Review: Tempestuous by Kim Askew & Amy Helmes

Title: Tempestuous: A Modern-Day Spin on Shakespeare's The Tempest
Authors: Kim Askew & Amy Helmes
Expected publication: December 18th 2012 by Merit Press
Goodreads // Amazon //
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So once in a while something totally unexpected happens, like finding a ten-dollar bill on the street or discovering there’s only 2 girls in your class, both of them named Melannie. OR starting a book and loving it from page one, that’s what happen to me while I read Tempestuous, loved it from page 1 ‘till the very last one.

Miranda is an ambitious girl, who kind of has the power of getting people to do what she wants. She’s popular and beautiful yet the authors managed to make her likable. I loved her from the start because she’s so witty, and she means no harm, she’s just used to having people offering to do stuff for her but it’s not like she’s bossing them around. Well, at least not after that pesty situation that made her fall from grace at her private school and has her working for minimum wage at the food court in the mall.

Review: A girl named Digit by Annabel Monaghan

Title: A girl named Digit
Author: Annabel Monaghan
Published June 5th 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
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I wish this book could understand how much I love it, but since books have no brain I am going to tell YOU instead. I love this book! There, I said it, and I am so not ashamed because this book was amazing, it has everything I like: likable characters, fast-paced story line and some serious swoon-worthy scenes.

First of all I would like to point out how ingenious Annabel Monaghan is. I mean a character like Farrah (aka Digit) is not easy to create. Farrah is a genius, no kidding, she is so good at math she discovered a terrorist code hidden in MTV’s most watched show, and now her life is at danger. Enter FBI agent John, the one guy chosen to protect Farrah while the others catch the bad guys, Farrah might think he is really cute but he is older and not to mention he could lose his position so yay for forbidden romance!

I loved Farrah, she’s like Sheldon Cooper but a girl, and 17 years old, and less annoying. Farrah was incredible in the sense that she was so friggin intelligent yet she was just like any other girl, it was so funny to read about her cluelessness that unfortunately put her in the most embarrassing situations, but that was what made her so adorable, even though she had the weirdest habits. She was so hilarious and her voice was the best, exactly the kind of girl I like reading about.

Now while John Bennett was definitely swoon-worthy (more than that, really he was amazing) and the fact that he was twenty one was REALLY hot, like I-can-day-dream-about-him-without-being-creepy-cause-he-is-older-than-me hot; Farrah is the one that made the book for me (which rarely happens I always love the guy more) because she was made of awesome.

Also, each chapter started with a bumper sticker, some of them totally hilarious, and there were chasings and codes, and terrorists, and safe houses and guns and it was just so entertaining, I swear I was laughing out loud at pretty much every chapter, I can’t wait to read more from the series, I’ll be waiting impatiently for book #2!.
 

Hee-Hee this scene is when John and Farrah break into a school while running from the bad guys,
I thought it was hilarious that she totally consumed all those juice boxes and then,
well you don't see anywhere else where she can sleep but...

 

Oh btw, I went to a book fair last week and there were some teenage girls asking the salesguy for recommendations and after he finished giving them I totally shoved this book in their faces. There wasn't anything wrong with the other books except they weren't A Girl Named Digit.

Review: Torched by Andrea Lynn Colt

Title: Torched
Author: Andrea Lynn Colt
Published September 2012
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Well that was fun. No seriously, I haven’t enjoyed a book quite this much in a long time (probably because I haven’t read any book at all this past month, thanks very much Plastic Surgery rotations!) and reading Torched was exactly what I needed in my life at the moment, something fresh and full of funny dialogue.

I personally loved that it dealt with serious issues thrown in there, like arson and bullying but in a completely realistic way and without getting into over the top drama. The characters were also great, especially Rose, who I ended up loving because she was tough as nails but also kind of clueless about life and sometimes a bit shallow. Rose is the head cheerleader in her school’s squad, she’s blonde and drives a convertible that she calls ‘cloudmonster’ (I know) BUT… she’s also the valedictorian! Way to kill stereotypes, Rose! So she made me instantly like her, with her wit and sarcasm she could take anyone and it was refreshing to see a character like her in YA contemporary (you know, outside of a Meg Cabot book). I also loved the relationship she had with her parents, not because it was good (believe it wasn’t the case) but because it felt so real, she loved her parents and they loved her too but she (and me) couldn’t help but get exasperated at their state of perpetual cluelessness.

And now that we talk about characters, Paxton Callaway, next door neighbor, Star Trek lover, prank war starter and hottie extraordinare also made the book for me. I loved his relationship with Rose and actually with everyone, he’s so polite and awesome, I want him for my collection of male YA characters that fill my head at night ;). Aww and am I the only one who thinks a guy trying to make out with you while using crutches is totally hot? You know, he can’t even stand up without help yet he’s going out of his way to kiss you on a thanksgiving night.

Moving on, I loved that this story went beyond your typical YA contemporary. Here our main girl gets framed for a crime she didn’t commit and know the whole town thinks she is a criminal, even her parents think so. And the only person who is helping her is her oldest enemy, Paxton. I loved trying to figure out who did it, my head formulated so many theories before I hit jackpot, because you know, there were a lot of suspects here, kudos to Ms. Colt for creating a fun mystery.

So that’s it, I super enjoyed this book and actually wished it was longer, it left me wanting more.

 

And I haven't made a scene recreation in ages! but this book was practically begging me, so many awesome scenes to chose from!

 

So what is Rose doing? Oh nothing, just SPYING. In Paxton's room. And his secret folders. And his closet.

And then Paxton walks in, and I'm off to re-read that scene because it was fun haha. Laterz.

Review: This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

Title: This Is Not a Test
Author: Courtney Summers
Published June 19th 2012 by St. Martin's Griffin
Goodreads | The Book Depository | Amazon
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Attention Please, we interrupt this program, with some disturbing news, world-wide evacuation, we're going to lose, they've pulverized our nation...

This Is Not A Test has been on the back of my mind for a long, long time. Ever since I first heard Courtney was writing this book, I kept thinking of the levels of awesome it could reach. The waiting was long and cruel, and everyone seemed to have read it already. My heart couldn’t take it much longer, and then suddenly the day was here. I DEVOURED THIS BOOK. And it’s been at the back of my mind ever since.

Since I was already a fan of Courtney, I knew what I was getting into but still, nothing can prepare you to the punch in the gut this book is. For real, it is an epic punch in the gut that extends for pages and pages of heartbreaking goodness. The story is simple enough: 6 teenagers are trapped in a high school building after escaped what seemed to be the end of the world as we know it. That’s the beauty of this book, simple story, incredibly complex characters.

Sloane Price is our main character; the end of the world seems to be happening the same day she chose to end her life. Bold and ironic, I was hooked. While everyone else is fighting to survive she is looking for a way to give up.

The rest of the cast is amazing too, these teenagers add so much to the story, each shining their own light.

·        Cary. He is the “leader” of the group, well for some of them, because after what happened at the start of this whole revolution, some members of the group want him gone for good.

·         Rhys. The careless guy that spend his high school days smoking at the back of the building. His locker was across from Sloane’s, and he has taken her under his wing.

·         Trace & Grace. Twins. They lost their parents and didn’t seem to recover from the blow, but they still have each other, that’s a thousand times more than any of the other teens have.

·         Harrison. No one knew him from “before”. He is a freshman that only seems to be dead weight. He cries a lot.

Each of these characters has their own personality, their own story, and their own uniqueness that made it impossible to confuse them. Each of them teaches you a different side of life, and makes you question what you would have done in their place.

I don’t want to say more, because it’s better if you experience this book going without knowing too much before. I can only say that it’s a sad yet hopeful ride. I loved the thrill I got all throughout and I loved the characters too much. Same beautiful prose that Courtney is known for, and perfect unraveling of an incredible story. I wish it hadn’t end!

I didn't see this coming.

A much needed spark of love.

We found love in a hopeless place (8)

On a sidenote: I loved this book, it was spectacular; however, it didn’t reach the level of love I thought it would. Some Girls Are & Cracked Up To Be are still my first and second in the Courtney Summers rank. Then Fall for Anything & this one tie for third.

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts on it? Please share ;)