded interesting. I almost walked out of Barnes and Noble without buying it because it hadn't been shelved yet, but then an employee ran to me holding a bunch of copies. As she handed it to me, I knew I had to buy it. 

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner (An Eclipse Novella) by Stephenie Meyer -- Book Review

Published: 2010

Genre: YA / Contemporary / Vampires

Okay, so I was curious about Bree Tanner as a character after I saw her in the movie, so I borrowed this book from the library. I must admit that I haven't read Eclipse, but I've read the three other books. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is about Bree's short, confused life as a vampire being trained to fight in an army against the Cullens. 

The Good, the Fab and the Ugly (Poseur #2) by Rachel Maude -- Book Review

The Second Book in the Poseur Series...and Sexism

Published: 2009

From the back of the book:

Halloween comes to Winston Prep and the newly named teen fashion label POSEUR introduces this season's must-have accessory: a red-hot handbag called the Trick-or-Treater. But whose design is sweetest? Janie, Petra, Melissa, and Charlotte all insist: Mine. You see the problem? 

Good thing, then, for the sweetness of revenge. Time to dust off that costume and put your best mask forward. 'Tis the season for candy, conflict, and couture. 

Once again, we are treated to the adorably cute fashion sketches, signed by Janie Farrish, who is the designated artist in the Poseur group. But they're actually done by Rachel Maude (except the Compai ones in the back). So beautiful. I was inspired to start some of my own! 

The story continues the four girls' quest to promote their fashion label, Poseur.

Poseur (Poseur #1) by Rachel Maude -- Book Review

Published: 2008

Genre: Young Adult / Contemporary / Privileged 

From the back of the book: 

Four high school girls who love fashion (but hate each other) are forced together to create a designer label for their exclusive LA private school. Can a cool coquette, a shy punk, a ghetto-glam egomaniac, and a hippie goddess make peace for couture? Welcome to Winston Prep--where wardrobe means war. 

One of the fun parts of this book is the fashion--there are beautiful fashion sketches throughout the novel, and every chapter begins with a character's outfit. If you're into what people wear, this book will have a lot of imaginary eye candy for you. There's even a DIY guide in the back so that you can make your own clothes based on what the main characters wore in the book!

Now, about the story. The narrative is mostly split up into the tales of four different girls, but sometimes veers into the perspective of minor characters, which is interesting but inconsistent. 

Happy Labor Day!

Hope you're enjoying your Labor Day today! The temperatures seem to have cooled down but I'm still fan-dependent. I'm sitting two feet away from it. This is a deliciously cloudy day. I should have tea. 

My blog will have mostly young adult books, but I also want to read some fantasy and sci-fi books that aren't marketed to the YA crowd. There are books that I consider to be YA (well, the protagonists are young adults at some point!), but aren't marketed as such. You could tell by the fact that the covers aren't as cute. Well, when it comes to me, it sells. I'm a sucker for books with cute covers.

Gossip Girl, Psycho Killer by Cecily von Ziegesar -- Book Review

Published: October 2011

Genre: Young Adult / Contemporary / Privileged

From the back of the book:

Welcome to New York City's Upper East side, where my friends and I live, and go to school, and play--and sometimes kill each other. It's a luxe life, but someone's got to live it. Until to they die. 

Serena van der Woodsen is back from boarding school, hoping to make amends with her BFF Blair Waldorf--things just haven't been the same since Nate Archibald came between them. Serena decides the only way for her to make things right with Blair is to eliminate Nate, and if that means killing him, well, c'est la vie. The attempted murder doesn't go unnoticed by Blair, however, who isn't about to let Serena kill whoever she wants and steal the spotlight yet again--not when so many Upper East Siders deserve to die. From the #1 bestselling author Cecily von Ziegesar, this bloody reimagining of the original Gossip Girl novel takes backstabbing to new heights. 

Actually, it was less of a "bloody reimagining" and more of a "bloody cut-and-paste" of the original Gossip Girl novel. 

The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress -- Book Review

Published: 2013

Genre: Young Adult / Steampunk / Mystery

From the book flap:

The Friday society follows the stories of three intelligent and talented young women who work as assistants to powerful men: Cora, lab assistant; Michiko, combat instruction assistant; and Nellie, Magician's assistant. Their lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man. It's up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder--and the crimes they believe may be connected to it--without calling too much attention to themselves. Of course, blending in has never been these ladies' strong suit, especially with so many eligible men around.

Told with Adrienne Kress's sharp wit and a great deal of irreverence, this Steampunk mystery introduces three unforgettable and very ladylike--well, relatively ladylike--heroines poised for more dangerous adventures. 

Clearly, these three young women are ahead of their time. They're independent, smart, and resourceful--but they live in an era where women receive little credit for their work except for their looks and supporting roles.

Finally, A Bookstore Shopping Trip!

 (Photo source)

Well, last night I was talking about wishing I could shop at Barnes and Noble...Guess what happened today? The hubster and I went to Barnes and Noble! It was quite a drive but once we got inside and felt the air conditioning, it was heaven.

I hadn't been in a bookstore for so long.

Where to Get Cheap Books

As much as I wish I could simply waltz into a Barnes and Noble bookstore and walk out with a bag of shiny and crisp novels, my budget doesn't allow me to do that. So where do I get most of my reading materials these days? I try to find them for cheap.

• Paperbackswap.com

A wonderful United States book trading site--it's heaven for anyone who's collecting books for a series.

Poison by Bridget Zinn -- Book Review (Debut Novel)

An charming and funny adventure story about a poisons master named Kyra and her little piglet, who travel through the kingdom to search for the princess she has to kill. 

Poison by Bridget Zinn

Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Quest

The back book flap indicated that this was Bridget Zinn's debut novel, but she passed away in 2011 from colon cancer, so it looks like this will be the only novel we'll see from her. Her imagination is delightfully playful, so it saddens me that we won't be seeing any more products of her imagination.

Published: 2013

Finding a Library Book with Missing Pages After Going Home

Ugh, I wished I had checked before I came home with a damaged book. This is the second time it's happened. 

On the surface, the book, Why I Let My Hair Grow Out by Maryrose Wood, had looked fine: 

On the bright side, it's super-worn, which is a sign of a well-loved book. 

But when I opened it to skim the pages, I found this at the end: 

My Library Book Stash #1: Raiding the YA Shelves

I borrowed more than this, but the pregnant tote bag on the floor is too unsightly to share. 

I always tell myself I'm going to get three, or at the most, five books. But no...I walk out of the Imperial Beach Library with a whole bagful of books in my reusable nylon tote bag. >_< 

I even had more at first, but put some back. These are ordered by author's last name, and the summaries are taken from the backs of the books or on the inside pages with the ISBN numbers.

Total: 13 books - 1 book (missing pages) = 12 books to read!

In Too Deep (Elite #2) by Jennifer Banash -- Book Review

A tale of the Upper East Side told from the perspective of four private school girls about parties, fashion, biological moms, and forbidden romances. 

Genre: Young Adult / Contemporary / Privileged

Although I didn't read the first one, I still enjoyed this book a LOT. The four-way, high-stakes drama was captivating. 

Published 2009

If you enjoy reading about fashion and brands, then you will definitely enjoy the descriptions of the designer clothes and cars. But even if you don't, this series is great in the way that each major character has her own motives for doing everything, even if she is slightly delusional about what's actually happening. It makes it nearly impossible for me to cheer for one particular person.

The Wolverine (2013) -- Movie Review

I saw this movie in the evening during a date. A lot of my comic-nerd buddies didn't like it, but since I haven't read the comics, I'm going to review the movie by itself (and maybe the other X-Men movies).

Release date: July 26, 2013

Summary by Twentieth Century Fox:

In modern day Japan, Wolverine is out of his depth in an unknown world as he faces his ultimate nemesis in a life-or-death battle that will leave him forever changed. Vulnerable for the first time and pushed to his physical and emotional limits, he confronts not only lethal samurai steel but also his inner struggle against his own immortality, emerging more powerful than we have ever seen him before.

There are some spoilers, so watch out! <3

Starlet (Starlet #1) by Randi Reisfeld -- Book Review

I enjoy the Gossip Girl series as well as other preppy books, but as a San Diegan, I want to start reading the west coast versions of the luxe lifestyle. 

Genre: Young Adult / Contemporary / Privileged / Hollywood

Pub: 2007

From the back of the book: 

Seventeen-year-old Jacey Chandliss has just won Generation Next: America's Top Young Actress and scored a star-making role in a major motion picture. Now she's in the bright Hollywood spotlight. With the help of a bona fide Hollywood power agent, she's all set for her new life--starting with spending the summer in L.A. It's all a lot to handle, and Jacey would probably buckle under the pressure if she didn't have her best friends, Dash and Desi, and her cousin Ivy along for the ride. They're with her in Hollywood to keep her from going Hollywood. 

Wow, this was a fast read! I really enjoyed the descriptions of SoCal luxe, paparazzi, and behind-the-camera scenes. By appealing to all the senses, the descriptions made me feel the energy and excitement of the crowd at the events. It's written in a down-to-earth style that's fun to follow.

Welcome to the Glamorous Book Lounge!

Hello, and welcome to the Glamorous Book Lounge! 

I'm looking forward to reviewing books and movies, as well as some random posts about the bookish lifestyle, including some holiday gift guides for that fellow bibliophile in your life later this year! 

A lot of the books I read are young adult or teen novels, and I also enjoy fantasy. Of course, I love it when young adults and fantasy intersect. I tend to devour teen drama novels (Gossip Girl, anyone?). 

This is going to be my last year at UCSD, where I am a literature/writing major. I enjoy learning about all kinds of literature, but I continue to gravitate towards my high school favorite: young adult fiction. 

Currently, my summer project is to review all the books I've checked out and read from the library. I kinda raided the shelves at the local library the other day and borrowed, like, 13 teen books for myself! My tote bag got so fat and I honestly thought it was going to tear, but it didn't! <3 

So far, I've finished reading:

• Starlet, by Randi Reisfeld 
• In Too Deep (An Elite Novel #2), by Jennifer Banash

So stay tuned for the reviews! 

--Ellen