What are books for?

I started this blog post nearly four years ago and after years of neglecting this website I found a draft with the caption "What are books for?" At this time I read an article in a magazine about books and I guess I wanted to tell you all about this article and what journalists have already found out ..et cetera et cetera.
While I am now re-writing this post I am thinking - why shouldn't I just write my own list (you must know I am very good at writing down any kinds of lists!) because I mean if this article would have been any good I would remember, wouldn't I?

So, here we go: 5 reasons why I think we should (all) have books at home:

1) You never get bored!  If you just want a time out from your own life you can just dip into a sea of millions and thousands of other people and for a moment just imagine how their lives turn out.

2) The smell. There is almost (almost!) nothing better than the smell of a new book, untouched pages and the first crack when you open it.

3) With every word you read, every page you turn, every book you finish your own creativity starts to bring out your thoughts. How about that? In a few years you will hold your own book in your hand.

4) There are books we were meant to have. Words meant to be written. Pages meant to be read. They change our lives.

5) Just.

going too far by Jennifer Echols

Synopsis:

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from the backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far ... and almost doesn't make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge - and over ...




My review:

going too far a story by the wonderful author Jennifer Echols is a book that I read a couple of years back and just recently fished out of my bookshelf to read it again.
Even the second time I enjoyed reading the book very much and thought that I couldn't withhold it from you any longer.

Meg is a seventeen year old senior at high school and there is nothing she wants more than to get out of the boring town she is living with her parents.
A lot of things happened there in the past she just wants to forget and what better way is there than to run away  ... and leave a mark.

John on the other hand just wants to stay in town and put everything back in place. He acts like a though and strict adult which he's not. There are things in his life that he wants to undo and protect everyone else from.

Both of them can't be more different and still there is something that connects them: their secrets.
They have secrets of their own that they're not aware of and so it happens that they drive each other right into the mess.

There are a few reasons why I like this book very much.
Firstly, there is the chemistry between John and Meg. From the first day on they met, it's just there.
Secondly, John. Actually, there are no more words needed but I just want to give you a little teaser: sexy, big, uniform, serious, funny, ... I mean how can you not like him?
I do have to be on Meg's side here: It's sexy as hell when he puts on his serious act "Never thouch me while I'm in uniform!" - Don't you want to do it even more now?
Though, thirdly, the stroy is very serious and the two of them have to deal with a lot of stuff it's also funny; Meg is alway good for a come-back and tries to provoke everyone around her.
My list would go on and on ... but you just have to read for yourself!

going too far is a book that you don't want to take out of your hands not even the second time! - Compelling, real, funny, provocative - a real page-turner.

A perfect summer read

All we want for our summer holidays is to have fun, get tanned, spend a lot of time with our friends and fall in love.
But on the top of our list: read as many books as possible.
Why not have a look in to the life of someone else and root for their love life (if ours isn't cookin')
Just right before summer ends .. a few books you might want to take a look at.

1. Where I belong by Gwendolyn Heasley

Meet Corrinne. She's living every girl's dream in New York City—shopping sprees at Barneys, open access to the best clubs and parties, and her own horse at the country club. Her perfect life is perfectly on track. At least it was. . . .

When Corrinne's father is laid off, her world suddenly falls apart. Instead of heading to boarding school, she's stripped of her credit cards and shipped off to the boonies of Texas to live with her grandparents. On her own in a big public school and forced to take a job shoveling manure, Corrinne is determined to get back to the life she's supposed to be living. She doesn't care who she stomps on in the process. But when Corrinne makes an unlikely friend and discovers a total hottie at work, she begins to wonder if her life B.R.—before the recession—was as perfect as it seemed.

My thoughts: 3/5 Stars
It's an easy read but somehow the story isn't new. A crossing between Hannah Montana  - The Movie (I don't know why I even know this one) and the Carrie Diaries (TV show).

2. Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker

Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life. Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now. Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart? 

My thoughts: 3/5 Stars. 

Girl meets boy. Girl tries to ignore boy and pretend that she doesn't like him. Boy makes girl laugh. Girl falls for boy.
Lovely summer read if you like to enjoy the weather outside .. maybe sailing?

3. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn’t seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she’s coming to terms with her father’s death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. 

My thoughts: 4/5 Stars
Who doesn't like a road trip with some friends?
Travelling around the country and discovering places where once people you loved spent their time. You'll fall in love with Amy and Roger!

4. Not That Kind Of Girl by Siobhan Vivian

Natalie Sterling wants to be in control. She wants her friends to be loyal. She wants her classmates to elect her student council president. She wants to find the right guy, not the usual jerk her school has to offer. She wants a good reputation, because she believes that will lead to good things. But life is messy, and it's very hard to be in control of it. Not when there are freshman girls running around in a pack, trying to get senior guys to sleep with them. Not when your friends have secrets they're no longer comfortable sharing. Not when the boy you once dismissed ends up being the boy you wants to sleep with yourself - but only in secret, with nobody ever finding out. Slut or saint? Winner or loser? Natalie is getting tired of these forced choices - and is now going to find a way to live life in the sometimes messy, sometimes wonderful in-between.

My thoughts: 4/5 Stars
You should know me by now. I do love a good high school love-hate relationship - it couldn't be better.
It turns out that not every guy is a jerk even if he looks like one.
Keep in mind to stay true to yourself. You shouldn't change for anyone!
 

A quick read for a nice weeked. Even if you don't like them all, I am sure one or two of them will catch you eye and mind!

I have enjoyed reading all of the books. Some more the others less ...
If you go and pick up one of the books let me know what you think! 

-Lola

p.s.: You want to know more about one of the books? - Just tell me!

10 Things I ❤ about books

1. The smell of a new book. It's just wonderful.

2. I get really exicted just at the thought of buying new books. Strolling through the bookshelves or scrolling down the websites and reading the summaries.

3. Opening the book for the first time and having a peek in the middle or the end.

4. Books come alive. Not just from the movies but also from your thoughts.

5. You can easily carry them around and take them with you wherever you want.

6. Every book is different: The cover. The story. The size.

7. The books are always better than the movies.

 

8. Books extend your vocabulary.

 

9. They make you creative.

 

10. The books we read give us stuff to talk about.

 

 

Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Synopsis

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there's an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.





My review

Allyson has always been the good kid. She never really had her teenage phase and she doesn't mind not going mainstream.
As a graduation present her parents sent her on a journey she will never forget.
Together with her best friend she travels Europe and meets Willem.
Until that day the trip isn't at all what she thought it would be but when Willem intives her to go to Paris for one day she says yes.
Together they explore the city and it's more than Allyson wished for. For one day she can be someone else. Someone exciting and experienced. But every day has an ending. Even if it's not the way you want it to.

A year goes by and Allyson hasn't been herself ever since. Can she find Willem with the few information she has? Will she be whole again?

Just one day, a book by Gayle Forman that inspired me. And I bet it will inspire you!
Have you ever been traveling? - No, I should ask this differently. Have you ever been spontaneously traveling with a complete stranger and not thinking about the consequences?
Did one day or person change your entire life?Think about it. What was it like?

When I still went to school I had the chance to go to Paris for a few days and even though I didn't really appreciated it back then .. I knew there was something special about the city. I wanted to go back ever since.

I really enjoyed reading the story about Allyson and Willem. About the things they exeprienced. The good thing: Both, Willem and Ally are nearly grown ups. They can "move" something. Be someone.
That's one big thing that inspired me. This book/the story animates you to do something. To go out and explore the world. To take a risk and be spontaneous.

I know, that doesn't say much about the story itself but that's what comes to my mind when I think about the book.
We should take our time and have a look around. Take time to make new friends, travel the world and try out something new.
Our time is precious and we won't get it back, so we have to make the best out of it.
Fall in love with a city. Find true love by "accident" and just .. live!

Read it for yourself and let me know what you think!

p.s.: Just one Year is coming out very soon! ;)

Meant to be by Lauren Morrill

Synopsis

Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question.

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.


My review

Julia Lichtenstein is what some people call a dork. She loves books, always follows the rules and is a model student.
Also, Julia believes in the one true love, her MTB.

Jason Lippincott is the exact opposite, so she thinks. He's loud, always flirting with other girls and he doesn't know anything about culture.

When the two of them get paired together on their spring break trip to London Julia fears that this might be the worst week of her life.
They have never even spoke one word to each other and now they should wander around London? - So when Jason takes Julia to a party she doesn't even want to go she's breaking rule after rule. Now this mysterious guy named Chris is always texting her and Jason wants to help her find him .. It's all too much.
She should stay at home, dream about her "Meant to be" and not get annoyed by Jason.

I loved this book from the first page to the last. I loved Julia! I saw so many things in her that reminded me of myself. She's always carrying a book with her. She's a little Miss-know-it-all and she loves swimming. This made the book so much better.
Jason annoying Julia, the best thing. You never know what he is going to do next or what she's going to say. It's the kind of relationship I love, you should know this by now. ;)
While there are many ups and downs you don't only get to know the characters but also the city of London.
One of the many reasons I devoured this book in two days. Though the only thing that bugged me are the descriptions of the directions. They don't really fit with the picture that I have in my head from when I lived there. But with the time I could get over it and with every chapter I was so excited and wondering what will happen.

If you think you know what happens at the end .. think again.
While I thought I knew exactly what was coming, I didn't!

The book is not perfect because there are a few bits that I missed that the author could have solved in the end but other than that I have nothing bad to say.

An amazing story taking place in the most amazing city. You will devour chapter by chapter, like I did.
Lauren Morrill's debut novel and it's worth every hour you will spent reading it.

Favourite Books

You know it too, don't you? You're sitting in school, at work or someplace else and the only thing you want to do is take out your book and start reading again.

The story just won't leave you until you're with it.

I do have this a lot and in the following I will show you my all time favourite books, for now.

 

1. Adorkable by Sarra Manning

 

 

2. Meant to be by Lauren Morrill

 

 

3. going too far by Jennifer Echols

 

4. before I die by Jenny Downham

 

5. Time of my life by Cecelia Ahern

 

 

So tell me, what are your all time favourite books and why are they your favourites?

 

 

- Lola

The Statistical Probability of Love at first sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Synopsis

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?
Today should be one of the worst days of Hadley's life ...
Her father is getting married in London to a woman she's never met, and she's just missed her flight.
Hadley has never believed in destiny or fate before ...
But stuck at the airport in New York, today is the day she meets Oliver. He's british. He's cute. And he's on her new flight.








My review

Hadley and Oliver meet at the airport on their way to London.
She is off to a wedding, feeling as miserable and grumpy as she can because it is her father's.
He is off to a wedding as well, so she thinks, and is just the sweet gentleman he can be by helping her.

Hadley shouldn't be on this flight because if she were just a few minutes earlier nothing of this would have happened.
She wouldn't have met Oliver.
She wouldn't learn a lot about herself.
She wouldn't have fallen in love.

While Hadley is mainly pissed at her father for marrying again and leaving her and her mother behind she's at her worst. And now that she missed her flight, something that never happened before, it can't get any worse.
And there's Oliver. Cute, funny, thoughtful Oliver. Sitting right next to her. Telling her stories and making her laugh.
Could she really have fallen in love with him in just a few hours?
She tells him everything but what does she really know about him?
On their way over to London Hadley and Oliver get to know each other and themselves. They learn what it really means to know someone.
Now that they found each other Hadley doesn't really want to say goodbye. She wants to talk a little more and find out what is going on between them but before she can say anything Oliver is gone.
London is a big city, will she find him? He only told her a few little things about his childhood .. will this be enough?

How exciting is it to know that they met on the airport?
I for once think it's a lovely thought and it makes me want to plan my next trip. Who knows maybe I will meet my love at first sight and the statistical probability just showed us that it's possible.

The statistical probability of love at first sight is a lovely book and I really enjoyed reading it.
It's fresh, it's funny and it's sad.
Proof that you can fall in love in no matter of time .. and everywhere.

Just One Day

So, I just finished Just One Day by Gayle Forman and there's a part of a song that I think fits very well with the book.

 

No more tears, my heart is dry
I don't laugh and I don't cry
I don't think about you all the time
But when I do, I wonder why

 

 

Have you read the book already? What are your thoughts?

Let me know! - Review is coming real soon.

 

 

- Lola

 

 





Adorkable by Sarra Manning

Synopsis

Jeane Smith's a blogger, a dreamer, a dare-to-dreamer, a jumble sale queen, CEO of her own lifestyle brand and has half a million followers on twitter.

Michael Lee's star of school, stage and playing field. A golden boy in a Jack Wills hoodie.

They have nothing in common but a pair of cheating exes. So why can't they stop snogging?








My review

Adorkable is a lovely book about an independet girl named Jeane Smith who is living on her own, in an apartmant in London.
Jeane starts to write a blog about the things that are happening in her life, that she loves, hates and things that might be important to other people.
Only 17 years old, Jeane makes something out of her life. She has her own lifestyle brand, earns her own money and writes for different magazines and talks on international congresses.
What more does she want?

Michael Lee can't stand Jeane at all. Eveytime he sees her, he just wants to turn around and get as far away from her as possible.
He is a good student, loves his brand clothes and his life. Everything comes easy for him. The only problem is his overprotective mother.

Two teenager and they can't be more different but somehow, so it seems, they end up together.

While I was reading "Adorkable" I could relate to most of the things that Jeane says.
I don't know if it's her unique style (which I totally loved, by the way) or if it is the fact that she is just a "normal" teenage girl looking for herself, always saying what she thinks and still she falls for the "boring" boy.
He's the exact opposite from her and did I already mentioned that I really, really like the " I don't like you - You don't like me" - Phase at the beginning?
When I read a book and they are finally getting together I'm often very disappointed because I like the excitement at the beginning but I guess and hope that I'm not the only one.
This book is different!
Even if they are together they always have something that they can't stand about each other and that makes it even more fun to read.
I like that the book is up-to-date. Like, Jeane is always on twitter (who isn't anymore) and writing her blog ( I should take some advice from her on how to organise my blog entries!).
And Michael, he's always wearing the most popular brands these days (yeah I know, it's not about the looks .. )

I've spent my last year in London and I got so excited reading the book because I knew what the author was talking about when they were around, I fell in love all over again.
While they both try to figure out what exactly it is that's going on between them it seems that their families are trying hard to make their lifes as difficult as they can.
Can they handle the things that are going on, or will there be a big bang and they can't hold it any longer?

The book is an easy read. I had a good few laughs and a smile on my face the whole three days I was reading it even though I nearly had to cry on one or two occasions.
As you can see there is something for everyone in this book!
If you don't like the story you will definitely love the characters and if not the characters at least the conversations they are having.
Well, I don't want to give away too much. - You have to read it and get into the world of geeks, dorks, bloggers and ... the cool kids.
I can just recommend the book and definitely say it was one of the best books I've read last year.
Go and grab a copy for yourself and your friend!

On this note, I quess I have to read it again ;)

Someone knows me

" I need to fold down pages and flag passages with sticky notes. I need to experience books, not just read them. I never go anywhere without a book in my bag [...]

- Meant to be, Lauren Morrill

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler

Synopsis

Things in Delilah Hannaford’s life have a tendency to fall apart. She used to be a good student, but she can’t seem to keep it together anymore. Her “boyfriend” isn’t much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition.

Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family’s painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced back together again?

 

My review

Fixing Delilah is not the first book I've read from Sarah Ockler and this is maybe one of the reasons why I chose to buy this book. I liked her writing and the story of “Twenty Boy Summer”. It actually brought me to tears a few times.
But I have to be honest: I expected “Fixing Delilah” to be a little more different because I think the synopsis overstated the story.

It’s a book about broken families and self-discovery.  Family is a big part of our lives and no matter what, they’ll always be there. We can’t run away from mistakes because some day we have to deal with it one way or the other.
 

Delilah Hannaford is a sixteen-year-old girl who currently has lots of trouble on her side. Her friends are not her friends anymore, her boyfriend really isn’t much of a boyfriend and her mum is working day and night. Her dad got killed before she was even born.
Welcome to Delilah Hannaford’s life, where a family isn’t much of a family anymore. Now she has to deal with the death of her grandmother, fixing the relationship with her mother and her long-missed friend Patrick.

It has never been easy for Delilah, growing up without a dad and a mother who is working more and more hours every day. Her friends aren’t the ones she thought they are and even the one person she should trust is not the one she is looking for. On top of all the teenage problems her grandmother died whom she didn’t saw in nearly more than eight years. No one is telling her about the fight that parted her family back then, until they get back to the town she used to live for eight years. Old memories are coming back. Old friendships reconnect and new relationships are build.
But even after her grandmas death no one wants to talk about what happened years ago. Delilah is determined to find out more about her family and who she really is.
While her mother wants to get out of town as soon as possible, she and her aunt are taking their time.
They want to fix her grandmother’s house and put it on sale but it turns out that deep inside no one is ready to leave it again.
During that time Delilah spends a lot of time with her childhood best friend Patrick and they start to fall in love.

I don’t want to give away too much of the book’s storyline but get ready for a few surprises at the end.

Fixing Delilah is the second book of Sarah Ockler and even though I think the story of the book doesn’t fulfill the description of the synopsis and the first book of hers, it has its own ups and downs.

It didn’t thrill me like I thought it would but despite that I really enjoyed reading it.
The focus is mainly on Delilah’s search for identity, where she’s coming from. She is looking for answers about her family and why she is like she is. The book addresses a mother-daughter relationship and shows us how important it is to talk to each other and take some time for one another.
One the other hand it’s also about true friends and how they can change your life.

Sometimes I didn’t understand Delilah’s actions at all. In my opinion she overacts a few times and her whole situation was just overstated. I think it would’ve been nice to write something more about Delilah’s situation before they went away for the summer holidays because it obviously changed her a lot and is a big part of the story.
I had a problem with her relationship with Patrick and how they rekindled.
I mean, if I wouldn’t have seen my childhood friend for over eight years, don’t keep any contact and then suddenly see him again when we’re both teenagers I guess I wouldn’t tell him everything right away.
It’s normal that you change a lot during that time and grow up to a totally different person.
Delilah and Patrick don’t have any problems at all and just like that, they’re best friends again.
I doubt it’s very believable.
But throughout the story their relationship develops and I start to like them as a couple.

In the end I think it’s a good book because the author told the story very realistic, in a way.
I liked it and just can recommend it to everyone who’s looking for a good YA-book. It’s definitely a story to think about.

How to find the perfect book

We all know it. We all had it.
The desperate search for the perfect book to read. How do we find it and how do we know it's the right one?
I guess we all read tons of bad written books before we find a few treasures. But what exactly is it, that makes us like the book so much?

Maybe it's nothing new for you or maybe you just got into reading .. take your time:

1. Decide on a genre

First steps first, you have to decide on a genre you'd like to read! It can be thriller, horror, romance, YA-books .. It's easier to read if you're really interested in the idea and concept of the book.

2. The book cover

Well, I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but lets be honest, a great cover catches our eye rather than a plain boring one. So, first move made you have a book in your hand but what know?

3. Summary

Just read the summary on the back? - For some books this might be enough but not every summary does exactly what it promises.

4. Reviews

Instead of going home with the book it would be more clever if you check the reviews on the internet and though everyone has its own opinion it can be really helpful! If there are more good reviews than bad, your decision to buy the book is almost made. Are there more bad reviews than good ones, you have to think a second time and if it's really worth trying to read it.

5. Look inside

Go on, have a look inside the book, read a few pages and let the words get to you.
Now, if you're still interested in the book, buy it! Just do it and don't regret it ;)

 - Lola

At the moment ..

.. these are the books I'm looking forward to read

and these are some of the books I have to review

It doesn't have to be so complicated

Oh boy, I've never done anything like this so I don't really know how to start.
I just finished a really, really good book and it made me think:
There are people out there, that really are reading my blog even if I don't see it. They are looking for advice on good books and I could help them but sometimes I'm to lazy to write my reviews, or have so much to do that the words are stuck in my head and never find their way out. I like reading books, a lot! So I thought it would be fun to share my thoughts on some of them but I never really thought that it would take so much time.
I'm not complaining or anything because I really like doing it!
Since I'm here with you all in the blogosphere I experienced a lot of good things and I don't want to miss that.
I'm just asking you to be patient with me and there will be a lot more coming!
This could be more!
Encouraging people to read a book, tell them about your favourite one or just talk about the lives in all the books is amazing.
Let's do that together, shall we?

Now, there's a big pile of books I have to write a review to!
Stay with me and spread the word.

Lola

Another World

The Fame Game by Lauren Conrad

Synopsis

In Hollywood, fame can be found on every corner and behind any door. You just have to know where to look for it. Nineteen-year-old Madison Parker made a name for herself as best frenemy of nice-girl-next-door Jane Roberts on the hot reality show L.A. Candy. Now Madison's ready for her turn in the spotlight and she'll stop at nothing to get it. Sure, she's the star of a new show, but with backstabbing friends and suspicious family members trying to bring her down, Madison has her work cut out for her. Plus, there's a new nice girl in "reality" town—aspiring actress Carmen Price, the daughter of Hollywood royalty—and she's a lot more experienced at playing the fame game... When the camera's start rolling, whose star will shine brighter?

My review

I was pleased to read that Lauren Conrad is going to publish another trilogy since I really enjoyed reading the L.A. Candy novels. But as soon as I finished The Fame Game I was a little unsatisfied. I was hoping for a little bit more action because L.A. Candy really pushed my expectations.

“The Fame Game” is a book about big dreams and how you should never give up on them because one day they might come true and you have to be ready!

Madison Parker is a 19 year old girl who knows exactly what she wants. Coming from a poor family, Madison had the desire early on to escape her background and start to live her life. She lies about her family and her past and soon gets a part on a TV show called L.A. Candy. She wanted to be famous. She wanted it all. She was willing to do everything and even betrayed so-called friends.
Now she is back again, still the old Madison addicted to everything related to money.  And still not willing to share the spotlight.
Carmen Curtis was born into a family with very popular parents so she shouldn’t need to worry about fame and money. But Carmen wants to step out of her parents’ shadow and make an acting career on her own.
Kate Hayes the girl next door from Columbus, Ohio is trying her best to be the number one in the music charts. Some might know her from her youtube videos other will get to know her from “The Fame Game”.  After High School Kate decided not to go to college and moved to L.A. instead where she now has two jobs and is trying to survive.
At last there’s Gaby. Gaby has no special talents and is just doing what she’s told. She just needs a pretty boy on her side and she’s fine.

Four Girls, one dream.
Make it in Hollywood and just do what they love to do, whether it’s acting, singing or fashion.
When Trevor Lord asked the girls if they want to be in his new show on one of them thought it would end up like that.
It is Kate’s first time in L.A. and she has come here in the hope of moving forward with her singer-/songwriter career. When Kate meets Luke it couldn’t be better for her. Finally she has her stage fright under control and there’s a man in her life besides Ethan, her Ex, she can talk to. They spent a lot of time together and it looks as if the would fall for each other if weren’t for his acting career and the fact that he’s in a fake relationship with Carmen just to promote their movie.
All Carmen ever wanted was to step out of her parents’ shadow and be famous for things she accomplished herself. She never intended to hurt Kate because even though they know each other for just a couple of weeks, she is one of her best friends. At the moment everything is a little out of control. She has got the part in a major movie but her dad still thinks “The Fame Game” is a bad idea and she still doesn’t know if Drew is just her best friend or if the kiss a few weeks back was more than that. Then there’s the fact that Madison is making her life more complicated than it already is. Why does she have to challenge her on all their meetings?
Everyone knows Madison is after money and fame and she’s willing to do almost everything for that. But now of all things her sister got out of rehab and she doesn’t return empty handed. Their dad, Charlie, is back and after all those years when he didn’t call or write he wants to spend some time with his girls. Madison is very sceptical but soon she starts to believe that he truly means what he says. She starts to trust him again but in the end he disappoints her much more and she’s in a lot of trouble.
While everyone has her own little drama in their private life, the “The Fame Game” adds a lot more.
Are they ready to let everyone in America have a look at their lives?

Lauren Conrad was a big positive surprise for me when I read her first trilogy ‘L.A. Candy’ and she didn’t disappoint me this time.
She has created four different characters and made them work together. I like the idea, and in my head it was like one TV episode after another.
However I think there’s something missing in that story but I can’t figure out what it is.
You will get a really good look in each of the girls’ point of view because the chapters are written from each perspective, which makes the whole book even more interesting.

If you’re a fan of ‘The Hills’, reality TV in general, and a lot of drama, this book is definitely the right one for you.
I swallowed page after page. This book will attract you in more than one way and before you know it, you in the middle of the game for fame!

When It Happens by Susane Colasanti

Synopsis

Seniors in high school Sara and Tobey couldn’t be more different. She wants to get into her first-choice college; he wants to win Battle of the Bands. Sara’s other goal is to find true love, so when popular Dave asks her out, she’s thrilled. But Tobey always creeps into her thoughts. Lucky for Sara, one of Tobey’s goals is to make her fall in love with him.

My review

“When it Happens” is a book about growing up, the uncertainty of the future and finding a real relationship.

Sara Tyler is a senior in high school. Her goals for the last year in school: Get into NYU and find something real. She’s a good student and working very hard to make sure at least one of her goals comes true.

Tobey’s only goal is it to win the Battle of the Bands and on his way to do that, win Sara’s heart.

Right before the summer holidays, the new guy, Dave, asks for Sara’s number and the whole time she wonders why he’s not calling her. Together with her two best friends, she analyses the whole situation until he finally asks her out, the first day back at school. It couldn’t be better for Sara. People are recognising her and she doesn’t mind the attention. Through Brian she has a new circle of friends but doesn’t feel quite comfortable. The relationship with Brian turns out not to be what she thought it would be.

Meanwhile Tobey has an eye on Sara but does he have a chance against Brian? He tries everything to win Sara’s heart and in the end he can’t believe he did it.
Now that she’s with him what else could he want? Everyone around him is applying for college or at least has a clue what to do after school but Tobey never thought about it. Thanks to Sara and his music teacher Tobey soon realises that he wants more than just live from day to day and that his decision might affect Sara’s and his future.

“When it Happens” is a really easy and quick read. It tells the story of Sara and Tobey in such a lovely, a fresh way that you’ll finish it in no time.
Though, you shouldn’t take it too seriously because clearly it’s meant to be for the younger readers. The characters in the book are around 17-18 years old but they certainly don’t act like that. They have a naïve way of handling things and sometimes their thoughts made me laugh.

The main point of the book is the relationship between Tobey and Sara and how they find their way together and make their relationship work even though they’re so different. During the book they find out that they actually have a lot in common, it got more ridiculous each time they found something new. In my opinion it was a little too much!

I couldn’t be too disappointed because I knew what kind of book this would be but there are still a few things that bothered me.
For example the fact that Tobey changed so much throughout the relationship and Sara just stayed the same to me. She often mentioned that “my old me” would never do that, or “in my earlier days I would’ve thought about it twice..”, but you never get to know her “old-self” so you don’t get the feeling she changed much.

Nothing really happens in the book but you swallow it page by page. You don’t have to think too much while reading it and you can just enjoy it.
If you’re looking for something cheerful to read for a holiday or a long journey, you’ve found the right book.

A book ...

A blessed companion is a book, - a book that, fitly chosen, is a lifelong friend, a book that, at a touch, pours its heart into our own.  - Douglas Jerrold

Fury by Elizabeth Miles

Synopsis

Em loves the winter holidays. And this year, things are really looking up:  the guy she’s been into for months has finally noticed her. But if she starts something with him, there’s no turning back. Because he’s going out with her best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase’s home life is stressful and his social life’s unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. For Chase has done something cruel – something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.
Mistakes can be deadly. And three beautiful, mysterious girls are about to make them pay …

My review

When I read the synopsis of the book I clearly wasn’t prepared for what I would find in there.
Fury is a book with an unexpected dimension about deadly mistakes, revenge and saving what you love the most.

The book is written in two different perspectives:
Emily Winter, a young girl who seems to have it all. An intact family, money, good grades in school, a best friend and a high status at school. 

Chase singer is a boy who didn’t grow up with all those opportunities.  He lives in a trailer park with his mother and ‘fights’ his way up on the status scale. He’s the quarterback of the football team, the best friend of Zach, the most popular guy in the school. Chase successfully establishes himself in school. He does what he wants and no one say anything about it. Through his behaviour he wants to hide his broken background.

Since the book has two viewpoints you get a closer look at the events and some parts are more understandable. You get dragged in, in a world of lies and uncertain events.
I enjoyed getting to know Chase and Emily a little and see everything from each of their own perspectives.

My first reaction when I read the first two chapters: Why would you want to read the story from the perspective of Chase when he’s  ‘just’ the best friend of Zach, who clearly deserves a bigger part because he’s involved in so many little things. After a few more pages it all became clear.
Even though Chase is a very unlikeable person you start to understand his actions and see through them. He wants to be in the ‘IN-Crowd’ for all the wrong reasons and yet you totally understand it. He has his own little story, which is runs throughout the book and reveals some unexpected things.

The book starts with the death of Sasha Bowlder who apparently committed suicide. Since that day strange things have started to happen.
Sasha had been a childhood friend of Chase’s but when her mother married a wealthy man everything had changed between them and Chase is suddenly all alone.  That’s when he decided to do something.
He joined the football team, became friends with Zach and from that moment, he had had everything he ever wanted. He was IN! He had friends, girls and success. But the day Sasha Bowlder fell from the bridge it all started to fall apart.
Although you can’t imagine it getting worse, it does. Chase meets a mysterious girl, Ty and two girls who claim to be her cousins. He starts to spend a lot of time with her and gets into one misadventure after the other. It’s clearly all Ty’s fault and as I read the book I started to get really annoyed with her because I couldn’t understand why she would do such stupid things to Chase and why he would forgive her every time. The good aspect is that you never really get to know Ty and she’s still mysterious at the end of the book, which makes you anxious to read the sequel.
Will you find out more about her and her ‘cousins’? Why is she doing this?

Emily never intended to hurt her best friend Gabby, but Zach did all those sweet things to and with her and she couldn’t resist. While Gabby spends her winter holidays abroad with her parents, Emily and Zach start an affair which ends when Emily finally realises that Zach is just playing a game and making empty promises. The friendship between Em and Gabby suffers from this incident but slowly finds its way back.
But that’s not Emily’s only problem. It seems that someone is following her and there’s always the red orchid that seems to be there out of nowhere. What does that mean?
Throughout the unsettling time Emily’s male best friend JD is always with her. And guess what? – Yes, she suddenly has feelings for him! She opens her eyes and there he is ..
I think that this relationship kind of takes out the tension in a bad way.  You see it coming the first page he is mentioned. I was a little disappointed because I really liked the idea of Chase and Em together.
They are really getting along while they help each other through their misery.  Em gets to know the real Chase a little bit and in the end I think you can call them friends.

The furies (Ty, Ali and Meg) are here for a reason: To pass on a really important message, but will the receiver gets it?

I have a really divided opinion about the book.
On the one hand I wished there would’ve been more! More excitement, more build-up to a scene and more darkness. I think this book needs a clear direction.  It’s neither horror nor a romantic love story.
It’s in-between and I guess that’s what bothers me. You keep waiting for the big thing but it never comes.
 Also there were a few weak conversations.
“Zach, that was Gabby. We have to be careful. She could have heard you! I mean, do you understand how crushed she would be if she had any idea what we were doing right now?”
[…]
“Em, yeah. We talked about this. No need for Gabby to know about us.”
On the other hand I really liked reading it. It was an easy book and everything made sense by the end. I like that there are still secrets and surprises at the end (though there not that big and you kind of see them coming) and even unresolved problems so that a little tension is still there and you kind of want to read the next book.
For a first book it’s a great idea and I hope that the story about the Furies is better explained in the sequel.

There’s one thing we can learn from this story: Our time is limited and we should be careful with our actions and our words because they might affect others.

So, if you want to try out something new than just the everyday YA books than it’s a good choice but I wouldn’t have overly high expectations.