Category: Challenges (past)

(Review) The Aristobrats

Posted on by Cindy

ABOUT THE BOOK
It’s all about the Attitude

Parker Bell knows the secret to beauty is pretty simple–wearing the right clothes isn’t as important as how you feel in them. Popularity is like that too. It’s all about attitude. You have to picture who you want to be and then just imagine that’s who you already are.

This year Parker and her three best friends have made their way to the top of the populadder at Wallingford Academy. And they’re ready to use their Aristobrat status to help spread positive vibes throughout the school. But when the girls are assigned to produce the seriously lame school webcast, their popularity plummets! Will this tragedy destroy the girls’ status? Or their friendship? Or both?

TITLE: The Aristobrats
AUTHOR: Jennifer Solow
PUB DATE: September 2010
PAGES: 224
PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
SOURCE: ARC was picked up when I went on a tour of Sourcebooks. Thanks Kay.

MY THOUGHTS:
One of the best things about blogging in my opinion is getting the chance to read an author that you might not normally read or heard about. This is the case with Jennifer Solow, I have never heard of this author before getting the chance to read The Aristobrats. She actually has another book out called THE BOOSTER and it came out in 2006 in hardcover and then 2007 in paperback.

THE ARISTOBRATS is her first middle grade book. All I have to say is that this is a fantastic middle grade book and a must read.

I am no where near being a middle grader but that didn’t stop me from enjoying this book because Parker and her three best friends (Kiki, Plum, and Ikea) are going through what I went through and that was to be accepted. Although in their case they are aiming to be popular.

Parker is entering the 8th grade and she says this will be the best year ever because she will get her dream guy (Tribb), she will climb to the top of the populadder, and in what I call ruling the school. Do you remember saying that? I sadly do remember saying that when I was in elementary school but that changed once I hit junior high school.

Things start out okay but we all know that even though it looks great it will quickly turn for the worse and thats what happened in a blink of an eye its gone and the girls are fighting to gain in back. The girls are forced to produced the school’s lame webcast show and for Parker she might be forced to leave the private school, Wallingford Academy because her mother might not be able to afford the tuition.

Will the girls be able to turn the lame school webcast (with no viewers) into something special that will leave the school talking or will it ruin the girls friendships?

I love it when I can relate to something in the book and there was one part that I could relate to and that was when Tribb is talking to Parker near the end of the book about them being friends only. You can tell Parker is a little hurt (heart broken) by this and who wouldn’t be and if I could tell Parker one thing from my perspective is that he might have hurt you but 20 some years later you could end up with a great friend.

I love the cover of the book because its a cover that actually goes with the book (something we rarely see) such as the school crest, the friendship rings and the picture of the girls.

I am curious if this will become a series. I hope it does as I would love to see what happens to Parker.

If you are curious about Jennifer Solow then check out her blog.

Thanks again to Kay at Sourcebooks for providing me with this book to read and review.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

(Review) Sh*t My Dad Says

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: Sh*t My Dad Says
AUTHOR: Justin Halpern
PUB DATE: April 26/10
PUBLISHER: Harper Collins
PAGES: 158
SOURCE: This was a borrowed book from the library.

ABOUT THE BOOK

After being dumped by his longtime girlfriend, twenty-eight-year-old Justin Halpern found himself living at home with his seventy-three-year-old dad. Sam Halpern, who is “like Socrates, but angrier, and with worse hair,” has never minced words, and when Justin moved back home, he began to record all the ridiculous things his dad said to him:

“That woman was sexy. . . . Out of your league? Son, let women figure out why they won’t screw you. Don’t do it for them.”

“Do people your age know how to comb their hair? It looks like two squirrels crawled on their heads and started f——.”

“The worst thing you can be is a liar. . . . Okay, fine, yes, the worst thing you can be is a Nazi, but then number two is liar. Nazi one, liar two.”

More than a million people now follow Mr. Halpern’s philosophical musings on Twitter, and in this book, his son weaves a brilliantly funny, touching coming-of-age memoir around the best of his quotes. An all-American story that unfolds on the Little League field, in Denny’s, during excruciating family road trips, and, most frequently, in the Halperns’ kitchen over bowls of Grape-Nuts, Sh*t My Dad Says is a chaotic, hilarious, true portrait of a father-son relationship from a major new comic voice.

If you would like to read the first chapter you can do so by clicking on this link

MY THOUGHTS:
When I first heard this story one day on the news I quickly had to check out www.twitter.com/ShitMyDadSays . I think I ended up sitting at my computer laughing at some of the things Justin’s dad had said.

I am anxious to see how this will play on in the fall when Sh*t My Dad Says comes on tv. Is anyone else going to watch this?

Anyways back to my review of the book. I have to say that some of the things Justin’s dad said was pretty funny and I sat laughing out loud. This was a pretty quick and easy read.

Each chapter offers a title and a mini story about said title. At the end of each chapter is a bunch of quotes from his dad. To pick a favorite title is hard as I enjoyed them all but I will give you a few of my favorite sayings.

On Tailgating the Driver in Front of Me
“You sure do like to tailgate people…Right, because its real important you show up to the nothing you have to do on time.”

On Videotaping Christmas Mornimg
“Okay, smile when you open your presents…No smile and look at the camera, dum-dum.”

On Child Safety
“Don’t touch that knife, you never need to be holding a knife…I don’t give a sh*t, learn how to butter stuff with a spoon.”

On Summer Vacation
“Watching tv all day is not an option. If this were Let’s Make a Deal that would not be behind one of those doors to choose from.”

As you can see I was being very selective in what I was putting here because of the language. If this kind of lanuage offends you then this is not the book for you as its used alot in the book. If your like me and it doesn’t bother you then pick up this book. I am sure you will be laughing out loud.

This was a funny quick read book that I enjoyed reading.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

(Review) Katy’s Debate

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: Katy’s Debate book 2 in Katy Lambright Series
AUTHOR: Kim Vogel Sawyer
PUB DATE: May 2010
PAGES: 208
PUBLISHER: Zondervan

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Katy’s Debate is the second book in the Katy Lambright Series by bestselling author Kim Vogel Sawyer, which follows sixteen-year-old Katy as she adjusts to life outside her Old Order Mennonite community in Kansas. Katy’s dad is courting Rosemary Graber, and Katy decides to use her new debate skills to end the romance before it can go any further. At the same time, Katy is developing a crush of her own.

Description:
New Club, New Crush … New Mom?

Just as Katy is feeling settled in her new school, everything falls apart at home. Her father, believing she needs a mother, starts courting a woman Katy refuses to accept. Tensions rise as Katy schemes to send the woman packing. Meanwhile, the pressure builds at school as Katy joins the debate team, encounters a teammate’s scorn, and faces her growing feelings for a boy her father will never accept. Can Katy prove she doesn’t need a mother’s guidance even as she discovers more of what the world offers?

MY THOUGHTS
I was hoping that I would have had the info from First Wild Card Tours to post with my review but unfortunately that didn’t happen so I will add the tour when I get back from vacation.

This is the second book in the Katy Lambright series. You can see my review for book one Katy’s New World by clicking on the link.

I really enjoyed this book and I have to admit that I read this in one sitting. I found the story line was smooth and very addictive. Something always would happen that I just had to read even though I kept thinking I need to put the book down.

So the book opens up with Katy starting to settle into her high school and making friends. She has joined the debate team but up until recently she is just keeping notes about the debates the other kids are in. A chance in a life time opportunity comes and Katy’s gets to actually take part in a debate and manages to win the school a third place trophy. Things in school are perfect.

Sadly its not running so smoothly at home. Her dad thinks that Katy needs a mother figure in her life. This could be the farthest from the truth. So her dad begins to see a woman and Katy isn’t happy she doesn’t like this woman and when her dad gets permission to court her and then marry her, Katy isn’t happy and she will stop at nothing to make sure her dad doesn’t marry this woman.

Will Katy’s plan to break up her father and this woman work? How will Katy copy with her feelings for a boy she knows will never be accepted?

Thanks to Zondervan for sending me this book.

I was just checking out Katy Lambright Series site and I see that book three Katy’s Homecoming is coming out in February 2011. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

(Review) The Starlet

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: The Starlet
AUTHOR: Mary McNamara
PUB DATE: June 2010
PAGES: 320
PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster
SOURCE: I received an advance readers copy of The Starlet from Leigh at Regal Literary. Thank You for contacting me with the request to review this.

ABOUT THE BOOK
It’s a not-so-well-respected rule in Hollywood that what happens on location stays on location. But when a hot young leading man winds up dead in his Rome hotel room, his costar’s life is about to go off the rails in a very public way—even by celeb standards.

At the tender age of twenty-three, Mercy Talbot has won an Oscar, battled addiction, wrecked more than her share of cars, and burned down her house. Her look-alike mother keeps her on a tight leash (and fueled with an endless supply of OxyContin and cocaine) and her producers demand a grueling schedule. By the time she stumbles across Juliette Greyson, a Hollywood insider on a much-needed vacation, Mercy is surrounded by photographers and about to emerge drunk, high, and naked from a public fountain. Whisking her away to an idyllic Tuscan ‘retreat,’ Juliette is about to discover another rule of Hollywood: wherever the starlet may go, the drama will follow.

MY THOUGHTS
I have to say that I really love the cover of the finished copy. I just love how the “S” is done compared to the ARC version. Very smoky-ish. (Is that even a word?)

As I was reading this for some reason I kept thinking of all the Hollywood starlets that have been making the news headlines ie Lindsey and I could almost picture Mercy as her. The reason I say this is because what Mercy did. Lindsey basically did too so I found it made the character really believable. Granted there was times I would have reached into the book to strangle her because of the things she was doing.

Another great element in the book was the deaths of the characters such has Mercy’s boyfriend Lloyd, who is found dead. Was it a suicide? Perhaps a drug overdoes? Murder? So many things lead to each one and I have to admit I was curious to find out because the books opens with Lloyd being dead.

Lloyd’s death isn’t the only one we see another one happening. This was appears to be accidental but we quickly find out that perhaps it was being at the wrong place and the wrong time. Just when you think you might have it figured out Mary throws a twist into the story.

Publishers Weekly describe this book as “sexy, scandalous and suspenseful” and I have to say that this is exactly what this book is.

Mercy is only 23 years old and strung out on all kinds of illegal substance. She is grieving the lost of her boyfriends death. She is in Italy filming a movie. Mercy is so strung out of her mind that she doesn’t realize what she is doing and has jumped from the top of King Triton into a famous Roman fountain. So being a famous celebrity the paparazzi capture this whole event. Thankfully Juliette sees all this and jumps to Mercy’s rescue.

Juliette is use to celebrities and their behavoirs because she is a PR who works in a very posh LA hotel. She knows how to handle these kinds of celebrities. What we quickly discover about Juliette is that she is also a recovering addict and she has left LA behind her to get her bearings back and she is at the family estate in Cerreta. The estate is a two-hundred acre family farm near Siena that she and her cousin, Gabe, have inherited from their families.

Will Juliette be able to save Mercy or will it be too late?

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

(Review) Sea

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: Sea
AUTHOR: Heidi R Kling
PUB ADTE: June 2010
PUBLISHER: Putnam Juvenile
PAGES: 336
AGES: 12 and Up

Source: I obtained this galley from Vimala from Penguin Canada.

ABOUT THE BOOK
Still haunted by nightmares of her mother’s death, fifteen-year-old Sienna Jones reluctantly travels to Indonesia with her father’s relief team to help tsunami orphans with their post traumatic stress disorder—something Sienna knows a lot about. Since her mother’s plane went missing over the Indian Ocean three years before, Sienna doesn’t do anything if it involves the ocean or planes, so this trip is a big step forward.

But the last thing she expects is to fall for Deni, a brooding Indonesian boy who lives at the orphanage, and just so happens to be HOT. When Deni hears a rumor that his father may be alive, Sienna doesn’t think twice about running away with him to the epicenter of the disaster. Unfortunately, what they find there could break both their hearts.

MY THOUGHTS

As you can see I was reading my copy of Sea not near the sea but actually the St Lawerence River near the Canoe Club in my area. The day I was reading this Michael was in a boat paddling around so I took the opportunity to read.

I enjoyed the book and I was pleasantly surprised at how it ended.

The book opens up with the chapter title called four weeks later. From that page I was curious to see who this girl was, what happened to the boy she loved and why she was on the other side of the world.

On the next page it begins with everything that happened four weeks before that. We are introduced to Sienna who just turned fifteen years old. Her father gives her a birthday present that she never expected in her whole life. Its a plane ticket to Indonesian. Her father wants her to go with him for two weeks to help him at a orphanage because they were the worst hit from the tsunami.

Sienna is torn between her fear of flying and we find out why and we find out why and I think I would be two and certainly would think twice about. Its only after seeing a video of the kids from the orphanage that makes her rethink her decision about going.

Leaving behind her friends and a possible boyfriend, Spider, Sienna decides that she will go. Just like most typical fifteen year olds the boy at home gets quickly forgotten when she spots Deni who lives at the orphanage and is labelled as the bad but but we quickly realize that he isn’t. Deni is just trying to cope with loosing his whole life, home, and family.

Sienna and Deni are instantly drawn to each other and she will do anything to see that Deni is happy even if it means loosing him in the end and Deni will do anything to see Sienna happy even if it means breaking a few rules.

I absolutely enjoyed the book and I have to stay there was always an element that happened that kept me turning the pages to find out what was going on.

Thanks again to Vimala for sending me this great book.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

(Review & Tour) Motorcycles, Sushi & One Strange Book First Wild Card Tour

Posted on by Cindy

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today’s Wild Card author is:

and the book:

Motorcycles, Sushi, & One Strange Book

Zondervan (April 16, 2010)

***Special thanks to Pam Mettler of Zondervan for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Nancy Rue has written over 100 books for girls, is the editor of the Faithgirlz Bible, and is a popular speaker and radio guest with her expertise in tween and teen issues. She and husband Jim have raised a daughter of their own and now live in Tennessee.

Visit the author’s website.

Product Details:

List Price: $9.99
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (April 16, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310714842
ISBN-13: 978-0310714842

Press the browse button to view the first chapter:

MY THOUGHTS

I want to thank Pam from Zondervan for sending me this book. I really enjoyed reading this one and Boyfriends, Burritos & An Ocean of Trouble. I am looking forward to reading the upcoming books in this series.

The next book in the series is scheduled to be released in September 2010.

I just want to say that you don’t have to read these books in order because the only thing that is the same in each book is the book of Real Life that appears when the main character needs some guidance. Now with the being said for some reason I am s serial reader and I know that the books are in a series I tend to read them in order. Anyone else like that?

I really enjoyed reading Motorcycles, Sushi & One Strange Book alot. The storyline was real and believable and I think its one that I think teens could relate to.

Jessie is your typical fifteen year old girl who thinks she has a normal life unlike that of her friends who she thinks has weird lives. Her two best friends Chelsea and Marcus now very little about her because Jessie doesn’t tell them the whole truth about herself. (They don’t know that she is in a special class, or anything about her mother’s mental state etc)

The reason that Jessie thinks that Chelsea and Marcus’s lives are weird is because Chelsea’s parents have been married for 20 years and they sit down for dinner every night as a family, they eat weird food (green beans a la mode). As for Marcus his family takes a two week summer vacation together every year staying in hotels and eating out. I guess when you don’t experience this you think everything is weird. Her normal is not everyone elses normal.

When I began to read Motorcycles, Sushi & One Strange Book I could tell right away that Jessie’s life was far from normal that she seemed to think it was. Chelsea suffers from ADHD and her mother also has some mental issues. Her mother goes through periods of being in bed for days at end and then other days where she is obbessed with cleaning the house and basically going as far as using a toothbrush to clean with.

Chelsea has no idea who her father is because her mother never really said anything about him. As you can tell her father has never been in the picture until one day a man (lou) calls her saying he is her father and wants to see her. She is unsure at first and basically has to wait until her mother is in one of her not in bed stages to question her.

What will happen when Chelsea finally meets her dad? Will seeing Lou bring what Jessie thinks her normal life is to a halt and make her re-evoluate her life? Will Lou’s appearance be the breaking point in her mothers life or will it cause her to go off the deep end?

Hmm curious to know well then you will have to pick up this great book/

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Prom Girls Review

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: Prom Girls: A North American Right Of Passage
AUTHOR: Lesley Fletcher
PUB DATE: February 2010
PUBLISHER: Inspiration Import
PAGES: 94
SOURCE: I bought this book at the author signing.

ABOUT THE BOOK

PROM GIRLS is full of surprises and adventure captured in the language of today’s youth. Encompassing four distinct paths, with focus on the year of being seventeen and graduating from High School, the reader is lured in all the glory, fun and realism of the celebration of youth. While reading the stories, it is inevitable that the reader will be at once inspired by memories of the past and anticipation of the future. In Prom Girls, the celebration of High School graduation is visited from the beginning of the final high school year until the Grand Event, with snippets of past events, multi-cultural references and some of the author’s personal encounters. It is written in a way that addresses questions and speaks directly to the reader. From the nostalgic, faceless characters of over fifty original water colour images to the realistic exploits and escapades of Prom Night , Lesley Fletcher captures the imagination and hearts of the very young and the very old. The memories that are gained at seventeen years old last a lifetime.

MY THOUGHTS
Recently when I visited my local Chapters to pick up some books for Michael I was given a book mark that was announcing a Prom Girls book signing happening that weekend. So Lesley being a local author I decided that I was going to go and pick up the book and support my local author.

I got to speak with Lesley for a bit and she was handing out pink carnations and blue daisies I believe that’s what the blue flowers were. As you can see I got the pink carnation. She said that once I read the book I would understand why she was giving those particular colors out.

Prom Girls was a quick read and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. I am not sure if Prom is a big deal in other parts of the world but here in Montreal it is. I am sure planning of prom starts the year every one is in grade 11 and preparing to graduate.

I enjoyed reading the book because it allowed me to get a glimpse of what its like to have a prom here in Montreal. I have only heard about them so it was really nice to see what happens on prom night.

At the begining of the book it says that all characters are fictional but they were so believable. Baller reminded me of so many of the guys that I went to school with and knew as was the character of Pink. I think I was more interested in Baller because he sort of reminded me of my prom date.

One thing I noticed that it doesn’t matter if a prom just happened or if it was 20 years ago (like mine was) we all had the same concerns and plans for prom. Also that there will always be a prom committee to make sure that prom night is magical and memorable.

This was a great read that brought back alot of memories.

The illustrations were all perfect and suited the book. Lesley did them all.

Sadly I never had my prom here in Quebec and couldn’t really relate because my prom was in New Brunswick. Prom for me happened in grade 12 and it was held in our high school cafeteria and we didn’t really have fancy and formal dresses like they do today. I had a simple off white dress with a purple bow in the back. You can see the below photo. My date for the evening was a friend who sadly spent a good part of the evening with his friends. How I wish I could redo that again.

Also I should let you know that I also had a prom in grade 9 and that was a little more formal and the pink dress was one I came up with and had made. The photo is include as well. It was held in our school cafeteria as well. Can I just say that I never made it to that prom. My date was with my best friends (at the time) boyfriends friend. Aparently the day of prom the boyfriends friend told the boyfriend he didn’t want to go but I found out there was a mix of confusion and that he did want to go to the prom but didn’t want to date or anything. So I missed out on going.


It was great to meet you Lesley. Thanks to Donna at Books Bound for taking this picture.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lesley Fletcher is an author with stories to tell using more than merely words. Her illustrations illuminate the way, not only to writing but to spiritual fulfilment and immense pleasure. She loves to laugh, listen to music, dance, exercise, travel and delve deeper into humanity and religion. Whether it is a five star hotel or a sleeping bag on the ground, Lesley will easily adjust to and enjoy the moment. Lesley is currently living in the West Island suburbs of Montreal where she continues to write, attend art classes and create art. Her involvement with Habitat for Humanity, Literacy Unlimited and her quest for truth and learning on an International level feeds the woman, artist and writer in her soul.

If you would like to buy Prom Girls you can do so through Amazon.

You can also check out the Prom Girls website to read an excerpt, to see the art work and to find out how you can get $2 off the book when you order through Amazon.

Also Lesley has two books that are coming out very soon.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Myriam has only one wish this holiday season: To enjoy a decorated Christmas tree in her Muslim household. As Myriam sets about convincing her family to allow her to have her wish for a Christmas tree, readers find themselves rooting for Myriam, and her best friend, Alexa, as the young girls promote intricate immersion and acceptance in a multicultural world.

All I Want for Christmas Is a Wishmas Tree is a story of tradition, grace and sensitivity.

This is coming out in August 2010.

Angel is coming out in late 2010. (Sorry I don’t have a cover for this one.)

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.