Lost Voices (Lost Voices #1) by Sarah Porter

Luce has lived with her alcoholic uncle ever since her father went out to sea during a storm and never returned. Her mother died a long time ago, and she is very alone. She doesn't have any friends and chooses to spend her time alone. She dreads coming home to her uncle, unknowing of what he might do to her. One night, when he uncle is especially drunk and tries to rape her, she runs away and is contemplating jumping off a cliff into the ocean. Before she can think any more, she falls off the cliff. Instead of dying, she is turned into a mermaid who now has a home with a tribe of mermaids who eagerly accept her. These mermaids are all "lost girls", who have been cruelly mistreated. That's why they have become mermaids, so that that they can sing to ships and get revenge on the evil things humans have done to them. Luce has an extraordinary voice and quickly becomes second-in-command to the beautiful, mysterious queen Catarina. Luce is thrilled to have a home now, but she questions the morality of killing humans.

Lost Voices  was captivating! I loved the world they lived in, and I love mermaids, and I loved the whole idea of the story. Especially how they were like EVIL mermaids, and had such a dark side.

The writing is beautiful and haunting at the same time. It's cruel but lovely. I love the descriptions and the whole imagination part of this ocean world. And thumbs up to the author for the "larva". Even though I know they were just baby mermaids and I have no problems with babies, I still felt just as repulsed reading about them as the mermaids felt. The characters are fascinating and mysterious, and I wish the author would have focused on them as well as she had focused on the story. The plot is a bit slow, the exciting parts are mainly at the end. Argh, why do authors do this to us haha.

However, the ending ruined Lost Voices for me. How, you might ask? Well there basically was no ending. I almost felt like there was supposed to be some missing chapter that had fallen out of my book. The ending is a promise for another book, but I the problems of the novel are unsolved and a real let-down. I was very disappointed with how the story ended. Not because I'm impatient and I want to know what happens next (well, that too), but because I believe that books in series should also be a good stand alone novel. Like, if someone wanted to read the first book in a series, they would find a complete story and a promise for more. I felt like I had a missing ending and a promise for more.

The cover is beautiful <3 But if that mermaid is supposed to be Luce, the author didn't read the story because Luce has very short hair. And I adore the title. It goes perfectly with the story.

I really did like this story, but I think I would probably recommend the series in a whole rather that just this book. Because I liked the concept and the writing, but not so much the plot rate and the ending. I am looking forward to reading the other books in this trilogy :) This is a 4.5 star book for the overall concept, but  a 3.5 out of 5 stars for me because of the ending, the rate the plot progressed, and how I wanted more out of the characters. And I'm crossing my fingers for a male character in the next book! **cough** merman **cough**

Happy Reading! :)

Beastly: Movie vs. Book

So, I just watched Beastly and decided that I would do a comparison of the movie vs. book version. This will be kinda quick because I have to take a shower soon lol.

First of all, the obvious difference was Kyle. Kyle isn't "beastly" he just looks like he was in a gruesome knife fight and got some cool tribal tattoos and piercings at some point. And Lindy isn't "homely beautiful", she's just pretty haha. There were some plot changes, like the whole beginning! There were a few things that made me a little angry like "OMG how could you change that!" like Kyle's new name. Was there really a point to changing it from Adrian to Hunter? What was the big deal?

The movie would probably be pretty good if you saw it on it's own, but compared to the book it's nowhere near as amazing.

I did like Alex Pettyfer's acting though, I think he played a GREAT Kyle. And especially the anger and frustration part. And of course, after reading the book, you feel like you got absolutely nothing out of the movie because they took out huge, giant chunks of the book from the story, but hey, they have to fit it all in in an hour and a half.

If you plan on watching this movie, I would recommend you read the book first, because its much, much better and more romantic. And then, see the movie, but prepare yourself for a little disappointment. Because Alex Flinn's writing is pretty damn good.

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

At one point of this past summer, I saw the cover of this book on GoodReads and I said "Oh, I remember I wanted to read that!" and then after I got the book I was like "I could have sworn that I read this book" but I couldn't quite remember what happened. At about page 200, I realized that I HAD read the book. Wow, so smart of me!! haha

So, in Twenty Boy Summer there's Anna. Anna's best friends with Frankie, and her brother Matt. Anna has been in love with Matt ever since she was 10, and finally at her 15th birthday party, he kisses her. Life is perfect for Anna. She and Matt don't want to upset Frankie with the news, so they decide it would be best if Matt told her himself when they got back from their California trip. Then, their lives take a tragic twist. Matt dies in a car crash because of a heart problem that no one knew he had. Anna never tells Frankie about her and Matt because it was "their secret". So she goes on with her life, secretly hurting. Frankie changes and so does Anna. A year later, it’s time for Frankie’s family’s annual California trip and Anna is invited along. Anna and Frankie plan for the A.B.S.E. (Absolute Best Summer Ever) and plan on meeting 20 new boys between the two of them. Anna reluctantly agrees, even though she has no desire to meet anyone because she’s still not over Matt.

Twenty Boy Summer broke my heart. I was so devastated reading about how Anna loses her love and has conflicting emotions regarding Frankie, love in general, and herself. I connected with this book so personally because I have a boyfriend, and I would be so so so heartbroken if anything happened to him. I feel her pain, and really felt like I understand Anna.  

Frankie was a little bit difficult to relate to. She and Anna are supposed to be best friends, but I don’t know how Anna puts up with her. I guess their duo needs a leader and a follower, and that leader is definitely Frankie. She pushes Anna into things, forces her to look a certain way, lies to her, and is oblivious to the feelings she had for Matt for SIX years. She seems a bit like a diva, but I think she’s also misunderstood. She’s just grieving like everyone else, but her grief is in a different way. She has her soft spots, though and I grew to like her despite her flaws.

I loved pretty much all the characters, and Matt. The cover is beautiful, and goes along with the story perfectly. The only thing that’s a little bit iffy is the title. If you read the book, you understand it and you love it. But if you don’t, it sounds kinda… sleazy, right? But anyway, I would definitely recommend this book, especially to readers who like Sarah Dessen. I absolutely adored this story, even though it was a little sad for me. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s a good kind of heart break because you know everything’s going to be okay in the end. 5 out of 5 stars.

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Beastly is a modern-day re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. If you aren't familiar with the story, I will summarize it for you:

Kyle is rich and spoiled. He's good looking, and his father's a hot-shot, which let's him get away with pretty much anything. He invites an "ugly" girl to the dance, planning on standing her up, which is his mistake. The girl turns out to be a "witch" that casts a spell on him. She turns him into a beast to teach him a lesson about beauty. At the dance, Kyle had given the corsage he had bought for his date (who rejected it because it wasn't expensive or pretty enough for her) to the girl at the ticket booth. The witch recognizes this kindness, and then gives Kyle a chance to break the spell. She says that if he can get a girl to fall in love with him even with his appearance, and if he loves her back, and they kiss within 2 years, the spell will be broken.

My god, I loved this story. I love the story of Beauty and the Beast, and the morals of it. And I loved how the author was able to translate all of that into a modern-day retelling of this classic story. I disliked Kyle in the beginning, he was sooo full-of-it. But after a while, I really started to feel for him. I actually started to like him and want for the spell to be broken. I love it when authors can change your mind about a character! The writing was excellent, I think that Flinn captured the teenage mind of Kyle perfectly, and made him so real. I loved the morals, the characters, the writing, the plot, the romance, and the re-telling.

I wanted to read this book because I heard it was going to be turned into a movie, and I wanted to read the book first. I had read Cloaked by Alex Finn, and I really liked the whole modern-day fairy tale idea. Soo I decided to read Beastly. I would definitely recommend it if you plan to see the movie, or you like Beauty in the Beast, or you like fantasy, or romance. Basically, there's something in it for everyone!

The only thing that bothered me when I was reading this book was the cover. The book I had was the newly published one:

I don't know about you, but Kyle doesn't look very "beastly". In fact, I think that Alex P is still very attractive. And Linda isn't supposed to be conventionally beautiful, but I don't think Vanessa is really doing it for me because, let's all face it. She's pretty no matter what!

I plan on reviewing the movie Beastly once I see it, and compare it to how well I think it followed the story, which was better, etc. So stay tuned for that!

I would recommend Beastly to just about everyone, and I think it deserves 5 out of 5 stars !!!!!

Happy Reading!!!

<3

Picture Perfect by Catherine Clark

Every few years, Emily's dad drags the family along to some vacation spot where they spend a few weeks in the summer with his old college friends. All his friends have kids that are the same age, so Emily, Spencer, Adam, and Heather have known each other forever. This year, the trip will be different though. It's the summer before college, and the first time Emily will have seen Spencer in a long time. The last time she saw him, she pronounced her love for him, and he awkwardly ignored her. Her friend Heather convinces her that this is the PERFECT time to have a fling, and Emily decides that she's right. Now, Emily has to get over Spencer, find someone to have a fling with, and enjoy her summer.

First of all, the characters. I didn't really feel like I connected with Emily a whole lot, probably because she had liked Simon. Simon is like OMG the hugest dick ever. He seriously needs to get over himself. I didn't feel like I really understood Emily a whole lot because of that, and her desperation to meet someone new. And the weird thing is, that I pretty much disliked Simon from the beginning of the book. But then, towards the middle-end ish, I actually started liking him. So thumbs up for the author for being able to change my mind like that!

I felt like the ending was too short, however. I felt that there were a few loose ends that should have been tied. Such as, the calendar Emily was making. It seems almost like a metaphor throughout the story, and she mentions it a lot. She was supposed to make the calendar as a gift for everyone, but the story ended before she could give it to them. It's not a huge deal, I just think that that thought should have been completed. Also, Blake! **SPOILER HERE** He was pretty much a jerk to her (or so we think) and I would have liked an apology, or an explanation from him so that he wouldn't have just dropped out of the story.

I liked the basic idea of the story, though it wasn't anything too special. It made me laugh out loud on multiple occasions, and definitely was entertaining at some parts. It was a quick read that didn't require too much concentration and chick-lit happiness. I love romance/girly books, and if Picture Perfect sounds interesting, than read it! But if it sounds kinda ehh, skip it and go for another book. I enjoyed this book, and it had it's good moments, but it wasn't anything too special. So, 3 out of 3 stars !

Populazzi by Elise Allen

What would you do to be the most popular girl in school?

When Cara moves to a new school, her friend Claudia encourages her to use the Ladder. The Ladder is a way for Cara to reinvent herself. She was reallllyyy unpopular at her old school, but Claudia convinces her that there are simple steps so that she can be part of the Populazzi, and eventually Supreme Populazzi. There's four steps. First, she must date someone on a low tier to make herself seem wanted. Then she will dump him for a DangerZone on a higher tier. Next, she will date someone within the Populazzi. And eventually, she will become Supreme Populazzi.

Well, let's get the bad things out of the way first. It was predictable, and cliche. But then again, what would you expect from a book titled "Populazzi" haha. And a bit unrealistic, because I don't believe that high school works in the same way as the book described. In Populazzi, there is an elite group of students who are far more popular than anyone else. I don't think there's anyone in my grade like that. There are different groups of popular people, but they're all popular in a different way. They somewhat overlap, but I wouldn't say that there is a single clique of people who are ultimately more popular than everyone else. Nor, is there a Supreme Populazzi. Something that bothered me was how the author kept having her characters say, "I'll email you". Because honestly, having it be 2011, who emails their friends anymore? It's all about texting and Facebook. Just saying. Also, the cover. It's not the most beautiful cover in my opinion. The shirt she's wearing is not a very pretty shirt, her necklace is very cheesy, and the half-cut off face just isn't doing it for me. Lol, but anyway, those were minor things, and on to the good things!!

I LOVED Populazzi. From the first chapter, I was addicted. The writing was hilarious, and I really felt like I understood Cara's awkwardness and feelings. The characters are fantastic and well developed. Being a teenager, it's easy to relate to and recognize the situations I've been in. I found myself laughing at the ridiculous things Cara said, and then wishing she could take back. I loved the chapter about Cara going to Hot Topic and buying everything, because Hot Topic is my favorite store ever! I want to work there next year haha. I enjoyed the emo-transformation and appreciated how the author wrote about it. I liked how the author worked Cara's family problems into the plot line. Her step-dad seriously irked me. He needs a serious reality check! I liked the message this book was giving, and how it ended.

There are obviously a few things that you're like "Come on, that doesn't happen" , but I really loved this book. It was entertaining, I liked the characters, and the plot line was fast and engaging. I would definitely recommend Populazzi, because I'll probably be reading it again next year! I adored it and how it describes the adventures of high school. 5 out of 5 stars !!

My To-Read List :D

Ahhhh school... It's just super exciting to be back isn't it? I just love all the homework and the writing and the quizzes!  (That is sarcasm.)

Well anyway, now I'm pretty busy, but I've still had a few minutes to read at night.

This is my To-Read List::

**It's not for sure, this is just the order I plan on reading them.

First, is Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler. I know this came out a few years ago, and I remember that I requested it from the library. But I don't think I ever got around to reading it, whatever the reason for that was! Or maybe I did, but I just don't remember. Anyway, I'm going to give it another try. And also, it's  a "Summer" book, and so postponing this read any more will just seem wrong! haha

Next, is Picture Perfect by Catherine Clark. Yes, it's one of THOSE cheesy, girly novels, but it looked so cute and Island Girls was so enjoyable that I'm hoping it's very similar :)

Next, is Lost Voices by Sarah Porter. I was planning on reading this one after I had read Ripple, but I had had enough of sea- books so I just put it off...

Last, is The One (Cloe Gamble #1) by Ed Dector. I read the whole series last year, and OMG it was addicting. I loved it so much, so I'm going to read it again!

And that's it for now! Right now I'm reading Populazzi by Elise Allen, and it's really good so far. So I'll be reviewing it when I'm done reading it. That will probably be sometime this weekend, so stay tuned!

Happy Reading!

♥MyTeenReads

Rage: A Love Story by Julie Anne Peters

Rage is a love story, as the title suggests. But this isn't your ordinary boy-meets-girl love story. First of all, it's a girl-meets-girl love story. But it is so much more than that. As the story begins, we meet Johanna, the patient, reliable, go-to heroine. She's in love with Reeve. Reeve is the opposite of Johanna. She's dangerous, alluring, and mysterious. The story proceeds, and we find ourselves learning about Reeve's abusive family, which leads her to abusing Johanna.

I wanted to love this story, I really did! And I did love it in a way. I don't know what it was about the writing, but there was just something that made it hard for me to get into the story. I found Johanna to be a bit weak, because of all the shit she puts up with. All her friends and family try to warn her to keep away from Reeve, because they don't want to see her get hurt. Johanna ignores them, and chooses Reeve over them. She abuses Johanna, but Johanna claims that Reeve really loves her, she's just scared. Johanna is blind, and loves Reeve. She'll do anything for her, whether it's losing the people and things that are important to her, skipping school, or losing her job. I also don't know how much she sees into Reeve's character. All the time she describes Reeve, it seems mostly physical, not about what's inside. I personally think she's in love with the idea of Reeve, not Reeve herself. You have to understand that the situation that she lives in majorly influences this though. Her life is hard, and it's understandable that this is the type of person she is. The characters are very realistic though. It's easy to understand them and see that they're not perfect at all.

I liked the idea of the book, how it was a love story, but it was a lot more than that. It's about relationships, abuse, loss, and family. There were moments I liked, but I found this book a bit difficult to read because I didn't find myself relating with Johanna very much. I liked it because it was unique. Honestly, how many books about abuse are there? And how many of those have LGBT protagonists? And how many of them are teen girls? So this book fills that little spot.

The ending was a bit of a let-down, but I'm glad it was how it was because it was realistic. I wouldn't really classify this book more as a LGBT book, but more as an abuse book. It's about both, but I think it's more the latter.

Rage isn't a happy book, it's a darker one. It's about abuse. Everyone is either the victim or the abuser, or both. It's painful and sad to think about, but possibly a necessary read.

I also felt a bit confused with the end, like I was missing some parts. Such as what was in Robbie's case and the hospice. Everything just seemed a little bit cut off, with no folow up.

I really wanted to like this story, but I'm going to have to go with 2.5 out of 5 stars on this one.

Shopaholic Ties the Knot (Shopaholic #3) by Sophie Kinsella

Becky Bloomwood is back! She has a successful job, a wonderful boyfriend, and having a great time living in New York. Her best friend Suze gets engaged, and Becky can't help but feel a little jealous. Then, Luke proposes! She finds herself being thrown into a wedding planned by her parents, in England. And then, Luke's mother offers to give them an all-expenses paid wedding in New York at the Plaza. Becky finds herself unable to choose one, and unable to tell people about her problem.

Ahhh, Becky. How does she get herself into these situations? She has a serious case of denial lol. She has her issues, but she's a lovable heroine that you can't help but cheer for. Becky frustrates me a little bit, but she makes me laugh a lot.

This isn't my favorite of the Shopaholic books, but it's a cute one. It's hilarious, like the other ones!

I would recommend this series for a mindless read that will give you a laugh. The characters are funny and lovable, and just adorable. 3.5 out of 5 stars !! :)

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

The Joy Luck Club starts off telling about how four women meet together to play mah jong in San Francisco. One of the women has died, and her daughter is supposed to take her place at the table. Four stories are told, from 4 mothers and their 4 daughters in alternating perspectives. The stories intertwine as we learn about the mother's lives in China, and their daughter's lives in America.

I found out I had to read this book over the summer as part of summer reading. :P I'm taking the honors English class this year as opposed to last year, when I took the regular class. And no one gave me the memo about the summer books we had to read! Lol. But luckily, I had already read 2 of the 3, and this was the third I had to read.

I found it to be a little bit confusing as I tried to keep track of all the characters and their mothers. Their stories all have similarities so it can be a bit tricky at times. I couldn't relate to a whole lot of it, but I liked the messages it portrayed. This isn't a book I would have chosen for myself to read, I prefer the mindless, girly ones lol. But as required reading, it wasn't that bad, and captivating at points.

I'm going to give it 3 out of 5 stars , because I know it's a classic. I wasn't blown away by it or anything. :P If it sounds like something that interests you, I would recommend it, but if it doesn't, it's probably not something I would rave over.

This was a quick review, as I have to get back to my homework. Yes, homework on the first weekend. I have to catch up on all the stuff I was supposed to do over the summer lol. Until next time! Whenever that time will be :)

Happy reading!