Epic Fail

Book Details

Author: Claire Lazebnik

Reading level: Young Adult

Paperback: 304 pages

Publisher: HarperTeen (August 2, 2011)

Language: English

Book Summary

Will Elise’s love life be an epic win or an epic fail?

At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point:

As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.

As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.

When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

Book Review

Epic Fail is one of the most funny, witty and cutest YA story I have read so far.  I have really no idea that this was a modern Pride and Prejudice story until a friend told me – but nevertheless I haven’t got the time to compare until I finished the book because once you have started reading it, you are never going to put it down.

Set in the first person tone, the heroine of the story, Elise (sounds like ELIZabeth) is a great kid, she is smart and clever. I like her and her sister Juliana – as well their relationship to their family. Their parents tried their best to install moral values to their children and though sometimes, I do think their rules are over the edge, it was glad to know that their children tried their best in following the rules. You will fall in love with Derek as well: hunk, aloof and a wonderful brother – who wouldn’t?  Chase was also a charmer while her sister Chelsea is the one you couldn’t help to hate.

As a whole, I loved and enjoyed reading Epic Fail, it may not be the novel that could move my soul or make me cry, but it just made me feel better. Epic Fail is a nice and delightful book – I would suggest it to my friends who’d like a quick and light read.

Favorite Quotes

Normalcy is a lie invented by advertising agencies to make the rest of us feel inferior.

Reviewed by

At First Sight

Book Details

Mass Market Paperback: 332 pages

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; 1st US Ed. Sep. 2007 edition (September 1, 2007)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0446401269

ISBN-13: 978-0446401265

Source: Online Shop

Book Summary

Nicholas Sparks brings back two characters from his beloved bestseller, True Believer, in this continuing saga of extraordinary love.

There are few things Jeremy Marsh was sure he'd never do: he'd never leave New York City; never give his heart away again after barely surviving one failed marriage; and most of all, never become a parent. Now, Jeremy is living in the tiny town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, married to Lexie Darnell, the love of his life, and anticipating the birth of their daughter. But just as his life seems to be settling into a blissful pattern, an unsettling and mysterious message re-opens old wounds and sets off a chain of events that will forever change the course of this young couple's marriage.

Book Review

I have always loved Nicholas Sparks, I get to read every book published except this one, At First Sight, although I already brought the copy, it took me a long time before I get to read it. After I finished the whole book, I am torn between liking this novel and hating it. There are a lot of parts in this novel where I wished he never written a sequel of the True Believer. I’d like to think that Jeremy and Lexie would just live happily ever after. I think if you want to read this book, you need to read the prequel first. There are certain information in here that was not thoroughly explained and first time readers would end up wondering, where in the world did it came from.

I was a little frustrated reading this one because I would have never hated the characters if I haven’t read At First Sight. They suddenly become another person from another story if not for their names. Although I love Doris, the grandmother – I think she’s the only one who’s character is realistic and did not irritate me. The over-all plot was so un-Nicholas Sparks. I love the beginning and the ending, but the body – there was just something missing. Some of the plotlines were not developed enough and went into a dead-end.

But what I love about this book is that it mirrored the real problems couple deals with in the relationship, starting from engagement down to after-the-honeymoon-bliss. It’s like reading about how two real people deal with these types of problems. I like the medical part as well where Sparks discussed about Amniotic Band Syndrome, and the moment when the adversities they both face made their love even stronger.

Favorite Quote

But the beauty of marriage is that if you picked the right person and you both love each other, you’ll always figure out a way to get throughout.

Reviewed By

Stay With Me

Book Details

Author: Paul Griffin

Reading level: Young Adult

Hardcover: 304 pages

Publisher: Dial (September 8, 2011)

Language: English

Summary

An urban romance that will capture your soul, break your heart, and restore your faith in the human spirit

Fifteen-year-olds Cece and Mack didn't expect to fall in love. She's a sensitive A student; he's a high school dropout. But soon they're spending every moment together, bonding over a rescued dog, telling their secrets, making plans for the future. Everything is perfect. Until. Until. Mack makes a horrible mistake, and in just a few minutes, the future they'd planned becomes impossible. In this stark new reality, both of them must find meaning and hope in the memories of what they had, to survive when the person they love can't stay.

From award-winning writer Paul Griffin, Stay with Me is both heartbreaking and uplifting, filled with characters (both dog and human) that will forever change the way you look at the world.

From: fantasticfiction.com.uk

Review

Stay with me is my very first Paul Griffin novel. I’m totally hooked into it although I am not really fond of dogs – but for those who are fond of them, you’ll love to read this as well. I learned that a pit bull’s jaw doesn’t really lock. Another thing is that this novel brought me to a roller coaster of emotion. The emotions are real and raw. I was near to tears in several parts of the book.  I like his words, and the way he writes stuffs. You get to love and hate the characters. Cece, the girl with a future, fell in love with Mack, the guy with no future. The story tells us that there is good in every person, and everyone is a candidate for second chances. No matter what his or her previous mistake was. Lastly, what I love about this book is the ending – it was a happy ending, but not the one that you expect.  Stay with me is a truly refreshing read if you want something different.  

Favorite Quotes

“I love pits the most. They’re true. Don’t listen to what everybody says, that they like to attack folks. You’ve got more of a chance of a golden retriever turning on you”

They only fight because they’re scared the other dog is going to get them first and wouldn’t you be if your whole life was fighting?

“You are a med.” “I’m a med?” “You’re like a happy drug to me. You’re kind of like perfect.”

"She's my world and I'm her satellite coasting through the stars"

Reviewed by

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

 Book Details

Author: David Levithan & Rachel Cohn

Reading level: Young Adult

Paperback: 208 pages           

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (August 26, 2008)

Language: English

Source: Book Sale

Summary

 It all starts when Nick asks Norah to be his girlfriend for five minutes. He only needs five minutes to avoid his ex-girlfriend, who's just walked in to his band's show. With a new guy. And then, with one kiss, Nick and Norah are off on an adventure set against the backdrop of New York City - and smack in the middle of all the joy, anxiety, confusion, and excitement of a first date.

This he said/she said romance told by YA stars Rachel Cohn and David Levithan is a sexy, funny roller coaster of a story about one date over one very long night, with two teenagers, both recovering from broken hearts, who are just trying to figure out who they want to be - and where the next great band is playing.

Told in alternating chapters, teeming with music references, humor, angst, and endearing side characters, this is a love story you'll wish were your very own. Working together for the first time, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have combined forces to create a book that is sure to grab readers of all ages and never let them go. 

Review

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist is my first David Levithan book, and I am not disappointed. It is such a bizarre love story that happened in a single night. A night filled with all the ups, downs, curves and whatever that teens encounter today. I like it in the sense that it is such a very short novel and I have finished it in less than a day. Though it was a fast read, I think it was thought provoking.

The story has a lot of elements combine in a span of one awesome night: heartbreak, frustration, devastation, lust, forgiveness and acceptance. It is a love story sprinkled with anger, disappointment, desperation and redemption. This is an honest story filled with fun facts about pop music from several decades.

For people who are easily offended with curses or sex, the “f” word is liberally used in almost every page. But you’ll love the two main characters because they’re pretty decent, they don’t drink, don’t do drugs and they are in search for a stable, monogamous relationship. Perhaps the kind of dialogue was used to keep the characters real instead of being too good to be true.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a music geek or doesn’t know a zit about music. It won’t even matter what gender you are, whether you are straight or not. If you ever met someone and felt that spark when your eyes met for the first time or if you ever wonder what it would be like to meet someone and click right away – this is the book to read.  

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