Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (Audiobook)

Author: Jay Asher

Narrators: Joel Johnstone and Debra Wiseman
Title: Thirteen Reasons Why

Publication: October 23, 2007

Publisher: Listening Library

Genre: High School, Young Adult

Pages: 336
Length: 6 hours, 24 minutes

Audience: 15 and up

Rating: 5 out of 5

Source: Overdrive Audio

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):
Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker–his classmate and crush–who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah’s voice explains that there are thirteen reasons she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out why.

Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a first-hand witness to Hannah’s pain, and learns the truth about himself–a truth he never wanted to face.

My thoughts:
I think every person should read this book. I would recommend this especially for tweens and teens entering junior high school or high school. This novel paints a vivid image of how cruel people can be. It also shows that every action has a reaction. Sometimes, standing up for someone or simply just talking to that person is their saving grace. This is a well written novel about suicide. I do want to state, that I don't agree with Hannah's decision, but it is an important topic especially with a lot of the suicide of young people in America. This novel is to prove you are not alone in your battles and it hurts, but you are hurting people who love and care about you too. It is a wonderfully sad novel and I highly recommend it.
The audio was great. There is a narrator for Clay and a narrator for Hannah. It flows very well and it helps you know who is talking. Both of the narrators are great. Debra Wiseman conveys Hannah's frustration, anger, and sadness so well. And Joel Johnstone does a great job in conveying Clay's frustration. anger, and confusion. It is a great book and/or audiobook. Now go buy it or check it out from the library!

 

Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles

Author: Simone Elkeles

Title: Chain Reaction
Publication: August 16th, 2011
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 4 out of 5
Source: Purchased

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | BN

Synopsis: Like his brothers, Luis Fuentes is a risk taker; whether he's scaling the Rocky Mountains or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis is always looking for the next thrill. Nikki Cruz lives her life by certain rules -, don't trust a boy who says "I love you", boys lie to get their own way and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Then she meets Luis at his brother Alex's wedding and suddenly she's tempted to break all her rules. Getting Nikki to give him a chance is Luis's biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by the head of the gang that nearly destroyed his brothers' lives. Will Luis's feelings for Nikki be enough to stop him from entering a dark and violent world that could prove to be the ultimate risk?

Thoughts:  This book is the third and final installment of the Perfect Chemistry series. (I reviewed the first here) Luis is a bad boy just like his two brothers, but he's academically smarter than they were. He's on the swim team, gets A's in all his classes, and makes all the ladies swoon... all ladies but Nikki. No matter what Luis does, Nikki won't take a second glance. This isn't because she's a prude, it's because of what guys have done to her in the past. Will Luis be able to show her he's different?

What's nice about Chain Reaction is knowing what happens to all of the characters in the past two books. You'll get to see Brittany being pregnant, Carlos in the army, and other fun situations that will hold the first two books together. Luis is truly different than his brothers. He has his eye on being an astronaut and has to grades to prove it. There's one thing that I don't understand and believe is a cop out situation. Luis learns about a huge secret that changes his views on life. So much in fact, that he randomly throws out logic that was shown within the first half of the book. He does some stupid things based on this one secret, and the plot sort of falls apart. Don't fret! After this little bump in the road, everything turns out fine. The end is definitely sweet and keeps the readers satisfied. It's a to-read book if you're into the Perfect Chemistry series!

Jennifer Armentrout Interview + Giveaway! -- INT

Jennifer Armentrout Interview

I sat down with Jennifer (I mean sat in my chair in front of my computer to type out questions, of course. Speaking to her via skype would be awesome.) and asked her a few questions about her work. I'm excited to share her answers! I reviewed her book Obsidian,  click here to see it.

Q. Do you recall when you decided writing was a career for you?

A. I don't think there was an exact moment. I just always loved to read and write, so it seemed natural for me to pursue a career in writing.

Q. Who is the hardest character for you to write?

A. Aiden and Seth are tied for that. Both of them are characters that have so many layers and honestly, you really don't know what you have until you've scraped them raw. Both do very surprising things and have vastly different reasons for being who they are today. They are also hard to get into their heads. Writing from their POVs is usually the hardest for me. 

Q. How do you develop characters?

A. I *see* them first and then I just start writing the story. The development just comes as the story unfolds. Usually during 1st draft edits, I go back and add traits in to make them stand out more, but most of the development is spur of the moment. 

Q. What do you like reading in your spare time?

A. I read YA and Adult in my spare time, but I've been on an adult reading kick lately.

Q. What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

A. Toughest criticism? I guess someone just flat out hating your book and finding no redeeming quality, but that's sort of the name of the game. It happens. The best compliment is when someone says they've fallen in love with the characters, because then the story has become real to them and that is awesome.

Q. How does it feel to be the winner of the first round of the YA Sisterhood Tournament? Do you think Daemon will be easier?

A. It feels great. *Kayleigh did an awesome job and I'm sure Daemon will have just as much competition.

*Kayleigh is probably her biggest fan. She tweeted the crap out of the competition and even made a video about it. Props to her!

Thanks to Jen for answering these questions! Now it's time to...

Win her book

That's right! Wanted Readers is giving away an ebook of Obsidian. Just use the rafflecopter below for a chance to win. If you don't have a kindle or nook, you can download them free to read on your computer. This is an international giveaway, so anyone can win!

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The Mediator series by Meg Cabot

Author: Meg Cabot

Title: The Mediator
Publication: December 28th, 2004
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 5 out 5

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis: Suze is a mediator -- a liaison between the living and the dead. In other words, she sees dead people. And they won't leave her alone until she helps them resolve their unfinished business with the living. But Jesse, the hot ghost haunting her bedroom, doesn't seem to need her help. Which is a relief, because Suze has just moved to sunny California and plans to start fresh, with trips to the mall instead of the cemetery, and surfing instead of spectral visitations.

Thoughts:  I love you Meg. Will you marry me?

Nah, just kidding (mostly). Everything she writes, I love. All of her adult and young adult books are addicting. I haven't read her kid/tween selections yet, but I'll get there sooner or later. For now, let's start on her series The Mediator. The main character Suze is a kick ass character that can see ghosts that need help passing over to the afterlife. She's strong willed, quick on her feet, street smart, real, and good with weapons. Not like swords or hammers will do anything to a ghost, but they'll for sure slow one down. On her first day in her moms new house, she finds a hot ghost named Jesse and tries to get him to leave. His argument? I was here first. Pretty legit reason, so Suze copes with a really attractive spanish speaking ghost that not only wont leave her alone, but protects her when other spirits try to harm her... which is so adorable. They become a really good team, and feelings start to grow.

Her mother remarried when her father died (a father she still sees from time to time *wink wink*) and now she's stuck with three brothers. Suze names them after Snow Whites dwarfs because their personality matches. There's Sleepy (the oldest and I believe to be written like he does marijuana), Dopey (same age as her and attractive but not too bright), and Doc (because he's really smart). Doc sometimes helps Suze on her adventures, and he figures out about Jesse pretty quickly. There's lots of humor in it as well, so you'll find yourself laughing in some of the situations she puts herself in.

The series is action packed and written very well. The character development progression is great, I didn't think there were any slow parts in any of the books, her friends are likable, and the cutesy romance doesn't disappoint. You'll get addicted fast, and you're welcome for recommending such a great book. *pats self on back*

Absolute Boyfriend by Yuu Watase Review + Giveaway! -- INT

Author: Yuu Watase

Title: Absolute Boyfriend

Publication: February 7th, 2006

Publisher: VIZ Media
Reads: Right to Left

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 5 out 5

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Amazon | BN

Synopsis: Shy high school student Riiko Izawa aches for a boyfriend but guys just won't look her way. Then one day she signs up for a three-day trial of a mysterious "lover figurine," and the next thing she knows, a cute naked guy is delivered to her doorstep--and he wants to be her boyfriend!

Has Riiko died and gone to heaven? The cute naked guy turns out to be smart, super nice, stylish and a gourmet chef. Plus, he looks like a million bucks.... Trouble is, that's about what he's going to cost Riiko because she didn't return him in time!

Thoughts: Absolute boyfriend is about a high school girl – Riiko – who falls into a situation that involves having a robot boyfriend. She was chosen to help the robot – Night – gain information about how to please women in order for his type to act more human. When Night wakes up, all he wants to do is please her, not caring how *wink wink*. After freaking out (What high school girl wouldn't?) she gives him lessons on reactions, emotions, and how to live a daily life.

Riiko is extremely lovable. She's witty, fun, smart, and independent. Helping Night puts a bit of stress on her, but she deals with humor and looking on the bright side of things. All she wanted was a boyfriend, and now that she got someone with all the qualities girls want, what’s there to complain about? She starts caring for Night, and when women hit on him, she gets fiercely (and adorably) protective. Riiko cares for people, and doesn’t want them to get hurt. Her best friend Soushi confessed his love after Night showed up, so there’s a love triangle in the story as well.

Night… ohhhhh boy. Again, he’s every womans dream. At first he’s very calm, self assured, and not hassled easily. After a while with Riiko, he shows more emotion and tries to please her in different ways then when his system first started. In time he starts caring about her too. Night becomes extremely protective of Riiko and sometimes tries to fight her battles. They both become a team and end up having tons of fun together. It’s a great read for people who want to sit down for a romantic comedy, and there’s only six books in the series so it’ll take you about six hours to read all of them. You’ll love Riikos fierceness and Nights quirky actions. I recommend this book for all comic readers. Absolute boyfriend is one of the most popular Shojo mangas, so get your hands on it while you still can!

Win books 1-5 by using the rafflecopter below! I look at the winners details. If you say you comment but didn't, or follow when you didn't put a twitter / GFC handle, it wont count.

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Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Author: Stephenie Meyer

Title: Twilight

Publication: October 5th, 2005

Publisher: Little, Brown and Co

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 3 out 5

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Amazon | BN

Synopsis: Isabella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Isabella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Isabella, the person Edward holds most dear. The lovers find themselves balanced precariously on the point of a knife-between desire and danger.Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite.

Thoughts: Yes, I’m going to be the person to review Twilight. I read this book when it first came out in 2005. I was 15 years old and hated books. My friend recommended it to me, so I thought “meh, why not?” After reading I was hooked, everything was about Twilight. I tried to get my friends to read it, I couldn’t wait for the next book to come out, yadda yadda yadda.

I just picked up the book last week to re-read it and my view altered. I thought to myself “what changed? I loved this book!” Bella is whiney while Edward is conflicted and it goes on for more than half the book. The reason why most adults don’t like Twilight is because of the target audience. It still baffles me how I can change from loving a book to not want it in my hands again. Then again, I did re-read the fourth book and liked it. So let’s not get too hasty. I also saw every Twilight movie on its midnight release. Hey, it was a tween favorite of mine. *Shrugs*

The reason why I’m writing this review is to be on both sides. Twilight is a good read for girls that are into drama and conflicted love, and women who like to kill time. No, it doesn’t have the best writing. No, it doesn’t have strong characters. Yes, some of Bellas actions are extremely confusing. Yes, the vampires sparkle. This being said: if you’re iffy about reading the book, I think you should watch the movie first because it goes by the plot line. If you like what you saw then read it.

This review is all opinion based so if you disagree with what I’m saying write a comment rebutting your answer. I’d like to hear your side. What appeals Twilight to adults and children? What doesn’t? 

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Obsidian
Publication: May 8th, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 4.5 out 5

Goodreads | Facebook | Amazon | BN

Synopsis: Starting over sucks.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up. And then he opened his mouth. Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something... unexpected happens. The hot alien living next door marks me. You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 
If I don't kill him first, that is.

Thoughts:  The main character – Katy – is written beautifully. She’s strong willed, fun, doesn’t take crap, loyal friend, and intelligent. Her love interest – Daemon – is the complete opposite. He’s arrogant, rude, bossy, and argumentative. You would think these aspects in a guy are awful (which they are) but it actually makes the story interesting. He will do anything for his family, which is an “awww” moment. Daemon is also extremely hot (so many muscles it will make any girl swoon) and can be charming, which means you can almost forget how bad his attitude is. During the book he warms up to Katy, and you end up loving him.

The plot is semi-slow. You read the same thing over again, such as “He’s so rude and bossy but he’s so hot!” which gets old when it’s written in every chapter. When it comes to the storyline, it rocks. Cute bad-boy alien with charming qualities? Sign me up! I’m personally into the whole “I’m a bad boy but actually good and charming when you get to know me” or “I drive everyone away but not you because you’re different”. Those two statements are in the book, but it’s not the main character development.

You can see both Katy and Daemon grow, which is an aspect that I admire. Again, my personal taste is character development in a book instead of someone doing the same thing without learning consequences or thinking the same thing through out the whole storyline. I don’t want to read the same character traits chapter after chapter! Katy learns from her mistakes and is a better person because of them. She's very relatable and you're definitely going to be team Katy all the way! This book is an entertaining read. I recommend it if you’re into hot and steamy romance. It loses 1/2 point for the repetitive paragraphs.

How to Ruin by Simone Elkeles

Author: Simone Elkeles

Title: How To Ruin (three books in one)

Publication: October 8th, 2006

Publisher: Flux

Genre: Young Adult

Rating: 5 out 5

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | Amazon | BN

Synopsis: 

One girl

Two guys
Three hot summers

'How to Ruin a Summer Vacation'
Leaving Chicago to go to Israel with her estranged father is the last thing sixteen-year-old Amy wants to do--until she meets handsome but aloof Avi, an eighteen-year-old soldier in the Israeli army.

'How to Ruin My Teenage Life'
Can a guy truly be your boyfriend if he lives in a different country? Avi might think it's possible, but Amy's edgy classmate Nathan wants a chance to prove him wrong...

'How to Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation'
Signing up for a ten-day boot camp at the Israeli military base where Avi is stationed might not have been Amy's greatest idea--especially since Nathan is there, too.

Thoughts: This three pack book is only sold in Borders, which is currently closed. Now you have to buy them separately. This review is all three together so it'll be fast, fun, and easy!

First off, I have never in my life heard of a Young Adult book that circled around Judaism. None. Simone bases this book on life in Israel, and is very interesting for the people who've never been there or want to learn more. Let's start with the main character, Amy. She's half Jewish, fun, strong willed, stubborn, high-maintenance, and impulsive. If you give her a challenge, she'll take it and wont stop until it's done. She does it without breaking a nail, which is always important to her. In the first book, she's in a type of farmland in Israel, so it's very difficult adapting. Being JAP (Jewish American Princess) where she's spending her "vacation" is impossible, so she learns how to cope in the new environment. Book two is based in Chicago, and three is back in Israel. You get to see Avi's home town in the first book, Amy's in the second, and how both their worlds collide in the third.

Now, let's talk about Avi, also known as "Mr. Extremely Sexy". At first he doesn't hit it off with Amy, seeing her as spoiled (which she is), lazy (which she is), and whiny (which she definitely is). Even though they both had a mutual dislike for one another, they also have a pull that get's them into situations which bring them closer. It's fun to see their feelings grow, and you'll see how they balance each other out. Avi has a calming effect on her, and that's one of the reasons they randomly end up together. He's also known to have an extremely healthy body. Amy narrates, "Avi is wearing black boxer briefs. That's it. His military-ripped bod should be outlawed. He's got a serious six-pack and has muscles in places I didn't even know existed." That's just a little teaser to get you started. How to Ruin has adventure, romance, comedy, teen angst, and morals. It's a definite to-read!

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Author: Simone Elkeles

Title: Perfect Chemistry
Publication: December 23rd, 2008
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 5 out 5

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | BN

Synopsis: 

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created 'perfect' life is about to unravel before her eyes. She's forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for: her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. 

Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

Thoughts:  Simone brings out the bad boy verses good girl plot. Alex is a part of the latino gang in Chicago, and is stuck if he wants to provide for his family. Brittany is a popular blonde who's life is "perfect". When you dig deeper into their lives, you'll see they put on some sort of act for their friends and schoolmates. Alex is smart and wants more than gang life, and Brittanys family is far from perfect. You see both of them going through adolescent changes. They help move each other forward, and learn about themselves during the journey. Simone has a nice balance between the two stories.

It has very different writing than other YA books. The point of view changes in each chapter. First we get to read Brittanys side, then Alex, and it rotates through out the whole book. You don't just read about the characters actions... you understand in depth why they made certain decisions, what they're feeling about each other and the world, and how it all comes together. If you want to read a feel-good book, this is for you. It's very sweet, and the characters are very loveable. It's about love, loss, hardship, honor, and unity.