Waiting On Wednesday (60)

Idea taken from Breaking The Spine


Matched by Ally Condie.

In the novel, a 17-year-old girl, who has waited her entire life to be told by a group known as “the Society” who her soul mate is, has her world upended when she discovers she’s in love with someone other than the group’s pick. Don Weisberg, president of Penguin Young Readers Group, along with Lauri Hornik, president and publisher of Dutton Children’s Books, and Julie Strauss-Gabel, associate publisher of Dutton Children’s, all worked on the deal, which is for North American rights. Gabel, who will edit the book, said that it “will make readers crave the passion of uncertainty and cherish the power of the written word.


After reading Cinderella Society, I've come to love the idea of society real much and this is more interesting that this one holds the power to tell its member who her soul mate is. I have a feeling this story is going to be very dark and romantic as well. And not to mention the cover. It's beautiful and portrays the book very well.

Are you and this book a match? Find your answer on November 30th 2010.

Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pub. Date: December 16th 2008
Age Range: Young Adult
Pages: 252
Format: Hardcover
Source Of Copy: from the publisher - Disney Hyperion

Some secrets shouldn't be kept...

Up until three months ago, everything in sixteen-year-old Camelia's life had been fairly ordinary: decent grades; an okay relationship with her parents; and a pretty cool part-time job at the art studio downtown. But when Ben, the mysterious new guy, starts junior year at her high school, Camelia's life becomes anything but ordinary.

Rumored to be somehow responsible for his ex-girlfriend's accidental death, Ben is immediately ostracized by everyone on campus. Except for Camelia. She's reluctant to believe the rumors, even when her friends try to convince her otherwise. She's inexplicably drawn to Ben...and to his touch. But soon, Camelia is receiving eerie phone calls and strange packages with threatening notes. Ben insists she is in danger, and that he can help--but can he be trusted? She knows he's hiding something... but he's not the only one with a secret.

A balanced story of paranormal and thriller that you might consider picking up, although it's not guaranteed that Deadly Little Secret will satisfy fans of these two genres to the max.

Personally I think the story is okay. The plot is well developed, most of the characters are interesting and the excitement/thrill is to be felt during the story. I love the idea of Touch - the power to see someone's past, present and even future. Even though that is used in a lot of books already, I find the description in Deadly Little Secret the most. With the background of the male lead, it's suddenly more mysterious.

I like that lots of characters are introduced, making us enable to predict what's going to happen next or who's the creeper. Also, scenes of Camelia's being scared at home are very intense, capturing all of my attention. I think I'm slowly interested in thrillers nowadays.

There are a few things that I don't like about Deadly Little Secret too. It suddenly slows down when we reach the most exciting part. I expected a more eventful escape of Camelia. It's too fast and I don't feel its impact on the story. And Camelia is sometimes very clueless. I mean you can trust your savior but the way she acts, like she knows he's danger but still heads to him. And her friends annoy me often. They don't add much to the story either.

Having said all that, I still enjoyed Deadly Little Secret to an extent. And the ending is not that good doesn't mean I'm not curious to see what happens in the next book.

Rating: 3/5

Paisley Hanover Acts Out by Cameron Turtle

Publisher: Dial, Penguin USA
Pub.Date: October 2nd 2008
Age Range: Young Adult
Pages: 432
Format: Hardcover
Source Of Copy: from the publisher - Penguin USA

Paisley, a sophomore at Pleasant Hill High, is horrified when she is transferred out of Yearbook and into Drama, home of the freaks and weirdos. She's already lost her friend Jen to the lure of the überpopular crowd. But those teens are also the bullies of the school, picking on anyone too timid to fight back. As her disillusion with them grows, Paisley makes new, truer friends among the drama set. Still, she struggles with the desire to fit in versus total disgust with the actions of the in-crowd. Writing a column for the school newspaper under the pseudonym "Miss UnPleasant," she makes radical statements praising unpopularity and gets the entire student body talking, making Un the "it" thing to be. Paisley's struggle with the social hierarchy of high school will strike a cord with every teen, popular or Un. Tuttle's writing is quirky and witty, full of fabulous language and phrasings and spot-on with today's teen vernacular.


Quirky, unusual and super fun, Paisley Hanover Acts Out is the first book of a promising series about a popular girl who decides to fight for the unpops. Tired of naive innocent unpopular female lead? This book will give you a different flavor.

Paisley Hanover Acts Out looks pretty crazy and unique on the cover, which portrays the story perfectly. The plot is not typical though can be found in some previous books - a pop got abandoned by her community and turns to the crown she's never joined before, surprised to feel more belonged than ever.

The narration is super funny. Paisley doesn't act like a pop. She's totally crazy and unpredictable and do/say things that are very unexpected. She's just a normal teenager who has her own crush, who wants to do great things and cannot stand to see the evils take over the school. I love how she slowly gets involved with the unpops - who I think are just as awesome as she is. They're different with distinguishable characters that you might not even find in the so beautiful pops.

The story is very well-planned. Although it seems that Paisley gets herself into a lot of messes, the author does a great job of untangle everything, and in an exciting, fun way as well. You can never tell what's going to happen next. The writing is very witty but feels close, not unfamiliar.

The ending of the book does not answer every question because there's another installment coming up but it's enough to satisfy me. Go read and see which male lead you root for. It's gonna be a hot issue in the next book.

Rating: 4/5

Waiting On Wednesday (59)

Idea taken from Breaking The Spine


When Rose Wakes by Christopher Golden.

An enchanting tale by Christoper Golden about a teenager who wakes from a coma and slowly comes to realize that she is Sleeping Beauty of fairy tales.

It's not much of a synopsis but this seems so promising. I love how it sounds. Coma & fairy tale together? Definitely worth checking out. What do you think? Oh and don't forget the beautiful cover!

What happens when Rose wakes? Find the answer onSeptember 28th 2010.

Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pub.Date: March 25th 2008
Age Range: 12 and up
Pages: 284
Format: paperback
Source Of Copy: purchased

Kate Brown's life has gone downhill fast.

Her father has quit his job to sell vitamins at the mall, and Kate is forced to work with him. Her best friend has become popular, and now she acts like Kate's invisible.

And then there's Will. Gorgeous, unattainable Will, whom Kate acts like she can't stand even though she can't stop thinking about him. When Will starts acting interested, Kate hates herself for wanting him when she's sure she's just his latest conquest.

Kate figures that the only way things will ever stop hurting so much is if she keeps to herself and stops caring about anyone or anything. What she doesn't realize is that while life may not always be perfect, good things can happen -- but only if she lets them....

If you're a fan of Elizabeth Scott, be sure not miss out on this book. Its simplicity as well as meaningfulness will reach out to each and every reader regardless of age and gender.

I realized, after reading a few books by Elizabeth Scott that her stories always sound very pleasant and light, the kind of tone that draws you in and makes you feel comfortable no matter how desperate or bad the circumstances may get. The author always has an excellent way of bringing in situations that might not make much sense if portrayed unskillfully - how you're with a perfect but still feels it's not enough (in Bloom) or how your Dad quits his job to chase after vitamin pills and push the family into crisis (in Perfect You).

The synopsis make the book sounds pretty cute for me, but it is actually more than I expected. Kate isn't just a typical teenager with normal problems that one will complain over and over again. Her life is really sucks. Her only best friend abandons her, the guy she falls for seems to be a player, her Dad makes everything complicated by starting his own vitamin business and she even has an annoying grandma to deal with. With all that, the story still appears pleasant, told in a gentle voice with steady speed yet never loses its depth.

I really Kate She's delicate but she's not some weak meek one. She also dares to speak her mind but won't hesitate to cry if she's sad. Her character development is excellent too. I love how she's cynical and defensive at first but loosens up later. Her relationship with Will is very interesting to follow but the thing that captures my attention the most is her friendship with Anna. It's really painful and I cannot understand Anna at some points. But that makes the story more compelling and realistic than ever.

Well enough said, I think you should go and read it yourself. You won't be disappointed, I promise.

Rating: 4/5

THE BOOK REVIEW CLUB MAY 10 - Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

Publisher: Penguin Aus
Pub. Date: August 25th 2009
Age Range: Young Adult
Pages: 503
Format: paperback
Source Of Copy: from the publisher - Penguin Aus

How far will Rose go to keep her promise?

The recent Strigoi attack at St. Vladimir’s Academy was the deadliest ever in the school’s history, claiming the lives of Moroi students, teachers, and guardians alike. Even worse, the Strigoi took some of their victims with them. . . including Dimitri.

He’d rather die than be one of them, and now Rose must abandon her best friend, Lissa—the one she has sworn to protect no matter what—and keep the promise Dimitri begged her to make long ago. But with everything at stake, how can she possibly destroy the person she loves most?

If I was allowed to review this book in four words, I'd say READ IT RIGHT NOW, but because I can't, I'm going to spazz over this series just like always. If you're a reader, you just can't miss this. And if you're a vampire lover, it's your loss should you not pick up this series.

Blood Promise is a little bit different from the rest from the series because this time it's about Rose's adventure out there in the real world and totally alone. It's darker, somewhat sadder and more mysterious with lots of new characters introduced, minor and major abide.

The story focuses more on Rose this time with her relationships with her mom, her friends and above all, her love with Dimitri. Readers will get a chance to know of Dimitri's family, his life at home and how he is as a normal son. Of course, the writer didn't forget to update us about Lissa and everyone back in the academy, where things also gets very complicated than ever. And we cannot forget about shadow kiss right?

One thing I like about Blood Promise is that it finally gives us the point of view of Strigois, how they want to conquer the world, how it feels to be one. It's really interesting to see Dimitri in this new form although it's a little scary. And did I mention how weaky and vulnerable Rose appears at some moments? Totally different.

My only complaint is that there's not enough of action factor in this book. There are a few fights but none is as intense as ones in the previous installments. The end is really unexpected though, promising an even more amazing book to come this May.

I know you'll pick this book up, so enjoy it : )

Rating: 4.5/5

And Then Everything Unraveled by Jennifer Sturman

Publisher: Scholastic, Point
Pub. Date: July 1st 2009
Age Range: 12 and up
Pages: 244
Format: ARC
Source Of Copy: from the publisher

Delia Truesdale has no idea her life's about to change forever. She's too busy enjoying the California summer. Her internet tycoon mother, T.K. Truesdale, is out of town, and that means Delia can spend all her time at the beach, surfing. That is, until everything unravels.

Her mother suddenly goes missing, and everyone thinks she's dead - excpet Delia, who knows T.K.'s way too organized to simply disappear. But Delia's still sent to New York to live with her two aunts - a downtown bohemian and an uptown ice queen.

And in case that's not bad enough, she also has to deal with a snooty new school and trying not to fall for the wrong guy. Oh, and finding her mother.

As she delves deeper into the tangle of conspiracies and lies surrounding T.K.'s disappearance, Delia begins to suspect that the wrong guy may be the right guy...and that some secrets - especially the dangerous ones - were never meant to be unraveled.


A mixture of contemporary and thriller, And Then Everything Unraveled makes sure to satisfy readers' different tastes.

I really enjoyed this book because it seems different. You cannot tell at first it's a normal story about a girl who suddenly lost her mother or a thrilling mystery about a disappearance. Everything goes slow and natural, making you want to read more and more.

The thing I like about this book is that the narration is really good. It controls the whole mood of the story. Even though we got the news of a dead mother, Delia's voice is so strong you have to agree with her that it's such a false belief. The mood of the story isn't exactly bright or dark, so it keeps you wondering which way the author will choose to go. Step by step, like the title indicate, everything unravels.

We got a very calmed and collected, smart Delia as our main character. We also got the two interesting aunts who are absolutely different from each other but both are surely great and fun ones. Others also appeal to me because they are sort of mysterious, like you really don't know who's friends with Delia and who should bring her harm. For the romantic parts of this book, I didn't squeal or anything, but I still find the couple cute.

The end is a kind of open one, even though we finally have our answer about Delia's mother. I hope we'll have a sequel or something because I feel there's a lot to be explained.

Rating: 3.5/5

Girlfriend Material by Melissa Kantor

Publiher: Disney Hyperion
Pub. Date: May 5th 2009
Age Range: Young Adult
Pages: 272
Format: hardcover
Source Of Copy: from the publisher - Hyperion

If Kate were Lady Brett Ashley, the devastating heroine of Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, she'd spend her summers careering around the Riviera in her coupe, breaking hearts by the dozen--because why not? In reality, Kate's never even had a boyfriend, and she'll be spending the summer abetting her mom's lame ploy to make her dad jealous: running off to Cape Cod and crashing at the seaside home of her wealthy friends, the Cooper-Melnicks. To add to the shame, the Cooper-Melnicks' gorgeous daughter Sarah is a bit like Lady Brett, and she seems less than thrilled to hang out with her new houseguest. Any dreams Kate once had of a perfect summer are ruined.

That is, until Sarah's cute, witty friend Adam starts drawing Kate into the fold--and seems intrigued. With Adam around, Kate feels like she just might have a bit of heartbreaker potential after all. But when a breezy summer romance quickly grows more complicated can Kate keep pretending her relationship with Adam is just a carefree fling? Or will she take the risk and tell him her real feelings? Suddenly Kate is asking herself a question she never thought she'd stoop to: Is she girlfriend material?



If you want a lovely, quick read, do consider picking up Girlfriend Material. It's a story of a girl with a ruined summer who later finds out how to fix the relationship with her mom and gains herself a real boyfriend.

The mood of the book is really light and fun so if you're tired from all the stories on big and heavy issue, this should be the one for you. The plot is pretty typical but with the nice flowing writing, especially descriptions of the beautiful scenes in the bay, it's still a very pleasant read. Its appeal, to me, is the way things go very naturally and in decent pace.

The characters are quite lovely to me. Though some appear very unfriendly at first or some might look like a bad one at some point, everyone turns out to be nice and cool. Kate seems selfish during the first half of the book and very self conscious as well but gradually becomes sweet and understanding. My favorite character besides the main couple is Sarah and Natasha, who both look harsh but cool at heart.

My only problem with the book is that things are solved too neatly at the end. Like BAM, every knot is untied and things fall into the right place at once. It seems forced, making the book end in a weak way.

Anyway, this is a cute and light book. As I said, suitable for a quick and relaxing read.

Rating: 3/5

Waiting On Wednesday (58)

Idea taken from Breaking The Spine


Love Drugged by James Klise.

Fifteen-year old Jamie Bates has a fail-safe strategy for surviving high school: fit in. Keep a low profile. And, above all, protect his biggest secret—he’s gay. So when a classmate discovers the truth, a terrified Jamie decides it’s time to change. After accepting flirtatious advances from Celia, the richest and most beautiful girl in school, Jamie steals an experimental new drug that’s supposed to “cure” his attraction to guys. At first, Jamie thinks he’s finally on track to living a “normal” life. But at what cost? As the drug’s side effects worsen and his relationship with Celia heats up, Jamie begins to realize that lying and using could shatter the fragile world of deception that he’s created—and hurt the people closest to him.

A star-crossed romance with humor and heart, Love Drugged explores the consequences of a life constructed almost entirely of lies . . . especially the lies we tell ourselves.


I don't usually read GLBT books but this one sounds ultimately appealing. A drug to cure Jamie's attraction to guys is enough to keep me wondering how this book is going to be like. The story sounds very promising with a lovely message too. I have to read this one, for sure.

Cover: I sort of love/hate it. The heartshape is nice but not the pills : (


How the drug is going to take effect on Jamie? Check the book out on Sept 1st 2010 to see.

Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten

Publisher: Scholastic, Point
Pub.Date: February 1st 2009
Age Range: 12 and up
Pages: 288
Format: ARC
Source Of Copy: contest prize

Have you seen Nina?

Nina was beautiful, artistic, wild . . . and adored by her younger sister, Ellie. But one day, without any warning, Nina disappeared.

Two years later, Ellie can't stop thinking about her sister. Although everyone else has given up hope that Nina will return, Ellie just knows her sister is out there, somewhere. If only Ellie had a clue where to look.

And then she gets one, in the form of a mysterious drawing tucked into the pages of a book. Determined to find her sister, Ellie takes off on a crazy, sexy, cross-country road trip with the only person who believes she's got a chance -- her hot, adventurous new crush.

Along the way, Ellie finds a few things she wasn't planning on. Like love. Mysteries. Lies. And something far more shocking...the truth.


If you want to read a story that can surprise you, I suggest you pick this one up. Wherever Nina Lies will never be what you expect. Written with an exciting plot and well balanced peace, the book is truly a page tuner.

I admit I didn't really like this book at first. The first few chapters feels kinda depressing and vague and the flashbacks didn't lead to anywhere. But starting from the point when the roadtrip begins, things are more and more exciting. I especially love how the author leads us from place to place where Nina has been, it's smooth, creating a thicker atmosphere of mystery. That, of course, appeals a lot to readers.

One more interesting thing about Wherever Nina Lies is that things don't seem to make much sense in most of the books. I kept wondering why this or that happened or how they occured so fast sometimes it was so confusing. But as the end nears, everything is perfectly explained, accompanied by chains of untold events that would surprise or shock you.

Same with the happenings, the characters didn't impress me especially Ellie. She seems very meak and lost. And her relationship with Sean works out in rocket speed. They fell in love like in 2 days? Sean himself is too nice it's quite blank too. And once again, I was taken aback of how they changed at the end. The book climax was also when the characters had a chance to express themselves the best way. My only complain is that I wish to know more of Nina. She's an interesting person as much as a great sister.

Overall, this book proves that sometimes it's best to read a book until the end even though it doesn't impress you much in the beginning because you will never know how awesome it may turn out later.

Rating: 4/5