Blog Tour - Review: Knee Deep by Jolene Perry

Title: Knee Deep
Story Arc: Standalone
Publication: May 1, 2012 by Tribute Books
Ebook: 176 pages
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Content: Sexual Activity, Assault
Source: Blog Tour via Tribute Books | Quote(s): No

Guilt pricks at my chest as I lie in bed and listen for Shawn's motorcycle.

Shawn is the guy Ronnie Bird promised her life to at the age of fourteen. He's her soul mate. He's more uptight every day, but it's not his fault. His family life is stressful, and she's adding to it. She just needs to be more understanding, and he'll start to be the boy she fell in love with. She won’t give up on someone she’s loved for so long.

Luke is her best friend, and the guy she hangs with to watch girlie movies in her large blanketopias. He's the guy she can confide in before she even goes to her girlfriends, and the guy who she's playing opposite in Romeo and Juliet. Now her chest flutters every time he gets too close. This is new. Is Ronnie falling for him? Or is Juliet? The lines are getting blurry, but leaving one guy for another is not something that a girl like Ronnie does.

Shawn’s outbursts are starting to give her bruises, and Luke’s heart breaks as Ronnie remains torn. While her thoughts and feelings swirl around the lines between friendship and forever, she’s about to lose them both.

A surprisingly quick read

I don’t know if it’s because I was so into Knee Deep by Jolene Perry that I didn’t realize I was breezing through it until I reached the end maybe after a two-hour sitting, or it’s simply because it’s not the chunkiest book you will ever come across. Maybe it’s a little mix of both. All I know is, as much as I enjoyed Perry’s Night Sky, I was a bit wary of reading Knee Deep by Jolene Perry. It’s not strictly an issues book, but, man, do the characters have a TON of those. And issue books have the potential to strike gold with me, or they can fail. Epically. It all depends on the writer, the execution, blah blah blah. I don’t want to feel as if I’m being preached to about anything or that I’ve been given the equivalent of an informative pamphlet. What I’ve noticed about Perry’s novels so far, however, is they are smart spins on every day issues. They’re not just intelligently written, but written in a way that’s accessible and weirdly relatable. These issues become personal even if you might never have experienced anything like what the characters are going through.

Knee Deep by Jolene Perry is essentially about a young girl in a very intense and very committed relationship, despite her youth, who comes to realize the person she’s loved for most of her life has ceased to be the real person and has drifted into an idea, a faraway memory. Her relationship has caused her to lose self-confidence and independence, and her loyalty to her boyfriend, Shawn, puts her in a place to be abused, verbally and physically. Stepping back, her altercations may seem minor compared to the crazy situations battered women on television find themselves in, but his actions and his words are both inexcusable and horrible. They’re not MINOR, and Knee Deep by Jolene Perry chronicles Ronnie’s struggle with the truth, with keeping secrets from those she loves, intervention, and her eventual decision to set things right.

One of the most powerful aspects of this book is not only how it shows the quickness in the harmless turning into the harmful, but also about how withholding and secreting something as harsh and dangerous as abuse can not only effect the victim but all those he or she cares about.

I love Jolene’s fictional families

Even when they screw up or tick me off, the families Jolene creates for her characters are ultimately supportive of their children. They may have their own issues and negatives as parents, but they always care for their children and support them in the worst of circumstances. And that’s what I find missing in a lot of Young Adult fiction, that invaluable support system that doesn’t always have to be present throughout the book but should have a presence—a firm, caring one—in the characters’ lives.

Works the same for the main characters’ friendships. Some fictional best friends don’t have to be glued to their hips to be felt in the novel, and I LOVE that. Because I’ve never met a pair of best friends so in each other’s faces day in and day out. They rely on each other, are deeply involved in the other’s life, and they are very much in tune, but they don’t have to be at each other’s house every single day to have a bond. I feel as if a lot of YA literature pushes that onto us, that in order to validate a friendship between two teenagers they have to be with each other every second, and when they’re not, it’s wrong and equals distance. Friendships in Jolene’s books are tightly knit and yet they are not actively present in every scene. I enjoyed the moments when Ronnie seeks comfort with her friend, Mindy, confides in her, but I also enjoyed the fact they have that unspoken knowledge and understanding that they can turn to each other for anything no matter what—despite any gap of time between them.

Ronnie and Luke

Ronnie is very much taken by the start of Knee Deep by Jolene Perry, which is no news there if you read the synopsis. However, I hadn’t been aware that there was a third friend involved, that Ronnie, Shawn, and Luke are a group deal. Now, their situation might seem a bit clichéd—the main character realizing she’s with the wrong best friend—but this setup is far from sweet, simple, and overdone. On the surface, the situation is similar to something you might’ve already seen, but beneath that surface there’s a whole lot of STUFF working there.

Luke and Ronnie have been friends a long time, almost as long as Ronnie has loved Shawn. When Shawn would go away during the year and return for the summer, in between that time without him, Ronnie had Luke. She was never interested in him romantically because she’s always thought of herself as Shawn’s. The sweetness of first love made Shawn’s haunting, terrible change into something poignant and sympathetic. Despite how bad Shawn gets, I couldn’t squash this tiny bit of feeling toward him. Because he was once the boy who gave soft kisses along the beach and made picnics that included lots of marshmallows for the girl he loved before he had to leave. I could understand Ronnie’s loyalty to him even if I didn’t agree with it. Luke, though, OWNED my heart from the beginning. He’s legit best boyfriend material, ya'll.

I wouldn’t say that because he’s perfect. He’s not. He’s a treasure as a friend, always willing to listen and protect, hanging out with the fam and treating the girl he’s secretly been interested in all along like gold without doing ridiculous things to show it. It’s all subtle and sneaky with him, because there’s that punch of lust when you first ‘meet’ him but then he gets all likeable with his vintage t-shirts—he’s not above wearing ones featuring Sponge Bob, Scooby Doo, and the Powerpuff Girls—and passionate acting and chocolate popcorn addiction. His moments with Ronnie are packed with latent sexual tension and sweetness and every confusing bit in between.

Jolene has another hit on her hands

Hopefully my feelings on Jolene Perry’s books become a pattern, because I like having them. I’m all warm and smiley once I’ve closed them, and the issues they tackle are serious enough so that I don’t feel as if I’ve just been reading fluffy romance. Some serious shizz goes down, you guys. But at the end of it all, all the kissing and hugging and almost sexy times gave my heart this hot little lift, this happy boost.

I recommend Knee Deep by Jolene Perry for fans of Sarah Dessen and Melissa Walker, two authors who I think write really awesome issue books with a hot dosage of romance.

Rating: Sud-Kissed

Although I was really nervous about reading another Jolene Perry novel, it turns out there was no need to worry over whether or not I’d enjoy it. For such a short read, there is so much going on, so much to feel. In a relatively small amount of time, I felt attached to Ronnie and kept hoping for happier circumstances. I was super invested in the romance and could not wait until the outcome shifted into what I’d been hoping for. Knee Deep by Jolene Perry has the author’s telltale charming, expressive writing style and fabulously portrays the struggles of a young woman in an unexpected, horrible situation, and her work to overcomes the scars left behind.

OTHER REVIEWS: Realm of Fiction

SIMILAR TITLES: Night Sky by Jolene Perry Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker

Got something specific in mind? Dare I believe I might NOT have covered something you wish to know? If so, let me know down in the comments section. Don't be shy!

Happy Thanksgiving! + Review: Saving June

Happy Thanksgiving! Today is that special time of the year where you gather with family, friends, and other assorted loved ones to be together and celebrate life. To give thanks for all that has happened and been given and to remember the beautiful and sometimes bittersweet events of the year without anguish (as you'll be supported by those that love you).

It's that time of the year where our whole country (if you live in the US) gorges itself on elaborate feasts and warm, fun festivities, while being close to family. Enjoy the food, the free time off, and, most importantly, the company of those that matter to you! :D (I'll probably be posting pics and thoughts on the day on Twitter, so feel free to share your Thanksgiving anecdotes!)

And sticking with the theme of family, I give you a...

Review

Saving June

by Hannah Harrington

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Release Date: November 22, 2011
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: NetGalley + HarlequinTeen
Rating: Perfect Bed Partner
Good for Debut Author Challenge
About the Book:

If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.

When Harper Scott’s older sister, June, takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.

When her divorcing parents decide to split up her sister’s ashes, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She'll steal the urn and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going—California.

Enter Jake Tolan. He's a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession…and an unknown connection to June. So when he insists on joining them, Harper's just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanor and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs. Except...Jake's keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper's life upside down—again.

According to the puppy-of-the-month calendar hanging next to the phone in the kitchen, my sister June died on a Thursday, exactly nine days before her high school graduation...

I've never been into the Angry At the World attitude, like Harper (although, later, it becomes evident that this girl IS WAY MORE COMPLICATED then she thinks/lets on). That's just not me, I don't flow that way (did I just say that?). I've never been a hardcore music fan. And no matter how ripped or sexy, I've never before been able to get into the rocker look for dudes. Again, not my style. My sisters and I have a tremulous (yet somehow steady) relationship, but I could never picture either of them poised for suicide. Gives me chills to think of it. So in going into this book, I was bombarded with all of these... foreign concepts, aspects I wouldn't normally go for. And for my efforts, Harrington WOWed me with her intricate characters, deeply emotional plot, and a resolution I could accept and be satisfied with.

From the opening page, Harrington fed me line after line of elegant prose and amazing metaphors and a wonderful narrative. I only mention writing styles when they're WORTH mentioning, and Harrington will grip you with her unique telling of a contemporary theme we've all encountered in our reading travels. A bowl of onions is hiding behind Saving June's cover, and as much as I love a good crying jag-inducing story, I accepted early on that this would be another of those tales where the teens have left the couch warm at their last therapy session and someone had died and the journey onward (via roadtripping, of course, because what else?) would be full of love and forgiveness and acceptance. I wasn't too far off, I will admit. But Harrington spilled the beans after having cooked them with sofrito thrown in as opposed to just the tomato sauce. This book shares common ground with my contemporary romance favorites and yet it screams different in the most beautiful way.

And while I wouldn't name my first-born after the MC or suddenly throw myself onto the mercy of the Bible, reading frantically for the answers to all of life's conundrums, Saving June, and its characters, became my teachers.The religious aspects weren't uncomfortable. There was no full-scale preaching; instead, Saving June expresses the importance of faith in something. Or someone, some higher power, because we all need something to believe that the world isn't all bad and we're being looked after... I'm gonna cut myself off before I go all Samwise Gamgee on you. The point being is faith and confusion as to God's existence is touched on more so than any specific religious practice. And Harrington exquisitely ties this to loss and overcoming grief, making the story THAT much more appealing.

Harper, Laney, and Jake are a trifecta of flawed perfection in fiction, three people who connect in ways I can only dream of experiencing one day. Harper and Laney have been best friends since forever (isn't that always the way?), but unlike the unlovable duo of yesterday's review for After Obsession, their friendship has its treasured memories, ups and downs, and a clear understanding of one another. They love each other for who they are, tolerate the bad stuff, and just accepte each other. That kind of friendship can only be stumbled upon a few times in a lifespan, I'm thinking. Harper and Laney's relationship is a rare find, one that any reader enjoying this book will lap up as the story progresses. And JAKE. Remember when I said I had an aversion to the punk/rocker look? BOY DID I NEED A (fictional) REALITY CHECK. Because Jake Tolan is a sexy mothertrucker, you guys. Jerky, arrogant, and an eternal music junkie with an attitude problem. But underneath is a heart of gold. Though he makes some crappy decisions and messes up a few times, he doesn't do anything that could potentially invoke Harper's (or my) abiding hatred. One of the most delectable romances I've read in some time has been written in Saving June's pages. I assure you, much will be missed if this book isn't picked up.

But the necessity of this book reaching your hands goes beyond JUST the romance, but also includes the themes (acceptance at the head of the list), the heartwrenching journey itself, and the characters. I've never met characters so utterly real in their heartbreak and being lost. Or as strong, because they somehow manage to reach for the crazy glue and stick the pieces back together. My single piece of advice: break out the Kleenex, but you'll need it when you least expect it. I knew there was a reason why this book called out to me, and I'm patting tummy (because that's where your intuition is, right? O_O) and thanking Intuition for refraining from leading me astray.

In the most totally inappropriate way you can imagine, PBP books are the books you want to do, they're so bloody brilliant... (My Rating System In-Depth)

I raise my eyebrows. "All this from the internet?"

"Google is my bitch." (12%)

I've never gotten so drunk it made me sick. It was nice, I guess, of Jake to hold my hair back, instead of just leaving me here.

"It was a lovely moment," he says drily. "Now there's a band name for you--the Lovely Pukes."

I poke my head back out to shoot him a withering look. "How about the Shut the Fuck Ups?"

"The Toilet Huggers."

"The Imminent Castrations." (35%)

"It was a joke, Harper," [Laney] says. Her voice is calm but firm. "Look, I know that this is a... bad time for you. The worst, even. I get it. I get it, and I'm trying to be patient, because I know you don't mean it when you turn me into your punching bag. But cut me some damn slack already, would you? I'm on your side here." (50%)

Review: Rules of Attraction

Rules of Attraction

by Simone Elkeles

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Release Date: April 27, 2010
Publisher: Walker & Co.
Age Group: Older YA
Source: Library Check-Out
Rating: Perfect Bed Partner
Good for 2nds Challenge
Other Books in the Series:
Perfect Chemistry
About the Book:

When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado . Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now.

Carlos: I want to live life on my own terms. But I’m Mexican, so mi familia is always there to guide me in everything I do, whether I want them to or not...

I would love to say something clever to open this review, but all I can manage is, I am cuckoo for the Fuentes brothers. When I first wanted to pick up Rules of Attraction, I kept getting a lot of feedback saying that it's basically just Perfect Chemistry retold. The same story with different characters, and the third book followed the same formula. I have to disagree. While yes, the same themes are being executed, the same TYPE of story - you know, Mexican bad boy meets White good girl - the story in Rules of Attraction still somehow manages to be fresh and unique to the characters.

Carlos reminded me of Alex, sure, but he is still his own person, with his own aspirations, quirks, and resentments. Honestly, I'd be a little mad if the two weren't similar, being that they are brothers. I like seeing familiar personality traits being passed down into the family. It isn't like Anna and the French Kiss vs. Lola and the Boy Next Door, because those feature two unrelated people, who were brought up differently in different environments. Whereas Alex and Carlos are products of their shared pasts. And while Carlos has the whole bad boy thing down-pat, he does it with his own flair. He has this certain arrogance that's different and more acute than Alex's. Did I like him more than Alex? That's a toughie. I'd say they're pretty much tied in my book.

Being that this story is told between two POVs, Kiara is the other first person narrative to be enjoyed. And I did. I actually love Kiara more than Brittany. Kiara is that girl who wears clothes two sizes too big, who fixes cars for fun, currently in the process of revamping the craptastic one she's in possession of, who isn't afraid to say what she means, and she stutters. I admired her while simultaneously adoring her for being so cute. Plus I loved that she has a gay guy for a best friend, especially this particular one (Tuck), because he is the source of so many great LOL-moments. And like Brittany, besides valuing family a great deal, she has that specific ability of challenging their chosen Fuentes guys, infuriating them and invoking overpowering love in them.

I liked how the plot in this book ties in the first one as well, as the Fuentes brothers are revisited by some unwelcome disturbing members of their past. Set-ups, betrayals, and old gang ties crop up and nearly ruin both Fuentes brothers' chances at happiness with the girls they love. I don't remember how huge the tension level was in Perfect Chemistry, but in Rules of Attraction I was gripping the pages hard and sporting white knuckles. And whenever I'm in that situation  I tend to skim until I find out what happens, so there's a whole chunk toward the end that's kind of a blur because I got so worried and curious. And it leads up to a superb ending, which induced many awwwws from me.

I'm so happy that I didn't let other people's judgements pry me away from this series! It was worth the time it took to read Rules of Attraction, and Carlos and Kiara's love story makes my list of best romances.

In the most totally inappropriate way you can imagine, PBP books are the books you want to do, they're so bloody brilliant... (My Rating System In-Depth)

Carlos: Time to change tactics. “Want to make out?”
“With who?” she asks, not bothering to look up.
“Me.”
She lifts her head from her book just long enough to give me a once-over. “No, thanks,” she says, then goes back to her homework.
She’s fuckin’ with me.
She’s got to be fuckin’ with me. (135)

Kiara: Kiss? In the hallway in front of everyone? I can’t even talk in front of Madison, let alone kiss the guy she’ s interested in, in front of her. “I-I-I d-d-don’t...”
I try to come up with something, but keep stuttering. As if Carlos doesn’t even notice I’m struggling with my speech, his fingers cup my cheek, then trace a gentle path down my lips. It’s something a boyfriend would do to a girlfriend he’s crazy about and.. and... and Carlos is full of complete bullshit. I know it. He knows it. But Madison doesn’t know it. (171)

Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Lola and the Boy Next Door

by Stephanie Perkins

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Release Date: September 29, 2011
Publisher: Dutton
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: purchased/Own
Rating: Special Shelf
Good for 2nds Challenge
About the Book:

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

I have three simple wishes. They're really not too much to ask...

Besides waiting until I could collect my thoughts and put them down into coherent, readable sentences, I used this month as a sort of test. As much as I love Stephanie Perkins, I had to wonder about what made her books so special? While I waited in this month to write this review, and pushed all the squealing back in, I thought about this. And you want to know what I came up with? I. Don't. Know.

And when you fall in love, sometimes it's just better to be surprised and not understand, because otherwise it gets hard to feel THE MAGIC of it. I can't deny that Perkins's books are magic, of the purest, truest, most addictive form, which can't be conjured or crafted in any spell, but one that springs solely from the heart.

I give you, 6.5 reasons why I heart Lola and the Boy Next Door:

1) The Side Characters

One thing you have to remember when picking up a Stephanie Perkins novel: every single character counts. No one ever falls into the backdrop. Even Lola's best friend's father, while not a major character at all, produced a smile from me upon our first meeting. And I don't even know the guy.

Perkins has a way of writing characters that are living proof of the Onion Effect. You peel back one layer and you find so much more than what you see on the surface. Whether that surface is pristine or tattered is entirely irrelevant. It's guaranteed that you'll find depth in these characters AND LIKE THEM FOR IT, even when you should hate them.

This is something I can count on every time I encounter a new character. And I loved this about Lola, and even Anna! And how Lola interacts with these characters of many shapes and sizes seizes your affection for this book and Co. From her quiet, investigative-by-nature best friend, Lindsey, to her lovable pair of dads, Lola's friends and family take the cake as far as best characterizations. You WILL be envious of the people she is fortunate enough to have in her life.

1.5) Surprise Guest Stars

Or should I say not so surprising? There's been huge talk about Anna and Etienne's planned appearance in Lola. And while I was excited for that, I didn't expect to see SO MUCH of them! And I'm so happy that Perkins was intuitive to know that fans would so appreciate their huge roles in Lola and Cricket's love story.

And somehow, it was better to read them under these circumstances, through another set of eyes. They seem THAT much cooler. And the romance that sparked the love for Perkins to begin with, IS STILL very much there only threefold. I gushed with pleasure every time I got a glimpse of their superspecialawwww moments!

2) Lola

Honestly, I didn't know what to expect from Lola the character. It was easy to develop a sketch of her in my imagination, and her kind of character already seemed likeable. But, I didn't expect her to be so... so... realistic in spite of her eccentricites. For a girl who's out-there, she's very real; a girl who makes silly decisions, has insecurities (the read-between-the-lines kind), and quirky aspirations. 

And the best part? She IS NOTHING LIKE ANNA. So many authors who write companion novel series fall into that trap of telling the same story with different characters and vice versa. I wanted Perkins to break that mold, and she delivered. Lola is original, her own person, and while compatible with Anna, she retains this awesomeness that's completely unique to her character.

3) Cricket

Cricket Bell is no St. Clair, and I applaud Perkins for her ability to create TWO such heart-melting, swoon-worthy guys. Two boys who make you sigh wistfully for two totally differently reasons.

St. Clair is the Superfly Artsy European Mutt dude who makes every passerby fawn over him with his heartstopping good looks. Cricket would make me stop in my tracks and stare for a completely different reason: he's odd in his own right. He has crazy inventor hair, habitually wears rubber bands on his wrists and pinstripe pants, and is charming and sweet. The fact that I still REMEMBER all of that a month after reading this book speaks volumes.

4) Family Matters

The family dynamic is obviously different from the typical mom-dad scenario, being that Lola has two fathers, but toss out any misconceptions you may have had about being raised by gay parents. Because Nathan and Andy prove THAT YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. :P

If there was an award for favorite fictional parents, Nathan and Andy would get top scores. They'd beat out everyone (except maybe Mia's parents from If I Stay).

5) *sings* I love the way you love...

The last thing I want to do is give anything away about the romance (especially). It's so important that you read it and feel the SLOW BURN that is part of Perkins's style thus far. It's agonizing, full of hard choices, but ultimately it left me in a WOWed state, in which I took the time to bow down to the amazingness that is Stephanie Perkins. I promise, you will not be disappointed Anna fans!

6) What I've come to call the Stephanie Perkins Flair

The pacing, the writing, Stephanie Perkins knows how to weave a tale. Her writing is friendly and fun and inviting. Insightful. And at times poetic-like. There's a warmth and allure to her books that can easily be described as incomparable in the face of so many YA books out right now. If you've been skeptical up until now, don't be! You will not regret reading this series!

A misconception that could perhaps cost you a limb...

This a companion novel, friends. You do not need to read Anna (although I advise that you do, so that you can appreciate Anna and St. Clair's presence more) in order to read and love Lola. So, if in fact you encounter this book in your travels before Anna, do not hesitate to read it. It's a win either way, whichever way you do it.

Thought up by the lovely Small Review, Special Shelf books are unforgettable books that make you emote in extraordinary ways, hold beautiful stories inside and characters you will forever be in love with... (My Rating System In-Depth )

"Chinese pajamas to the Japanese Tea Garden," [Nathan] continues, gesturing at my red silk bottoms. "What will people think?"

I don't believe in fashion. I believe in costume. Life is too short to be the same person every day. I roll my eyes to show Ma that I realize my parents are acting lame.

"Our little drag queen," Andy says (7)

He's the other thing I like about Anna. Wherever she goes, he follows.

He nods toward the baby wipe. "What else are you carrying in your pockets? Dust rags? Furniture polish?"

"Watch it," she says. "Or I'll scrub your arms, Etienne."

He grins. "As long as you do it in private." (26)

"Cricket, you're... tall."

Which is, quite possibly, the stupidest thing I could say to him...

"It's the hair," he says with a straight face. "Gravity has always been my nemesis."(36)

Review: Populazzi by Elise Allen

Populazzi

By Elise Allen

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Release Date: August 1, 2011
Publisher: Harcourt
Source: NetGalley/ARC
Purchase: Book Depo. | Amazon | Kindle
About the Book:

Cara has never been one of those girls: confident, self-possessed, and always ready with the perfect thing to say. A girl at the very top of the popularity tower. One of the Populazzi.

Now, junior year could change everything. Cara’s moving to a new school, and her best friend urges her to seize the moment—with the help of the Ladder. Its rungs are relationships, and if Cara transforms into the perfect girlfriend for guys ever-higher on the tower, she’ll reach the ultimate goal: Supreme Populazzi.

The Ladder seems like a lighthearted social experiment, a straight climb up, but it quickly becomes gnarled and twisted. And when everything goes wrong, only the most audacious act Cara can think of has a chance of setting things even a little bit right.

An all around fun read, I don't think I've laughed quite this much in a long, long time. Populazzi has a side-splitting humor at many points throughout so much so that I think the comedy will be the aspect that stays with me the most, making me smile every time I pass by this book. Cara, Claudia, and others in the book nearly had me choking because I couldn't seem to stop cracking up.

Cara and Claudia--these best friends made this book for me! I can't even totally consider Cara as the star of the show because Claudia was such an active and prominent part of the story. The things these two would say, think, or do... really just reminded me of my own experiences these past few years in high school. The stupid or girly things I push my friends to do with me, the overanalyzing me and my girlfriends do when it comes to boys, poring over the most natural encounters for signs of what the opposite sex involved is thinking. Allen must have a very clear, sharp image of what it was like in high school because she nailed it right on the head with her accuracy. And even though these two girls felt like me and my friends, interchangeable, they were still completely unique. I favor Claudia of the two to be honest, just because of her dramatic (and terribly hilarious), unconscious integration of Shakespearean works into her everyday life. But, don't get me wrong, Cara appealed to me, too. She was my former self--shy, nervous, and incredibly book-smart, afraid to step out of her shell, longing to belong. And because I recognized an intimate piece of myself in her, I relished her transformation by the end of the book.

And their tongue-in-cheek descriptions and classifications of the different "tiers" in the social hierarchy that make up high school was downright hysterical! Watching Cara navigate the tricky halls of high school while trying to accommodate Claudia's Populazzi plan had its funny and awkward moments that roused a number of different reactions ranging from head-desk to embarrassed giggles to bright blushing to goofy smiles. The kind of expressions that take over during my own high school experiences. And Cara taking on boys is a sight to behold, let me tell you. It helped me recall all the stupid things I did to get myself noticed and liked by guys.

Lucky for Cara, though, she managed to find one that was right for her all along. Of course, this book would not be complete without romance. Although Cara interacted with a few boys on this level, there really was only one boy that actually mattered. When it came to these two, Archer and Cara, I can't tell you how many times I wanted to put their heads through the wall. I forgot anxiety-ridden these romantic comedyish novels can be. It was no picnic for someone like me, who gets way TOO EMOTIONALLY INVESTED.

I was forced to skip over certain scenes, mostly because I couldn't take Cara's changing toward the end before the good started cropping up. I felt like I was in Claudia's shoes and I was the one being betrayed, so I couldn't even read it. Oh, and this book actually made me cry! Yup, I know, crazy. But, those tears were a mixture of frustration and hurt on Cara's behalf. I HATED HER PARENTS. Not the I Hate You While I Love You hate that only teenagers or married couples are acquainted with. No, this was pure rage and fury and raw loathing. Her parents, particularly her stepfather, were probably the most ill-suited, selfish, insecure, cowardly, and self-absorbed parents I'd ever had the displeasure of "encountering." I'd hate to be Cara in that respect.

I didn't expect Populazzi to play on my emotions so well or Elise Allen to so skillfully pull them out of me and direct them toward the characters in the story. From the authenticity of the high school experience to the flawed, lovable, TEENAGE characters (hated parents swept aside) to the adorable romance that ended up coming together at the end, concluding the book perfectly, I love to say it: Populazzi was a funderful, hilarious read that I couldn't put down and was so caught up in that when all the funny parts came up I turned heads (I imagine bursting out in random fits of giggles didn't go over so well with people--who, incidentally, MUST've been nonreaders, otherwise they wouldn't've looked so appalled). A perfect summer read and an overall fantastic debut!

---------------------------------------------------

"Come on, kids, this is the good stuff. This is Junior English. This is T.S. Eliot. Let's dive into this! What is Eliot doing with his images? Anyone: shout it out!"
I almost giggled when I realized I could now say this twice in one hour. "Um..." I began, "he's making them stand erect?"
"Yes!" roared Mr. Woodward, and this time Archer didn't hide his smirk. "You've almost redeemed yourself for being late..."
"Cara," I said.
"Cara," he repeated. "So each time, Cara, when his images are at the peak of their 'erection,' if you will, what does Eliot do to them?"
There was only one answer, and I wished I could say it without blushing. Still, I didn't hesitate. "He lets the images go flaccid."

I fell asleep counting not sheep but possible opening lines. Claudia must have done the same--I woke up to an email from her with a huge list of options.
"Really, Claude? 'Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much?"
I had her on speakerphone as I drove to school...
"It worked for Juliet," Claudia said. "Romeo fell head over heels for her."
"You are aware that they both die at the end, yes?"
"Did you seriously just ask me that question?"
"Did I seriously ask it, or did I seriously think you didn't know they died at the end?"
"Fine. Forget Romeo and Juliet. Forget the centuries-old benchmark of true romance. How did you want to start?"
I took a breath, then offered up the best of my bunch. "Hey! Do you play Scrabble! 'Cause I had the best triple-word score last night!"
Claudia's silence was deafening. I couldn't blame her. Maybe I'd go with the good pilgrim thing after all.

When Archer and I went to the mall that day, I didn't even mention the weekend. I said neither the words "week" nor "end." I simply channeled all my concentration into the words "invite me," then shot them toward Archer in a continuous beam of psychic energy.
"Cara?" he finally asked.
Success!
"Yes?" I batted my eyes. No, really, I did.
"Are you okay? You're holding your head and your face is all scrunched up. Do you have a headache or something?"
"Oh. No. I just... precalc. Hard problem. I'm having tangent issues."
So much for psychic energy.

Review: This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

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Source: borrowed/Public Library
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kindle
Others: What Happened to Goodbye ; Along for the Ride

When it comes to relationships, Remy doesn't mess around. After all, she's learned all there is to know from her mother, who's currently working on husband number five. But there's something about Dexter that seems to defy all of Remy's rules. He certainly doesn't seem like Mr. Right. For some reason, however, Remy just can't seem to shake him. Could it be that Remy's starting to understand what those love songs are all about?

Ah, Sarah, as much as I hate to say it, you disappointed me this time around. First of all, I hate players. Especially girl players. I know you're probably thinking back to that one time when I described my undying love for Wesley in The DUFF - aka the biggest fictional man-whore ever - and before you start pelting me with apples and doughnuts for, what appears to be, unjustified sexism, allow me to explain myself - because, after all, that would be a horrible waste of doughnuts.

I live by the following motto: "If you can't love with permanence, love always with kindness," thought up by yours truly... well, kinda (there's some Nora Roberts thrown in there). So it peeves me when I see people INTENTIONALLY hurt others in matters of the heart, where people are the most vulnerable. And the only reason why SOME guys - granted FICTIONAL guys - can get away with it is because I fall for their cursed good looks and latent sexual prowess. I know, totally superficial and unfair of me. But, at least the guys can charm me out of being angry with them. What have females got for me? Nada. Therefore I get - and stay - angrier at them. So, the fact that Remy thinks she's got love, life, and relationships all figured out didn't make me feel compassion toward her, as I think it was intended, but instead annoyed the hell out of me. I mean, girlfriend, you're like what, seventeen? I'm only one year behind you, and I don't have all the answers figured out. What makes you think YOU do? I don't know... perhaps, I'm insensitive and unreceptive. (Pffft.)

In my book, she doesn't even really deserve a guy like Dex. Sweet, fun, and eccentric Dex. A musician and a nice one at that. Instead of going gaga at their romance like I had hoped, I just got infinitely more peeved. Remy believes she can't be with him long-term because... what? why? I don't get it, personally. It seems to me she has some trust issues and is on the narcissistic side... So, I don't know if you've... well, noticed, but I'm not all that fond of Remy. And my frustration and dislike only grew as the book progressed, as Dex worked to open her up to him only to have the door closed in his face. He was so patient and loving throughout the whole thing - though not without his flaws, mind you - and above all, sweet. Even though I didn't really enjoy Remy's character, I couldn't help but think, Okay, great, exactly what the doctor ordered to cure that bitter, resentful, cynical heart of hers.

But then I got a smack in the face. (SPOILER) Not only does the girl dump my guy, but she manages to accuse him of all sorts of, what I deem as, bullshit. And proceeds to act stupidly throughout the last few pages of the novel. Then, just when, I thought she'd finally earned Dex's forgiveness - though, if it was me, I'd've tossed her out the window to be done with it, but I get it - love is love, after all - Dessen slaps me with one of those, They'll find each other again someday endings. Really? Really? So I'm meaning to tell you that I sat there, for hours, through a three hundred-something paged, drama-filled novel to have it end LIKE THAT. With only a CHANCE that they'll come back together again and rekindle their relationship. And to that I say, Son of a-

Anyway, I ended up detesting the latter half of the book. Which sucks because, this book had some really good aspects (besides that pitiful heroine). There were some adorable scenes between Dex and Remy, that I would not trade for the world. They could be so cute together at times - or should I say Remy actually had a few good points. Her only mistake, to my everlasting dismay, was letting Dex go. But the ending just... I'm still breathing fire, even as I write this.

"Now, tell me why you like me."
"Who says I do?"
"Remy," he said sternly. "Don't make me call you sweet again."
"Fine, fine..."
"Well," I said finally, knowing he was waiting, "you make me laugh."
He nodded. "And?"
"You're pretty good-looking."
"Pretty good-looking? I called you beautiful."
"You want to be beautiful?" I asked him.
"Are you saying I'm not?"
I looked at the ceiling, shaking my head.
"I'm kidding, I'll stop..."
"Okay," he said as I turned back to face him, sliding my arms around his neck. "You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me."
"You do, huh?"
"Yep."
He wrapped his around my waist, pulling me closer. "So," I said. "Tell me."
"It's animal attraction," he said simply. "Totally chemical..."
"It doesn't matter, anyway, why you like me."
"No?"
"Nope." His hands were in my hair now, and I was leaning in, not able to totally make out his face, but his voice was clear, close to my ear. "Just that you do." (190)

Okay, I experienced a slow, inevitable meltdown when I read this. Love you, Dexter, like with all my effing heart!

If you're wanting to read about love and musicians, give the following book a try (though, you may want to break out the Kleenex):

Click HERE to head to its Goodreads page.
Click HERE to go to my review.