Blog Update

Hello Everyone!

Thanks so much to everyone who's been visiting my blog and leaving comments! Most of them were good so that made me happy ; o )

As you can see, I've changed the colors and fixed the lay-out of my posts. I think it looks a lot better and neater. Definitely more uniform.

So I've been trying to get my blog out there and I'm going to start emailing authors to see if I can get an interview. Hopefully someone will say yes. *crosses fingers*

I have a lot of books to read and a lot of spare time (for the moment. When school starts I won't be so lucky), so keep checking back for more reviews! The next book will probably be Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer.

Enjoy!
Megan

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

In the past few months, Ruby's life has been turned upside down. First, her negligent, alcoholic mother abandons her, leaving Ruby to fend for herself in a run-down house. Next, Ruby is turned in to social services by the landlords, and now she is forced to live with her sister Cora and Cora's husband, who she hasn't seen in ten years. Ruby isn't used to the mansion-sized house, expensive private school and new clothes. The only thing worth staying is her friendship with her neighbor Nate, who's keeping some secrets of his own. Throughout this heart-warming story, Ruby learns the true meaning of family and how to unlock herself from the past.

Sarah Dessen is one of my favorite authors and this book didn't disappoint. I thought the plot was unusual and interesting, and all the characters were very sincere. Sometimes I felt like I couldn't relate to Ruby, but that didn't change my opinion of the book. There is a lot of insight on family and what the actual definition of family is, which made the book very heart-warming . It was fun to watch the characters evolve and change, especially Ruby. She learned a lot of important lessons that were hard, but since she was such a strong person, she got through it. Overall it was a cute book and a good read.

8 out of 10.

How To Build A House by Dana Reinhardt

Harper's family has been torn apart. Her father and step-mother have just gotten a divorce, which in turn seperates Harper from her step-sister and best friend Tess. That's probably why she decides to fly to Tennessee for the summer, as part of a teen volunteer group to build a house for a family who lost theirs in a tornado. Building a house is hard work, but also very rewarding. Living in a run-down motel, she gets to know the other volunteers and meets Teddy, the son of the family whose house is being rebuilt. The two hit it off quickly, a friendship that blossoms into a summer romance. It's hard for her to trust Teddy, but when she does, she learns important life lessons along the way, including the importance of a home.

I loved this book. Harper felt so real, she could be an actual person. I liked the fact that she got along with her step-family; in most books or movies, it's the opposite. The secondary characters completed the story. When Harper had to say good-bye to them, I felt like I was saying good-bye, too. The book is not a thriller, but definitely had an element of suspense. Harper tells the story of her parent's divorce in increments, leaving the reader to keep flipping pages in order to discover what happened. And who doesn't love a summer romance, complete with the charitable act of building a house for a family in need? This book has everything and more, and it even provides a bit of wisdom: Harper learns to look to the past and the future, while at the same time to Be Here Now.

8 out of 10

The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing by Michael Harvey

So the title is pretty self-explanatory, is it not? A book all about college writing. This is one of my required summer reading books for AP English. When I first started reading the book, at the introduction, it was death. It was deadly dull and I thought to myself, "How will I get through this?" But as I got past the intro and read more, it got better. A lot of it is common sense, but it's good to reinforce some of the grammar rules. It's the perfect book for tips on sounding clearer, knowing when to use certain punctuation, citing sources, and much more. Now I wouldn't recommend this as a "fun" read, but I would say that if you want to become a better writer, you should definitely read this book.

Outside Beauty by Cynthia Kadohata

Marilyn, Shelby, Lakey, and Maddie are the closest sisters you will ever meet. The fact that they are half-sisters and each has a different father only makes that bond stronger. They all adore their beautiful, men-collecting mother, and even though their life is far from traditional, they wouldn't have it any other way. And suddenly, they must. A tragic accident forces each girl to live with her respective father, all in different parts of the country. Though apart, these strong-willed sisters will do anything to bring their family back together.

Outside Beauty is a beautiful story. I have never seen such loving and devoted sisters as these four girls, and the age difference between them makes the bond even more special. Their home life may be unconventional, but it was interesting, to say the least. The plot was good and the characters were so real that I felt like I was there with them. The author also offers a good lesson in morality: beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And despite the title, the characters show the reader that inside beauty is what really counts.

8 out of 10.

Everything is Fine. by Ann Dee Ellis

Despite the title, Mazzy's life is not fine. Though she continually repeats that that everything is fine to her father, her neighbors and even herself, she's suffering. Mazzy's mother is severely depressed and her father has abandoned his family for his career. She looks to her caring neighbors and painting for some kind of solace. As readers turn the pages they will discover what tore the family apart and learn how it can be put back together.

This book was very sad. Mazzy is only eleven or twelve years old and has to care for her mother who can barely get out of bed. Somehow she is strong enough to pull through which is nice to see in such a young protagonist. Even with a great main character, the book seemed poorly written, without much of a plot. The book jumped around between topics making the story a little choppy. It's a short book, but don't mistake the length for a light-hearted story; it's anything but.

5 out of 10.

Release Date: March 2009

Diary of a Chav by Grace Dent

Shiraz Bailey Wood hates being called a "chav." Don't know what a chav is? Most Americans don't. A chav is an British insult for a working-class person who is obsessed with American hip-hop fashions, such as hoop earrings and hoodie sweatshirts. Shiraz's school is full of these people, earning her school the nickname "Superchav Academy." But Shiraz isn't like them. In this book written like a diary, we get a good look at the working-class life of a Briton, with Shiraz's hilarious commentary.

Diary of a Chav was a very cute book. It's one of those books that you can read in between summer reading because it's light and funny and a very easy read. I really enjoyed reading about the main character Shiraz and all of her antics. My only qualm with this book is that it was written in Great Britain and Shiraz uses a lot of British slang, so I didn't understand everything that was going on. Otherwise the book was very good.

7 out of 10.

Release Date: October 2008