[Review] Past Perfect by Leila Sales

Title: Past Perfect

Author: Leila Sales

Publisher: Simon Pulse (October 4th, 2011)

All Chelsea wants to do this summer is hang out with her best friend, hone her talents as an ice cream connoisseur, and finally get over Ezra, the boy who broke her heart. But when Chelsea shows up for her summer job at Essex Historical Colonial Village (yes, really), it turns out Ezra’s working there too. Which makes moving on and forgetting Ezra a lot more complicated…even when Chelsea starts falling for someone new.
Maybe Chelsea should have known better than to think that a historical reenactment village could help her escape her past. But with Ezra all too present, and her new crush seeming all too off limits, all Chelsea knows is that she’s got a lot to figure out about love. Because those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it….

I'd previously read and liked Leila Sales' first book, Mostly Good Girls, so when I learnt of Past Perfect, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! And it certainly didn't disappoint, which makes me look forward to more from this author.

The main character, Chelsea, was snarky, sarcastic, and had a deadpan humor which made me laugh a whole lot. But underneath all the hilarious comments, I thought she was also a relatively down-to-earth and average protagonist whom you can easily relate to. Having a likeable MC made it easy to feel emotionally connected to the story as it progressed-even her whining was more funny than annoying!

However, every MC has her faults and Chelsea is no exception. I did feel kind of annoyed when she kept hankering after Ezra (what kind of name is that, anyway!?) even though they'd already broken up and he didn't show any interest in getting back with her. It felt as if she was overly obsessed with him to the point that he was affecting her mood all the time. To be fair, it wouldn't be very teenager-ish if Chelsea was able to handle Ezra's presence diplomatically and get over it immediately, so it wasn't really a huge problem that ruined the story or anything. I also did try to keep in mind that this was actually a big part of the story's plot (having to deal with an ex 24/7) and served as a way to show Chelsea's character growth. That being said, I was glad to see her maturing and becoming an independent person without Ezra by the end of the book.

Chelsea's parents were also really endearing. I mean, she did complain about her dad every now and then (who doesn't?) but she never went off on an emo "Oh my family sucks I hate my parents they don't understand me at all" tirade. You could see the strong relationship they had as family, and it was incredibly reassuring. I was beginning to think that a shattered, dysfunctional family was a must for YA protagonists, but this certainly wasn't true in Past Perfect. Well, except for the fact that they were acting as silversmiths in a historical village. I'm not sure if you'd consider that dysfunctional.

Speaking of the historical village, I really liked the premise of the story. Past Perfect is set in Essex, a historical colonial village cum tourist destination, which meant it strayed away from your usual high school setting. The writer effortlessly weaved history into the story and there were some interesting golden nuggets about time and culture scattered throughout the book!

There was also this "Civil War" between Chelsea's colonial village and a neighboring rival village set in another time era; it was kind of unreal that teenagers would take it so seriously, but the "attacks" on each other were so silly it added comedic effect. It also provided some conflict for Chelsea's budding romance with Dan, a boy from the other side. I was afraid that the writer would twist the story such that they became starcrossed lovers or something, but thank goodness she didn't! Dan wasn't exactly swoonworthy material, but he's somewhat like the nice, sweet, boy-next-door you can't help but warm to. They had some really adorable and witty banter that made me root for them all the way, even during a time when I thought maybe they were done for good.

Overall, Past Perfect was a light-hearted and entertaining novel that I enjoyed immensely. Don't miss this one if you're looking for a cute and enjoyable read!

Waiting on Wednesday: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

 

 Title: Incarnate (Incarnate #1)

Author: Jodi Meadows

Publisher: Harper Collins (January 31st 2012)

 

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all? 

The reason why I got curious about this book was really because of its cover. Although some people might find it startling and maybe a tad creepy, it just called out to me at first glance! But what truly caught my attention was the plot, because how many YA books actually deal with souls AND reincarnations? (Well, not counting starcrossed lovers and soulmates. You know how skeptical I am about those) The whole premise sounds fantastic, plus the romance sounds ultra promising too! ;) 2012 releases seem so far off in the future, but thank goodness this one's out in January, which isn't as distant as it seems.

Update! (And an apology)

Hello people!!

Firstly, I’d like to apologise to everyone for being totally MIA recently. Has it really been a MONTH since I last updated this blog?! If there’s still anyone who follows my blog, not just as a follower on Google Friend Connect but as a loyal reader-I’m extremely sorry for being so irregular in blogging this month. I bet you thought I vanished from the surface of the Earth or something, and for that I feel insanely guilty!

When I started blogging, I knew it was going to take a lot of work and that’s why I put in tons of effort in growing my blog. It was work that I enjoyed immensely at the start, when it was the holidays and I had plenty of time to spare. But once school started, I was having difficulty with even finishing the books on my hands, let alone write thorough reviews about them. And whenever I did have time to do a review, my writing just sounded so weird and forced and cringe-worthy I couldn’t bear to post it. Yeah, I’m totally anal about stuff like this; if it’s not something I would want to read myself, I’d never show it to you! Eventually, I guess it just became easier to stop trying. I am so ashamed of myself right now.

But the thing is, I still LOVE reading to bits. It’s still my favourite past-time and I have so many books to start on. Plus, I’ll never stop having opinions of the novels I read :P That’s why I have no intentions of completely giving up blogging, even if it’s only to satisfy my own selfish need to share some burning thoughts and feelings. Or to have fun, especially when I get some really funny and thoughtful comments from you guys!

But first, I’ll have to get over final-year examinations in October (which reminds me, I have so much revision left untouched LOL) and work a bit more on my writing skills.  And get more inspiration and motivation in the meantime, probably? (:

Thank you also to authors who have asked me to review your book(s) even though I haven’t updated regularly. I appreciate the consideration and will always get back to you!

Once again, I’m really sorry for the long absence, especially to those who do/did follow my blog consistently. I’ll do my best, so please be patient with me!

[Review] My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody

Title: My Life Undecided

Author: Jessica Brody

Publisher: Farrar, Straus, Giroux (June 7th, 2011)

My Life Undecided was a really cute, funny and relatable story which will have you laughing and squealing along with Brooklyn throughout her decision-making journey!

After reading The Karma Club, also by this author, I was looking forward to reading more from her because her books seemed to have very unique concepts. Fortunately, I wasn’t disappointed with My Life Undecided at all! Everyone has had difficulties making decisions in life, and most of us can relate to having made some really bad choices. As teenagers, decision-making is even harder because we feel like one wrong move will totally destroy our lives or something!

So why not ask an anonymous crowd of unbiased strangers to give their objective view? This is exactly what the protagonist, Brooklyn, has decided to do. After making some wrong choices, she ends up losing her parents’ trust, best friend, and social standing. This series of bad decisions leads Brooklyn to believe that she is incapable of wise judgement, and thus in a fit of inspiration, sets up a blog named “My Life Undecided”. Here, Brooklyn declares that every one of her decisions, whether tiny or huge, is now in the hands of the blogosphere-whatever option the virtual crowd votes for, she will follow. What started off as a desperate attempt to make the right decisions eventually develops into a life-changing experience for Brooklyn.

I loved the whole premise of this book! Blogging was weaved effortlessly into the story and I actually felt tempted for a moment to start a similar blog myself, LOL.  Brooklyn was someone I liked very much, simply because she reminded me a lot of my own inability to make decisions easily. Other than that, Brooklyn was also a funny, witty and snarky MC who started off as being overly-sarcastic and angst-ridden, but slowly evolved into a more mature and considerate person by the end of the book. It was enjoyable reading about how she had to follow whatever decision her blog voters chose even if she didn’t like it-the consequences were just hilarious!

What made this book even more endearing would be the romance. You have the popular, suave and charming guy on one hand, and on the other hand you have the underdog, who happens to be smart, responsible, kind, supportive and a debater (!!!) Although it was rather predictable who Brooklyn would choose in the end, I had fun reading about all the sweet moments and how she finally realises which guy is right for her. There was this heart-stopping scene in the bathroom when Brooklyn was playing Truth or Dare-let’s just say I nearly melted into a puddle reading that part, and it was by far my favourite in the book!

I loved the ending because it said a lot about Brooklyn’s character growth, and how the experience has shaped her as a person. It was adorable without being corny, meaningful without being preachy, and conclusive without being absolute. I’d recommend My Life Undecided to anyone looking for a sweet, light-hearted and comical read with a unique premise!

Giveaway at Missy's Reads & Reviews!

Missy is having an Epic 1000 Followers Giveaway over at her blog! There are six prize packs to be won and tons of extra entries you can do :)

For more information, click HERE!

[Review] Luminous by Dawn Metcalf

Title: Luminous

Author: Dawn Metcalf

Publisher: Dutton Childrens Books (July 7th, 2011)

As reality slips and time stands still, Consuela finds herself thrust into the world of the Flow. Removed from all she loves into this shifting world overlapping our own, Consuela quickly discovers she has the power to step out of her earthly skin and cloak herself in new ones-skins made from the world around her, crafted from water, fire, air. She is joined by other teens with extraordinary abilities, bound together to safeguard a world they can affect, but where they no longer belong.

When murder threatens to undo the Flow, the Watcher charges Consuela and elusive, attractive V to stop the killer. But the psychopath who threatens her new world may also hold the only key to Consuela's way home.

When I first heard of Luminous, I thought the plot stood out alot from your typical paranormal fare and immediately added it to my TBR list. The idea of shedding your skin to become part of the world around you sounded refreshing! I'm not sure about you, but personally I've had times when I wished I could become something else rather than plain old me, and what better way than to throw on a new skin of air or water or even flames like Consuela does? And who wouldn't want to have a pretty pearl-pink skeleton?!

I won't even try to summarise this book because, well, there were way too many things going on! I don't mean it with a negative connotation, and readers who appreciate complexity in a story will probably love Luminous to bits. One thing about this book would be that it keeps you on your toes guessing where the story was headed; there was no predictability at all and I constantly found myself wondering what was going to happen next! You also can't help but get swept up into the alternate universe of the Flow along with Consuela. Everything sounded really different from what we are used to here on Earth. In fact, everything in the world of Luminous is unique and allows your imagination to run freely, thanks to the very descriptive imagery and beautiful language. Many reviews of this book have stated how good Dawn Metcalf's writing was, and I must say they weren't exaggerating at all!

However, the complicated storyline also meant that I had difficulty trying to keep up with the plot. There were moments when I had to pause and backtrack because Luminous was pretty fast-paced and it was easy to miss out certain details if you weren't paying enough attention. By the time I finished half of Luminous, I was already feeling slightly lost with lots of questions in my head. The wonderful writing was probably what made me press on until I finished the book, though I was steadily getting more and more confused.

Characters wise, I thought the writer did a really good job in creating characters which YA readers may not be accustomed to. The other teens in the Flow had their own unique personalities and talents-I wish we had the opportunity to learn more about their individual stories and relationships with one another! Romance lovers will be glad to hear that there is a male character with a very cool name and ability, who has a pretty deep connection to Consuela. However, I personally couldn't get into the romance and it was mainly because of Consuela herself. She felt way too cardboard-like without much emotion, especially because the story was told in third-person narrative. Even towards the end, when Consuela supposedly felt more comfortable in her own skin, I still didn't feel like she had grown much from the beginning of the book. I couldn't connect much with her on an emotional level, which was really a pity!

Luminous had TONS of potential. It had great prose, interesting supporting characters, and I loved the concept of the Flow, but overall the story just kind of fell flat for me. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but I wanted more out of Luminous! Still, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something more challenging, stimulating and different.

(P.S: Sorry for being MIA for so long! Life has been pretty busy thanks to school, and I was trying to catch up on my reading as well. Thanks for sticking with me :D)

[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.