In My Mailbox April 19-24

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi of The Story Siren. :)

The Unwritten Rule - Elizabeth Scott

After - Kristin Harmel
Lacey's world shatters when her dad is killed in a car accident. And secretly? She feels like it’s her fault. If she hadn’t taken her own sweet time getting ready that morning . . . well, it never would have happened. Her mom wouldn’t be a basket case. Her brother Logan wouldn’t drink. And her little brother would still have two parents.

But life goes on even if you don’t want it to. And when Lacey gets the chance to make a difference in the lives of some people at school, she jumps at it. Making lemonade out of lemons is her specialty. Except she didn’t count on meeting a guy like Sam. Or that sometimes? Lemonade can be a pretty bitter drink to swallow.

Getting Her Pretty Back - Molly Ringwald

To her millions of fans, Molly Ringwald will forever be sixteen. As the endearing and witty star of the beloved John Hughes classics Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Pretty in Pink, Molly defined teenage angst, love, and heartbreak. While remembered eternally as the enviable high school princess Claire, or the shy, vulnerable Samantha, Molly has just celebrated her fortieth birthday. Facing a completely new, angst-inducing time in her life, she is embracing being a woman, wife, mother of three, actress, and best friend with her trademark style, candor, and humor.

In Getting the Pretty Back, Molly encourages every woman to become "the sexiest, funniest, smartest, best-dressed, and most confident woman that you can be." She shares personal anecdotes and entertaining insights about the struggle to get through the murky milestones and identity issues that crop up long after the prom ends. Whether she's discussing sex and beauty, personal style, travel and entertaining, motherhood, or friendship, Molly embodies the spirit of being fabulous at every age, and reminds us all that prettiness is a state of mind: it's "the part of you that knows what you really want, that takes risks."

Lavishly illustrated by Ruben Toledo, Getting the Pretty Back is sure to charm women of all ages with Molly's unforgettably personal, refreshingly outspoken take on life, love, and, of course, finding that perfect red lipstick. . .

Small break

Hey readers! Tomorrow I am leaving for Kentucky, and I won't be back until Wednesday. Once I'm back, I won't have time to update much (AP Tests...), so I just wanted you guys to know. I have about 2 scheduled posts, but that's it. :P

Youtube Connection 9

Youtube Connection is a Thursday feature where I will post a video (or more) that is somehow related to a book I've read.

This week's book is The Dark Divine by Bree Despain. On her website, she has a book playlist for her novel, so this week I've featured two of the songs. Enjoy and be sure to check out the rest of the songs on the playlist!

This song is What Sarah Said by Death Cab for Cutie. I absolutely love this song, and it fits the book perfectly!



I put a slight twist on the next song, which is Creep, originally by Radiohead. Thanks to all the embed codes disabled on the Radiohead videos, I chose Sad Kermit's version. :P Enjoy!

Becoming Chloe - Catherine Ryan Hyde

After being kicked out of his house for being gay, Jordy is forced to leave out on the streets of New York City. Jordy meets Chloe after she was just raped. Something about Chloe intrigues Jordy from the beginning. She seems so innocent and fragile, yet Jordy knows she's experienced horrible things. Chloe, however, believes that the world is an ugly place, and Jordy is determined to prove her wrong. Together, Jordy and Chloe embark on a road trip to find the beauty in the world. Can Jordy show Chloe that beauty still exists?

I found Becoming Chloe to be a refreshing and inspirational read. A lot of YA novels out today tend to overcomplicate things by adding paranormal elements or controversial topics. Catherine Ryan Hyde, however, goes to opposite route by making a fairly simple novel, and in my opinion, simplicity can be much harder to write about. Luckily, Hyde did an excellent job writing this novel. In essence, Becoming Chloe is about two teens trying to make the most of their lives. Hyde could have easily focused the novel on the struggles Jordy and Chloe have faced, but she doesn't. Instead, her focus is on the beauty of the world. The simplicity of this novel is what makes it so wonderful. The novel reveals that beauty still exists in a world that is so full of hate. A very simple, yet powerful message, very much like the book itself.

The road trip in this book was epic, to say the least. With little money, Chloe and Jordy plan to go from New York City to the West Coast, where they can ride horses on the beach. Their trip is not without struggles, but to see Jordy and Chloe make so much of their horrible lives was inspiring. This novel seriously makes me want to spread hope, peace, and love. Ha.

I recommend Becoming Chloe to anyone who is looking to find hope in the world.

Related Links
Catherine Ryan Hyde's Site
Random House
Amazon
Powell's

Birthmarked - Caragh M. O'Brien

Sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone is a midwife. Every month, she helps her mother deliver babies. Three babies per month must be given to live within the walls. Then, one day, after Gaia delivers her first baby by herself, the Enclave takes both of her parents. Gaia and her family has always done what the Enclave has asked, so what could the Enclave possibly want with her parents? Before long, Gaia begins to question if the Enclave deserves her full loyalty. One thing is for sure, Gaia must find her parents!

Caragh M. O'Brien's Birthmarked is a wonderful example of great dystopian fiction. One of my favorite things about this novel was the protagonist, Gaia, who reminds me of Katniss from The Hunger Games. Gaia's spunky, clever, and easy to relate to. Like Gaia, I think all teenagers are just looking for some answers. Another thing I enjoyed about this novel was the use of codes. Without giving any spoilers, I thought O'Brien's code was really clever. The use of codes was made even more clever when readers learn of the importance of genetics in the novel. (Get it, genetic codes?) :P

Out of all the novels I've read, this one has one of the most intriguing opening chapters. O'Brien starts Birthmarked with a birth scene. The scene will effectively reel readers in, and it also gives them a feel of the rest of the novel. The press release that came with this novel called it a cross between A Handmaid's Tale and The Hunger Games. Seeing as I've never read A Handmaid's Tale, I cannot tell you if that part is accurate. I do, however, believe The Hunger Games comparison is accurate, as I mentioned earlier with the similar protagonists.

Overall, Birthmarked is a great dystopian novel that should not be missed.

Related Links
Caragh M. O'Brien's Site
Amazon
Powell's
Roaring Brook Press

I received this book from Holt's InGroup program.

Beginners' Love - Norma Klein

Joel is a beginner at love. Most girls tend to overlook him, and go for his best friend, Berger, instead. Then, one day at the movies, Joel meets Leda. Before long, Leda and Joel begin dating. Being a beginner at love, Joel is more than nervous. Not too mention, Leda is more experienced...

I decided to bookmooch Beginners' Love after seeing this post over the summer. Frankly, I was curious to see just how much time can affect a YA novel. I found myself somewhat surprised. Norma Klein did a wonderful job writing Beginners' Love. If I was a teen in the 80s, I would have loved this book. I found Beginners' Love to be a very realistic novel, which shocked me. As a current teen, I thought any 80s YA novel would shy away from important topics like sex. While I think Klein could have done a better job, I was still impressed. In a way, this book even reminded me Anatomy of a Boyfriend.

Beginners' Love did have a few generation gap differences (if that makes sense). I seriously had no idea what a diaphragm was until I read this. Also, I did not understand most of the pop culture references. This book also made me realize how smoking is perceived has changed over the years. My main dislike about Beginners' Love was the poor ending. Throughout the entire book, Klein wrote about provocative subjects. At the end, however, it seemed like she avoided truly discussing the controversial topics, which made no sense to me. Had this book been written in today's society, I think Klein would have hit these topics straight on.

In a way, reading this book was like time traveling. I felt myself warped into a world similar, yet completely different from my own. This book also poses an important question: Can current YA novels stand the test of time? I think a select few can. While I hope Twilight can be forgotten (too late for that, probably), I would love to see my children reading The Hunger Games.

Related Links
Amazon
BookMooch
Norma Klein Obituary

I received this book from a trade.

In My Mailbox April 12-17

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi of The Story Siren. :)

Forget You - Jennifer Echols (ARC)
When swim team captain Zoey wakes up from a car accident with partial amnesia, she is torn between the boy she remembers...and the one she doesn't.

You can actually find the cover of this online, but I thought this was more fitting, seeing as the ARC does not have the cover. ;)