Posts Tagged "Teen Romance"
Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters — Meredith Zeitlin
Kelsey Finkelstein is fourteen and FRUSTRATED. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled – by her impossible parents, her annoying little sister, and life in general. But with her first day of high school coming up, Kelsey is positive that things are going to change. Enlisting the help of her three best friends — sweet and quiet Em, theatrical Cass, and wild JoJo — Kelsey gets ready to rebrand herself and make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny.
Things start out great – her arch-nemesis has moved across the country, giving Kelsey the perfect opportunity to stand out on the soccer team and finally catch the eye of her long-time crush. But soon enough, an evil junior’s thirst for revenge, a mysterious photographer, and a series of other catastrophes make it clear that just because KELSEY has a plan for greatness… it doesn’t mean the rest of the world is in on it.
Kelsey Finkelstein and Co. (her three best friends, Cass, JoJo, and Em) are entering their freshmen years of high school and they all have big plans, though none as big as Kelsey’s. She plans to score a starting position on the varsity soccer team, finally date her long-time crush now that his perfect girlfriend’s out of the picture, and otherwise make herself known. The only problem is, the world seems to be conspiring against her. Obstacle after obstacle leaps up, forcing Kelsey to try even harder to make her freshman year special — even though it would sometimes be easier to stop trying and instead fade into the background.
I love Kelsey Finkelstein. Normally, I hate fourteen-year-old protagonists. Authors have a habit of writing young characters as much more juvenile, immature, and clueless than I remember being at fourteen and that always bothers me. But Kelsey Finkelstein is one of the most realistic fourteen-year-olds I’ve ever seen — she’s the high school freshman I wish I was and she’s the girl I can still relate to her today. She’s witty, sarcastic, and she makes so many of the same mistakes we all make — the mistakes we have to make in order to get through high school. And she can also be petty, stupid, and immature. And I loved every minute of reading about her life.
Zeitlin does a great job of making each of her characters stand out. It took me awhile to notice the difference between Em, Cass, and JoJo, but after awhile I realized they weren’t your typical stock-best-friends of the protagonist. They each had their own interesting personalities. But the secondary character that really grabs my interest is Kelsey’s mom. She’s just such a mom. Everything she says makes me laugh, especially since I remember my own mom saying a lot of the same things. And Kelsey’s responses to her mom are spot-on and hilarious. You’ll love the mother-daughter exchanges and possibly find yourself taking turns groaning along with either Kelsey or her mom.
My only problem with this book is the lack of an overarching conflict. There are a lot of small, secondary plots and twists that keep the reader engaged. The pacing is extremely fast and has you eagerly flipping pages; none of the chapters are too long, boring, or unnecessary. But by the end of the book, when I asked myself what the story was about, all I could come up with was that it explored Kelsey’s first year of high school. This seems like kind of a broad subject for a book. But, like I said, it’s not something I noticed until the end of the book, due to the fast pace and abundant conflict. Regardless, Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters is an enjoyable, laugh-out-loud read that’ll leave you smiling and wanting to reminisce about your favorite high school moments.
Pages: 288
Publication Date : March 2012
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Format: ARC
Rating : 
Teaser Quote: “It’s like the worst day of my life just became the best day of my life. Jordan Rothman just climbed a flight of stairs with the sole purpose of inviting me to a party? If the floor of the subway station weren’t so disgusting, I think I’d totally faint.”
Juliet Immortal – Stacey Jay
“These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which as they kiss consume.”
—Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
The most tragic love story in history . . .
Juliet Capulet didn’t take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn’t anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she’s fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she’s forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.
The world’s greatest love story ever told is a lie. Romeo and Juliet didn’t commit suicide and die for their love, Romeo murdered her. Her one true love, the one she trusted and wanted to be with more than anyone else in the whole world, betrayed her and took her life in an act of brutality Juliet isn’t able to escape. Not even now, in present day, and she jumps from body to body.
Seven hundred years on, Romeo is still working for the bad guys, and Juliet is still ambling through her existence, trying to save true love from the grips of hell. She hates her life, but after seven hundred years, she’s pretty used to it: invade a body, conquer and make love happen, escape and move on. But when Juliet invades Ariel’s body, she never ever expected that she might be the one to fall in love with her subject. It’s unheard of and absolutely forbidden. It feels like Juliet has met his soul before, encountered him in another life … but its impossible, right?
Meanwhile, Romeo will stop at nothing to get to his Juliet. His love is of the sadistic kind, and although he seems hell bent on destroying her life, in his sick way, he does love Juliet. And she’s slipping from his grasp. He’ll stop at nothing to prevent that from happening.
As a huge fan of Romeo and Juliet, I was deathly afraid that this story would butcher the classic for me. I was, however, pleasantly surprised. Yes, I struggled seeing Romeo in such an evil capacity, but it … worked. Juliet seems to hold some of that hopeless romance she carried in the original tale, but what I was happiest about was her strength. In the original classic, Juliet takes charge of her life, decides what she wants and finds a way to make it happen. Although Juliet in this story is a slave to her circumstances, she does find a way around her pitiful situation and goes after what she wants. I was happy to see that element of her character remained true.
Thus, Juliet Immortal did not ruin the classic tale for me. It was a really enjoyable representation, actually. I think those that even hate the original tale will get a kick out of this one.
I take my hat off to the jacket designer. The cover is perfect, and was actually what made me pick it up in the first place. The red dress against the murky, restless ocean really struck a cord with me.
Pages: 306
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication date: 2011
Teaser Quote: Life is precious – his life especially – but there are worse things to lose. I turn back to Ben, brush his hair away from his ruined face, a part of me wishing he was conscious so I could say goodbye, the other part glad that he’s beyond feeling pain.
Morganville Vampires: Last Breath
With her boss preoccupied researching the Founder Houses in Morganville, student Claire Danvers is left to her own devices when she learns that three vampires have vanished without a trace. She soon discovers that the last person seen with one of the missing vampires is someone new to town-a mysterious individual named Magnus. After an uneasy encounter with Morganville’s latest resident, Claire is certain Magnus isn’t merely human. But is he a vampire-or something else entirely?
As Michael and Eve make preparations for their wedding, certain undead members of the Morganville community begin making all kinds of noise objecting to the idea. Everyone seems to have an opinion on why Michael and Eve shouldn’t get married – except the couple themselves. Even Shane and Claire express concern. Michael is a vampire; Eve is human. A lifelong predatory union such as that is bound to end in tragedy, right? At least, that’s what the history books show. Eve wonders … could her relationship with Michael go down in history as the first human/vampire relationship to really make it?
In Bite Club we saw Shane and Claire face all kinds of adversity. Shane let Claire down – repeatedly – and both of them still have wounds to heal from that experience, but Last Breath opens showing Shane and Claire more in love, stronger than they’ve ever been before. It’s obvious they’re meant to be together, through thick and thin, the good and the bad, the ugly and the beautiful – but what about in death? Last Breath sees Shane and Claire face the ultimate challenge – the biggest one they’re likely to encounter ever.
Meanwhile, outside the Glass House, Morganville is in a state of disarray. Vampires are going missing and something has spooked Amelie out of her mind. She’s packing up the vampires and planning a mass exodus out of Morganville. It looks like the humans will finally have their town back.
Or will they?
If I know Amelia – and I think by now I do – leaving the humans to their own devices is not something she’s particularly known for. She says they’re leaving and allowing the humans to reclaim the town, but is that really what’s going on? Would she really leave a bunch of humans behind untouched, uncontrolled? Not very likely.
And Claire and Shane know it. Complacency, happiness, contentment – these are things that Shane and Claire will never get to experience. Not while they’re living in Morganville, anyway. In an epic battle – more epic than anything Morganville has ever seen – the Glass House gang will join the vampires, again, in the fight for their very lives.
Last Breath threw many curve balls that I never saw coming. Predictable is not a word I would choose to describe this series. Just when you think Caine can’t possibly develop this world any further, she does. Just when you think these characters have grown as much as they possibly can, Caine manages to mould them into even more dynamic, even greater characters. I never get tired of reading these books. With Last Breath Caine delivers one of the most thrilling cliffhangers to date, and as always, I’m now anxiously awaiting the arrival of the next chapter in this awesome series.
Pages: 335
Publication date: November 2011
Publisher: New American Library
Challenge: N/A
Rating: :
Teaser Quote:
Oliver stalked forward toward … Toward Myrnin, in his thick black coat, who was holding Shane against the alley’s other wall with his right hand, and drawing back with his left, claws catching the light in sharp angles. He hesitated as he spotted Oliver, and froze as he saw Claire’s shuddering form.
“No,” he whispered, the signaled a stare at Oliver. “Damn you! She shouldn’t have to see this!”
Geek Girl – Cindy Bennett
“Think I could turn that boy bad?”
My two best friends–my only two friends, really–follow my gaze and laugh.
“Trevor Hoffman?” Beth scoffs. “No way, Jen.”
“I bet I could,” I say, shrugging.
“Why him?” Beth asks. “Why not any of the other nerds sitting there with him?”
“Because,” I say slowly, “he isn’t your typical run-of-the-mill geek. Trevor Hoffman is different. He would be a little more difficult to take down–more of a challenge, you know?”
Jen’s teenage life of rebelling and sneaking out is growing stale. In an effort to combat her boredom, Jen makes a bet to turn Trevor, a nice geek, into a “bad boy.” Unexpectedly, she is pulled into Trevor’s world of sci-fi movies, charity work, and even–ugh!–bowling. Jen discovers that hanging out with Trevor isn’t so bad after all.
But when Trevor finds out about the wager, all bets are off.
There aren’t many “first love” stories that I think are spot-on, but Geek Girl truly captures the rollercoaster of emotions that not only constitute first love, but also first heartbreak. It’s also utterly un-put-downable. It’s impossible not to immerse yourself in Jen’s life, to feel every emotion right along with her. This book will make you laugh out loud, give you butterflies, bring you to the verge of tears, and quite possibly curl your toes as often as Jen does.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. Jen is what you might call a “bad girl.” She’s been bounced around from who knows how many foster homes and she’s developed a pretty tough exterior. On a whim, she decides she needs a project and that project becomes turning Trevor, King of the Geeks, into a “bad boy.” But Trevor’s not as malleable as Jen first assumed and, after awhile, she realizes she doesn’t even want to change him. Instead, she might just want to change for him.
So begins the whirlwind romance of Jen and Trevor. Oddly enough, I found Jen to be one of the most relatable and likable characters I’ve ever read about. She’s charming, endearing, and ridiculously witty, though she’d probably only take the latter as a compliment. She also knows how to get exactly what she wants from guys – at least, when they’re playing by her rules. But Trevor’s different. He’s polite to a fault, honest, and genuinely good. He’s intrigued by Jen, but not intimidated. In essence, they’re perfect for each other.
Cindy Bennett is clearly a master at character development. Every time Jen and Trevor are together I feel as if I’m there with them. In fact, I feel as if I’m one of Trevor’s lame friends, joining the game for a sci-fi movie marathon. Bennett perfectly and accurately captures the high school experience, including the awkwardness that comes along with befriending those outside your “clique” and dealing with the backlash of the typical teenage drama. Bennett forges relationships with realistic, snappy dialogue and common interests (something many authors forget is one of the most important aspects of any relationship). Each secondary character is sufficiently explored, creating an entirely three-dimensional world.
In addition, Jen embarks on a rigorous journey of self-discovery that leaves the reader fascinated, empathetic, and rooting for her the entire way; I can’t imagine anyone failing to fall in love with her. Or Trevor, for that matter. This book is not for the faint of heart. It is filled with powerful emotions, both good and bad. And yes, it appeals to the geek in all of us, whether that part of you is big or small. I’ll admit I was more than a little proud of myself for recognizing almost all of the sci-fi references. Star Trek humor, anyone?
Pages: 271
Publication Date: December 2011
Publisher: Cedar Fort Publishing
Challenge: N/A
Rating :
Teaser Quote: “I look back at him and he’s smiling at my (very) little jokes. He has dimples, which I haven’t noticed before. Pretty cute—though they don’t cover his dorkiness.”
The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) – Kody Keplinger
Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.
But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.
Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.
Bianca Piper is pretty content with her life. She’s smart, scathingly honest, has two best friends she cares about more than anything, and a secret crush on the perfect and adorable Toby Tucker. Sometimes she feels out-shadowed by her model-gorgeous friends, Casey and Jessica, but that’s okay because Bianca isn’t trying to attract anyone’s attention because high schooler’s aren’t capable of falling in love. Not real love, anyway. Enter Wesley Rush, who changes Bianca’s entire opinion of herself by calling her “the Duff,” the designated ugly fat friend. But as much as she wants to hate him—no, wait, she does hate him—she’s also incredibly drawn to him…for all the wrong reasons. But Wesley turns out to be much more than he appears.
The DUFF closely examines the insecurities that all girls, and even boys, face. Throughout the book, Bianca struggles with what it means to be the Duff. She doesn’t want the comment to bother her. After all, why should she care what anyone, much less the school man-whore, thinks? Yet…she can’t help but see the truth in his words. How can she compare to her tall, thin, blonde best friends? It isn’t until she voices her concerns to Casey and Jessica and they insist they’re the Duffs (I’m not sure what Jessica’s flaws are, but at more than six feet tall, Casey feels like a giant) that Bianca realizes every girl will consider herself a Duff at some point or another and that maybe being a Duff isn’t such a bad thing.
Unfortunately, I didn’t fall in love with this book. I wanted to and I tried so hard. After all, I’ve heard nothing but good things about it and I can see why. Usually, I’m a sucker for witty, sarcastic narrators, but something about Bianca made it hard for me to relate to her. She reminded me of one of my best friends, except with about fifty percent of my friend’s likeability. Maybe I thought she crossed the line of being too cynical and perpetually angry. Also, I wasn’t really a fan of the way she treated Casey and Jessica throughout a majority of the book. Bianca could be really hard to put up with sometimes, but Casey was always there for her, always loyal. I felt like she deserved more from Bianca. Also, I didn’t entirely believe that Wesley was truly falling for Bianca until the very end, which made it hard for me to really emotionally invest in their relationship. That being said, I still think their relationship was fascinating and provides a breath of fresh air to the YA community. In fact, the entire book is a breath of fresh air. It shows a grittier, less everything-is-sunshine-and-rainbows and infinitely more real look at teenage relationships (from friendships to casual acquaintances to dysfunctional families).
Keplinger does an excellent job of capturing the essence of teenage dynamics and friendships. The dialogue is snappy and fast-paced. The high school experiences seem real instead of clichéd and my guess is that most readers won’t be able to put it down. Kody Keplinger is definitely an author to look out for.
Pages: 280
Publication Date: September 2010
Publisher: Little Brown/Poppy
Challenge: Debut Author
Rating : 
Teaser Quote: “Wesley Rush doesn’t chase girls, but I’m chasing you.”
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