Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott

Kate's life is pretty much ruined. Her dad quit his regular job to sell vitamins from a booth at the mall. Her grandma who everyone hates, moved in to help them out because Kate's dad isn't making any money with his new "job". Her 23 year old brother Todd moved back in. And, Kate's best friend acts like she doesn't exist. The only thing that shines a little light into her horrible life is Will; the adorable boy who is notorious for hooking up with anything that breathes. Kate's hoping though that their relationship isn't like that for him, because she really truly likes him. But how can you tell when the only way you ever talk is through sarcasm? To get away from her life, Kate starts to close herself off and doesn't realize that the only way to be able to appreciate the good things is to live through the bad. And maybe, just maybe, everyone might have a little good in them somewhere.

I think that they picked the perfect blurb for the cover of this book. Melissa De La Cruz says; "I absolutely loved this book! It's funny, sad, and wise, and will make your heart ache in the best way." I totally agree with her. Perfect You was a completely refreshing and heart-warming book. I've decided that Elizabeth Scott and Sarah Dessen have a lot in common. In their books, they both tell about people who live with or go through difficult situations and they manage to do it with humor, integrity, and relatability that really makes their books totally readable. One of my favorite parts about this book was the characters. I think for me to love a book, the characters need to be well written and I need to be able to relate to them. Both things were true in this case. I felt that I was able to get really close to the characters and understand what they were going through even though I have never been through their situations myself. I also liked the dynamics of Will and Kate's relationship. They both had such a great sense of humor that I found myself laughing out loud more than once. I think one of my favorite characters though was one of the more minor ones; Todd. I loved how he went through his own set of struggles in the background of the book. It's nice to see a side character get some glory. So, all in all, I would definitely recommend that you read Perfect You. It's adorable, touching, and laugh-out-loud funny. And I myself can't wait for Elizabeth Scott's next book, Stealing Heaven which promises to be just as good.

Jennifer Banash Interview

I was lucky enough to get to interview Jennifer Banash, the author of the upcoming Elite series. She's a great author and I was super excited to be able to interview her. The first book in the series will be released in June and you can find my review of it beneath this post. I hope you guys enjoy my first author interview! I sure had fun doing it!


First of all, what made you want to write a series for teens?
I had worked briefly as a ghostwriter for a bestselling YA series, and I’d really enjoyed doing it. I had already published an adult novel, but I was really intrigued with this world of Young Adult fiction, how passionate the readers were, how invested and vocal they seemed. After the ghostwriting gig ended, I really wanted to write my own series, and I already had the idea for THE ELITE. So, when I was introduced to Kate Seaver, my editor at Berkley Jam, through a friend, I pitched her the idea. The rest, as they say, is history.

Did you draw influence from anything or anyone to create the characters or the plot in The Elite?
Much of it comes from my own childhood—I grew up in New York, and went to high school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, so I really know that world well. Some of the personality traits of my characters definitely come from real life—I’m kind of a vampire in that way—I take the best traits from the people close to me and steal them for my characters. And many of the girls have aspects of my own personality—Madison Macallister is definitely me on a bad day . . .

The Elite takes place among drama of New York City. Do you think you would enjoy being involved in the world of your book? Why or why not?
Well, I kind of have! That being said, would I enjoy it now? Decidedly not. Its fun and very glamorous, but I lived in Manhattan for most of my life, and by the time I left for college, I really just wanted to be anywhere else but home. But I love Manhattan and always will—the energy, the people, the constant sense that something better is happening right around the corner, and if we just leave this party right now, we just might find it . . .

Do you yourself feel as if you relate to any of your characters? If so, in what way?
I find myself relating to Casey a lot. I went through that whole awkward stage in high school where my body really hadn’t caught up to my age. I remember looking at the most beautiful girls in school and wanting to be just like them, dying to fit in. Then, a year later when I finally got what I wanted, I realized that it wasn’t all that and a bag of chips. The pressure in that world can be very, very intense.

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, who are some of your favorite artists?
Its kind of a joke in my house, because I need music blasting through my earbuds in order to write, and I usually have to be somewhere like a coffee house—a place with as much visual stimulation as possible. I don’t know why that is—I think it’s because I have to somehow drown everything out in order to think clearly, and overstimulating my senses makes that possible. I usually listen to the same songs over and over again when I’m working heavily—it just becomes noise after a while. But I find that the music itself seems to make it into the pages of the book that way too—I think of every chapter as having its own soundtrack . . .
Right now I’m listening to The Kills, The Teenagers, The Blakes, the new Portishead CD, Daft Punk, Duffy, Common, Elliot Smith, Sufjan Stevens—and Goldfrapp’s new CD Seventh Tree is amazing,

What was one of the most memorable or funny experiences you had as a teen?
I was at the big opening night of this very posh club downtown, and Cher was there. I’d been feeling kind of queasy/lousy all day, and I probably should’ve just stayed home. Anyway, a friend of mine knew her and took me over to be introduced, and just as I was holding out my hand to shake hers, I threw up all over her elaborately beaded shoes! She screeched like I’d doused her in battery acid and ran off. It was a complete and total nightmare—but it makes a good story.

If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?
The power to be invisible—so I could stare at people as much as I wanted, and eavesdrop on their secret, most private conversations without getting caught.

What is something funny or interesting that people would enjoy learning about you?
I’m addicted to reality television. I know its bad for me, I know its mindless, but I love it. I don’t know—something in me really needs to know why Daisy didn’t become Bret Michael’s Rock of Love, and who will win Tila Tequila’s heart this time around. I also have perfect pitch and can sing practically anything—but it’s a talent I rarely, if ever, use.

What are some of your favorite books that you'd recommend for teens?
I like titles that are on the edgy side—R.A. Nelson’s books Teach Me and Breathe My Name are quite good. Also Jay Asher’s 13 Reasons Why. In terms of series’ I love The A-List, and Melissa Walker’s Violet series—I adored Violet on the Runway, and look forward to reading the other two books in the series. I also have Anna Godberson’s The Luxe in a pile on my nightstand, and am dying to have an opportunity to curl up with it. I actually love well-done historical fiction, and I’m hoping it will be good. It has a gorgeous cover anyway . . . I also love the classics—Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca is one of my favorites and a guilty pleasure to boot, and anything by Virginia Woolf—particularly Mrs. Dalloway, or To The Lighthouse—her writing is just so strong and gorgeous.

What can we expect from you next?
I’m working on a new series right now, entitled BITTEN. It’s about two identical twins from Manhattan, Lucy and Mina Vanderbilt, whose parents buy Dracula’s castle in Romania in the midst of a mid-life crisis, forcing the family to move to Eastern Europe and live in a dilapidated, musty, stone castle. But before both girls begin attendance at a posh boarding school in Geneva, Switzerland, they have to spend the summer at their new home sweet home—a castle situated in the heart of Romania, just off of Highway 73—better known as the intersection of creepy and get-me-the-hell-out-of-here—worlds away from their sophisticated Manhattan lifestyle. Upon their arrival, Mina quickly falls in with Jonathan Marlowe—the town’s resident hottie, who’s left London to visit his grandfather for the summer and spends his days attempting to pen the next great British novel at the local café. But after Lucy suffers a “bite” from a mysterious apparition one evening while trolling the grounds of the castle, her love life will never be the same again. Expressions like “can I have a bite of that?” take on a WHOLE new meaning, and suddenly, the most notorious, identical, and inseparable twins in all of Manhattan have never been quite so different . . .

Anything else you’d like to add?
I love hearing from readers—its one of the things I love best about being a writer. If you read THE ELITE and want to ask questions or just chat, feel free to email me at theeliteseries@gmail.com I promise I’ll answer every email. And be on the lookout for the second book in THE ELITE series IN TOO DEEP, coming January 2009.

Thank you so much Jennifer!

The Elite by Jennifer Banash

Casey McCloy was tired with her life in Normal, Illinois, so naturally she jumped at the chance to move to New York to live with her grandma. The exciting drama and the fashion filled world of the city is enough to pull anyone in, but once Casey gets there she realizes that she may just be out of her league. Making friends with the queen bee of the social scene, Madison Macallister seems like the right move, but when Casey starts crushing on Madison's on-again, off-again boyfriend Drew, things are bound to get a little tense. Can Casey survive New York and do it while keeping her measly reputation in tact?

So, I never really liked the Clique or the Gossip Girl series, and now I think that the Elite may just be my guilty pleasure series of choice. It seems to have a little more depth than the other series, but still has the same scandal and romance that every good gossip-style book needs to have. The characters are well thought out and each have their own personalities and quirks, which was great. I also liked that the plot, although semi predictable, had enough in it to keep you fully engaged and flipping pages. You really start to relate to the small town girl who moves to the big city and is swept away by it all. I love reading about characters that I can relate to, and this book definitely did that for me. So as I said before, I think that this is going to be my guilty pleasure series of choice from now on. I really did like this book, and I'm excited for the next one. Sorry this was such a short review, but I'm super tired...:P

The Elite will be released on June 3rd.

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

Ruby is used to being independant. After her mother abandoned her to live on her own, she had been making it by herself just fine. Or so she thought. When she gets picked up by child services and sent to live with her sister who she hasn't seen for ten years, it's way out of Ruby's comfort zone. She isn't used to having to interact with or depend on people. She especially doesn't like getting to close to her new and intriguing neighbor Nate, but with her relying on him for rides to school she eventually starts to open up to not just him but to her new family and life. She finds a new job and meets some spunky and charismatic new people, but when Nate starts pulling away, Ruby start realizing that her seemingly perfect new life isn't all it's made out to be.

What can I say? Sarah Dessen has done it again. I have read all the books that she has written so far and loved them, so I definitely had high hopes for this book and it was all that I expected and more. The thing that I love about Sarah's writing is the smooth, kind of cozy quality it has to it (wow, that sounds wierd...). In each of her stories she deals with lots of hard issues but does it with understanding and relatability which really draws me into her books. And it's no different with Lock and Key. The writing is stunning, the plot is unique and addicting, and the characters are created with depth and feeling. All of that adds up to a pretty darn good book in my opinion. I think one of my favorite parts was the focus that the book had on family. And it wasn't just the biological family it was the neighbors and friends family too. It's a hard thing to define and I really felt along with Ruby as she tried to make sense of her complicated situation. I also loved all the spunky characters that were in the story; especially Olivia who shares my name. :P Nothing's better than reading about "yourself" in a book, and I think I may have a bit in common with her. Hee hee. So if you haven't read any of Sarah Dessen's books, I highly recommend you do so. And if you're a fan of hers, you should definitely check this book out. It's one of her best so far and will keep you turning pages until the very end.

The Final Warning by James Patterson

Max, along with the rest of the flock, is off on a new mission to stop global warming. They're down in Antarctica working with some pretty cool scientists and learning tons of new and mind blowing things about how fast our planet is moving towards destruction. But living as avian-human mutants isn't all fun and games. They have to continually be on their guard and for good reason. Soon, they're captured and brought to a new big and bad guy who wants to use their powers and skills for his own gain. But if you think that Max is going to let that happen, you're so wrong. As always, she finds a way to finagle herself out of tough situation after tough situation and she manages to do it all with attitude, sass, and is still able to prove that she is anything but human.

As with any other Maximum Ride book, the story was written very well and even if there were parts of it I didn't like so much, I was still turning pages as fast as I could. The whole idea of the series is really creative and you can't help rooting along with Max and the flock as they tackle a numerous amount of obstacles. There always is some new twist that gets thrown in. But as a fan of the all the Maximum Ride books, I do have some legitimate complaining to do. First of all, I was hoping for a little more action between Fang and Max with their love life. I've been waiting through all the books for something to happen with them, and still nothing did, which was kind of disappointing. Another thing was that the whole focus on global warming seemed a little cheesy to me. We all do know that global warming is bad and we need to do something but I didn't really want to read a whole book about it when none of the other books in the series had been related to that. And the last thing is is that I think that the events in the stories are starting to get a little repetitive. It's always bad guy after bad guy, miraculous escape after miraculous escape, that I feel like I know exactly what's going to happen. But that's just some of my nit-picking. Really though, the book is good. It's just as action packed as the others, but I just felt that I had to do a little bit of complaining for once. Other than those things, this book is full of laughs, suspense, and all around fun. So, I would highly recommend the whole Maximum Ride series for an exciting, page-turning story about extremely unique characters.

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

Audrey didn't think that her breakup with her boyfriend Evan would be a big deal. But then Evan and his band write a song about the breakup entitled; Audrey, Wait! After the song is played for the first time in a small local venue, its popularity grows and the band rockets to stardom, but much to her dismay, Audrey does too. With press everywhere and fans as well as haters recording her every move, she just wants to keep living her life. And when she meets cute new guy James, she starts hoping that maybe things can stay relatively normal. But then Audrey and her best friend Victoria start fighting and people begin to turn against Audrey, she wonders if anything will ever be the same.

I was really excited to get my hands on this book. I had heard a lot of great stuff about it and I had high expectations. I was absolutely enthralled with Audrey and the other characters in the book. They are all completely realistic and showed the dynamics of teen relationships perfectly. Audrey's narration is equally funny and touching and I felt that I really got to know her by the end of the book. I couldn't finish this book fast enough. I think the best thing about this book was that it was really original. There aren't any books out there that have anything near the same plot line, at least that I've heard, so it was nice to read about something refreshing and unique. Another thing I liked was that throughout the story, there was tons of humor which was great. I love reading a book that will make me laugh and Audrey, Wait! definitely did that for me. It was just a great, feel-good, fun to read kind of book; the kind that's right up my alley. I'm excited to see what else Robin Benway has to offer us because I think she's a great new writer that I'm going to have to keep tabs on. She really made this book, addicting, funny, creative, and thoughtful all at the same time, and I would highly recommend it.

Lost It by Kristen Tracy

Tess Whistle's junior year in high school is off to bizarre start. Her parents have run away to an outdoors self-discovery camp in the middle of the the desert, her best friend Zena is building a bomb to blow up a poodle, and her eccentric granmother has come to live with her in her parents' absence. It all starts to look a little better when she meets Ben, the super cute boy whose locker is right next to hers. When they hit it off, Tess hopes that things will start taking a turn for the better. But really, how normal can you get when you're living in the circumstances that she is? And when Ben suddenly deserts her, will she be able to keep it together and gain control of her life?

Lost It was a pretty good book. Not amazing, but not horrible. I think the thing that I liked the best was that it was laugh out loud hilarious. I found myself cracking up at many points throughout the book which is definitely a good thing. I also liked the frankness in which Tess told the story. Kristen Tracy's writing style was perfect for this book. It all flowed really well together and helped to get the story across in a fun and fresh manner. One of the other good things was that it was a totally ridiculous plot line. There were so many obnoxious and unplausible things that happened, that you couldn't help but like it. Sure, none of those things would actually happen in real life, but it was super fun to read about all the crazy situations that Tess was put into by her grandmother and her best friend. Now we have to get to a couple of my complaints. I didn't like that the story was confusing at times. I felt a little loss at some points, but thankfully it was cleared up quickly. I also didn't like that the whole focus of the book was sex. Yes, sex can add to a book in many situations, but in this book, it was pretty much all that the book revolved around, as the title suggests. The last thing that I didn't like was that some of the characters were undeveloped. I didn't get to know many of them as much as I would have liked to and that was something that really pulled the book down in my opinion. Other than those things though, Lost It was a good time-filler book. Full of laughs and light-heartedness, it's the perfect book to pick up to pass the time. You know how when you're laying on the beach by the ocean in the middle of summer? This is a good book to read when you're there. :P So, I would recommend Lost It, but don't expect to be completely blown away.