Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie

Author: David Lubar
Pages: 279 pages
Rate: 10 out of 10


Freaks and bullies, ridicule and romance, homework and home havoc...


Starting high school is never easy. Seniors take your lunch money. Girls you've known forever are suddenly beautiful and unattainable. And you can never get enough sleep. Could there be a worse time for Scott's mother to announce she's pregnant? Scott decides high school would be a lot less overwhelming if it came with a survival manual, so he begins to write down tips for his new sibling. Meanwhile, he's trying his best to capture the attention of Julia, the freshman goddess. In the process, Scott manages to become involved in nearly everything, from auditioning for the school play to running for student council to writing sports columns for the school paper. While he tries to dins his place in the confusing world of high school, win Julia's heart, and keep his sanity, Scott will be recording all the details for his sibling's enjoyment.


This novel was a great, humorous novel. I couldn't put it down! It is about Scott Hudson, who is just going into his first year of high school when his mom annouces she is pregnant. With that keeping his mind busy, Scott is also trying to get Julia to notice him. Scott ends up writing for the school newspaper, trying out for the school's musical, and run for student council. If that isn't a lot already, he also has piles of homework to do and can barely get enough sleep at night. But Scott survives his first year of high school, while making some new and unexpected friends along the way.


I would recommend this novel to anybody looking for a hilarious young adult novel. Scott's humor made me laugh out loud many times. His lists he makes for his new sibling are really funny. I gave this novel a ten out of ten because I liked how Scott could make a joke out of even the worst situations. I really enjoyed this novel and will most likely read it again in the future.

Pretties

Author: Scott Westerfeld
Pages: 348 pages
Rate: 10 out of 10

Tally as finally become pretty. Now her looks are beyond perfect, her clothes are awesome, her boyfriend is totally hot, and she's completely popular. It's everything she's ever wanted.

But beneath all the fun- the nonstop parties, the high-tech luxury, the total freedom- is a nagging sense that something's wrong. Something important. Then a message from Tally's ugly past arrives. Reading it, Tally remembers what's wrong with pretty life, and the fun stops cold.

Now she has to choose between fighting to forget what she knows and fighting for her life- because the authorities don't intend to let anyone with this information survive.


If you haven't read the first novel in this series (Uglies), then I suggest you stop reading this review because it won't make any sense to you. I recommend reading the first novel because it was really good!


Tally has just become a stunning new pretty. Life couldn't be better for her; she is beautiful, she goes to tons of parties, and she is surrounded by an amazing group of friends. But then one night she runs into an old ugly friend, and he gives her a note that reminds her of her terrible past. Tally has to leave the life she loves and go back to the life she was taken from.


I would definitely recommend this novel to anybody looking for a dystopian/sci-fi novel. This book kept me on my toes, waiting to see what happens next. I gave this novel a ten out of ten because there was nothing that I didn't like about it! I cannot wait to read the third book in this series, Specials. I'm already trying to predict what is going to happen!

Book Tag

I thought it would be really fun to do a tag so I can let my viewers get to know me a little better. This tag is all about my preference in books, but if you have any other tag you would want me to do, please tell me because I would be happy to do another!

I found this tag here: http://www.elleandblair.com/forum/thread/book-tags.

Anyways, let's get this book tag started, shall we?

1. What genre do you prefer?
I prefer young adult (if that isn't already obvious).
2. Must haves on your book shelf
Probably The Hunger Games and Anna and the French Kiss.
3. Favourite authors (pick up to 3 if you want)
My favorite author is Lisa Greenwald, but I also like Scott Westerfeld and Sara Shepard.
4. Your favourite bookstore
Barnes and Noble for sure.
5. Your opinion on the current genre trend in YA
I am not completely sure what this question is truly asking... but I think the genre trend in YA is "distoypian". I'm not very into those types of novels, but I've been trying to get myself to read one or two of them.
6. Name a series you wish had more books
I haven't really finished any YA series yet so I have no clue. I really start the series and then start a different series so I really haven't gotten around to finishing a real series. I'll let you know when I do.
7. Any non-fiction books on your shelf?
Does the dictionary count?
8. Prettiest cover on your bookshelf.
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I love the Eiffel Tower in the background. Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley also has a super pretty cover.
9. What are you currently reading?
Forgive my Fins by Tera Lynn Childs. I really like it so far. I have never read a novel about a mermaid, so this is a first.
10. What is the next book you want to buy?
I don't have just one book I want to buy. I have a list (my To-Be-Read list) and it is overflowing with books. If somebody wants to count how many there are, be my guest. I'm just trying to figure out how much it's going to cost me!

Forgive My Fins

Author: Tera Lynn Childs
Pages: 293 pages
Rate: 10 out of 10

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it's not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you're a normal teenage girl, but when you're half human, half mermaid, like Lily, there's no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily's mermaid identity is a secret that can't get out, since she's not just any mermaid- she's a Thalassinain princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn't feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she's been living on land and going to Seaview High School ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems- like her obnoxious biker-boy neighbor, Quince Fletcher- but it has that one major perk: Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren't really the casual dating type- the instant they "bond", it's for life.
When Lily's attempt to win Brody's love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily ever after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

Forgive my Fins by Tera Lynn Childs is about Lily Sanderson, a young girl who is half mermaid, half human. Lily decided she was going to go live on land with her Aunt Rachel when she was fifteen, but when she got on land, she fell in love with Brody Bennett. After three years of loving him from afar, Lily has decided that she wants to spend the rest of her life with him, but when her neighbor, Quince, does something unexpected, everything turns for the worst and Lily gets put into a situation that she never thought she would be in.

This novel is purely amazing. I loved it and I cannot wait to read the second novel, Fins are Forever. This book kept me guessing. I had predicted what would happen in the end, but it turns out that what I was guessing would happen really didn't happen. I enjoyed the fishy terminology (instead of using profanity, she would say "carp" or call someone a "blowfish"). I also liked that I had such feelings for the characters; I loved Lily and Quince, but absolutely disliked Dosinia. I think that when a novel can make you have such strong feelings for somebody who is made up, you can tell it is an amazing novel.

I would definitely read this novel again sometime, and I would recommend it to anybody who loves realistic novels about un-real things (but who said mermaids weren't real?). I gave this novel a ten out of ten because I loved it. I just loved it. I don't think I should even have to explain anymore. I will be reading the second novel, Fins are Forever, as soon as I can!

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies

Author: Sonya Sones
Pages: 268 pages
Rate: 10 out of 10

My name is Ruby. This book is about me.
It tells the deeply hideous story
of what happens when my mother dies
and I'm dragged three thousand miles away
from my gorgeous boyfriend, Ray,
to live in L.A. with my father,
who I've never even met
because he's such a scumbag that he
divorced my mom before I was born.
The only way I've ever seen him
is in the movies
since he's this mega-famous actor
who's been way to busy
trying to win Oscars
to even visit me once in fifteen years.

Everyone loves my father.
Everyone but me.

I cannot even begin to explain how much I enjoyed this novel. It was written in poetry form, which made it go by quicker than I had hoped it would. I could connect with the characters really easily because their story was so easy to slip into. I felt like I was actually in the novel when I was reading it (which is always a good sign).

This novel was about fifteen-year-old Ruby Milliken, who grew up living with her mother in Massachusetts. Ruby's father divorced her mother before she was even born, but Ruby's mother would never tell her the whole story. But the Ruby's mother passed away from an illness and Ruby was sent to California to live with the father that she already disliked because of what she thought he did. She now has to go to a new school, try to fit in, and try to stay connected with her boyfriend, Ray, and her best friend, Lizzy, via email.

I actually learned a little from this novel. It taught me that you can't judge somebody you haven't even met. Ruby hadn't met her father before- she had only seen him in movies. But from the little her mom had told her about him, Ruby decided that he was a "scumbag". In reality, however, he loved her more than anything. It made Ruby realize that you can't judge a book by it's cover. It made me realize that too (although my teachers in school already have drilled it into my head).

I would recommend this novel to somebody in middle school (around grades 6-8) who likes quick, easy, but fun young adult novels that they can somewhat relate to. I would gave this novel a ten out of ten, since I loved it that much. I will definitely read this novel again sometime in the future.

The Lying Game

Author: Sara Shepard

Pages: 307 (Hardcover)

Rate: 10 out of 10

I had a life anyone would kill for.

Then someone did.

The worst part of being dead is that there's nothing left to live for. No more kisses. No more secrets. No more gossip. It's enough to kill a girl all over again. But I'm about to get something no one else does- an encore performance, thanks to Emma, the long-lost twin sister I never even got to meet.

Now Emma's desperate to know what happened to me. And the only way to figure out is to be me- to slip into my old life and piece it all together. But can she laugh at inside jokes with my best friends? Convince my boyfriend she's the girl he fell in love with? Pretend to be a happy, carefree daughter when she hugs my parents goodnight? And can she keep up with the charade, even after she realizes my murderer is watching her every move?

This novel was about Emma, a seventeen-year-old girl who moves around from foster home to foster home, but then learns she has a long-lost twin sister, Sutton Mercer, who lives in Arizona. Emma decides to leave her current foster home and go meet her twin. She arrives in Arizona, and finds out that Sutton is dead, and is forced to take Sutton's place. Emma soon finds out about Sutton and her friend's past of practical jokes, and has to find out what is a joke and what is reality.

I really enjoyed this novel. I loved the characters, the plot, the author's writing style, and nearly everything else about it! It was the best mystery book I've ever read. When I finished reading it, I was speechless. It was just that good.

I gave this novel a 10 out of 10 because I loved it that much. It ended with a cliff-hanger, and I was relieved to find out that there is a second (and a third) novel. I would recommend this novel to somebody who loves mystery novels, can deal with fright, and is looking for a good young adult novel.

Library Haul

I love getting books from the library (I prefer buying novels, but the library is so fun!), and I tend to come home with a little more books than I had intended to get. I went to the library today and meant to get one novel, but I came home with two, which isn't bad (but didn't get the novel I had gone to the library to get because they didn't have it... bummer.). Anyways, I brought home One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones and Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs.

I'm really excited about reading these. Forgive My Fins was on my June To-Be-Read list, but while I was looking at all the books on the shelves, I saw it and decided that I couldn't wait until June to read it. Isn't the cover so pretty? The other novel I got, One of Those Hideous Books Where The Mother Dies is on my school reading list, and I've been eyeballing it since sixth grade but have never read it (I have no clue why though!).