Library Loot 2

I don't really have a lot of time to do another Vlog this week for Library Loot. My father in law has been in the hospital (he got out today!!) and I've been really busy with that and getting ready for Christmas.

Here's my loot for the week:

Crank - Ellen Hopkins --- Really looking forward to this one. It's written through poem, but I really liked Because I Am Furniture so wanted to give this a try.

Glass - Ellen Hopkins --- The sequel to Crank

Beautiful Americans - Lucy Silag --- I've been eyeing this one for months at Borders, but didn't want to spend the money. The sequel just came out so I want to get caught up!

Love You Hate You Miss You - Elizabeth Scott --- Really enjoyed Something, Maybe so I wanted to look into some other things by this author!

Waiting for You - Susane Colasanti --- I thought the cover was this was really cute so I grabbed it. I'm looking forward to reading this author.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox - Mary E Pearson --- I saw a book commerical for this one and had to grab it!

Liar - Justine Larbarlestier --- This one has been mentioned on a lot of different blogs and I've heard really positive things about it.

If I Stay - Gayle Forman --- I've read great reviews for this one!

Twenty Boy Summer - Sarah Ockler --- Super excited about this particular book!!

The Season - Sarah Maclean --- I'm not sure if this will be too romancy for me but I thought I'd at least give it a shot.

Perfect You - Elizabeth Scott --- Again I really loved this author and I wanted to read more!

Intertwinded - Gena Showalter --- Love the cover and I lovew Gena Showalter's adult novels

The Chosen One - Carol Lynch Williams --- I'm a big fan of the HBO show Big Love, and this book reminded me of that show.

Cycler - Lauren Mclaughlin --- One of the most original ideas for a YA novel that I've read about in a long time.

Distant Waves - Suzanne Weyn --- I loved the movie Titanic, so I thought I'd try the book

Ok...that's a lot of books! I have more too pick up too! I'm going to wait until after the holidays, though to grab them.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!!

Review: Because I Am Furniture

Title: Because I Am Furniture
Author: Thalia Chaltas
Pages: 352
Rating: 4.5/5

Anke's father is abusive. But not to her. He attacks her brother and sister, but she is ignored, forced to be an invisible witness in a house of horrors. Believing she isn't worthy of even the worst kind of attention, Anke feels about as significant as the living room sofa. Until she makes the volleyball team at school. In a sport where you have to yell "Mine!" to play the ball, Anke learns for the first time how to make herself heard. As her confidence on the court builds, she finds a voice she didn't know existed. And it's not long before she realizes that if she can make people hear her while she's playing volleyball, then maybe she can be heard at home, too (Cover Blurb).

This novel was something new for me. Told through poem, Because I Am Furniture, tells the story of Anke and her family and their struggle with her abusive father. A rather quick, but enjoyable read, this novel touched me deeply. I loved how we see Anke gain a voice in her life, and finally shout out against the injustice her family has experienced.

I was extremely nervous about starting this book and wasn't sure how I would like it, due to the format. However, I read this book in one setting, and felt that the format not only told the story thoroughly, but also caused it to have an almost haunting voice. This is definitely a story that will stick with the reader long after it is finished.

This was author Thalia Chaltas first published work, and I will most certainly be keeping my eyes and ears open for anything new by her. I truly enjoyed reading this novel told through poetry and highly recommend it to others!

Review: Th1rteen R3asons Why

Title: Th1rteen R3asons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Pages: 288
Rating: 5/5

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers (Cover Blurb).

This is probably one of the most amazing author debut's that I have ever read. From the very beginning, I was completely immersed in the story and could not put this book down. Gratefully, I have never had to experience the pain that a suicide can cause for those around it. However, just by reading this book, I could feel the pain and heartbreak in Hannah's every word.

I think my favorite part of this story was the way in which the story was told. I truly think that the idea to use left behind tapes as a type of "note" was an absolutely brillant idea by the author, Jay Asher. It was one of the most original ideas I have read in a long time. It was heartbreaking to hear the story told through Hannah's voice, and made Clay's reaction to her words ten times as strong.

I had grabbed this book at the library because I wasn't sure if I wanted to pay the price for the hardcover, but this is definitely one I will be picking up to have a copy of my own. This book is clearly one of the best reads of 2009.

Review: Something, Maybe

Title: Something, Maybe
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Pages: 224
Rating: 4.5/5

Everyone thinks their parents are embarrassing, but Hannah knows she's got them all beat. Her dad made a fortune showing pretty girls--and his "party" lifestyle--all over the Internet, and her mom, who was once one of her dad's girlfriends, is now the star of her own website. After getting the wrong kind of attention for far too long, Hannah has learned how to stay out of sight...and that's how she likes it.

Of course, being unknown isn't helping her get noticed by gorgeous, confident Josh, who Hannah knows is her soul mate. Between trying to figure out a way to get him to notice her, dealing with her parents, and wondering why she can't stop thinking about another guy, Finn, Hannah feels like she's going crazy. She's determined to make things work out the way she wants....only what she wants may not be what she needs (Cover Blurb).

This is my first Elizabeth Scott novel, and it definitely will not be my last. I instantly fell in love with this novel, and with Hannah our main character. In ways she reminded me of myself...rather shy, trying to stay hidden, in love with the unobtainable guy. Of course, I knew right away who the "perfect" guy was for Hannah, but I enjoyed reading about how she figured it out for herself.

Another reason I liked this book was because of Hannah's parental situation. It was so "different" then other YA books that you read. Hannah's mom has her own personal website, where she sits around all day in her underwear. However, despite this, she really is a good mom and loves Hannah with all her heart. Now Hannah's father is another story. He is more of a cross between Hugh Hefner and the guy from Girls Gone Wild. He was a total asshat!!

I've already picked up Love You, Hate You, Miss Me from the Library and I'm super excited about reading that one. If it is half as good as Something, Maybe, I know I'll love it!!

Library Loot (1)

It's my first ever Library Loot post...and I did a Vlog!! This took me three days to figure out just how to record it with the camera correctly, and about ten hours messing with the computer getting it to the point where it only took me 20 minutes to put it onto youtube, as opposed to the 6 hours when I first tried.

I was really super nervous I think and I said the word really A LOT, and I'm going to apologize for that now :). So anyway, hope you enjoy! I had a lot of fun making it!

Review: The Tear Collector

Title: The Tear Collector
Author: Patrick Jones
Pages: 263
Rating: 3/5

Between hookups, makeups, and breakups, there isn't a day at Lapeer High School without drama turning to tears.

And tears are just as essential as air for Cassandra Gray. She and her family are vampires who thirst for human sorrow, and the energy that they soak in from a good crying jag can keep them fueled up for days.

Anytime a friend needs a shoulder to cry on, Cass is there. Anytime a boyfriend gets too secure, she breaks his heart. Cass's works as a school peer counselor and hospital volunteer also provides the perfect cover and access to her family's energy source. But she is getting tired of all the lies and manipulation - especially now that she's actually fallen in love with a human. Can she bear to betray her family for a chance at happiness and life lived with joy (Cover Blurb)?

This was one of my birthday buys and I was really excited about this book in particular. I had read a couple of positive reviews on a few other blogs and I thought the cover was really cool so I gave it a try.

While the book was good, it just wasn't great. As much as a tried, I could not connect with Cassandra the main character. Something about her remained very distant. At first I thought maybe it was the length of the book that kept me from making a connection. This book was not very long; however Wake and Fade, two of my most favorite YA books are shorter than this, and I felt an immediate connection with Janie, the main character in that series. The author has a strong writing style, I just don't think he developed any of the characters enough to really touch the reader.

Also, one of my favorite things about young adult fiction is the strong male characters. YA fiction has so much to offer...I mean there's Edward, and Cable, and Damon. Scott, the male lead in this book...not so much. He was rather pathetic and nerdy. I guess I like my teen heroes to be a bit more rough around the edges, or at least have a bit of a dark side.

So,all in all, this book was ok. If I could go back, I never would have bought this in hardcover. If you really want to read this, wait for the paperback.