I only picked this book up because it came recommended to me. On one hand it was exactly what I expected, a snort inducing tritely written teen romance. On the other, it was incredibly entertaining. I give this two stars because it was interesting enough I wanted to find out what happened all though way through the vomit inducing epilogue. The idea of the book, a forbidden love between a gang banging Mexican American and a "perfect princess" white girl is pretty much already a cliche. It hits you over the head with the fact they come from different background constantly. It's a simple concept, the reader does not need to be reminded of it every thirty seconds.
My other pet peeve was the way Alex speaks, just because he is Latino he needs to speak English without any g's? Sentences like this one "You were the one girl who made me risk everythin' for a future worth havin'," constantly set my teeth on edge. I know plenty of people who speak English as a second language, no body speaks this way.
Overall it was interesting but I don't think the message was that great. It's one thing to look past your differences and date people who aren't like you but I think dating gangsters is a little bit extreme.
I had a love/hate relationship with this book as I was reading it. On one hand the writing was terrible, truly, truly terrible. But on the other hand the idea of this girl seeing visions was incredibly compelling, enough that I had to bring myself to finish it. This book had so much potential, the characters were interesting, I kept reading because I wanted to know what would happen to them. However their dialogue was stilted, their actions didn't make any sense and neither did their motivations. The one thing I really liked that I thought the author did well though was the friendship between Zellie and Claire, which very well encapsulated the joy of being 15. All and all this was not a total wash, I would certainly rank it above Twilight, but it has some big glaring plot holes immersed in some truly awful writing.
I bought this book because it was free on Amazon and I was actually surprised how much I liked it. It has been awhile since I was 15 but Duffy was excellent at creating the sense of vulnerability that comes with being that age. One thing I really liked is that instead of glorifying that kind of lifestyle like some books such as Gossip Girl do, Duffy creates a character who in those situations actually makes decent decisions.
While Matched lacks the political commentary evident in The Hunger Games trilogy and the grittiness of Divergent, it was a good, well written story, very reminiscent of The Giver. I found myself so engrossed I didn't realize I was at the end until I turned the final page. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.
This book started off very good and had a lot of potential but by chapter three I was over it. The writing, especially the dialogue, is so incredibly forced it calls to question whether the author has ever actually met a teenager much less been one herself. The plot had potential but McGarry gives it such little depth and populates it with such formulaic characters that it quickly becomes trite. I tried on two separate occasions but I could never bring myself to read past page 50.
I really liked this story, it was very unique and engrossing. I found the characters and interesting. My only not really even complaint is that the character of Katsa is essentially a superhuman version of Katniss Everdeen. That being said, I don't really have that much of a problem with it. Katsa and Katniss are both likable, strong heroines which is certainly something that teen fiction needs to see more of.
I started this book extremely disappointed in Ms. Cabot after the the plot-less misogynistic Twilight level train wreck that was her new teen book Underworld. However Size 12 and Ready to Rock did not disappoint, this was Cabot at her absolute BEST, her sharp sense of wit, her intricate and hilarious plot and her wonderful characters had me laughing so hard and so engrossed I finished the book in three hours. Cabot delved into new realms taking Heather and Cooper where they had never dared go before (the Cartwright home). Not only the situations but the characters, formerly regulated to the back story like Tania and Jordan come forward inciting hilarity. Even though we had to wait five years for this book it was well worth it, I would much rather wait for an installment of quality like this rather than subject myself to the rapidly turned out drivel that was Underworld. Size 12 delves into real issues that concern women but the irony is that those issues, domestic violence and abusive relationships, are the very issues I had such a problem with Underworld.
Not Cabot's best work by a long shot. I actually really enjoyed the concept of retelling a Greek myth in Abandon, after all she did a great Arthurian retelling with Avalon High. However, Cabot seems to have lost her way with this Twilight-esque sequel.The plot seems to drag in places and the conflict becomes tiresome and unimaginative. Cabot spends pages where she should have spent mere sentences. Her heronie Pierce becomes unappealing, weak and spineless and her love interest John is such a controlling, lying, violent charachter that even Edward Cullen is likable in comparison.I just don't even understand the appeal of a character like John who is lying and manipulative, I mean what is to like? How does someone who writes books exclusively for girls, who claims to be writing stories in their interest justify telling them that it is ok if your boyfriend is controlling and dangerous, stalkery and lies to you?
I'm not advocating censorship or anything but I think people need to think about what they're putting out there for a young audience to read, especially ones that are as popular as Cabot. I am incredibly dissapointed, I can't believe this is the same author that brought us the Mediator series.
This trend in YA fiction that idolizes abuse and toxic relationships in exchange for "You're so hot and rich and I get to live forever" glorifies some of the worst things about our society and it needs to stop.
While I am bothered by the fact many girls make The Hunger Games solely about romance because they are completely missing the point, I am grateful for a popular YA book that has not only a strong heroine but a partner that is her equal in every way. I hope to see more of that rather than this drivel.
As far as chick lit goes, Girls in White Dresses was just not particularly memorable. As someone who reads frequently I saw the same trivial themes of complacency and boredom and fear of being alone here as I do in many other novels. There were bits of clever humor but otherwise this book was far from extraordinary.
I thought this book was incredibly honest. The perfect novel to read as a recent college grad. I could relate to the post graduate pessimism. I could understand Mitchell's hopeless attachment to Madeline. Yes the book was occasionally pretentious, yes Madeline could have been a much more interesting character. But it remains one of the most honest things I've read in a long time. However, I have a unique perspective on it at this time in my life. Ask me again what I thought in five years. I bet it'll be very different.
For the first half of this book I simply could not put it down. The plot was interesting, fast paced and filled with intriguing characters. But right around the middle of the book Willig seems to have completely lost her focus. The once sensible and well rounded characters somehow turned into sex crazed maniacs that made completely unfathomable decisions. I am not opposed to a little bit of smut in historical fiction, I fully admit to having gobbled up Diana Gabaldon, Jennifer Donnelly and Phillipa Gregory like candy. However those authors manage to construct stories that maintain their substance and provide characters that continue to have meaningful contributions to the plot beyond sex. Willig, however, goes from legitimate historical fiction to LITERALLY ripping bodices in a span of merely a few pages. For those who are into Harlequin type romances this is an excellent book for you but for those who like a little bit more substance in their historical fiction I would strongly recommend another book, perhaps even one by the above mentioned authors.
Fey provides an insight into women's lives in the workplace with a surprising depth and a not so surprising brevity of wit. I found it to be less of a memoir and more of a humorous commentary on gender issues in America. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone interested in expanding their perspective on gender relations.
This book was far from what I expected. When I picked it up, intrigued by the title more than anything, I was expecting a light piece of chick lit about clothes. I could not have been more wrong. Instead I felt like I was riding some kind of emotional roller coaster. This novel wraps together themes of regret, betrayal, and redemption seamlessly all under the symbol of vintage clothing. It is a tragic story but it is also a beautiful one and Wolff manages to tie everything up at the end without creating something so sugary sweet the reader gags. I would highly recommend this book if you appreciate both fashion and a good story with a few tears along the way.
Substance wise The American Heiress does not have a lot to offer, however it was a very interesting, well written and well researched novel. I didn't think I would find it entirely memorable but I found myself thinking about it a lot after I finished it which is the mark of a good book. Historically American heiresses did sometimes marry into the European aristocracy and I think that Goodwin rightly explored some of the problems they may have encountered doing so. The main problem is that the main character, Cora, is not inherently likable and her maid, who is, is not fully explored enough. Bertha, Cora's maid, is the most interesting part of the novel, I think it would have been better if it had been written entirely from her perspective as an African American maid in England. Bertha, having served Cora's family for many years in the States, was allowed a lot of opportunities in Europe that would have been closed to her in the States due to her color. This, along with more through thought into Bertha's motivations for her decisions would have made a far better story.