Shelf of Favorites: Starring Sarah Dessen's books

What Happened To Goodbye? by Sarah Dessen

     "Since her parents’ bitter divorce, McLean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move-four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother’s new family, McLean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, McLean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out." 
(From Sarah Dessen's site: http://sarahdessen.com/books/ )
      At last Sarah Dessen's newest book is out.  And I wasn't disappointed in it.  Once again Ms.  Dessen manages to have the perfect plot, characters, and writing style, captivating my attention for a whole afternoon. As soon as I opened the book I was glad to accompany Mclean Sweet on her life changing journey.  
       Don't all high school girls at one time or other just wish they could shed their true identity and personality and start anew? I know I have, quite a few times in fact. McLean Sweet, though, really does get that chance.  Living with her dad, she moves, quite often, to a new city or town.  At every new place she changes her first name, (Beth, Lizbeth etc) and her personality, (cheerleader, drama diva etc).  But for some strange reason, when she moves to this new town (can't remember the name)  she doesn't change her name.  As to her personality, she's not sure what is it now.  She has serious identity crisis.  Slowly, she changes and accepts herself as she is.  
      The problems she has with her mom after the divorce are so realistic.  I for one have never experienced what going through a parental divorce is like, but my mom has and so I know from her that the feeling McLean feels toward her mother are very real.  I love how kind and understanding Dave is with McLean, and her new found friends are just as great.  As always, Ms. Dessen presents wonderful dialogue, some of it is downright hilarious while other parts very emotional.  
     Exceptance of one's self is amazingly hard, but McLean conquerors her fears and excels. 
     What Happened to Goodbye has been added to my favorites shelf, right next to it's predecessors, Just Listen and Lock and Key.

The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas

   I know, I know, it's unusual for me to post a review on a book that is NOT young adult fiction, but due to the complete AWESOMENESS of this classic, I couldn't resist. So here goes....
       "A Roman soldier, Marcellus, wins Christ's robe as a gambling prize. He then sets forth on a quest to find the truth about the Nazarene's robe-a quest that reaches to the very roots and heart of Christianity and is set against the vividly limned background of ancient Rome. Here is a timeless story of adventure, faith, and romance, a tale of spiritual longing and ultimate redemption." (Review from Amazon.com)


    To start, I have to admit that I have read and re-read The Robe at least half a dozen times in the last four years. So I am very biased in favor of reading it.  To those who are opposed to Christianity, this book should not bother you too much. But to those who are Christian's or interested in the christian religion I must warn you that the theology in the book is not perfectly correct.  Since this is my review though, I will not go into detail into why is it not correct. 
    Now for the review.  The Robe starts rather slow and the language/writing style, although not hard on Shakespeare or Dickens terms, is very difficult to read. Personally, I find his rich and detailed style very fascinating. Douglas describes everything with great mental illustrations, making the stories unfold vividly. His characters are realistic and believable.  The love between Marcellus and Diana sweet and authentic. But as much as I enjoy the romances in books, in the Robe the relationship I  relish the most is Marcellus and his slave/best friend Demetrius.  Their friendship goes much deeper than the average slave/master relationship.  The two are closer than brothers, best friends and both are willing to die for the other.  Although Demetrius started as Marcellus's slave, by the end they are like kinsmen.  Their friendship is so strong and heart warming that it almost makes me teary. I might also add, that all the character's relationships with others are relate-able and true.  As for the plot, nothing could possibly be so funny, despairing and touching as The Robe's tale.  Twisting and raw the Robe puts life in the early Christian's days in a new light.  It brings history to life as it tells stories of various Roman Emperors, including Little Boots and shows how roman politics worked.  The Robe is nothing less than a masterpiece. 

 

Changed email

I lost my password for my old email account so if you have any comments or recommendations send them to me via my new email nessa4books@yahoo.com :) Thanks

2011 can't wait reads

Here's a list of the books I hope to read and post about:
   Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick
   Passion by Lauren Kate
   Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
   Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
   The Gathering by Kelly Armstrong
   What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
   Inheritance by Christopher Paolini
   Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer
   Crossed by Allie Condie
   Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting
   Hades by Alexandra Adornetto
  

  

In a few days.....

   Hopefully in a few days I will get a review of City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare and I am number Four by Pittacus Lore!!!!  (And yes, I am interested in movie/book duo's!)

Beastly by Alex Flinn

I am a beast. A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog, but a horrible new creature who walks upright – a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I’m talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It’s no deformity, no disease. And I’ll stay this way forever – ruined – unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and a perfect life. And then, I’ll tell you how I became perfectly beastly.
      A few months ago a movie called Beastly came out.  I was checking it out, and read a few reviews to see if I was interested in seeing it, but found upon research that it wasn't getting very good reviews. So, naturally, I didn't go and see it.  But I did check out the book.  And by check out, I checked it out from the library.  I figured that since the movie was based off of the book, than the book must be very different from the movie.  My mind comes to this conclusion because, most movies that are based on books, are totally different than the book.  For instance, Mary Poppins the movie was not at all like the book, which at the children eating Mary Poppins fingers for snacks instead of going to the park. 
      Anyways, so about the book.  Positive side of it is that the main character, Kyle, was a very interesting and fun character.  I enjoyed traveling with him through his hard experiences that molded him into the wonderful dream man he is at the end. The author's twists, (you'll have to read the book to find out what twists), were greatly appreciated, turning an otherwise well-known story into a new read. Also, I loved that Alex Flinn managed to add some laugh-out-loud moments and yet mix in a good healthy bit of sadness and tears at the same time.
     Negative elements were:  Both Lindy and Kyle were not at all developed enough nor was the book well written.  The simplicity of the writing would have been alright, if not for the fact that the book did not develop it's characters near well enough. 
    Conclusion, fun read, but not a nominated award book in my standards.

Starcrossed by Elizabeth Bunce

        Title: Starcrossed
        Author: Elizabeth C. Bunce
        Genre: YA fantasy
        Rating: 3 out of 5

Digger thrives as a spy and sneak-thief among the feuding religious factions of Gerse, dodging the Greenmen who have banned all magic. But when a routine job goes horribly wrong and her partner and lover Tegen is killed, she has to get out of the city, fast, and hides herself in a merry group of nobles to do so. Accepted as a lady’s maid to shy young Merista Nemair, Digger finds new peace and friendship at the Nemair stronghold–as well as plenty of jewels for the taking. But after the devious Lord Daul catches her in the act of thievery, he blackmails her into becoming his personal spy in the castle, and Digger soon realizes that her noble hosts aren’t as apolitical as she thought… that indeed, she may be at the heart of a magical rebellion.

As of yet, I am not quite sure if I liked Starcrossed or not. I enjoyed most of the book, although I missed romance as being a large part of the plot.  And I have to admit that it was very action packed and the plot twisted several times. But I still don't like the fact that it was rather dragging at times, and some of the characters never seemed to develop enough. 
       I loved the fact that it was so detailed but sometimes it was too detailed. There was so many details that it took away from the story.  Since Mrs. Bunce created her own world, (I respect her for that), she had to describe it some how, and I have to admit that she did a decent job making sure the reader knew how and what her world was like.
       One of the things I liked best in the book though, was that Digger/Celyn is a good role model.  Yes, she starts out as a care-only-for-herself person, but by the end of the book she has been redeemed into a girl who cares more for others then for herself.  I find it rare for a YA book to have these character building insights. 
       The second thing I loved about it was Digger.  The normal heroine in a YA fantasy is either a feisty, ax carrying, warrior girl, a sweet tempered damsel in distress, (my personal LEAST favorite), or a brainy genius. In some books that's Ok. But after a while I start to find it dragging and unrealistic.   So naturally I would love Digger.  The perfect mix between warrior girl and smarts girl. She can fight, although not tremendously well, and she has good brains.  She's smart and prefers to use her head then her dagger.
       The writing was good, I have to admit that.  Although, like I said before, it was a little TOO detailed causing the story to drag. 
       All in all, it was a good book. Perhaps not the best fantasy book ever, but still a good book.  If you're not a fan of deep fantasy than Starcrossed wouldn't appeal to you, but if you like fantasy, historical medieval/Renaissance fiction, or an exiting read, then this would be an ideal book to try out. 

A little waiting has paid off

Finally after waiting, a little impatiently, for two and a half years, the release date for the fourth book in the Inheritance Cycle has been revealed!!!
              The name of the book....(Drum roll please), is.....Inheritance!! And the official release date is set for November 8th, 2011. Here is a picture of the cover

             So look for the final installment in the Inheritance Cycle in November. 

The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

From now on I will be adding info to my reviews.  This info will look something like this:

Title: The Eternal Ones
Author: Kirsten Miller
Publishing Date: August 10th, 2010
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Cover Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

       

 

       "Growing up in a small Tennessee mountain town is hard, but it’s even more difficult when you’re Haven Moore, she of the broken family and mysterious visions. For as long as she can remember, Haven has had visions of herself in another life, as a woman named Constance, who loved a man named Ethan. Constance’s pull spurs Haven to go to New York City, where she is drawn to the famous playboy, Iain Morrow, and their ominous connection to the mysterious Ouroboros Society.

Suddenly Haven is living a luxurious life she’s never even dreamed of, alongside a boy whose connection to her she can’t explain. But it seems like Iain is keeping secrets from her. What is his connection to the Ouroboros Society? What does the Society really do? Is Iain really Ethan? And if he’s not…then who is he?"

 

    Sorry I havn't written for a while. I've been kind of busy... 

Well, I have to say, The Eternal Ones could have been better. But then on the bright side, it was pretty darn good as it is too.  Kirsten did a good job to make a captivating, exiting, sizzling young adult romance read, even if it's plot wasn't too complicated.  

  First of all, about the characters. I have to say that I didn't really get a feel for Haven.  She and I never quite clicked.   Haven was too trusting,  a little too dumb and not the best at thinking ahead.  You know, I hear, a lot, now days about "following your heart" and all.  But in reality you have got to think about things before you do them.  Start a new saying authors! Something along the lines of "A little common sense goes a long way."  

    Ian, I never liked even from the beginning.  I had a feeling as soon as you met him that he wasn't the bad guy, but I didn't matter if he was or wasn't anyways because in my mind, he always was.  I hate liars, and he took the lying too far for me.  If you're going to make a 'hero' of some sorts, please make him as nice and as prefect, (for a human that is.  Make him realistic.), as possible.  

   Beau, was the only one I really liked.  Personally I thought he was the only one in the whole book giving good advice.  The only one. Period.  He seemed sweet and thoughtful, and I love that.   His type of character should have been the 'hero'.  Also,  Ethan and Constance were a lot funner people than Haven and Ian.  Just saying.  

   The plot was incredibly predictable.  I basically had the main story line figured out by the time you met all the main character.   But it was an interesting read, never the less.  It was also an interesting way of thinking of reincarnation.  A very original story.

   Writing wise, The Eternal Ones can get you lost very, very easy.  Just missing a few sentences and you're lost for the rest of the book.  It did pull together and get easier to understand towards the last fifty pages though.  I did love her writing style.  To many people now days write in first person, I miss third....Sniff sniff. I never fully realized that until I started thinking about the book. I was thinking, what made The Eternal Ones special?  Oh! It was written in third person!!  

  To finish up.  I liked the book. Plain and simple. It defiantly could have been better and I hope that she will write a sequel that will be better.  I recommend The Eternal Ones although you are not deprived if you don't' actually read it.