I will be the very first to admit that I often judge a book by its cover.Thus, while browsing through a selection of books at my local library, I came across Courage for Beginners and was completely captivated. It's lovely, isn't it? Blue skies and a hot air balloon and an intriguing title are about all one could ask for when it comes to a good cover.
Now enters Mysti Murphy, a spunky red haired girl who loves all things French, who has a knack for making up stories, and who can face seventh grade as long as she's got her best friend Anibal by her side.
Only, Anibal wants to try something different—
or rather, be someone different—
this year. To do that, he needs Mysti to do him a favor:
He needs Mysti to pretend that they're not friends at school.
It's not only Anibal that Mysti has to worry about, though. There's her dad. And her mom. And her sister. And then there's the matter of how she's going to carry that frozen turkey down the street without her arms falling off.
Courage for Beginners is absolutely lovely because it is the perfect mix of real-life and fantastical situations. Karen Harrington flawlessly describes the ups and downs a seventh grader experiences in life while covering the overarching topics of friendship, family, and bravery. Harrington had me laughing and cringing at the mishaps and adventures of Mysti over and over again, and I simply fell in love with the heroine in this book.
The best part, though, was that Mysti discovers who she is without having to travel very far or without leaving behind who she is. This isn't some melodramatic middle grade book, but a story that feels true because it takes place in the most common of places: school, home, and oddly enough . . . the grocery store.
In short, Courage for Beginners was breathtaking, leaving me quite enchanted with Mysti Murphy.
I hope you all have the pleasure of meeting her someday.
Appropriate for ages 10+
Remember your fifth grade history class when you studied the Civil War and learned that the United States was split into two? Something like that seemed impossible. America should have been too huge and powerful. America should have been indestructible.
In Legend, futuristic America has also been divided into two countries: the Republic and the Colonies. Both have been at war with one another for years after political chaos and floods shrunk the size of the United States considerably.
In step our two characters. First, there is Day, a fifteen-year-old boy with the reputation of being the most wanted criminal in the Republic. Next, there is June, a fifteen-year-old girl famous for being the only individual to pass a national test with a perfect score.
Recruited by the government, it is June's task to catch Day. But she wants more than that.
June wants revenge.
Inspired by the relationship between Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert from Victor Hugo's Les Miserables, Marie Lu has the absolute perfect set up in this book. As she alternates chapters between Day's and June's perspective, the reader is taken effortlessly into a world that has changed dramatically from the one they know now. I loved how the details of Lu's world were incorporated gradually and naturally, the flashbacks adding depth to the characters.
In short, I was blown away by this book. It was genius! Genius, I tell you! Now, skedaddle, won't you? Go read it for yourself!
Appropriate for ages 15+
I'll be honest right from the start. This book is total fluff. I recognize that. But fluffy things are good, right? Cotton Candy is fluffy. Bunnies are fluffy. Cake is fluffy. Fluff makes me happy, and thus, so did this book.
Annabelle Pleasanton is a journalist in California ready to make her mark on the world and has been so fortunate as to land a job in a food magazine. Stuck in the position of a copy editor, however, Annabelle will do almost anything to get her boss to allow her to write ... even if it means driving 100 miles to buy a cake for him. When she just happens to meet a devastatingly handsome young man on the way, it's really a shame she will never see him again.
But you and I both know that devastatingly handsome young men aren't in a novel for no good reason.
The story is relatively predictable, I'll give you that. But there were many genuinely funny moments in the story that made me laugh. The characters (who were mostly of the LDS religion, by the way) were somewhat stereotypical but also very quirky, which I think is true to life. And the dialogue was sometimes unbelievable. There is just no way a guy would be so smitten with a woman on their first date as to call her gorgeous in so many words, especially when he has to work with her on a professional level.
But there was a lot of truth in this book that Annabelle discovers along with the reader. Her journey of self-discovery was realistic. The majority of characters are also flawed, which makes for a more interesting story. So, though this book wasn't exceptionally well written, I thought it was worth it. Give yourselves a generous slice of Elodia Strain's writing, my friends. I think you'll enjoy it.
Appropriate for ages 18+
This book is crazy. Never have I ever read anything that combines nineteenth century England, ancient Egyptian artifacts (don't forget the mummies), and Napoleon Bonaparte. And I loved it!!
Let's start with the main character, Agnes Wilcox. This girl is hardcore. She can speak ten languages. She listens in on secret meetings. She wanders the streets of London in the wee hours of the morning. And she reads Jane Austen! The minute she was quoting the oh so famous first line from Pride and Prejudice in Italian, Russian, and Greek, this girl was my homey. I LOVE smart female characters. They are, in my not-so-humble opinion, rather difficult to come by. In addition, Agnes is saucy and rebellious and yet loving all at the same time. Plus, she has a great family, which is rare in Young Adult literature. I loved that.
The year is 1815, my friends. Napoleon Bonaparte has, shall we say, risen from the dead, and has escaped from exile on the island of Elba. In his lust to take over the world, Napoleon is after a most important artifact ... an artifact our young heroine is closely connected with.
Ah! I have you spooked, don't I? This book was SO much fun. And I am stoked to read more of Bradbury's novels. However, I did think at times that the writing could have been more eloquent. I found myself rereading sentences on more than a few occasions because the wording was a little unclear. There were also a few too many swear words than what I normally recommend. However, the book is so so so clean. I can't over emphasize this. It's a real gem, my friends. You won't want to miss it.
Appropriate for ages 15+
Okay, so I admit it. I am a sucker for regency romance novels. Give me stories where there are country estates, horses, potential highwaymen, and all kinds of secrets, and I am hooked. I will be reading it in the night until the birds start singing and I realize I really need to go to sleep for at least a few hours before I start my day.
Drops of Gold is just such a novel. After her father dies, Marion takes on the identity of Mary Wood in order to work as a governess. She is all that is cheery and spunky, but finds that the Meadows, where she is staying, has some peculiar secrets. And you can bet your life that those secrets have to do with the master of the house, the hardened and tormented Mr. Layton Jonquil.
This book flips back and forth between the two main characters' perspectives, which I loved. It is such a delight to get inside both of their heads. You understand everything on a much deeper level, and this was done remarkably well. The characters were also likable, and while the plot was somewhat predictable, I had a blast reading this book.
I would caution any potential readers who are fans of Jane Eyre, though. The story line in Drops of Gold is very similar to Charlotte Bronte's novel, only written for a more modern audience. There were also moments when the book felt a little redundant. But it was fun! And I am all about having fun, so indulge yourselves everyone, and slip into the Jane Austen time period! Why not, eh?
Appropriate for ages 16+
I first saw this book at the library. It was standing by itself, just beckoning me to open it's cover, and voila! "Be amazed," it said, "because I am written entirely in free verse!"
"No," I replied. "You must be mistaken. No one really writes in free verse these days unless you're a reincarnation of Walt Whitman. And no matter how admirable it may be that you're a nineteenth century poet back from the dead, there's no way you would get published."
Luckily, though, my snarky comments and I were both wrong! This book may be one of poetry but it's very readable and doesn't require a degree in literature to understand what's within the pages.
Three Rivers Rising is written from the perspective of many characters. Thus, as a reader, you get to see both sides of the story as wealthy sixteen-year-old Celestia and hired boy Peter fall in love with each other. You get a glance into the intrigue of high social class and all its snobbery in Pennsylvania in the late nineteenth century. Then there are the thoughts and dreams of minor characters that bleed through the pages, and you, dear reader, are privy to them all.
Based on the true event of the Johnstown Flood in May of 1889, I was truly impressed by this story, not only because the words flowed like water, but because each character followed an arc and had their own unique voice. Plus, it was about an event I had never even heard of before, so I came away more educated than when I began! Give this book a chance, everyone. Plunge in, and just see where the current takes you.
Appropriate for ages 15+
Reynie Muldoon, Sticky Washington, Kate Weatherall, and Constance Contraire don't fit in with the world. Whether they are orphaned, bullied by their peers, or mistreated by adults, all four are forced to rely on their wits, genius, and (in some cases) their buckets. But when the evil mastermind Mr. Curtain plans to take over the world by an invention of mass brainwashing, the children's talents will be challenged as never before.
This book was truly delightful. I'd been wanting to read it for ages when my nephew received it as an "un-birthday" present from his grandma. Thus, somehow my nephew's gift mysteriously disappeared from his house until further notice, and voila! You now have a book review. So you see, stealing books from unsuspecting children has its benefits. ;)
What impressed me the most in this novel was how each character followed their own arc of progression. Though Reynie is considered to be the "leader" among his fellow comrades, each character changes and plays an integral role throughout the book. I thought this was masterfully done.
I also loved how the book's main characters were balanced between boys and girls who were both quirky and memorable. Reynie's integrity and ability to solve impossible puzzles is unmatched, and Sticky's photographic memory is unparalleled. Pair that with Kate's superhuman skills like climbing elevator shafts and Constance's crankiness, and this is a crew not to be taken lightly, my friends.
There were also enjoyable moments from an adult's standpoint. Trenton Lee Stewart does a clever job of playing with words that had me chuckling at the stupidity of the grown-ups in the novel and cheering on the kids. That being said, the novel is long (400+ pages) and might be challenging for younger readers. However, I would definitely recommend it since the book is never too frightening and is 100% clean. Reading it aloud or along with a child, though, might be a good option for some.
Appropriate for ages 10+
The final book in the trilogy by NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING author Jennifer Nielsen!! Yes!! Notice how I can't just use one exclamation mark and would enlist multiple others if only there was enough room? I adored this book, reading it with a headlamp in my hand (yes, I know how contradictory that sounds) on a road trip into the wee hours of the morning. The suspense was so great that I literally squealed aloud in anticipation at one point and my alarmed sister asked me what was wrong.
And then I sighed with happiness upon reading the conclusion and was just SO happy. I didn't know how the main character Jaron was going to get out of the mess he was in this time and I can tell you I was more than pleasantly surprised. I was thrilled!
War has come to Carthya on many fronts: some nations have turned their backs on their former good relations, while other countries are cruelly lustful for power. There's no hope that King Jaron and his friends can possibly win when the odds are so decidedly against them. But they will try anyway. Thus, there are rescue attempts, imprisonments, and a princess on the run. There is death and the hope for something beyond this life. There is loyalty found only in love and friendship. And there is a whole lot of wit. I LOVE wit, especially in a young man who has every reason to be angry or give up, but chooses to live and be happy instead. Not only is it such a powerful message for readers of all ages, but it makes a story about war more meaningful. I often dread war stories. I feel like authors will use battles to make a story lengthy and dramatic and I am pushing to get through the novel. There was none of that here, though. Everything had a purpose. There is so much at stake for the characters, so much to live for, even when everything is falling apart around them.
And the ending! Did I mention the ending? There is so much to talk about, so much to love. So much to read! So, off you go! To the bookstores and libraries, everyone!
Appropriate for ages 14+
"I come from a country that was created at midnight. When I almost died it was just after midday." This first line hooked me. Granted, I generally don't read books unless the first line (or at least the first page) hooks me. But it is not just the writing that I enjoyed about this book--as good as it is, I would say that the writing comes secondary to Malala herself. What a beautiful, inspiring, and powerful young woman she is.
If you haven't heard her story yet, Malala Yousafzai is a sixteen-year-old Pakistani who, against all odds, has become a proponent for education, particularly for girls and women. For some people in her country, this is unacceptable. But Malala speaks out, and her family, especially her father, is her constant support and stays by her side. One day, however, because she fights for education, a member of the Taliban shoots Malala in the face.
And yet she has lived to tell the tale.
This book wasn't a page turner for me, but I think that helped me to know Malala better. What an interesting perspective she has! The Middle East is something I feel like most Westerners no little about--at least I know this is the case for me. To hear about it from a young person, someone who loved Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and enjoyed speaking in debates at school makes the history of Islam and her country relatable. While the history of these things has many facets and can be perplexing to an outsider, after finishing this autobiography, I not only knew more, but I came out a better person. And what is reading for, if not that?
Appropriate for ages 16+
The Mindful Writer. Doesn't it just sound therapeutic? This is a way to start out the new year, people, whether or not you consider yourself to be a writer (but especially if you do).
I read this book for a creative writing class last semester. STOP! Come back! Just because I read it for school does not mean it put me to sleep. Quite the opposite. In fact, I consider this to be my bible for writing. Here's why:
To begin with, it approaches everything a writer needs to consider, such as why we write, what stops us from writing, and where inspiration comes from.
But it involves more than that. This book helps you learn how to live. Now, don't misunderstand me, here. You have been living for a considerable amount of time, you say as you read these words, and why would you need a book to tell you how to continue on with your existence? You have been doing just fine. And I'm sure you have. But this book is all about the moment. Live in the moment. Observe. Write it down. See what you can create. And it does this without feeling like you are going through a yoga session and without feeling like you are reading a textbook.
This book is a gem. I loved it. No, I LOVED it. Notice the use of capitalization. I loved how Dinty W. Moore approached the subject, with you, as the reader (or fellow writer) as his equal. Take a step into his mind and see what you come out with, what words of wisdom you can snatch from these pages that will shine through the creases of your fingers, just waiting to be molded in your palm in a way that only you know how.
Now, take a step back. Admire the brilliance of those words.
Don't they take your breath away?
Appropriate for ages 16+
It is November. The skies are burdened with clouds and you have just kindled a fire in the fireplace while your bloodhound stretches out his paws to warm them, and there is only one natural thing in the world to do.
Read Blackmoore.
Even if it is not November and the skies are sunny, and the air conditioning is causing your hair to stand on end, and you have never owned and never will own a pet...
Read Blackmoore.
And then cry because you have to wait a wretchedly long time to read Julianne Donaldson's next novel.
Kate Worthington will never marry, but has her sights set on India and the escape from her life it offers her instead. Her mother, however, has other plans. Before Kate will be allowed to travel to India, she must receive and reject three marriage proposals. Off to Blackmoore, if Kate can only acquire the help of her friend Henry Delafield, she should be well on her way to freedom.
This book reminded me a bit of Jane Eyre. The symbolism of birds and cages are prevalent, the scenery is that of the moors, and the house is spooky, but that doesn't mean it wasn't original to our heroine Kate. I also loved the depth of the characters in this novel. Their relationships were realistic and had substance to them, and there were chillingly beautiful moments in the story where I simply had to pause to breathe.
Be warned, though: Kate's a stubborn character. And since she's stubborn, everything might not wrap up quite so tidily as you would expect. But I adored this novel, and only lamented that I had to wait sometimes days at a time before I had the chance to pick it up again.
Appropriate for ages 18+
It has been ages since I posted! Alas, sometimes homework does get in the way of blogging, but here I am at last, and with a book to review, at that! Yippee!
I was really looking forward to reading Longing for Home by Sarah M. Eden, as it is only the second book published in Shadow Mountain's new Proper Romance category. The first, of course, is Edenbrooke, by Julianne Donaldson, which, to put it mildly, I love. So, without further ado...
Katie, a resilient, stubborn Irish woman haunted by the potato famine of 1845 has a debt to pay (though the debt itself is supposed to be a secret, so my lips are sealed - or should I say my fingers are?) and moves to the desert of Wyoming to build a future for herself.
And you better believe there are a couple of charming western/Irish gentlemen she meets on the way. Now I have your curiosity piqued, don't I?
I had a couple of issues with this novel, though. The story just wasn't quite believable enough for me. Besides her past, Katie didn't struggle much if at all with her new life, hindering her overall development and making it harder to connect with her.
Then there was the ending. For chapter upon chapter I was waiting and waiting and waiting for the climax to happen and then...
...there's a sequel. Yup. Normally I love sequels, but this was a pretty long novel, folks, and when the climax promises to come not now but later... well, I was a trifle disappointed.
However, I know many people have enjoyed this story. I believe on the back of the book Julianne Donaldson herself described the novel as "heartwarming," which is true. It's a nice, comfortable story, though in many respects it just didn't work for me. But perhaps you'd like to give it a shot.
Appropriate for ages 18+ (though it's clean enough for younger ages, I think the story itself would appeal more to an older audience)
There is so much to love about this book. Don't be scared off by its description: Doug Swieteck may have an abusive father, his brother's life may be devastated from the war in Vietnam, and his family may have moved to a small, dinky town in New York that he absolutely hates, but I promise you one thing...
...You. Will. Laugh.
Not only that, but you will laugh hard.
This ought to be impossible, considering the subject matter, but think otherwise! Since Doug is our narrator, we see the world through his eyes, and so what normally might be considered inappropriate for young readers is handled with tact and care. The result is enlightening.
But it gets better. Schmidt brings art into the picture, here - the art of John James Audobon, to be exact, connecting the emotions in the paintings to the emotions of the characters. Not only is this cleverly done, but with each chapter you come away more educated than the last.
Then, reader, there is the prose. I've heard it said that Schmidt's prose is flawless.
It is.
There were sentences that took my breath away and gave me chills, so that I simply had to read them again and again in order to drink up the words.
Wit, art, history, and the journey of many characters, whether or not they all get what they deserve. A companion novel to The Wednesday Wars, this is a story that, my dear reader, can only be described as fantastic.
Appropriate for ages 14+
How would you react if you knew you were beautiful to the point that it made your sister green with envy? How would you change if you knew you were going to rule an entire kingdom (in this case Sparta) one day? For Helen of Troy, this is her reality. Then again, maybe she doesn't have so much power, because the Fates have already mapped out her destiny: she will marry, become queen, and raise children. Simple.
Or not.
As a young girl, Helen questions everything about her world, and while she has her faults, she's also funny and kind. This translated into a strong character as she grew up, and I loved being given the opportunity to get to know her.
Besides that, there was also an interweaving between Greek mythology and the perspective of a girl with an independent spirit, which I thought was the best part about Nobody's Princess. Though I've never been a fan of Greek mythology, it's integral to Helen's life, and I didn't mind - even enjoyed - reading about it because I liked Helen and wanted to understand how she saw the world.
However, the ending stopped too abruptly for me. Even though there's a sequel, it felt a little empty, and I needed more closure.
That aside, there are so many great things about this book! Helen is strong and happy to let herself grow. She has a wonderful family and wants to travel the world. Helen's dreams became your dreams, and I respect and admire Esther Friesner for helping me to experience all that and more.
Appropriate for ages 14+
I read this book while covered in welts from a certain incident I had with poison ivy, and when a story can keep your attention while your skin is itching as well as pulsing like it's on fire ... let's just say you know that story is good.
At first, though, I was a little skeptical. Even though I've read all of Lisa Mangum's novels and enjoyed them, this book essentially happens during the course of one single day. Sara is visiting New York, a photographer and an artist at heart. Sam is something of an enigma, and noticing him from afar, Sara snaps a picture of him.
My skepticism boiled down to this: how can you establish relationships, plot, and all the other intricacies involved in book-making when all you give yourself is one day? For Mangum, the answer, I believe, came down to two steps.
1) The reader has to have a conversation with both Sara and Sam. Thus, the first chapter was written in a first-person narrative, following Sara every step of the way. The second chapter focused on Sam ... but in third person.
I had to take a step back there. Looking at the story from this angle was something I had never encountered. Mangum was bold to do it, but it was absolutely right. I loved seeing the story not only from each character's perspective, but from the stylistic differences between narrators, as well.
2) Sara and Sam's journey, while physical, has to be primarily emotional. This book delves intensely into these people's heads, into the stories that haunt their past. It surprised me. When you first pick up After Hello it promises to be a light read. And while it has all sorts of quirky and light-hearted moments, it was much more serious than I expected. Sometimes that weighed me down a little. Sometimes I doubted that such a story could even take place.
But then, I thought, isn't that the magic of stories? That sometimes the impossible CAN happen, and even the smallest of items, like sugar packets, can be the start of something greater? Something better?
I think so.
Appropriate for ages 15+
"'All good stories--stories that touch your soul, stories that change your nature, stories that cause you to become a better person from their telling--these stories always contain truth.'"
For Sang Ly, a woman who lives in a dump in Cambodia with her small son and husband, the truth is what she is must discover. Will her boy Nisay ever get better? Will her husband always have to pick trash for a living? Is there hope in this world where garbage as tall as mountains loom before you and toxic rivers stain your feet?
The answer is yes.
The discovery of hope is different for Sang Ly than she anticipated, though, because she must look for it in the neighborhood rent collector, Sopeap Sin, a woman despised and otherwise known as "the Cow."
This story is glorious on so many levels, following the journey of individuals who have true strength and courage. These people are "swimming in literature," and not because there are discarded books at the dump, but because each one of them have a story ... as long as they are willing to read them in one another.
I didn't tear through this book in a single night, though there were moments when I was gripped to the words on the page. Instead, reading this book is like eating a bowl of rice and taking it one grain at a time, enjoying the people, the places, and the stories that are so perfect on their own, but that are even better as a whole.
There are stories that excite, and stories that make you laugh. There are stories that make you cry and stories that make you feel fear. And then there are stories that change your life.
This is one of those stories.
Appropriate for ages 18+
I'll admit that from the beginning, my relationship with this book was a little bipolar. The reviews were positive, the cover lovely, and the plot seemed promising, but when I delved into the first thirty pages, I honestly didn't know what to think. At first, my frustration came down to the dialogue.
In a writing workshop I attended once, we studied the art of dialogue, an aspect I had never truly considered as being particularly noteworthy in a novel. How wrong I was! Dialogue can provide a much anticipated break from a lengthy narration. It should sparkle and delight. And it absolutely should not become the narration.
So, imagine my puzzlement as Miss Grimsley's Oxford Career was chuck full of dialogue, and not all of it quite necessary. This made the characters a little less realistic to me, as the heroine seemed to have a heart of pure gold, and her family nothing short of ridiculous. I wanted to see more, rather than hear it through the lips of half a dozen minor characters.
Still, I persisted, and almost without my knowing it, I got caught up in the story. Ellen Grimsley wants to conquer the world by making maps, traveling the world, and going to school in Oxford. But in a world where men dominate the paths towards education and enlightenment, this is more easily dreamed of than done. When a certain partner in crime and confidant comes along, however, suddenly Ellen's dreams and determination to make her mark upon the academic world are not so far out of reach.
Before long, I was reading this novel voraciously, eager to find out the end. I truly did enjoy it, though I still felt some aspects were a bit wanting. Some of the characters seemed to be practically different people in the middle than they were at the beginning, and the progression of the plot was a little too drawn out. But it was decent, rewarding, and ended just as it should. So, for what it's worth, a hodgepodge review of Miss Grimsley's Oxford Career. Perhaps you can make better sense of it than I can.
Appropriate for ages 18+
When I finished reading The Runaway King, I literally did a happy dance in my living room. I then looked in the mirror and proclaimed that I wanted to be Jennifer Nielsen, because why wouldn't you want to be Jennifer Nielsen? Once you read the book, you'll understand what I'm talking about. Until then...
I don't know how you can start out with a bigger bang in a novel than Nielsen did here. "I had arrived early for my own assassination." I swear, the woman is a genius. The pace of the first few chapters was so energetic that it left me completely enthralled. How I had missed Jaron and his commentary that made me laugh at every turn. How I had missed the adventure! And I even stumbled upon The False Prince a little late in the game, so I didn't have to wait long for the second book. Still, though, I had missed it. Still, I had been desperately wanting more.
The only thing that slowed me down in reading this was it took awhile for Jaron to reach the lair of the pirates, one of his main destinations. Looking back, I can see that the delay was necessary, but in the meantime there was a little less action to keep the storyline moving. However, once Jaron does meet the pirates the plot picks up again, and the wait, I can assure you, was worth it.
Having to wait is hardly a complaint, though. Nielsen's characters are beautifully developed. This makes for a protagonist who is funny and brave and fearless, but who also places all his self doubts on the table for you to see. His honesty to the reader is unmatched, creating not so much of a character as a living human being. I've never seen anything quite like it, and the result is absolutely captivating.
Appropriate for ages 14+ (due to some violence)
Yes, I am reviewing another book by Janette Rallison. This is not my fault. If she didn't write such appealing books, then I wouldn't have this problem of having to read every one that I can get my hands on. So, go blame her, if you want, though instead you should probably erect a statue in her honor.
Alexia Garcia is more or less the girl next door. She's a straight A student, an NHS member, and has a flaming temper. She also looks remarkably similar to the famous singer Kari Kingsley and is offered the job of a lifetime, a job requiring that she pretend to be Kari when the pop star can't attend some of her more unimportant events.
This novel is different from the others I've read by Janette Rallison. For a change, I wasn't laughing throughout all the awkward circumstances that occur while Alexia pretends to be someone else. This is because she's a different kind of character than those Rallison usually chooses as her protagonists. Alexia has had a conservative upbringing and a conscience that never leaves her side. She's also extremely sensible. This doesn't mean that the story wasn't still comedic or swoon-worthy, it just unfolds differently. Alexia is cautious by nature... even when she's reckless. So, it takes awhile for her to get caught up in her new life, but once she does, the novel takes off at breakneck speed and you won't want to put it down.
My Double Life isn't just about pretending to be a celebrity, though. It's about Alexia finding a part of her that she feels has always been missing. And as unlikely as it sounds that she'll find it in LA, there's something... or perhaps someone... there that she hopes can fill that void. But how do you find yourself while hiding your identity, and in Hollywood, no less? You'll just have to read it to find out.
Appropriate for ages 16+ (and the ebook is currently available for only $2.99 on Amazon! Can't beat that!)
Apparently I am on a Janette Rallison craze. There is just something about being able to read a book in one sitting and laughing hysterically until three in the morning when everyone else is in bed.
One of the best characteristics about Rallison's books? The perspectives of her characters. Often, they're stereotypes that are made fun of, like teenagers who work at the mall, cheerleaders, or in this case drama queens... all people that many would mock or dismiss as being cliche. But Rallison presents you with these characters as well-rounded human beings, and I have to say I love that about her.
Jessica is an actress with big aspirations and a tendency to overlook the difference between bending the truth and playing the part of a character as though she were on stage. After all, she NEEDS (I cannot overemphasize this, here) to be Juliet in the upcoming play. Whatever it takes to make that happen is not unreachable, especially when a famous actor's son moves into Three Forks, New Mexico.
What could go wrong, right? A little scheming and planning, and voila! She's on her way to fame and stardom.
The more this novel progressed, the more comedic it became. It's not my favorite of Rallison's books, but then again, I repeat that by the end of it I was literally laughing just about every other paragraph. Why, you ask me? You'll have to see for yourself.
Appropriate for ages 15+
