Let It Snow: Three Holiday Stories

Let It Snow: Three Holiday Stories by John Green; Maureen Johnson; Lauren Myracle

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Sparkling white snowdrifts, beautiful presents wrapped in ribbons, and multicolored lights glittering in the night through the falling snow. A Christmas Eve snowstorm transforms one small town into a romantic haven, the kind you see only in movies. Well, kinda. After all, a cold and wet hike from a stranded train through the middle of nowhere would not normally end with a delicious kiss from a charming stranger. And no one would think that a trip to the Waffle House through four feet of snow would lead to love with an old friend. Or that the way back to true love begins with a painfully early morning shift at Starbucks.

My Review:
Surprisingly, I enjoyed Maureen Johnson's story as well, and usually I'm not a fan of her writing at all. Don't get me wrong, Maureen is hilarious as a person and just fab. But her books? Meh.
This was the best story I've ever read by her, to be honest.
I've discovered that anything John Green writes, I will love.
And Lauren Myracle's story was just about as entertaining as anything else by her I've read. Cute, random, and fun.
All together, this collection of three stories was like hot chocolate on a snowy day: warm, sweet, and perfect for this time of year.

Star Rating: 3.5/5

How to Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation

How to Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation by Simone Elkeles

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Guess who's jetting to the Holy Land this summer!

Remember me, Amy Barak-Nelson—a.k.a the queen of disaster? In case you forgot, my boyfriend Avi is in the Israeli army. A visit is definitely in order.

Somehow my grandmother convinced me to sign up for two weeks of pure hell in a military training base. Getting up before dawn, peeing in a hole, and playing war games in the desert isn't my idea of fun. But what's worse? Our team leader turns out to be Avi!

My review:
I really quite liked the first two books in this series. They were well written and entertaining. This one, I didn't think was quite as good.
*some spoilers ahead, but it's not too bad, I don't think*
I didn't think that all that much happened in this book. It seemed almost just like the second one, just a little opposite. In the second one, Avi goes to visit Amy. In this one, Amy goes to visit Avi. In the second one, Amy kisses another dude, pissing off Avi and breaking them up, though they end up getting back together. In this one, Avi kisses another girl, pissing off Amy and breaking them up, and then they end up back together.
I did see *some* character growth in Amy, but not quite e...more Not all that much happened in this book. It seemed almost just like the second one, just a little opposite. In the second one, Avi goes to visit Amy. In this one, Amy goes to visit Avi. In the second one, Amy kisses another dude, pissing off Avi and breaking them up, though they end up getting back together by the end and almost have sex but not quite cause Amy doesn't want to. In this one, Avi kisses another girl, pissing off Amy and breaking them up, and then they end up back together by the end and almost have sex but not quite cause Avi knows Amy will regret it if they do....
I did see *some* character growth in Amy, but not quite enough growth in their relationship.
Also, a lot of the book seemed forced and like it had been written hastily.
I expected more from it...maybe I should just lower my expectations when it comes to series like these.

Star rating: 3/5 (though it might actually be more like 2.8 stars, but I'll just say 3 to be even)

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2)

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
*spoilers if you haven't read Hunger Games*
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

My review:
It took a little bit of time to get to the main plot point, but this book was as fascinating and gripping as the first one. Even before you get to the main plot point, you get sucked into the book.
There are plenty of plot turns you won't expect and by the end, you'll be screaming at the book, telling it to pop out the third book, and soon.
Yes, it ends with a cliffhanger.
Yes, there is lots more death.
And yes, it is amazing.
I would do a more detailed review, but I really don't want to spoil any of the surprises that come from this book.

Star rating: 4/5

Blue Is For Nightmares - books 1-4

Blue is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

"I Know Your Secret . . ."

Boarding school junior Stacey Brown has nightmares too real to ignore. Her nightmares come true. This time they're about Drea, her best friend who's become the target of one seriously psycho stalker. To try and protect her, Stacey's working with what she knows-candles, cards, incantations, and spells...

My review:

I chose to do the entire series at once for review, seeing as I pretty much read these all at once (the last three I read within the last 8 hours). I'll keep them short and sweet since the entry will be longer than normal. There may be spoilers in the synopses, but not in the reviews.

This book was definitely not the best ever teen-paranormal book I've ever read (Meg Cabot takes the number one spot on that for me with books such as Jinx and The Mediator), but it's still entertaining. I did predict who the bad guy was way before they ever suspected him, though.....

Other than the predictability, it was pretty good. It was a bit slow at first. It's worth to keep on going through the rest of the series, though.

Star rating: 3/5

White is for Magic

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

I'm watching you . . .A year has passed since Stacey Brown saved her best friend from a horrible death. Now she's having nightmares again, haunted by ghosts of the brutally murdered . . . and by a crazed stalker. As she desperately casts healing spells, a new student named Jacob enters her world. Beautiful and mysterious, he reveals that he is also having dreams. To stop a killer, they must join together. But can Jacob be trusted? Or will this new love cause her darkest dreams to come true?

My review:

It was a little bit slow at first but it definitely wasn't as predictable as the first one. I liked it much better. The romance is a bit better, the actual plot is better, and I just felt like the characters were better developed....It's just more intriguing. Well, about halfway through. The first half is the slow half. This one was my favorite of the series.

Star rating: 3.8/5

Silver is for Secrets

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

I'll make you pay . . .

School is over, and now Stacey, her boyfriend Jacob, and their friends have rented a beach cottage for the summer. No more stress, secrets, or stalkers. But then Stacey's nightmares return—predicting the cruel death of Clara, a mysterious girl with a secret. And now Jacob, the only one who understands Stacey's magic, is keeping secrets, too. Is he betraying Stacey's trust or protecting her from revenge and tragedy?

My review:
Also a bit slow at first, but towards the middle, it sucks you in more. Also, with this, I did not predict the ending AT ALL. I mean, depending on your ability to predict endings, it may or may not blow your mind. Knock your socks off. Make you yell "holy shit" or "WHAT IN THE WHAT???" 'cause that's how it rolls.

Star rating: 3.5/5

Red is for Remembrance

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

I know you're alone . . .

Shattered by her boyfriend's tragic death, Stacey is struggling in her first year of college, hoping that somehow, somewhere, Jacob is still alive. Now her nightmares are back, haunted by ghosts and misery. Casting healing spells brings Stacey closer to Porsha—a troubled girl who's also dreaming of death—and to a strange boy whose life is in danger. To save him, it'll take all the strength and magic they've got. And maybe even cost them their lives.

My review:
This one will too, blow your mind a little, depending on your ability to predict things. When I began reading it, I wasn't so into it and I was like, "Okay, Stacey's depressed and we're getting the point of view of this other weird guy I've never heard of every other chapter or so? Blah."
Then not even a hundred pages in, I put a lot of pieces together and loved what was happening and got sucked in.
I wouldn't say it's a perfect or necessarily satisfying ending, depending on the reader's point of view, but it is pretty damn good.

Apparently, however, there is one more book in the series, called Black is for Beginnings. It's a graphic novel (kind of like how Meg Cabot continued her Avalon High series via graphic novel), and I heard (like the Meg Cabot Avalon High graphic novels) that it didn't have the same oomph or sparkle or anything of the books. I may or may not end up reading it. If I do, I will definitely review it and let you know if it truly does not have the same heart and awesomness as the actual novels.

Altogether, the series is a pretty average paranormal YA series. It's good and entertaining, and definitely worth the 10 cents I spent on the 4th book at the library sale a few weeks ago (also: the 10 cent book is the reason I decided to read them. Thank you, awesome library sale!).

Star rating: 3.8/4
(I almost gave it a 4, but I didn't think the ending quite deserved it. Almost, but not quite.)

DupliKate

DupliKate by Cherry Cheva

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Getting into Yale has been Kate Larson’s dream for years—and being overworked and under-rested is the price of admission. But when she opens her eyes after falling asleep on her keyboard one night, she comes face-to-face with, well, herself.

Meet Kate’s computer-generated twin. Kate doesn’t know why she’s here or how to put her back where she belongs, but she’s real. And she’s the last thing Kate has time to deal with right now. Unless. . .could having a double be the answer to Kate’s prayers?


My Review:
This is going to be a quick one, because I've got to go get ready for work in approximately 2.2 minutes.
I was so excited to get this book yesterday, because I absolutely loved She's So Money, Cherry Cheva's debut novel. I figured this one was going to be just as good.
Thankfully, it was not a disappointment.
I thought this started out a little slow, but as I got further in and met Rina, it picked up and I got hooked. Once the plot wheel starts turning, Duplikate becomes entertaining, much funnier, and just...better. Loved it.
Plus there's a good lesson to be learned: if you haven't played a game in years and it's still on your computer, uninstall it before a duplicate of you comes out and steals your clothes and attempts to take your boyfriend while she's at it.

Star rating: 4/5

The Treasure Map of Boys: Noel, Jackson, Finn, Hutch--and me, Ruby Oliver

The Treasure Map of Boys: Noel, Jackson, Finn, Hutch--and me, Ruby Oliver (Ruby Oliver, Book 3) by E. Lockhart

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Ruby is back at Tate Prep, and it's her thirty-seventh week in the state of Noboyfriend. Her panic attacks are bad, her love life is even worse, and what's more: Noel is writing her notes, Jackson is giving her frogs, Gideon is helping her cook, and Finn is making her brownies. Rumors are flying, and Ruby's already-sucky reputation is heading downhill. Not only that, she's also: running a bake sale, learning the secrets of heavymetal therapy, encountering some seriously smelly feet, defending the rights of pygmy goats, and bodyguarding Noel from unwanted advances. In this companion novel to The Boyfriend List and The Boy Book, Ruby struggles to secure some sort of mental health, to understand what constitutes a real friendship, and to find true love--if such a thing exists.


My review:
In the third installment of this series, Ruby Oliver is finally a little less crazy.
Don't get me wrong, she's still going to therapy, still doesn't quite get who her true friends are, and still boy-crazy, but she figures a few things out because of the Treasure Map. She's still crazy, but it's a little less than before. For once, I saw some real development in her character, and for that, I actually liked this book more than the other two Ruby Oliver novels.
Had it been just another freaking out over her ex-boyfriend and still pining about him by the end of the book-type-novel, I probably wouldn't have liked it so much.
But no, this book was pretty awesome.
The first in the series was okay. I didn't get that into it. The second, I liked better. This one, this is the one I'd recommend.
Of course, you've got to read the first two to understand the third....
But all and all, best book I've read by E. Lockhart so far.

Star rating: 3.5/5

Sorry I haven't updated in a while, blog readers. I have read a few books, I just haven't gotten around to reviewing them.
I may not update for all of November, either, depending on how much time Nanowrimo takes up. (Feel free to add me as a writing buddy on there, b to the w, if you'd like.)
I promise to update with a review at least ONCE before Halloween.