[Review] Sixteenth Summer by Michelle Dalton

Title: Sixteenth Summer

Author: Michelle Dalton

Publisher: Simon Pulse (May 3rd, 2011)

At first glance, Sixteenth Summer might seem like your typical, fluffy summer read, one that you can read while lying out in the sun somewhere. But personally, I felt it was more like a spring or autumn read-not just sweet and romantic, but also with a little more depth and melancholy than you might expect.

The tiny island with all its nature and beach scenery sounded so blissful to me! I’m just dying to step into the book and personally experience the whole island atmosphere. Will, who is from the city and used to walking in a crowd of strangers, was so awed by how Anna knew practically everyone she walked by on the streets-and he certainly isn’t the only one! I wish I could stroll along the city and make friendly talk with familiar faces everywhere. (Here, people would probably start staring at me suspiciously and wondering what I’ve got up my sleeves)

The beginning part of Will and Anna’s relationship was awkward, clumsy, embarrassing and so incredibly sweet. It’s always fun reading those books where both characters meet for the first time but manage to say the perfect things while looking cool and composed; somehow, everything goes smoothly like a fairy tale and the magical night even ends with a knee-weakening kiss. In that moment, you start dreamily fantasizing and thinking, hey, maybe this is going to happen to me too. That’s why I love romance novels so much, they give us rose-tinted stories where nothing seems to go wrong!

Yet in reality, that’s often not the case. Instead of projecting a put-together, confident image, most of us ordinary teenagers end up stammering in nervousness, blushing in shyness or fidgeting in silence. We trip over our own feet, we have colourful tongues from wrong candy choices, we have bad hair days and stains down the front of our shirts. Michelle Dalton managed to capture the real essence of first dates, first kisses, and first loves perfectly in the book. Will and Anna’s love story was simple and not at all extraordinary with sweeping lines or extravagant gestures, but it was also heart-warming and charming in its own right. I loved how they were able to transform small, mundane everyday-life matters into beautiful and treasured summer memories to keep for life.

After reading so many books involving things like the horrors of dystopian society, or world-endangering wars between paranormal creatures, Sixteenth Summer was like returning home to a familiar place of comfort. The novel reminded me that even in the world of creative fiction, normalcy can be equally engaging. The entire book was about how two simple, normal, uninteresting teenagers met, fell in love and spent the summer getting to know each other-it sounds kind of boring, but isn’t this exactly what normal people all over the world are experiencing? I thought the plot development was very realistic and natural, nothing felt forced or out of place. Although the storyline was relatively simple, I was charmed throughout and couldn’t take my eyes off the pages, which is a lot more than I can say for other books aiming for action-packed and suspenseful, but falling short disastrously.

The ending was heart-breaking and hopeful at the same time. Although I already had an inkling where the book was heading towards since the start, *highlight for minor spoiler* it was still kind of sad knowing there was a high possibility Will and Anna would never be together again. It would have been overkill if the author had thrown in a perfect, nicely wrapped-up conclusion, so I wouldn't ask for a totally happy ending, nor would I want a sequel because I think the book ended on a beautiful (if not slightly tragic) note. If you're looking for a coming-of-age story dealing with first love and growing up, Sixteenth Summer is for you!

[Review] Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Title: Hourglass (Hourglass #1)

Author: Myra McEntire

Publisher: Egmont USA (June 14, 2011)

I was anticipating this book so much that I feared it wouldn't live up to my expectations. But guess what? Hourglass was just plain awesome! I was worrying for nothing! This book was every bit as good as I'd imagined and maybe even more. I felt like I was racing through time with the characters and many of the plot twists had me going, Whoa. Never saw that coming. It was impressive how Ms Mcentire managed to drop all the big surprises and secrets at just the right moments-everything just fit perfectly!

Em was a witty, sarcastic, and tough heroine who wasn't afraid to show it when she was angry, even if she was drooling over Michael (this, I found perfectly understandable). When Michael was babying her around, thinking she couldn't cope with all the secretive stuff about the Hourglass society, she stood up and demanded to know the truth because it involved her. I was like, This is the attitude I want, girl! Give it to him! I cannot tolerate wishy-washy protagonists who whine all the time about being kept in the dark, while refusing to take action and find out what was going on. This, I'm happy to say, is exactly what Em was not.

But beneath all her snarky comments and strong front, Em also had a vulnerable, soft side. This aspect of her personality emerged during her interactions with Thomas, her brother, and his wife, Dru. Her brand of inner fangirling was just hilarious! I nearly fell out of my chair giggling whenever she said something embarrassing in front of Michael and got all awkward afterward.

The romantic tension between Em and Michael was just SIZZLING. I half-expected them to start making out there and then on their first meeting, but of course, that didn't happen! I have no idea how many sparks flew before they finally kissed, but when they did, you can practically see fireworks everywhere. God, I sound like so corny and cheesy now, but the chemistry between this power couple was really one of the key reasons that made Hourglass exceptional.

Uh, did you think I would actually miss out Kaleb? No way, the way he was described made him sound so hunky! If you like the authentic, tough, devilishly charming bad boy type with a soft heart, you'll probably fall head over heels in love with Kaleb. He's definitely not the pretentious "I'm-not-good-for-you" kind of guy! However, as much as I found Kaleb drool-worthy, I also felt that he was introduced too late into the story to really make a HUGE impact. It was a little unrealistic that he fell so deeply for Em just after a couple of meetings, when he had been a notorious heart-breaker the first time they met. I mean, Em IS lovable, but to instantly reform a serious playboy is a pretty difficult feat to achieve within a few days.

Anyway, I love Lily. Alot. She was extremely comical whenever Michael was around and I would love to have a best friend like her! Readers can expect a little twist that involves Lily and hidden abilities. I don't feel ashamed for spoiling you because there's some pretty obvious foreshadowing which made the revelation less shocking and more predictable! I'm totally shipping Lily and Kaleb together. Pretty please?!

Word play was used alot, which really lightened the slightly-heavy and serious atmosphere of the story! I particularly liked this example:

"Are you ready to get back?" he asked. I didn't raise my eyes, but I could hear the amusement in his voice. "Or do you have some time today?"

"I'm all yours." I slipped out before I could stop it. "Er...I mean, I think I'm going to be in trouble either way, since I spent the night with you...here, I mean, spent the night here." I stopped talking and sighed deeply. "I have time."

The ending of Hourglass was also really well done. You know those books ending with killer cliffhangers to pave the way for a sequel? I always end up tearing my hair out in pure frustration, because more often than not, I would have to endure another year of agony before I get to see how the story will be unfolding! But thank Heavens, Hourglass was concluded in a way that made me feel satisfied, but also super excited and hyped up for the next book.

This is a unique and promising novel that puts a different spin to time travel and science fic, a topic which I previously assumed was utterly dry and boring. The story was so engaging I found myself completely absorbed, such that I didn't even notice the clock ticking away and finished it in one setting. I would recommend this one to anyone up for something different with a distinctive voice.

Two favourite quotes:

•  Michael to Em: "You look like a miniature burglar."
•  My ass was grass, and big brother was the lawn mower.

[Review] Lipstick Apology by Jennifer Jabaley

Title: Lipstick Apology

Author: Jennifer Jabaley

Publisher: Razorbill (August 6th, 2009)

Lipstick Apology might just be a high school girl’s story about fitting in a new school, making new friends while keeping the old, and navigating the tricky waters of romance. Except it isn’t, because Emily’s parents recently died in a plane accident and her mother’s cryptic last words, scrawled in coral lipstick, were broadcast on television: Emily please forgive me.

Emily was a nice and sweet main character, other than the few times when she had emotional outbursts and totally blew up. I would say she’s a pretty good role model for readers, because she not only tries to protect her friends, but also respects her own body. Even when she was spellbound by Owen, who is devastatingly good-looking and a popular member of the swim team, Emily firmly kept things PG and resisted the temptation, which was pretty impressive! 


Georgia, Emily’s BFF from home, and Lindsey, her new friend in New York, both turned out to be really good friends who were always there for Emily when she needed them. While I half-expected Lindsey to suddenly show a hidden bitchy side or something, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Lindsey remained kind, supportive and non-judgmental throughout the entire course of the story.

And then we get to the supposed love triangle. Owen and Anthony are as different as day and night, because as much as Owen is the suave charmer every girl in school adores, Anthony is somewhat of an oddball (a cute one!) who prefers lunching in the library. But Emily strikes up an unlikely friendship with him as they became lab partners and worked together on a Chemistry project; turns out that Anthony’s not just a pro at baking thanks to working at his mom’s bakery, he’s also good at Science! He is also amazingly tolerant, even when Emily was screaming at him,  and doesn’t care what other people think about him. It was rather easy as a reader to tell who would be a better match for Emily and I got frustrated that she was taking so long to realise it, but the journey was worth it in the end.

Two other characters who deserve a special mention would be Emily’s aunt, Jolie, and Jolie’s best friend Trent. Although Emily called them “superficial” at the start, I felt that they had hidden depths and truly cared for Emily. In a way, the book was also Jolie’s journey of maturing and learning what she really needed in love. I wish I had a celebrity make-up artist for an aunt who could drastically change my looks and had a limitless credit card budget, but that doesn't seem to be happening soon, unfortunately. Trent, a celebrity hairstylist, added a ton of humor to the book with his comedic lines and drama behaviour. He might be a bit cliché as the gay (?) best friend, but I liked him anyway and I think most readers will feel the same! 

I did have a couple of issues with the book, as much as I enjoyed it. I felt sorry for Emily for losing her parents, but honestly speaking, I was unable to connect with her emotionally throughout the book. Perhaps it was because we never got to know her parents well enough to really feel her grief and the extent of her loss. When I found out the real reason for Emily's mother's apology, I was just like, “Oh, man, that must have sucked." And that was the full extent of sympathy I felt for Emily! Also, while I do know that Lipstick Apology is focused on Emily’s new life in New York with her aunt and how she copes with her mother’s last message, I was hoping to see more emotions from a teenaged girl who just lost TWO loving parents, and not just her mother. To me, Emily’s father played an overly-small role in the book and it would have been better if readers had a deeper insight into this father-daughter relationship.

Whenever I read a book involving deceased family members, I want it to really invoke strong sentiments within me, because I feel that death isn't some touch-and-go topic that we can take lightly or dismiss easily. Lipstick Apology did disappoint me slightly in this aspect, but I willingly overlooked this on account of the fact that maybe the writer wanted to focus on how Emily was moving on with her new life. 

On the whole, this novel was engaging and had everything you could possibly want in a contemporary YA story. It has plenty of romance and a satisfying ending as well (whew!). I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on Ms Jabaley's second novel, Crush Control, which was published on June 9th this year (:

Follow Friday #4

Q: Let's step away from besties...What is the worst book that you've ever read and actually finished? 

To be honest, I have never had such an experience before! I mean, sure, I've read books which didn't quite appeal to my tastes. It is my personal opinion that no matter how deep your love for reading might be, it's probably inevitable to stumble upon at least one book that fails to impress. But for myself, I'm a very picky reader. If I feel nothing for a particular novel, chances are I don't force myself to carry on reading it! So there's no "worst book" I actually finished, just books I stopped reading halfway because they captured my attention but didn't manage to keep it.

[Review] The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder

Title:  The Lipstick Laws

Author: Amy Holder

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (March 17, 2011)

At Penford High School, Britney Taylor is the queen bee. She dates whomever she likes, rules over her inner circle of friends like Genghis Khan, and can ruin anyone's life with a snap of perfectly manicured fingers. Just ask the unfortunate few who have crossed her.   For April Bowers, Britney is also the answer to her prayers. April is so unpopular, kids don't even know she exists. But one lunch spent at Britney's table, and April is basking in the glow of popularity.   But Britney's friendship comes with a high price tag. How much is April willing to pay?

I really enjoyed The Lipstick Laws; it was such a cute, fun and hilarious story! The main character, April Bowers, was a very real narrator with insecurities every teenaged girl on earth would know about, which made her extremely relatable. Her awkwardness around the guy she liked was endearing and some of the things she said made me laugh out loud! While it was disappointing that April allowed herself to be bullied around by Britney, who was seriously bitchy and too mean to be true, I also felt sympathetic because her situation was understandable. Who wouldn’t want a shot at popularity and friendship with the It Girl, especially if you’re a loner nobody really noticed?

The friendship April found with the Lipstick Lawbreakers was really sweet and I felt like I was there with them, having fun while plotting to bring down their nemesis. Their revenge plan was pure genius! Although we do get a glimpse into why Britney turned out to be the nasty queen of mean she is, I didn’t feel sorry for Britney at all. She deserved a taste of her own medicine and I was rooting for the Lipstick Lawbreakers all the way. I also admired the way April picked herself up after what Britney did to her and how Haley continued being a supportive BFF to April although she had moved overseas.

What about the romance? I was extremely amused at how April had such vivid descriptions about Matt Brentwood, the new boy whom she immediately develops a huge crush on. She not only nicknames him as Hottie Body Brentwood, but also dreams about him all the time; I would usually get annoyed at such protagonists but April does it in a non-irritating way that somehow reminded me of the times when I was crushing (badly) on someone. That being said, Matt wasn’t very appealing as a love interest. He just seemed like a normal teenage boy who was always falling for Britney’s feminine wiles and I didn’t think he was interested in April at all until the end of the book. Delvin, on the other hand, sounds like the kind of guy we girls would normally miss out, but is actually a decent chap who would be a sweet and attentive boyfriend. Sigh. His shyness and sincerity in liking April made me wish April would just stop dwelling on how hot Matt was and see Delvin for who he really was!

The ending was nicely wrapped up but left some space for future possibilities, particularly in the romance department. This suited me fine because to me, The Lipstick Laws was largely about true friendship and loving yourself. I finished it pretty quickly so if you’re up for a fast but pleasant and enjoyable read, grab this book today!

Waiting on Wednesday: Tris & Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison

Title: Tris & Izzie

Author: Mette Ivie Harrison

Publisher: Egmont USA (October 11, 2011)

A modern retelling of the German fairytale "Tristan and Isolde", Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.

So for this week's Waiting on Wednesday, I decided to pick something that I thought was pretty unique.  This book seems like it will have the right balance of light-heartedness and seriousness, plus I'm guessing the romance will be awesome. I love it that it's going to be a fairytale retelling, we need to have more of such, seriously. Really can't wait for this one!

What about you guys? Any recommendations on upcoming books? Let me know!(:

[Review] A & L Do Summer by Jan Blazanin

Title: A & L Do Summer

Author: Jan Blazanin

Publisher: EgmontUSA (May 10, 2011)

In Iowa farm country, sixteen-year-old Aspen and her friend Laurel plan to get noticed the summer before their senior year and are unwittingly aided by pig triplets, a skunk, a chicken, bullies, a rookie policeman, and potential boyfriends.

A & L Do Summer was a hilarious and pleasant read that had me grinning from ear to ear throughout! It was generally light-hearted even when the main character, Aspen, and her BFF-cum-partner-in-crime Lindsey were constantly getting into trouble, or when they were getting bullied by three incorrigibly disgusting boys in their school (maybe it has to do with how Aspen describes those bullies). The story manages to turn some pretty severe situations, such as Aspen and Lindsey getting arrested, into funny events that made me laugh. Not to say it’s a joke to get arrested, of course. Ahem. But seriously, it’s not every day we get to read a teen book involving two teenaged girls, three barn pigs, one chicken, one skunk, and one bully named Ferret!

Aspen was witty, sarcastic, down-to-earth, and practical, but her bark is definitely worse than her bite. Despite how Aspen was forever using her satirical wit to rant about how her family (and life, in general) sucked, she was actually a big softie at heart. She was also incredibly loyal to Lindsey, who admittedly has a knack for coming up with adventurous, risky and ridiculous plans; Aspen earns brownie points from me just for being willing to go along with these wacky schemes! Lindsey makes a fantastic supporting character; instead of being shunted aside, she gets a lot of spotlight as well. I liked how the book focused not just on Aspen’s life, but what she AND Lindsey did together to create an unforgettable summer. The title is “A & L Do Summer”, after all! As a city girl in a farming town, Lindsey is scarily naïve (she believes, to the disgust and pity of country girl Aspen, sows and hens get to go on vacation after giving birth), extremely rash and does things before thinking carefully, but she is pure-hearted and a whole lot of fun!

The other characters in the book were really likeable and I enjoyed their interactions with Aspen. Some of them included the local police chief, Chief Sierra, whom I eventually grew to pity as he had the trouble-making Aspen-and-Lindsey duo around; Aspen’s cranky old neighbor who keeps a skunk for a pet and walks it in a baby stroller; Manny, Aspen’s playboy older brother and Lindsey’s crush who is always squabbling with Aspen but helps the duo out of trouble; and of course, Clay, Manny’s best friend whom Aspen starts crushing on. I loved Clay and Aspen’s budding romance, they were so freaking cute together! It was obvious to me right from the start that they liked each other, but it was so sweet in a first-love kind of way that both didn’t admit it until they grew closer.  The romantic content of A & L Do Summer was of course very clean and healthy, which I know doesn’t sound very passionate and all that, but I honestly thought the speed of its development was just right for the context of the story. Trust me, although I was mentally urging Clay to hurry up and kiss Aspen, I found myself smiling at each and every of their interactions.

So yeah, I think you can conclude from my gushing that I had a good time reading this book, so if you’re looking for a summer of fun, mischief and plans-gone-wrong, pick up this book right away!

[Review] Between Here And Forever by Elizabeth Scott

Title: Between Here And Forever

Author: Elizabeth Scott

Publisher: Simon Pulse (May 24, 2011)

Abby accepted that she can’t measure up to her beautiful, magnetic sister Tess a long time ago, and knows exactly what she is: Second best. Invisible.
Until the accident.
Now Tess is in a coma, and Abby’s life is on hold. It may have been hard living with Tess, but it's nothing compared to living without her.
She's got a plan to bring Tess back though, involving the gorgeous and mysterious Eli, but then Abby learns something about Tess, something that was always there, but that she’d never seen.
Abby is about to find out that truth isn't always what you think it is, and that life holds more than she ever thought it could...

When I like a book by a certain writer, I would usually go scouting for all the other books written by her, because from experience, it's highly likely I'd end up enjoying them as well. I'm not sure if this makes sense, but to me, every author has a unique, distinctive writing style that remains constant throughout her works, thus if I like one of her books, the rest will probably be to my taste! I'm guessing I'm not alone in this-how many times have you heard someone go, "Oh it's Elizabeth Scott! I read one of her books and it was awesome, I've GOT to read this one when it's out!"

My liking for Elizabeth Scott's books is exactly like this. It sounds like I'm being unfairly biased towards her, but honestly speaking, I have never been disappointed by any of her books. One thing I like about her writing is how powerful and breathtaking it can be, and Between Here And Forever definitely delivers in this department. If you're looking for something simple and sweet, this isn't it, because this story left such a huge impact on me that I literally had to stop halfway and take a breath to steel my aching heart. (I'm totally serious!)

Abby's feelings towards her older sister, Tess, is full of complications, like how relationships between siblings always are. Family is a difficult topic to touch on because there's nothing about family that's completely black and white, more likely in between. The emotional struggle Abby went through in this story made me feel extremely sympathetic towards her, yet sometimes I wanted to take her by the shoulders and shake her so she would stop belittling herself. Abby clearly thought she wasn't good enough for anything or anyone, all because Tess was the "perfect" one everyone loved, while she lived every day in her sister's shadow. Being sensitive by nature, Abby lost all confidence in herself and her own worth...some of the things going through her mind tugged at my heartstrings relentlessly and made me tear up. Even though Abby could be hard, closed up and bitchy, I felt like it was because of the armor she had built around her heart so she wouldn't get hurt again; something built up over time due to circumstances.

Although Tess was in a coma throughout the book, she had a huge role to play in the book. To me, Tess was the centre of attention when she was awake, and even in a coma, she still managed to make everything about her. While she was made out to be this flawless, nice and likeable girl who could do no wrong, I personally thought that was just from Abby's perspective. Tess just seemed like a crowd-pleaser who cared too much about what other people thought and too little about her own little sister's feelings. This was especially evident at the end of the book when the secrets started unfolding and the truth began emerging. The twists and revelations in this book totally took me surprise, especially the involvement of Claire, Tess' ex best friend, their neighbor, and now Abby's best friend.

Eli, the guy who eventually reaches Abby's heart, was so much more than just the male love interest who saves the day. He was the perfect example of how first impressions are never really accurate and that there are hidden depths to everyone, no matter who they may appear to be on the surface. I would say he is a rare male lead who is swoon-worthy (The descriptions. Oh gosh. Gorgeous guy alert!) but with flaws and problems that made him very realistic. Being imperfect made Eli perfect for Abby, and watching their relationship grow and blossom was immensely satisfying. There were some scenes which made me want to throw my arms around Eli and thank him over and over again for seeing what other people couldn't see.

Between Here And Forever was an incredibly heartbreaking, poignant and bittersweet story. Everything just seemed to fit together, including all its flawed, wonderfully relatable characters, and I could hardly take my eyes off Abby's journey of healing, believing and learning to love again.

"Is there anything you're afraid of?" Eli says.

 You, I think. I am terrified of you. Of how your kindness makes me like you in spite of myself. Of how you make me dream things I haven't dreamed in forever.

You, I think. But I don't say it.