Me, In Between

Me, In Between by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Rating: 5 stars

Lacey Underhill is a 12-year-old girl who has what her Dutch grandmother refers to as luxe problemen: luxury problems. These problems being her breasts. At just age 12 (and in 8th grade because she skipped a grade) she's already at a size 36C. Girls (including her best friend) are jealous and boys never stop teasing her about them so of course she's self conscious. Whenever she's out in public she wears more than necessary just to try to cover up her breasts.

Then one day while playing in the arcade at the mall she meets Chad Wilcox, a 16-year-old boy that is just taken with her right away and not even because of her breasts! She is of course entirely thrilled about this and doesn't even really care that he's 4 years older than her. Though her best friend Margot thinks that she's making a big mistake just thinking about getting involved with the guy.

Just a few days later Lacey's old best friend Sam Samuels moves back in to town. Sam and Lacey have known each other since they were babies so Lacey is super excited to have him back, except for one little problem: her breasts. Sam wasn't around during the years when she developed the monstrosities so she feels she has to cover them up or Sam will think differently of her.

Then Lacey's grandmother, Nana Anna, gets sick and ends up in the hospital. Lacey feels guilty for always lying to her grandma about seeing an older guy and soon everything that's happening starts to catch up with her. Luckily Sam and Margot are there for her. And maybe, just maybe, Sam could be there for her in a different way if only Lacey would realize it.

This was such a cute book! From the first page I was hooked and finished it within a day. Lacey is just such a neat girl and you can't help but feel bad for her and her over sized chest. The way she's constantly teased by the boys in her school is just awful. When Chad showed up for the first time I just couldn't help but be happy that she was finally realized for more than just her chest! I really liked the way Lauren wrote from Lacey's point of view. The thoughts were perfect for a 12-year-old girl. The ending was also really cute. If you're looking for a quick cute read then this is the book for you.

Does This Book Make Me Look Fat?

Does This Book Make Me Look Fat? (an anthology)
Edited by Marissa Walsh

Rating: 5 stars :)

With fourteen stories and personal essays written by popular authors such as Sara Zarr, Carolyn Mackler, Ellen Hopkins, etc. this book is quite amazing. The stories all focus on the weight and body image issues that most everyone has at one point in their life. Whether it's feeling overweight or thinking you're too skinny, how you feel that your breasts are either way too small or way too big, everyone has issues with their bodies.

Not much else I can really say about this book. I actually loved each and every one of the stories, and that really surprised me. I thought at least one or two of them I probably wouldn't end up liking. I'd recommend this book to anyone who has issues with their body and even to people who don't. Every single story is just written so well. I didn't want to finish the last one when I got to it. The only thing wrong with this book: it should have been longer!

Dream Girl

Dream Girl by Lauren Mechling
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Claire Voyante (yes, that is her real name) has had strange visions ever since she was little. She's never been able to do anything with her visions but that all changes on her fifteenth birthday when her grandmother, Kiki, gives her a beautiful cameo made out of onyx and ivory on a gold chain. Pretty soon she starts having these strange black and white dreams.

While all this is happening Claire is in a new school and has made a fabulous new friend, Becca. Becca happens to be part of a very rich family and she has a very attractive brother named Andy. Although he happens to have a beautiful stuck up girlfriend. When Claire starts having her black and white dreams she's afraid that they might have something to do with a family that has always had it out for Becca's family and she's afraid that they might be in danger.

With her powerful cameo Claire might actually be able to solve this mystery! At least that's what she hopes.

This was a really cute book. It was even a great sort of mystery. I actually wasn't even sure how the book was going to end. But I did like the ending. Lauren gives her characters such strong and humorous voices. Claire and Kiki were my favorite characters. I love how they acted together. Basically this is just a really fun and light read. And isn't the cover adorable? I fell in love with it instantly. =)

DRAMA! Entrances and Exits

DRAMA! Entrances and Exits by Paul Ruditis (Book 4 in the DRAMA! series)
Rating: 5 stars

It's time for the Fall One-Act Festival at Orion high school. This year it's pretty special what with one of the three plays being written by Hope and also being directed by Bryan! And to top it all of Sam and Jason will be the two leads. Surprisingly Belinda (one of Sam's step sisters) is also cast as the minor character in the play.

Of course after Belinda is cast all the usual drama starts happening. Hope has a fit and then Belinda's twin sister tries to get involved in the play too. Plus all of the rehearsals always have an audience what with Eric being there for Sam and of course the usual Drew tagging along behind Eric as usual. Then of course there's Belinda's sister, Alexis, and then their friend and basically leader, Holly. All poor Bryan wants to do is help his cast rehearse for the one and only night of the play.

Soon things start heating up between Sam and Jason and Eric starts getting really jealous. Then Drew offers to paint a painting for the play and actually starts talking to Bryan after their long spell of basically not even being friends anymore. And then of course there's Gary who has taken an interest in Bryan ever since he's let him become the stage manager for his play.

Will all the drama settle before the one and only night of the play? And most importantly will the actors even be ready?

I've only read the first book in this series (The Four Dorothy's) but that really didn't matter. Paul made the fourth book stand alone pretty well. I'm sure he probably did the same for the second and third as well. But anyway this was definitely a great read. Paul is such a witty writer. I love Bryan's voice and all of his sarcasm. Paul just knows how to write a good book. His characters are great and the story just flows off the pages making this book a really fast and great read. If you like to laugh this is the book for you. I swear I was laughing during like every other page. I highly recommend checking out the DRAMA! series. It's really acting related and of course full of drama and that's what makes it so great. At least I like to think that's why.

The Debs

The Debs by Susan McBride
Rating: 5 stars

The Debs is told through the eyes of four girls in Houston, Texas. These four girls being... Laura Delacroix Bell, Michelle "Mac" Mackenzie, Ginger Fore, and Jo-Lynn Bidwill. Laura, Mac, and Ginger have been best friends for ages. Jo-Lynn is basically their enemy. The one thing these four girls all have in common is the desire to be a Debutante Rosebud in the illustrious Glass Slipper Club.

Laura is a size 14 girl who's mother is friends with the head of the GSC committee. She is totally psyched to be a Rosebud and her mother and herself both think she's a shoe in. But Jo-Lynn has had it out for her ever since she dated Avery who is one of the most popular guys in school. After Laura gets back from fat camp Avery happens to show up at the airport. Will this end up causing Laura even more trouble with Jo-Lynn?

Mac would definitely rather be reading than become a deb. It's never really been a dream of hers. But it was her late mothers dream for Mac to become a deb so of course Mac wants to do it. Also, it doesn't help that her new step mom, Honey Potts, is obsessed with Mac becoming a deb. With her two best friends also in the running she doesn't think it would be such a bad idea to become a deb at least.

Ginger is really excited at the thought of becoming a Rosebud and she'd really love to be able to wear her grandmother's vintage ball gown on the big presentation day. But when a really cute college guy, Javier, gets her into a bit of trouble involving a protest over a tree that is supposed to be torn down to make more room for more parking for her school she could end up in a lot of trouble. Hopefully it won't cost her chance to become a Rosebud though.

Jo-Lynn is a former beauty queen who makes it her mission in life to take out the so called "debu-trash". Her main target being Laura Bell. What she has in store for Laura is not in the least ladylike. But she has no idea that payback could be finding a way straight to her door. What's a stuck up and spoiled beauty queen to do?

This was such a great book. I loved how each chapter was told through each different girls' experience. And I liked how great of friends Laura, Mac, and Ginger are. They would do anything for each other (including finding a way to take down Jo-Lynn) and I think that was the greatest thing about this book. Susan has a great writing style and I loved each and every one of her characters. I even liked Jo-Lynn despite her witchiness. All in all this was just a fabulous book about the lives of four different girls who all want the same thing. Definitely check it out. I'm sure you'll love it.

I Know It's Over

I Know It's Over by C.K. Kelly Martin

Released on September 23rd.

Rating: 5 stars

Nick plans on having a long carefree Summer with no distractions and no problems. With his parent's divorce and his father's new girlfriend Nick needs all the down time he can get. Even the girl he's seeing (Dani) is starting to get to him. The girl is up for anything but for some reason Nick just doesn't seem that in to it anymore.

But Nick's Summer plans of carefree go out the window when Sasha shows up. She's been going to school with him for as long as he can remember. They've just never really talked to each other. One day they do and suddenly something starts. Sasha is totally different than Dani and isn't about to do anything sexual so fast. But Nick and Sasha start getting hot and heavy by the time Fall rolls around. And then Sasha breaks it off saying that she wants to be able to concentrate on school and getting in to the best colleges. Nick is crushed but there's not much he can do.

Then on Christmas Eve Sasha shows up out of nowhere and tells Nick that she's pregnant. Sure they were always careful and used protection but one time something happened. Neither one of them thought much about it at the time. But now they're over analyzing the night. Sasha is hesitant about her decision about the baby. After she tells her parents she decides on an abortion and doesn't really let Nick have much say. Nick being so mixed up about the whole situation really wishes Sasha would talk to him more and let him be more involved. But the truth is that they could never really have a relationship again, even with the baby.

With the help of his gay best friend Nathan and his other best friend Keelor Nick manages to make it through this whole fiasco. But will he ever have another chance with Sasha? And what will Sasha's final choice be?

First off, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone under the age of 17 due to the sexual scenes and the topic of pregnancy and all. This was such a great read. I loved how it was told from the guy's point of view. We hardly ever get to see it from the guy's point of view. I felt so bad for Nick from the very beginning. Of course my heart went out to Sasha as well. Kelly is such a strong writer and this was an amazing book for her first one. Her words just jumped off the page to me. I loved Nick's attitude and actions along with Sasha's. And Nick's younger 14-year-old going on 30 sister was great. Basically I loved everything about this book but the ending. It was okay. I just kind of wanted it to end differently. But anyway, definitely pick up a copy of this book when it's released on September 23rd. I'm sure you won't be disappointed. And I really hope Kelly writes another book soon! =)

Seeing Redd (Finally)

Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Seeing Redd (the second book in the Looking Glass Series) continues off from where the last book ended. 20-year-old Alyss is now queen of Wonderland. Her aunt Redd has disappeared in to the Heart Crystal along with her sidekick The Cat and everything is starting to calm down.

But soon glass eyes start appearing out of nowhere and causing mayhem. Everyone believes that Redd has somehow come back and that they're all doomed. Little do they know that these aren't Redd's glass eyes. Someone else is having them made. And that someone else is the King of Boarderland, Arch. King Arch has some plans to take down Wonderland and all of the surrounding cities. And he is determined to do so. He has Molly (the Queen's bodyguard) captured and intends to have her father (Hatter Madigan) come rescue her.

Meanwhile, Redd and The Cat find their way to Earth and Redd gets a whole new group of followers. She is determined to get back to Wonderland and finally kill Alyss so she will finally be Queen.

Alyss and Dodge finally come to terms with the fact that they are meant to be together. But Dodge is still set on killing the beast that killed his parents. Nothing will get in his way besides Alyss that is.

Wonderland is in a world of trouble with King Arch and Redd doing all they can do to finally get Alyss out of the picture once and for all.

Full of violence and mayhem Seeing Redd is a pretty intense read. It's a pretty good second book to the Looking Glass Wars series. Parts were a bit slow but overall it was a good read. I definitely liked The Looking Glass Wars much better. For some reason it didn't seem as wordy as Seeing Redd or something. But this was still a great book. I especially liked the way it ended. This is definitely a book you should read if you liked The Looking Glass Wars. It's a pretty good second book to the series. =)