Book Blather

Beth has always been the unattractive girl; teased endlessly by her peer and nicknamed “The Beast”.  However, everything changes when Beth lands a solo in her all-girls choir; one that wins them a spot in an international choir competition in Switzerland. And after an intensive make-over, Beth now resembles the angel she sounds like and begins gaining attention from boys, including a dreamy, Canadian singer named Derek. While their time is short together in Switzerland, the two fall in love and plan to continue the relationship once they’re back home. The only problem? Not everything is as magical once they’ve returned. Beth soon realizes that Derek has a dark secret, one that is threatening to tear them apart. Not to mention her geeky, and now hunky, best friend, Scott, has proclaimed his undying love for Beth as well. The only question now is who makes Beth’s heart sing more: the boy she’s always known or the one who feels like a dream?

The Short of It: I’m still a little torn about how I feel about this book. On one hand it’s an interesting story and excellent writing. Morrison knows how to spin a story in a way to keep the reader captivated and interested in her characters. On the other hand, I’ve been unable get past the emotions this book inflicted (whether intentionally or not) and ultimately hurt how much I could have enjoyed the book.

Plot: The overall plot was okay. I enjoyed reading about Beth in choir and how she earned the right to be in the spotlight. It was obvious that she cared a lot about singing and had enough talent to go far. Being from a musical background myself, I did like how it was intermixed into the book and how fun it was/could be. While my own choir experiences were different, I couldn’t help but remember all the good times I myself had with my high school choir. As for the ending, I wasn’t surprised and actually saw it coming. I don’t want to ruin it for my readers, but by the way he acted I figured it was something more than a bad boy/drug behavior.

Before I move on, I do want to talk about the make-over, which is something that really, really bothered me. In fact, it’s part of the reason why I ended up not liking the book. I don’t mind the type where a little hair restyling and wardrobe change gives the illusion of a “better” girl. I do have a HUGE issue with the lengths that this makeover went to. When you get into cosmetic procedures and other surgeries, I start to cringe. What kind of message is that sending to teenage girls? (Who already have SO much to deal with when it comes to body image.) Morrison’s only saving grace is that the makeover didn’t instantly “fix” Beth. She still had doubts about how she looked and took her a while to believe she was truly beautiful. I only hope that the girls can latch onto that and not the whole ugly-duckling made swan = get everything I want.

Characters: I hate to say this, but overall I was rather indifferent to the characters. There were moments of sympathy, but there were also a lots of moments where I was to shake some sense into them. For example, I hate how Derek lied to Beth. I understand why he did, I really do, but how can you have a true relationship, friendship or dating, based on such a BIG lie? And then Beth how she sulked and pouted whenever he did his disappearing act; it literally drove me insane. On the other hand, I did admire Beth’s loyalty to stand by what she really cared about. She could have easily ditched both Derek and her choir, but she chose to stick it out.

Although, I suppose if I were to name a favorite character it would have to be Scott. He felt like the one person who was honest and true throughout the whole book. He wasn’t afraid to love Beth when she was the “Beast” and did everything he could to protect her from their cruel classmates. I loved that he was able to see past the physical appearance and care for the girl within. In fact, I think he earned even more points with me when he disapproved of the make-over because it wasn’t Beth. Ok, maybe he did a few things that were a little creepy, but they were kind of sort of adorable at the same time (like tracing her lips with his fingers).

Romance: This is where I have to be very careful not to rant. I hated, HATED the romance in this book. My hackles raised and all I wanted to do was save Beth from the abusive/controlling relationship with Derek. Yes, there were times that Derek felt like the perfect boyfriend, especially all the events in Switzerland, but once they were home it was a whole different story. It made me sick how he tried to control her life without consulting her. I know finding out his secret explains his actions, but I don’t think that it excuses him. The way he demanded her to do things, coupled with the emotional and physical outbursts felt way too abusive to my tastes. Girls should NEVER feel like this behavior is acceptable.

While Scott had his own quirks, I kept wishing that Beth would dump Derek already and go to him. He was the one who truly knew Beth’s beauty (before she was one!) and loved her for HER and nothing else. I think their relationship was the true love story and wish it had played out more than it did. Of course, their story was not the one that Morrison was trying to tell. (Again, trying to stay relatively spoiler free, but once you read the book and author note, you’ll understand that comment.)

Writing: This is where Morrison shines. She truly know how to weave a story that keeps someone reading. Even though, overall, I was rather indifferent to most of the characters, I still found moments where my heart strings were pulled. (I’ll even admit I shed a tear or two at the end.) To still pull that kind of emotion out of someone, especially when they don’t agree with things that had done or went through, is a true gift indeed. And while I may not have enjoyed this book, I am interested to read other books by Morrison.

Librarian-Mode: The romance of this book reminds me a lot of the romance in Twilight. So, the paranormal-vampire lovers looking for something more realistic may just love this. Also, this is a big tear-jerker novel and would easily fall in with those who love Lurlene McDaniel.

Have you read Sing Me To Sleep? If so, let me know what you thought!

Reese has had to learn the hard way that one stupid act can land you where you never wanted to be. Now serving time at Progress Juvenile Facility, he is doing his best to keep himself out of trouble and get back home. And his good behavior hasn’t gone completely unnoticed; he has been chosen for a new work-release program at Evergreen, an assisted living center for seniors. Matched with Mr. Hooft, Reese struggles to gain the man’s respect and to prove he’s not some hoodlum from the streets. The lessons he learns from Mr. Hooft are invaluable, but will they be enough to keep him on the straight and narrow road; especially if keeping out of trouble means turning his back on a friend in need? Can Reese turn his life around or will he be bound to spend the rest of his life in and out of prison?

The Short of It: I really did enjoy this one. I must confess I’ve only read one other Walter Dean Myers book, which was Monster. While they have the same sort of feel, Lockdown was more straightforward and easier to read. I liked how the little life lessons were mixed in without feeling overwhelming/beating the reader over the head with them.

Plot: This book is brutally honest. The only way Reese is going to get himself out of the dead-end lifestyle is if he works for it himself. Most of the adults in his life are not going to give any help. In fact, he would have been sent upstate long ago had he not been chosen for the juvenile facility’s work-release program. Pulling him out for his “bad behavior” would only make the warden and others involved look bad. And Reese already knows that those around him will only tug them back down to their level. No one wants to see another escape when they themselves are still trapped. This story is about Reese finding that motivation to keep him alive and going.  Nothing comes easy for Reese, but isn’t that so true to life? And while Reese may not get the easy way out of jail, I think the life lessons were worth the extra struggle. I have hope that Reese’s life back in the real world will be a good one and that he’ll accomplish all that he sets his mind to.

Characters: I have to admit, I kind of felt sorry for Reese. Yes, he did something kind of stupid, but I’m not sure the action warranted the punishment he got. Basically, he was a scapegoat for someone doing crap way worse than him. Not only that, but then all the punishment he got for defending a friend seemed unfair, too. He didn’t start the fights, he was just trying to protect a weaker kid. But I guess a fight is a fight in prison no matter how/why you were involved. However, I felt that underneath it all he really was a good kid. The bad decisions he kept making were to help out people he cared about.

Romance: None in this book. But the poor boy is in jail and is trying to set his life back on track, so romance really is the last thing on his mind!

Writing: Myers is quite skilled in weaving a story together. It takes a special skill to tie in the parallels and life lessons without feeling preachy and still make the read enjoyable. I really had no complaints in this department. The pacing and style were well done and I never felt bored. I also want to mention how smooth the actual storytelling was. I can remember in Monster having a couple moments of confusion because of the style/flashbacks, but there was none of that in Lockdown. If you have teens who kind of liked Monster, but were thrown off by the style, I would give them Lockdown. Chances are they’ll like the straight-forward storytelling much better.

Librarian-Mode: This is definitely more of a boy book, but I think that girls can enjoy it just as well. If they’re fans of Myers’ books, especially Monster, they’ll love this one as well. This type of book isn’t my normal reading, but it kind of fits in with those nitty gritty true life books, so it go over well for fans of Ellen Hopkins and Paul Volponi.

Cort, a popular, cute jock, has everything but a job; something that he desperately needs. The normal hot spots are already overrun with kids and the outlook is pretty bleak. In fact, it’s so bad that the only job he can get is at Miss Chicha’s Nail Salon. Needing money, he puts aside his pride and learns how to do girl’s nails. At first, it seems as if his new job may slide beneath the school’s radar, but when some girls from school find out it’s all over. Soon, his days are booked with endless appointments and he’s quickly learning an important lesson: girls can be catty, gossips, and cruel. But there’s one girl, Rachel, that he still has hope for. She may be elusive, but she’s intelligent, beautiful, and Colt’s dream girl. The only problem is that he has to prove to her that there’s more to him than being a good looking jock. Can Colt win her over or will she always remain just out of his reach?

The Short of It: I kind of went into this one not expecting much and came out being pleasantly surprised. There are some general editing and narrative issue and some cliquish moments, but overall it was a solid read.

Plot: The plot is what really drew me to this book. I mean, c’mon, a boy working in a nail shop?! How could you not be interested in that? Of course, what I got was not exactly what I was expecting. I figured he may do the prep work or paint a few nails, but I NEVER imagine he would actually do the nails. But maybe that was because I knew you needed training to actually do nails. (Sorry tiny spoiler-but common sense right?) The miles of miles of girls that come to have their nails done after he’s discovered seems rather accurate at first glance. The only thing that nags me is do that many high school girls really get their nails done and would older women really care? Ok, maybe the cute guy has something to do with it, but it was stated several times that the clients only really ever wanted Cort. I can understand that if you’re a high school girl (cute, popular guy + doing nails + hand massages = girl heaven) but would the older women really care? I guess some may like to be fawn over by a cute guy, but if it were me I would totally just take whoever was available. I mean, really, are you seriously going to wait hours just to have some boy do your nails?  Other than that, the plot really rang true on the realistic front.

Characters: Colt and Rachel were both great characters. They both had they’re flaws, but overall they were enjoyable characters. Colt was your All-American boy; the popular jock with enough intelligence, kindness and charm to make everyone like him. I also liked that he was a hard-worker. He could have easily walked away from the nail gig at anytime, but he kept with it no matter how tiring it could be. I’m sure part of this had to do with the big tips, but he still took the time to learn how to do everything properly. The only thing I didn’t like about him is that he seemed to be a bit of a push-over. Perhaps this went with the nice-guy routine, but it felt like he was being taken advantage of/rolled over, especially when it came to Bree, Rachel, and Miss Chachi.

Rachel, on the other hand, was a bit harder to like. I did end up liking her, but it took much longer. There were times she was so aloof and a little snobbish that it drove me crazy. She kind of had this superior “I’m better than you” attitude for most of the book. Even worse, there was no justification to the attitude. I think Rachel was trying to be mysterious and hard to get, but it’s not how it really came off. However, once she opened up and stopped hiding herself she was a wonderful character. I really enjoyed her job and the easy repertoire and friendship she developed with the elderly.

Romance: I would have enjoyed the romance a lot more if it had been played out a bit differently. Rachel’s hard to get attitude really affected the relationship. What bothers me the most is that she really does like him. The first page talks about how he’s great eye-candy; the only problem is he’s a jock. An irrational hate that I really don’t understand. I know the stereotype is that all jocks are jerks, but Colt proved rather quickly that he wasn’t. And every time she let him near, she would push him away without any warning. It was one-step forward, two-steps back the whole way with her. If there had been a reason for her mistrust/aloofness I might have been okay with it, but I don’t think one bad experience with a crush when she was young was enough. I felt like there should have been a pile of them to make her that leery of guys.

Colt, however, was kind of cute. He was a little crazy for continuing to go after Rachel despite all her mixed signals, but it made him more likable. I have to give him kudos for going to the lengths to prove that he wasn’t some egotistical jock and that he really did like her. In fact, I’m a little surprised that he stayed around for all her head games, but I guess the chase makes the catch more valuable? Ok, so maybe he’s a little too good to believe as a high school boy, but I did enjoy the fact that he took note of what was important to her and tied them into his own. All in all, once Rachel opened up they really did make an adorable couple.

Writing: Ok, this is where my biggest complaint lies. There were some minor editing errors that I could overlook, but the switching point of views drove me batty. Without any warning, Laurens would change from Rachel to Colt or vice versa. And I’m not talking like one chapter Colt, one chapter Rachel, I’m talking in the middle of the scene. Like they could be sitting in class, Colt could think or say something and suddenly you’re in Rachel’s mind hearing what she thought. I will admit that it was nice to hear both of their thoughts, but Laurens needed to figure out a smoother way to do it. The instant switching was much too jarring for me and drew me out of the story way more than I would have liked.

Librarian-Mode: I would easily recommend this one to my realistic, romance lovers. Those who love a good cat-and-mouse game will eat this one up. If I’m picking read-a-likes I would most likely place this one with Sarah Dessen or Elizabeth Scott (ala Bloom/Perfect You). I will also be honest in that my library does not currently own this book, but I am going to look into order it. (Well, providing it has the new cover. Old cover is HORRIBLE and almost made me send it back!)

Charlie Healey, a freshman, believes that Harmony Falls will be her reboot to life. No longer subjected to the abuse of her “best friends,” she’s ready to hide her past away and become someone new. But on her very first day she’ll learn that you simply cannot outrun your past. Faced with a best friend turned hunk and a girl she terribly wronged, Charlie learns to blend the old with the new. She’ll need to learn to conquer old demons if she ever truly plans to achieve a new start. Amidst it all, Charlie will face many challenges such as jerky boys, a prank gone wrong, and learning what boundaries are okay to cross. Will Charlie shrink back into her shell or will she finally be brave enough to do the right thing?

The Short of It: Ah, so nice to have a book I really enjoyed. This was the first book I had read by Wiseman and wasn’t quite sure what to expect. What I got was a fun story about discovering who you are, correcting old wrongs, and standing up and doing what’s right. A story of friendship and life that’s worth checking out.

Plot: Ok, so I admit that the plot didn’t have a lot of originality. In fact, you may even say a lot of it was predictable, but something about it really pulled me in. Beyond the stereotypes, it is an honest story about a freshman getting a second chance as she figures out the truths to life. It’s about friendship and and learning to break out of one’s shell. Having been in Charlie’s shoes most of my life, I could easily relate to the storyline and it rang true to me. But don’t think that this book is all seriousness because there are still a lot of fun, crazy, and even drama filled moments. All around, I really do think it’s a fun plot (cliques and all)!

Characters: I think Charlie is a love her or hate her type character. Being where Charlie has been, I didn’t find her as annoying as I normally may have. I understand the power that some people can have over others, but I’m really not sure why Charlie allowed herself to be stomped on and belittled for so long. At first, I thought maybe it was just because she was weak, but I no longer think that’s the case. She obviously had enough courage to break tradition and tell someone of authority about the hazing issue. Something that had been going on for years, that no one else had really been willing to challenge and see that it changed. Not to mention the way she told off her former “best friends” during the dance. That kind of courage/strength doesn’t just appear because you’re going to a new school; I just don’t understand why she didn’t use it much, much sooner. Other than that, I really did like Charlie. She was a nerdy/smart girl, who although clueless at times, really did have a lot of substance to her.

Of course, I think her best friends, Sydney and Nidhi, really helped bring her to life. Both girls were smart and sassy and didn’t allow anyone to bulldoze over them. I kind of wish Wiseman would have fleshed them out more than she had though. For the most part, they were kind of stuck in the background (especially Nidhi) and never truly got to shine. I felt like there could have been so much more to them than being Charlie’s cheerleaders or filling the high school persona quota. It really is your classic case of secondary character who have so much potential that is never fully reached.

Romance: Without ruining anything here, I’m going to say that most of the romance is a read between-the-lines one. A lot of that high school drama of “oh he could never like me” type stuff. This is probably the area that felt the most cliquish to me. You’ve got the hunky jock who will inevitable like the sexy friend and then the boy who she grew up with who is just a “friend”. But while there is a lot of back-and-forth teasing and whatnot, nothing really happens until the last page. Like, literally, the last page. While there are couple of sweet moment here or there, don’t expect a heart-throb, sweep you off your feet romance.

Writing: Really no complaints whatsoever here. Wiseman really does weave a good story, even if it has all been done before. I was sucked into her world right away and never felt myself bored/not caring. The story flowed with ease and had me eager to see how it would turn out.

Librarian-Mode: I feel like I’ve been reading a lot and lot of chick-lit lately and have been giving the same recommendations over and over. Boys, Girls, and Other Hazardous Materials really is your typical high school drama full of peer pressure, friendship, and kicking away the norm. There are hundreds of books out there like that so I won’t go off naming them all. But if I were making a booklist I would easily throw this onto one with The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Real Real, and Little Black Lies.

In The Nanny Diaries we meet Nanny aka Nan. She’s a struggling NYU student who finds her life completely changed when she takes on a new nanny job;a position that is nothing like her previous ones. What is supposed to be a part-time job watching Grayer, the only son of the wealthy X family, soon takes over her life. Taking on outrageous and sometimes impossible tasks, Nan will be push beyond boundaries she never knew she had. Balancing her feelings for Grayer and the unhealthy decisions she’s put in, Nan finds herself in way too deep. Will she continue to allow herself to be a door-mat for the rich or will she find a way to break free of it all?

Twelve years later, Nan is back in Nanny Returns. No longer a nanny, Nan has married and is starting her own consultant company. After years of traveling from place to place, they find themselves settling back in New York. But if Nan thought her past wouldn’t come back to haunt her, she was wrong. After a late-night, drunken visit from Grayer, she finds herself sucked back into their life. Feeling guilty over abandoning Grayer when she was his nanny, she tries to right her wrongs. Can she help Grayer and his little brother, Stilton, make it through their parent’s divorce and bankruptcy? Or will she find herself in over her head once again?

Reason for Teen Connection/Teen Appeal: I have to admit this one has to do solely with the movie. Even though it’s a couple of years old, I can still see it being watched. Plus, I figured it might be a good chick-lit choice for the older readers who wanted an adult title.

Verdict: I’ve gone back and forth on what I thought about these books for about a week or so now. I do think that the movie would pull them in, but I’m not sure how well the books will fare. There were times I had a hard time relating to Nan. I didn’t understand the guilt or doubt that she allowed the Xes to bring to her life. Not to mention the amount of crap she put up with. There were several time in both books that I just wanted to slap some sense into her. Nan was obviously an amazing person, but it was sad to see her potential being smothered by others’ wants.

However, Nan does get herself into several crazy and humorous situations. Those who have been baby-sitters may relate better to Nan and even understand all the crazy rules/duties she has to put up. And really, the books are enjoyable, light chick-lit books. Those aspects enough will be enough to drawl in a good amount of teens.

Taking all things into account, I’m going to put The Nanny Diaries & Nanny Returns in a Medium-Teen-Interest range.

One year. That’s how long Colt and Julie secretly dated without anyone knowing. Not their family or best friends, and certainly not Julia’s boyfriend.  Even at school, Julia would go out of her way to ignore Colt; after all, she was a county-club goer and he was “white-trash”. But when they met on Friday nights down by the creek, none of that really mattered. They become teens who connected, and possibly loved, like they never had before. However, everything changes when Julia dies in a car accident. Not being allowed to mourn in public, Colt soon learns the price of secrecy. His only saving grace is a journal that Julia wrote during their relationship that ends up in his hands. It gives him the chance to relive the past as he mourns. The only question is what was he to Julia? Did she really love him or was he just a fling? And will the journal finally answer his lingering doubts or will it just add more?

The Short of It: I’m beginning to believe I’m one of those readers who is not the norm. After all the rave reviews, I expected to love this one. Instead, I found myself in neutral ground where I neither loved nor hated the book. The storyline was interesting, but it didn’t quite click with me. However, while not one of my favorites, it will still be one I’ll recommend.

Plot: I was certainly intrigued by the secret romance and Julia’s journal, but something about the plot felt short for me. I really can’t put my finger on it, but I never felt as if I was completely drawn into the world created. Maybe because I didn’t feel as if I knew enough about the before to truly care about the after. There were so many whispers of possibilities that could be that I was sad to never see fully see bloom.

Of course, perhaps the real reason I didn’t fall in love with this book is my own fault. Before chapter one had even ended the thought of “Oh, hey, this is like Twenty Boy Summer, but from the boy’s perspective” had entered my mind. I know, I know, I shouldn’t have, but I really couldn’t help it. The basic story of the secret love that dies kept pulling me there. I kept expecting so much more, but it just never appeared.

Characters: This is one of those instances where I cared about the secondary characters more than the main ones. Julia was too wishy-washy; one of those girls who could never make up her mind. She was a big-name around the school, but I don’t think anyone ever truly saw who she was. And I still haven’t decided if she was a master manipulator or someone who was too scared to publicly step out of her box. I’m leaning towards the latter, but the way she played with Colt’s emotions was maddening. I wish she would have just made up her mind instead of believing she could have the best of both worlds.

And Colt. I liked Colt, I really did, I just wanted to snap him out of it. I know he was grieving and what not, but the boy needed to let go. I feel like a jerk saying that, but he grieved almost as long as they were together.  He was obsessed with this girl that was never really his. And when he got the opportunity to have the real thing he blew it because he was still too wrapped up in a dead girl. I guess I just can’t understand having such deep feelings for someone who would only acknowledge you when there was no one around. If it were me, I would feel pretty worthless and I don’t think I would really want to continue to be in that situation.

However, I did like the secondary characters, especially Syd, Tom, and Kirby. I enjoyed when they made their way into the story and would have loved to see more of them. Perhaps because they were everything that Julia and Colt couldn’t be. They had their issues, but when it came down it they were afraid to let the truth be known or stand up for what they believed in. I was definitely cheering on Tom and Kirby as they stepped out and did what they thought was right, no matter what the consequences were.

Romance: I feel like I’ve basically stated how I feel about the romance issue. As far as Julia and Colt go, I never truly felt the depth of their love. There were hints about how their world felt different when they were alone, but it still felt like a sham to me. How can you spend a year hiding something and consider it to be real? There were hints of how Julia and Colt both loved each other, but if that were true, wouldn’t they have come out of the shadows much sooner? I know we’re supposed to believe that Julia was going to break-up with her boyfriend, but I’m not sure I believe she ever would. She was too comfortable with the perfect image in the light and the perfect fling in the dark. And while it was supposed to be something with no strings attached, I think we all know that never really works.

There were other hints of romances with Colt, especially with Kirby, but they never got the chance to fully develop. I was really rooting for these two, hoping that Kirby could break him out of the endless obsession that he had. And while I think she ultimately did help him, it was too little too late. I suppose that their relationship was a very realistic approach, but the happily-ever-after part of me had hoped for so much more.

Writing: I have absolutely no complaints here. Hubbard weaves a good story that will easily keeps the reader interested. I can’t remember anything that bothered me or pulled me out of the story. My neutral attitude really does have more to do with the characters than the actual writing. Yes, the characters weren’t really intriguing to me, but Hubbard delivered them well. I really did enjoy her style and look forward to picking up future works.

Librarian-Mode: This is going to do well with your realistic-loving crowd. The ones who don’t care about happy endings and want something real. I would easily recommend The Secret Year to those who enjoy books like Play Me, You Know Where to Find Me or Twenty Boy Summer.

Ok, now it’s your turn! Have you read The Secret Year? If so, what did you think?

Imagine that an MTV-like station wants to film a reality documentary in your high school. Would you prefer you be a star or just a face in the crowd? Jesse O’Rourke would love to fade into the background, but a $40,000 check for college tuition is hard to turn down. Now she finds herself living a life that is not her own; pretending to be rich and being best friends with girls she barely likes. The only bright spot is that her crush, Drew, has been chosen to be one of the cast members as well. This may finally be her chance to make him part of her life. However, the manipulations and scheming of the production team threaten to ruin that and much more. Will Jesse be able to regain control of her life or will it all go down in flames?

The Short of It: I have a confession, this book completely and utterly surprised me. I honestly didn’t think I would like it, but decided to give it a try for reader’s advisory sake. Don’t let the Gossip Girl-ish cover/description throw you off as it did me. This book is full of intelligent and realistic characters that are sure to win your heart.

Plot: I dare you to look at reality shows the same way after reading The Real Real. While I’ve never personally been in a reality show, the manipulation and “scripting” seems quite accurate. I love how Mclaughlin & Kraus show how an average, every day girl’s life can be turned upside down as she becomes a star in front of millions. How the life that the viewers see is nothing like the life she used to lead. How perfect dates could be cheeseburgers backstage while waiting to shoot the perfect-TV date. It makes you realize that the reality shows that most of us can get addicted to are nothing compared to the true reality we live everyday. No matter how many times you redo a scene it’ll never be as good as the real thing.

Characters: I simply adored Jesse. She really was your average, every day teen. Yes, she made mistakes. She let money get her into situations she never wanted to be in the first place. (But can you blame the girl? College money is hard to come by for most!) Yes, she even did some things she wouldn’t have never done without the help of alcohol and emotional distress. However, I feel like at the very core she never lost who she truly was. She dealt with the consequences to her actions the best she could, especially with millions now tracking your every move. I cheered as Jesse stood up for herself, but not sure I agree with the deal she struck. I only hope she learned her lesson from the first time around.

I also want to make a quick comment on the secondary characters. Mclaughlin & Kraus could have easily let the popular crowd be superficial, rich kids and let Jesse have all the spotlight. However, I’m very glad they didn’t. It was nice to have Jesse realize that these people who she thought had fairy-tale lives had problems of their own. From school & home pressure to parents who are hardly ever there/don’t care, the teens were painted in a way that anyone could relate to. There were even times where I felt amazed by their strength or pitied the situation they were in. Kudos to Mclaughlin & Kraus for going that extra step, making all the teens believable and relatable.

Romance: There is no easy romance for Jesse and Drew. Instead it is full of roadblocks, bumps, and lots of wrong turns. It would be easy to say the problems they faced were all due to the production team, but really a lot of it was due to them being human (especially teenage ones). However, when they work they really do work well. I found myself cheering them on and booing when something screwed up their blooming relationship. I would love to see where their relationship would lead. (sequel maybe?)

Writing: I can’t say that I had any real complaints here. And if I did, they were small enough that I’ve already forgotten them. Mclaughlin & Kraus do a good job at keeping the reader entertained and wanting to read more. I really liked how they decided the book into four sections: The Real, The Reels, The Real Reel, & The Real Real. It was a nice way to divide up Jesse’s life by what was happening.

Librarian-Mode: This is an easy one to throw into the chick-lit recommendations. Intelligent, sassy characters with lots of drama will reel in a variety of readers. The Real Real will easily appeal to those who like authors such as Dessen and Elkeles, but also has enough juiciness to pull in those who love Gossip Girls and The Clique as well.

And  guess what, I was given an extra copy to give to one of you!

So here are the rules, fill out the  Contest Form to be entered by Feb. 11th @ 11:59pm and must be in the US (International if you have someone to ship in US that’s fine,too).

You can earn extra entries for the following:

+1 for being/becoming a follower
+1 for blogging/putting on blog
+1 for posting on social network (Twitter – make sure to include @awaitinserenity, Goodread, etc)

Good Luck and don’t forget to fill out the Contest Form…no comment entries will be counted!