Trips Giveaway

Since this is my last summer before I start college (at Georgia Tech!), I wanted to make sure it was amazing. Over the weekend I went to Mississippi. I had a great time, but you know, my favorite thing about going on trips is coming back! Nothing is better than returning to my bed!

Speaking of summer, I wanted to know how your summer is! Not too mention, I have a great opportunity for all of my readers! Meaning, giveaway time. Just fill out the form (link below) for a chance to win a $40 gift card, which you can use at any CSN Store! There may be shipping charges or, in the case of Canadian addresses, international fees for certain products. Giveaway ends July 4th.

FORM

Youtube Connection 10

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 Saving Zoë by Alyson Noel, which I finished reading last night (and loved!). I decided to show a book trailer. Enjoy!

My Double Life - Janette Rallison

Alexia Garcia looks almost identical to pop sensation Kari Kingsley. One day, a picture of her becomes viral on the the internet, and Kari's manager, Maren, calls her. Maren offers Alexia the chance to work as Kari's double. At first, Alexia is reluctant, but then she learns that this may be her one chance to meet her father.

Hollywood is completely different from Alexia's hometown, Morganstown, West Virginia. For one, the guys are a LOT more hunkier. Alexia soon finds herself in a romance with Grant Delray. The only problem is, he thinks she is Kari Kingsley! Will Alexia ever be able to tell Grant her true identity, and will he want anything to do with her afterwards?

I really enjoyed reading My Double Life. On first glance, the novel seems like sugary sweet goodness, without any true substance. Rallison, however, cleverly adds in a family plot line, that not only gives the book substance, but also makes it unique. I also liked how Rallison made Alexia half-Latino. Doing this allowed Alexia to be a memorable character. Another character I enjoyed was Kari Kingsley. Rallison's portrayal of Kari revealed that even Kari, who has always been surrounded by Hollywood, struggles with her fame. Humanizing Kari allowed readers to sympathize with her situation, even if the sympathy was little.

Another reason I liked My Double Life was that the book allowed me to view an event I have fantasized about. I mean, we have all dreamed about becoming famous right? Like the rest of us, Alexia dreamed about it, and she got to fulfill her fantasy. It was a fun adventure, and I was definitely swooning over Grant Delray, especially near the end. As I was reading, I was practically grinning ear to ear. Yes, I became starstruck over a fictional character. The only problem I had with My Double Life was the end. I felt that a part of it seemed too good to be true.

I recommend My Double Life to anyone who has ever fantasized about being famous.

Related Links
Jennifer Rallison's Site
Putnam Juvenile
Amazon
Powell's

I received My Double Life from Book Divas.

Some Regularity

Ok, I think I've written this post before, but this time, I REALLY mean it. Now that I am on summer vacation, I am worry- and stress-free. :D That means I can devote time to my book blog. I already updated my contest sidebar (on the left), and tomorrow, I will be posting a review. YAY!

After - Kristin Harmel

It has been a year since Lacey Mann's father died in a car accident. Her family, however, continue to put the pieces back together. Lacey's mom loses herself in her work. Lacey's younger brother, Tanner, barely speaks, and Logan, Lacey's older brother, constantly parties with his girlfriend. As for Lacey, she secretly blames herself for the accident. Lacey was the one that took too long to get ready that morning. Maybe if she wasn't purposely trying to be annoying her dad would still be alive. As Lacey attempts to make everything better, she finds a way to reach out to other students who have lost a family member. Along the way, she also meets Sam...

Kristin Harmel's novel After takes a common plotline, a dead family member, and puts a unique twist on it. Most of the grief-related books I have read were very intense. Given the subject matter, this seems like a given. I mean, a book about grief has to intense, right? Well, as I read After, I learned that grief-related books do not have to be intense. While, I certainly would not call After a light-hearted read, the novel was much lighter than I expected. I thought this was a pleasant change from the typically heart-wrenching grief novels.

One major problem I had with After was that parts of the novel felt a bit contrived. Throughout the novel, Lacey tries to keep her composure, and she pretty much succeeds. This did not really seem believable. I would have enjoyed having a more flawed protagonist. I also think, that between Lacey and Logan, Logan was the more interesting character. I felt that seeing his way of dealing with grief (or not dealing with it) was much more interesting than Lacey's story. Last, Sam just seemed too good to be true. Sam recently moved to Lacey's town. He doesn't drink. He's a nice guy. He's been through a situation similar to Lacey's. I mean, really, what are the chances of that?

Related Links
Kristin Harmel's Site
Random House
Kate's Club
Amazon
Powell's

I received this book from Book Divas.

Why I Haven't Been Updating

I apologize for not posting much, but right now my life is kind of hectic. It's the last few weeks of my senior year of high school, and lately, I've just been doing final projects, fighting senioritis, going to different programs, and just trying to enjoy myself. I hope you understand. :)

Nothing But Your Skin - Cathy Ytak

Nothing But Your Skin is one of six stories that is a part of the Single Voices series by Annick Press. Each book comes with two stories. Nothing But Your Skin is grouped with The Pool Was Empty. As a teenager myself, I really loved this concept.

I generally write my own summaries, but I happen to love the summary from Annick Press's website for Nothing But Your Skin, so I am using it.

Louella hates her name. She’s obsessed with colors and when she gets upset, she yells herself hoarse. People call her “slow,” but Lou knows one thing for sure: she wants to be with her boyfriend—no matter what her parents or doctors think. Poignantly and sensitively told, Nothing But Your Skin chronicles the aftermath of a mentally challenged girl’s decision to have sex.

Nothing But Your Skin is a simple, yet powerful love story. From the beginning Cathy Ytak engulfs readers into a her story. The plot line itself, a mentally challenged girl decides to have sex, is unique, and I really enjoyed it. Lately, it seems like many YA novels share similarities, so this short story was refreshing. I also liked how Ytak touched onto the thoughts of Louella's family. By doing this, Ytak demonstrated Lou's feeling of alienation (because her parents do not believe Lou chose to have sex), which is something all teens can relate to. Because the story was rather short, however, Ytak did not delve quite as deep as I would have liked. Maybe a few pages longer would have been nice.

This short story strongly reminded me of a Korean movie, Oasis. If any of you have watched and enjoyed it, then I strongly suggest you grab a copy of Nothing But Your Skin/The Pool Was Empty.

Below is a book trailer for the Single Voices series:



Six bloggers were chosen to review each story, so below are the links to the other bloggers!

The Pool Was Empty/Hey! Teenager of the Year
Descent Into Paradise/Greenbean Teen Queen
A Place to Live/The Book Muncher
I Am Not Emmanuelle/Cindy's Love of Books
Just Julie/1330v