The TBR Back Burner Challenge: Round 12 Reviews

And now for the reviews of the final two books I read in 2011!

EvilEva reviews...... The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.

On a random Sunday night in New York City, Clary Fray and her friend Simon decide to hit the Pandemonium Club in an effort to beat boredom.
But Clary's night suddenly becomes anything but boring when she witnesses a murder. And finds out that the boy that was murdered was really a demon and the three teenagers who murdered him are Shadowhunters, a special group of warriors whose duty is to rid the world of his kind. Also shocking? It seems no one else is able to see them.
So obvs Clary's life is about to change big time. And it does. Her mother disappears and a demon attacks Clary in her own home. Then Clary is surprised to find one of the Shadowhunters, golden-haired pretty boy Jace, has come to her rescue. He whisks her off to the Institute to keep her safe and informs her that her mother might be in serious trouble. Like demon/warlock serious trouble. Oh and also that Clary herself may be a Shadowhunter.
So with this new, crazy information Clary begins her harrowing journey to find her mother and to find out the truth of who she really is.

I don't really know how to write this review. I wanted to like this book. I mean, I liked it but I wasn't exactly swept up into the Shadowhunter world like Stephenie Meyer evidently was based on her front cover blurb.  
And while I am curious to see what happens next, I'm not exactly clamoring to go out and buy City of Ashes right this very minute.
Truthfully I wasn't all that impressed with Clary as a heroine. There was something very Bella-esque about her in that she was constantly getting pushed to the side so that the menfolk could defend her honor and keep her safe. I mean, get some ovaries and go kick some ass, lady.
My problem wasn't solely with Clary though. Oh no. It was mainly with Jace. I felt NO swoon for him. He did absolutely NOTHING for my lady parts. I found him to be arrogant, condescending, cocky and rude. I understand that he's the Bad Boy and every girl loves a Bad Boy but I honestly don't. I don't care how many times you refer to his golden locks or his rock hard body. I will always wanna punch him in the throat.
I would much rather have Simon. Or maybe Luke. They were my favorites and I couldn't help but wish they were in the story more.
As for the story, I really should have liked the hell out of it. I mean, it's basically all about monster hunting. As is my favorite show, Supernatural. So this should have been a total slam dunk. But Clary and Jace are no Sam and Dean. And I never fully connected with either character.
That being said, there were a few good twists that I didn't see coming. However I feel like I didn't really get a chance to enjoy them because I first had to slog through 40 pages of filler that really had little to do with the book on the whole. Like Simon being turned into a rat and being stolen by the vampires. Other than introducing the werewolves who would play into the story later on, I really didn't see what that scene added to the story.
Running up against those filler scenes was frustrating. It's like my brain could tell when one was coming up and so it would kinda shut down so it took me longer to read through because I was busy trying to determine what this had to do with anything.
I don't know. I was really bummed that I didn't like this book more. I know a lot of people that do so I'm wondering if there are any other weirdos out there like me that couldn't really get into it.

The Scale of Judgment says...... 3.

EvilEva reviews...... The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart.

When Reynie Muldoon, an orphan from the Stonetown Orphanage, sees and advertisement in the local newspaper proclaiming:
"ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD LOOKING FOR SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES?"
he's very interested at the prospect of putting his smarts to the test.
But they are very odd tests with very odd questions, which makes Reynie very nervous.
In the end, however, Reynie and three other children (Sticky, Kate and Constance) pass and are escorted to the home of the strange Mr. Benedict.
Mr. Benedict has a special task for the four children to complete. They are to become spies. They'll be sent to an island that houses a mysterious school called the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened.
Once there, they are to assume the role of regular students while secretly spying on the founder of the Institute, the disturbingly familiar Mr. Curtain.
Their mission is to take what they've learned from Mr. Benedict, use their specific gifts and work together to take down Mr. Curtain and his diabolical plot to control the world.
But Reynie and his new friends are just children and Mr. Curtain is an evil genius.
Do they have what it takes to complete their mission?

This is really fun kid-lit. The characters are very likable. There are adventures a go-go. Plus there are puzzles and mind benders and even a quiz at the end of the book so that you can see if you've got what it takes to be a part of The Mysterious Benedict Society.
I read reviews where people drew parallels between this book and those of Roald Dahl and Lemony Snicket. I get those comparisons. The Mysterious Benedict Society is made up of four kids that are whip-smart and that need to use their unique brands of brilliance in order to outsmart the smarmy adults. They are also four kids that seem misplaced which is what brings them to the testing facility to begin with. They're looking for these "special opportunities" but they're also looking for a place where they belong.
The story is told primarily from Reynie's point of view. Reynie is an orphan with no real friends except for his tutor, Miss Perumal who encourages him to pursue the opportunities advertised in the paper. Reynie is smart but he truly excels at puzzles and brain teasers.
The day of the final test, Reynie meets Sticky (aka George) Washington. Sticky is a shy runaway that seems to have a photographic memory. He's very book smart and retains everything he reads. Unfortunately he's not very brave. But that's ok because on that day the boys also meet Kate Wetherall (aka The Great Kate Weather Machine) (also aka my personal favorite Society member) who is brave enough for all of them. She has a red bucket which she carries everywhere with her and which contains all of her special things. Kate is super resourceful and uses her special bucket things like a 12 year old girl version of Macgyver. She's always up for an adventure and she's very strong, qualities she no doubt cultivated when she RAN AWAY TO JOIN THE CIRCUS!!!
Lastly but not leastly, the children meet the final member of The Mysterious Benedict Society, Constance Contraire who is quite contrary. Constance is a short little thing with a short little fuse. She's fussy and stubborn and not at all agreeable. Reynie, Sticky and Kate often wonder throughout the book how Constance passed Mr. Benedict's tests as she doesn't seem particularly clever, resourceful or brave. But Constance proves to be as valuable a member of the society as any of the children. 
So Reynie, Sticky, Kate and Constance make up The Mysterious Benedict Society and it's up to them to stop the evil Mr. Curtain from succeeding in his dastardly plot to brainwash the world into submission.
Like I said before, this is fun kid-lit. If you're an adult, it brings you to that Goonies state of mind. Where kids can have fantastical adventures and outsmart the bad guys and inevitably save the day. If you're an actual kid, I imagine it's even better. :)

P.S. At the end of the book there's a letter from Mr. Benedict encouraging the reader to figure out his first name. If you wanna figure out the mystery yourself then by all means skip this part cos I'm about to amaze the fudge out of ya!

For the answer you'll have to check out the back of the book. Underneath the synopsis you'll notice a series of dots and dashes. This is Mr. Benedict's super-secret-unless-you-know-morse-code-which-I-of-course-do-because-i'm-a-girl-sleuth :) first name. It reads: 

-.  ..  -.-.  ....  ---  .-..  .-  ...   

AKA* 

The Scale of Judgment says...... 3 and a half.





*Nicholas!

The TBR Back Burner Challenge: Round 11 Reviews

I've gotten somewhat behind in the many series that I'm involved in. So this month will be dedicated to catching up with the girls from Private and The Lying Game.

Warning!

These reviews are of books that are in a series!

Spoilers ahead!

If you haven't read the first books, you may want to stop here!

EvilEva reviews...... The Lying Game: Never Have I Ever by Sara Shepard.

 
The games are back. And the stakes are higher than ever. 
Someone murdered Sutton Mercer, and it's up to her long-lost twin sister, Emma to figure out who. But the deeper Emma digs the more suspects she uncovers. And the more danger she finds herself in. 
Because Sutton's killer is still out there and whoever it is knows Emma's little secret. Now Emma must play along or she could be next.

It's been awhile since I read the first book in The Lying Game series so I admit that my memory of Emma, Sutton and Co. is a little hazy. Made hazier still by the fact that I watched the TV series which is nothing like the book. So when starting Never Have I Ever I was very confused because I didn't know if I was remembering what happened in the book or what happened in the show.
So my advice to you would be to skip the show because a) it's not very good and 2) it'll fuck with your memory of the book.
Speaking of the book, let's, well, speak of the book.
Never Have I Ever continues the mystery of who offed Sutton Mercer. Emma, Sutton's long-lost sister, is forced to be Sutton, to pretend that Sutton is still alive and well. But Emma's also trying to piece together who her sister was so that she can figure out what happened to her and who would want her dead.
Unfortch for Emma, it seems that Sutton's amassed a large following of haters, some of which are her own friends. So the suspect list is a very long one.
Luckily Emma has Ethan, the only person in Tucson that knows her true identity.
Emma and Ethan get their Nancy Drew on and while they clear some names, they're still no closer to any resolution. Sutton did a lot of shitty things. She pissed off a lot of people. But who was angry enough to kill her and blackmail her sister? We still don't know.
But there are a few reveals this time around.
We find out the cause of the Twitter Twins beef with Sutton. We get a few flashbacks to Sutton's past. We discover Madeline's dark secret. And we have new suspects that weren't even considered before.
Plus the swoony times between Emma and Ethan are upped for our reading pleasure. Never has a game of Marco Polo been rife with such sexual tension!
The mystery is unraveling slowly but steadily. The Lying Game seems to be going the way of its older sister, Pretty Little Liars. Meaning if you want a problem-solved-by-the-final-page book you're barking up the wrong tree with this series. But if you're like me and don't mind the twists and turns and cliffhangers being spread out through several books, then I would advise that you catch up with The Lying Game. Cos nobody does a fun, soapy, drama-filled whodunit quite like Sara Shepard!

The Scale of Judgment says...... 4.

EvilEva reviews...... Private: Vengeance by Kate Brian.

A lot has happened to Reed Brennan in the past two years. But this year she'd like to put the past behind her. Reed wants to enjoy the present and look forward to the future.
Because life is short. So Reed is ready to do something big.
She wants to rebuild Billings!
She has the money and draws up the plans and soon enough Billings is on its way to being restored to its former glory. 
But someone wants to stop the process of revamping Billings---permanently. And they'll go to dangerous lengths to make sure Reed doesn't get what she wants.

This is the final book in the Private series. And while I'm sad to see it go, I do think it's time. There are only so many times that a person can narrowly escape murder by various individuals before it gets a little ridick. 
That being said, surprise surprise, someone's trying to kill Reed- AGAIN! This is book 14 and I'm surprised that Reed still has any friends at this point. I think I'd be like "no offense, girl, you're great and all but I'd kinda like to make it to senior year so... see ya." And then you'd see a me-shaped hole in her dormroom door.
Anyway, Reed is still public enemy number one for Eatson's resident psychotics. She's still super obsessed with Billings. And she's a little emotional because most of her friends, including that hot toddy Josh, will be graduating this year. But mostly she's just obsessed with Billings. This is something that's always bugged me about Reed. Her lack of interest for anything not Billings related. 
I mean, it's like she would choose this inanimate nothing over everything else in her life. To me it seems like she prefers the idea of this legendary sisterhood over the actual sisters of said sisterhood. 
Because really Reed hardly ever hangs out with any of the girls. She's always off doing some sort of Billings bullshit. It makes me think that even after Reed graduates she'll never leave Billings. She'll be the Mrs. Rochester of Easton.
So that can be frustrating to read. Especially when you know that Reed's super fine boyfriend, Josh is being left unattended and uncared for. If it were me I'd say fuck Billings and I'd go rock Josh's world in the Art Cemetery. But that's just me. 
Anyway, as a final book, Vengeance, took the Private series out with a "meh." It could've been better. There were a few parts that seemed rushed and some parts that just seemed thrown in.
I hate saying that because I really liked this series. The first books, I was so totes all in. 
Then there was that stranded on a deserted island thing. And that whole "hey we're descended from witches" thing. And after awhile I just got tired of jumping that shark, knowwhati'msayin'? 
So I was a little disappointed that this is how it all ends. I wish the series could've gone out with a bang. But--- meh. 

The Scale of Judgment says...... 3.

The TBR Back Burner Challenge Round 10 Reviews

This month I decided to read the two books from my TBR pile that seem to be constantly mocking the ever-loving shizz outta me. That would be Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins and The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness.
It seems to me like all other book bloggers (and perhaps every other person on the face of the planet) have read and hyped up these books. So now I'll FINALLY know what the big friggin deal is! Hooray!

EvilEva reviews...... Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. 

Anna Oliphant is perfectly content living in Atlanta, attending Clairemont High with her bestie Bridge, and crushing on her hottie coworker Toph.
But for Anna's senior year her Nicholas Sparks-esque father decides to uproot her from everything she knows and loves and ship her off to a boarding school in Paris. Not that Paris isn't awesome. It's just not home.
Anna doesn't know anyone, she certainly doesn't know her way around and she barely even speaks the language! So senior year could possibly be super disastrous.
But thanks to the kindness of Anna's dorm neighbor, Meredith, she's welcomed into a little group of friends. Which includes the very handsome Etienne St. Clair.
St. Clair is sweet, confident, funny, charming, gorgeous and he has an accent! And a girlfriend. Not a problem. Anna's fine with simply being St. Clair's best friend. Until she starts having Feelings that suggest she'd really like to be Something More.
What's an unsupervised lovestruck girl in Paris to do?

Holy friggin sexy swoon, Batman! This book is like falling in love for the first time. Not a crush. Not lust. Full-on knee-weakening, palm-sweating, pit-in-the-stomach L-O-V-E! Stephanie Perkins knows what she's doing, y'all!
Now I know why this book has been hyped so much. Cos it totally deserves to be! See, this book has turned me into a gushy schoolgirl. Ok, focus! You have a review to write.
So. Anna is the main character of this tale, obvs. And we love her. She's not "traditionally" beautiful. She's real, she has flaws which, as a person with flaws my damn self, I really appreciated. Plus, girlfriend's got a personality! And interests! She's gaga for movies. In fact, going to the theaters is what pushes Anna out of her dorm room-size comfort zone and inspires her to check out other things that Paris has to offer. I would totally be the same way. Scared of getting lost in a strange city where you don't speak the language. But I know eventually my need for reading material would kick my ass outta my room.
Now onto the sexy business! At the beginning of the book, Anna's really attracted to St. Clair. But then she finds out he's got a girlfriend, so Anna slips into The Friend Zone cos she'd rather be friends with him than nothing at all.
But the more they hang out together, the swoonier things get. And I think that shows what an amazing writer Stephanie Perkins is because there was really very little physical hanky-panky going on in this book. It's all about the stolen glances and accidentally grazing hands and almost kisses. It's all very swoontastic!
Plus the backdrop is Paris so you automatically have to multiply that swoon by 10 in order to properly gage the swoonitude of Anna and the French Kiss.
So sexytimes are important but so is friendship. And Anna is lucky enough to acquire some really great friends. Meredith is the first to befriend Anna. Mer is super sweet, sporty and smart. (She's also got a thang for St. Clair so there's even more drama in this already thick drama stew.)
Then there's Rashmi and Josh, the couple that fight hard and love harder.
And, of course, St. Clair, who I've prattled on about enough already.
I really liked the group dynamic. And as much as I enjoyed the St. Clair swooniness, I wouldn't have minded if the whole group was together more.
We're also introduced to Anna's BFF in Atlanta, Bridge and her BSC (Before St. Clair) crush, Toph. And even more boy drama ensues there!
Plus we get to watch Anna discover the city and herself as she tries to figure out what she wants and who she wants to be.
All in all, Anna and the French Kiss is a really sweet story that you'll totally fall in love with! Or as the French would say *le sigh*

The Scale of Judgment says...... 5!

 

EvilEva reviews...... The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness.

Todd Hewitt and his trusty dog, Manchee, live in Prentisstown, a strange settlement of New World where men can hear the thoughts of every other man (and animal) in an endless stream of unbearable Noise.
One month shy of becoming a man himself, Todd heads to the swamp on a quest for apples and finds something else entirely. He finds complete silence. And in Prentisstown, silence is dangerous.
Especially when it's in the form of a young girl. Because there have been no women in Prentisstown for years.
So when Mayor Prentiss finds out about Todd's discovery, he begins to form an army, intent on hunting down Todd, his dog and the girl. 
It's up to this small band of unlikely heroes to head for the rumored big city settlement of Haven to warn them and try to prevent another war.

As y'all might know I've gone a little dystopia crazy as of late but I kinda can't help it because all the ones that I've read have been so good. The Knife of Never Letting Go is no different.
It's told from the point of view of Todd, a 12 year old (maybe 14 depending on what calendar you use) who's unhappily happy living in this little town solely inhabited by men whose thoughts he can hear 24/7 with his dog, Manchee, and his guardians Ben and Cillian. Todd has lived in Prentisstown nearly 13 years, minding his own business as best he can and then suddenly one day his whole world is upended. Todd finds a girl and silence, both of which are completely foreign to him. Soon after Todd also finds out that his whole life has pretty much been a big fat lie. It seems even through all the Noise, secrets can still be kept in Prentisstown. Things become unsafe for Todd. The mayor has started an army and as if that isn't bad enough there's also a loony preacher that's out to get him too. So Todd's given a rucksack of things he'll need like a journal written by his mother, food, clothes, a map and a knife and told to make his way to another settlement, one that Todd didn't even know existed.
He takes along his awesome dog, Manchee, who totally reminded me of Dug from Up! and the girl who he learns is named Viola. And together this little band of misfits head out to find help and hopefully answers. 
I can't really tell you too much more because anything else would be spoilery.
I will tell you this though, the first few chapters are a little slow because it's mostly Todd semi-explaining the world around him without giving concrete information like what the heck a spack is and why he's referred to as a "Whirler boy" by some of the local animals.
But the story started to pick up around the fourth chapter and it was fun tagging along on this journey with Todd, Viola and Manchee. I mean, as fun as running for your lives can be. This story is pretty intense. And the kids are younger, so if you're looking for the swoon you found in The Hunger Games and Delirium, you're barking up the wrong tree. The Knife of Never Letting Go is about survival and what it takes to really, truly be brave. And Holy balls with that ending!
If you like your dystopia on the heavy side, with more running and less smooching, then this is the book for you.

The Scale of Judgment says...... 4.

So yay! I FINALLY read these majorly blog-hyped books! Now I know why they were so majorly hyped! If you're still wondering, I would suggest you go ahead and read them so that you too can be in the loop! :)

EvilEva Reviews... Moby Clique

Last month I reviewed the first two books of the Bard Academy trilogy for my TBR challenge. Here's my review of the final book, Moby Clique.

Warning!

This is the third book in the series so this review may contain spoilers!

EvilEva reviews...... Moby Clique by Cara Lockwood. 

Miranda Tate is actually looking forward to starting her junior year at Bard Academy, a reform school that doubles as purgatory for famous dead authors. Her sunny outlook changes however when her sister Lindsay wrecks their dad's car, an offense that lands her at Bard as well.
And of course, Lindsay wants to be in the clique of Parker Rodham, resident mean girl and Miranda's nemesis. With Lindsay being a total Parker kiss-ass, a teacher brown-noser, and president of the Ryan Kent (ahem, Miranda's ex) fan club, Miranda is so over her sister's foray into badness.
Then Lindsay disappears. Miranda suspects Lindsay may have been tricked by Parker into finding a hidden cove that may contain a long lost treasure. But Lindsay doesn't know the dangers of the woods or the secrets that they hide. She could be in serious trouble. So, once again, it's up to Miranda and her friends to save the day.

Y'all know that I love Cara Lockwood. Her chick-lit totally rocks my socks. But this Bard Academy, I just don't know. I liked the first two books ok but Moby Clique, well, it seemed kinda sloppy. There are pirates and kidnapped students and mention of a buried treasure and yet none of this has anything to do with the plot of this book. It was just kinda stated and then pushed aside.
I mentioned in my previous post that this series is too crammed full with stuff. A case of too many cooks in the kitchen.
Well this one actually didn't involve nearly the crazy shizz as the last two books but for me it still didn't work. Even with less chaos the story didn't flow well.
I found Miranda to be kind of annoying this time around. Her relationship with Heathcliff bugged the fuck out of me. I haven't really been a fan of Heathcliff's from the beginning but I found him even less swoonworthy here. Miranda seemed so cliched in this one. She would fall or slip or lose her grip and things would seem dire and then Heathcliff would swoop in (sometimes seemingly out of nowhere) and rescue her with his super strong, muscle-y arms. And yes, ladies, I know this can be swoon city sometimes. But when it happens like 20 times during 294 pages, well it's so not swoony anymore. I mean, a book ago our gal was facing down Dracula and a pyromaniac and now she can't even walk through a fucking forest without Heathcliff holding her hand?!?! WTF!?!?
Umm, sorry for that little rant.
Anyhoo, pretty much the only saving grace for this book was the badassness that is Blade. She's my total fave. She kicks ass, she takes names, she takes shit from no one, she's her own person and that person is awesome!
We did finally get to hear the real story behind Ryan's mysteriously dead girlfriend but the explanation was so ridick that I don't even wanna talk about it.
Plus, for the faculty to be comprised of FUCKING GHOSTS who can walk through walls and disappear from one area only to appear in another, they were particularly useless in this "adventure."
So. I really wanted to like this series but, well, now I'm thinking I should just stick with Cara's chick-lit.

The Scale of Judgment says...... 2 and a half.

The TBR Back Burner Challenge: Round 9 Reviews

Since it's September and thus the start of a new school year I thought I'd kick it off with a series about a boarding school! Truth be told, I loves me a good boarding school story. I would probably feel a lot differently if I actually had to attend a boarding school but alas I was "poor" growing up and so I was shipped off to public school which isn't nearly as glamorous as I imagine boarding school to be. But we did have awesome foot-long hot dogs every few weeks! Do boarding schools have foot-long hot dogs? I like to think they don't. So yay public school for your long ass hot dogs! Anyway, here are my reviews for Cara Lockwood's Bard Academy series.   

EvilEva reviews...... Wuthering High by Cara Lockwood.

 
After crashing her dad's car and stealing her stepmom's credit cards, Miranda Tate is shipped off to Bard Academy, a boarding school for unruly teenagers.
Miranda so does not belong with these freaks, goths and other assorted delinquents. But she tries to make the best of it, you know, since she has no other choice.
But there's something very off about Bard.
There's a strange boy named Heathcliff who thinks he hails from Wuthering Heights and is semi-stalking Miranda, an occult-crazed roommate who swears a vampire is on the loose, a ghost story about a girl that disappeared in the woods that might actually be true, a group of very suspicious teachers, a crazy woman that starts fires, AND Miranda's crush from her old high school!
So yeah, something is definitely off. And even stranger, Miranda seems to be at the center of the off-ness which could put her in grave danger. But what's the connection between Miranda and this bizarre boarding school? And can she figure it out before it's too late?

This book is extremely crazyballs. There's just so much going on.
There's, of course, Miranda and her trials and tribulations, trying to survive in this new place in which she feels doesn't belong.
Add to that a nutty roommate, an oddball creepster, weird teachers, an arsonist, a ghost, a hot crush, daddy issues and dish duty and you get a whole lotta subplots. Maybe too many, especially considering there are two other Bard Academy books. 
As a main character, Miranda is semi-spoiled but she's not so bratty that it makes her unreadable or unlikable. She's got a snappy Juno-esque quality about her. And she has a few witty one-liners that made me laugh.
She also unconsciously forms her own Scooby gang courtesy of friends Hana, Samir and Blade. I liked their crew and wouldn't mind getting mixed up in a caper with them. Miranda's also lucky-ducky enough to have two guys vying for her attention. There's Ryan Kent, her crush from her previous high school who's got a secret of his own (mysteriously dead girlfriend, anyone?) And then there's Heathcliff, the strong silent type that always seems to be saving Miranda in one way or another. Oh and he might also be a fictional character come to life.
Bwhaaaaaaa?!?! Yeah, the premise of this book is kinda cray cray. And it's not what we're used to from Cara Lockwood but it's not complete suckage. It's a fun, light read that might just spur you to get interested in the classics.
My only complaint would be the last few chapters. It was like there were so many storylines and the author was trying to wrap all of them up at once. It felt kinda rushed to me. But, other than that, a fun, light read.
Now on to the next!

The Scale of Judgment says...... 3.

WARNING!

This is the second book in the series so this review may contain a few spoilers.

EvilEva reviews...... The Scarlet Letterman by Cara Lockwood.

Miranda & Co. are back for a second semester at Bard Academy, a boarding school for delinquents run by the ghosts of famous authors.
But if Miranda thought it was just gonna be sexytimes with her new boyfriend, the Ryan Kent, and fun with her besties, well, she's got another think coming.
Two teachers have mysteriously disappeared and Miranda's the main suspect! Now she's being shunned by the whole school and even worse, forced to wear a hideous red sweater vest of shame!
Can she prove her innocence, unmask the Hooded Sweatshirt Stalker, fight off A TIGER, find out if Heathcliff is still hanging around and keep Parker Rodham from stealing her boyfriend?
It's just another normal day at Bard Academy.

Mysteries abound yet again at Bard and Miranda and her friends seem to be the only ones who can solve them.
Coach H and Ms. W have vanished (Wait. Didn't they "vanish" in the last book too? Yes. Apparently out of the entire staff of Bard Academy, Coach H and Ms. W are the only ones that are kidnap-worthy.) Miranda becomes the prime suspect for, if you ask me, very stupid reasons.
Anyhoosies, much like the books semi-namesake, Miranda gets Hester Prynned. She has to wear a fugly red vest, she can't talk to anyone and no one is supposed to talk to her. But this shows the awesomeness that is Blade and Hana because they find a clever way to communicate with Miranda that is so very Nancy Drew. Their characters got more face time in this book and I'm glad because I needed them to balance out Miranda's wishy-washiness in the great debate of Ryan vs. Heathcliff. I mean, one is a basketball star and the other is a FICTIONAL CHARACTER, for Vaughn's sake! The answer should be fairly clear. Not that I myself don't loves me some fictional boys but I wouldn't pick them over a living, breathing, very much into me hot tottie. I may be nerdy but I ain't that nerdy. So Miranda kinda got on my nerves with that bullshizz.
The Scarlet Letterman is packed with just as much crazy business as Wuthering High. Again, maybe a little too much crazy.
There's the missing teachers, a campus shover, The Scarlet Vest Of Shame, boyfriend troubles, a shunning, Heathcliff, magical drawings and a motherfucking tiger!
So a lot going on.
These books aren't bad, they're just not up to snuff. And I'm a big fan of Cara Lockwood so I know her snuff is better than this.

The Scale of Judgment says...... 3.

Since the TBR Challenge is two books per month, I'll be reviewing the third and final book in the Bard series separately. So check back for my review of Moby Clique: coming soon.

The TBR Back Burner Challenge: Round 8 Reviews

I've heard so many wonderful things about both of Lauren Oliver's books and they both just happen to be mocking me from my TBR pile so I decided that now would be the perfect time to buckle down and read them. So this month I'll be taking on Before I Fall and Delirium. Join me, won't you? 

EvilEva reviews...... Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver.

 
Sam Kingston's life is pretty golden. She has a tight knit group of friends, a hot boyfriend and she's popular! But one night one small moment changes everything. There's an accident and Sam is thrown into a sort of limbo. She has to relive the same day, her last, over and over. Has Sam been given a second chance to right her wrongs? If she can figure out how to repair the things she's done can she change her future? Or is Sam destined to live in a loop, stuck in that fateful February day forever?  

Truthfully, I didn't know if I was going to like this book. In the beginning Sam and her friends are the popular, mean girls that rule the school and have something snarky to say about everyone that isn't in their little clique. It was actually kinda hard to like Sam at first. But as the story progresses so does Sam. 
She starts to see that the people she thought were losers/sluts/freaks actually aren't that bad. In fact, they're pretty great. 
And she realizes that some of the people she's chosen to surround herself with aren't really as awesome as she originally thought. 
I liked learning these different characteristics of the various people in Sam's life right along with her. So I liked that she relives each day differently. Everyday she wakes up, she's frustrated or angry or euphoric or resigned to her Groundhog's Day-like fate. Some days she really wants to change and others she just says Fuck It. 
I thought that made the book really interesting, seeing which path Sam would choose. Would she have nice moments with her family or would she argue with them? Would she break up with her boyfriend or spend first period making out with him in the parking lot? Would she tell Lindsay to stop making fun of people or would she laugh right along with her? Would she finally see what an awesome sauce catch Kent is or would she continue ignoring him? 
There were so many possibilities and so many ways the story could (and did) go. And I think Lauren Oliver handled each really well. I enjoyed her writing style (and thus can't wait to begin Delirium!) 
And even though the chapters and the book were long it never felt that way. It all added up to a really great, interesting book. 

The Scale of Judgment says...... 4 and a half.

EvilEva reviews...... Delirium by Lauren Oliver. 

Love is a disease. Now known as amor deliria nervosa, love has been outlawed.
Lena can't wait for the day she turns 18 and is able to be cured. She fears she'll end up like her mother, infected with the sickness and willing to give up everything for it. Lena is certain the cure is just the thing she needs to save her own life. 
And then she meets Alex. 
And she starts to have feelings that scare her, feelings that go against everything she's been taught.
Lena is falling in love.
And now that she realizes love isn't a sickness, it isn't something to be feared, there's no way she can go back to her normal life with her neatly mapped out future. 
Lena has to find a way to be with Alex. She has to find a way to make it over the fence that encloses the city, and into the Wilds where she and Alex can be together, free of any rules. 
But the regulators are always watching.
And anyone caught showing signs of being infected are sent away to the Crypts, locked up for the rest of their lives. 
Or worse--- immediately put to death. 
But love is worth the risk. And Lena has to try.

I got the deliria...... for this book! Oh my God, y'all! I LOVED it! Go out right now and Buy This Book! And then when you get back from your Delirium-gettin' boot up the ol' computer and preorder Pandemonium cos you're gonna wanna know what happens next. I do! I just finished reading Delirium and already wanna read it again. It is sooooo good! I don't even know if I'll be able to pull off a decent review because of my overabundance of fangirling right now. 
Alright, calm down, girl and explain to the nice people out there why this book is so fanfuckingtastic.
Ok, so it's a dystopian setting but it's not so dystopian that people have crazypants names and are on the verge of quite possibly having to eat each other for dinner. In Lauren Oliver's future craphole cars and electricity are luxuries. There are labs where you go when you turn 18 to be cured of that pesky little thing called love. Everything in your life is dictated to you. Your college, your major, your job, your mate, where you'll live and even how many children you should have. Love is completely forbidden. You can't so much as hold hands with someone unless you wanna be hauled off to the Crypts. You are taught that love is bad for you.
The whole premise is so interesting to me because when you begin the story you think (or at least I did) that this is just gonna be about sexytimes love and how these crazy kids can't live without it. But the author delves into the concept even deeper, what it's like for a parent to have a child and feel not love but indifference toward them, not to hold them when they fall or when they're scared or when they cry. So it leaves you feeling like the adults are kinda Stepford-y. Everything is either black or white, there is no gray area. There's wrong and there's right. The cure is right and falling in love is very wrong.
And this is how Lena feels or rather how Lena is taught to feel. Then she meets sexypants Alex and her whole world, everything she knew and all of her beliefs are shaken to their core. This is what makes Lena such a great character. She's conflicted by her sudden and unexpected love for Alex and also by her duties to her family. 
And speaking of Alex, he is so super swoontastic! I wanted to jump the fence into the Wilds with him too! He definitely gets Book Boyfriend status on this blog!  
Even the secondary characters were great and memorable. I loved Hana, Lena's bestie. She was totally there for Lena and aided in her rule-breaking.
And even though she wasn't in the book that much, I LOVED me some Gracie! Lauren Oliver made her seem so sweet and fragile and I just wanted to snuggle her up and keep her in my pocket. 
Delirium, much like love itself is a roller coaster ride of emotions. It's so epic and wonderful and tragic and amazing and I can't say enough good things about it. Y'all, for serious, Get This Book. You won't regret it. 

The Scale of Judgment says...... 5!      

The TBR Back Burner Challenge: Round 7 Reviews

So, we are right in the thick of summer now and being such I think it's time that I bust out the summer reads. So here are the reviews for two beachy, summery, road trippy books that have been sitting patiently in my TBR pile waiting for hotter weather to lure me to their summery goodness.

EvilEva reviews...... The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han.

 
Belly measures her life in summers. Every year she leaves town with her mother and older brother, Steven and travels to the sandy shores of Cousins Beach. There they meet up with her mother's best friend, Susannah and her two sons, Conrad and Jeremiah in the beach house they've owned for as long as Belly can remember.
This year Belly looks forward to sunning, swimming and swooning over Conrad. But Conrad is acting all aloof and soon Belly finds a new guy named Cam to help her forget about Con and his crumby attitude. But even though she likes Cam she can't stop thinking about Conrad.  And now Jeremiah seems like he might be interested in Belly as more than just a friend too.
It's all so teen-angsty confusing! Seems like "turning pretty" might not be all it's cracked up to be.

I really wanted to like this one because it was recommended to me be the fantabulous ladies over at YA Crush (it's a great book blog run by two hilarious Michael Moscovitz lovers! Check it out.) but I just couldn't get into it.
I didn't really care for Belly's voice. I found her to be whiny, selfish and a bit on the conceited side. Which I guess is kinda par for the teenage girl course but still. I felt like she never really redeemed herself for having such suckish qualities. There was a lot of talk about this being "the year she turned pretty," the year people (boys mostly) finally started noticing her, a time when she should start to grow up and mature slightly faster than her boobs have. But she doesn't. She remains semi-annoying Belly throughout the entire book (even after she learns something pretty devastating about Susannah.)
Something else I found a bit disappointing was the lack of swoon. With THREE boys to choose from, there should have been swoon aplenty. There should have been panty-melting, heart-a-twittering, knee-weakening, butterfly-inducing swoon. But I didn't feel it. Conrad was a douchebag. He ignored Belly most of the time and when he wasn't ignoring her he was being kinda assy to her. And yet Belly was tee totes in love with him forevs, even while dating Cam.
Cam seemed like a nice enough guy except he let Belly walk all over him and was kind of a pussy when it came to her. But maybe that's just because he knew she wasn't really that into him and he was trying his hardest, by giving in to her every whim, to get her to like him. 
Then there was Jeremiah. He was my fave of the three guys. To me though, their relationship gave off a "in the friend zone" vibe and it seemed like Jeremiah didn't really mind that until the end of the book when all of a sudden he too is in love with Belly. 
But really, Cam and Jeremiah didn't even matter cos Belly only had eyes for Conrad. For some reason. 
On the Rate-A-Date-O-Meter, if there is such a thing, I'd give Belly and Conrad a Carrie and Mr. Big. That's what I was reminded of the whole time I was reading this book. Because, much like Carrie with Big, Belly is obsessed with Conrad. She thinks about him even though she's with another guy (a nice guy who is completely moony over her and actually treats her well.) She'll drop everything and everyone just so she can spend one moment with him (even if he spends that moment ignoring her.) It's like he's her life force. Without Conrad there is no Belly. Which is pretty sad. 
So this just wasn't the book for me. It didn't have any particularly funny parts or any sexytimes. The chapters alternate between present Belly and past Belly. And, sadly enough, there's not much of a difference between the two.

The Scale of Judgment says...... 2 and a half.

EvilEva reviews...... Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson.
Amy is having a difficult summer. Her father unexpectedly died a few months ago, her twin brother Charlie is stuck in a rehab facility in North Carolina and after being all alone for weeks Amy now has to drive from the only home she's ever known to join her mother in a new house, in a new city, on the other side of the country. 
The problem? Amy doesn't drive.
So her mother has enlisted Roger, a friend's son, to get Amy and their car from California to Connecticut. 
What starts out as an awkward trip, perfectly, boringly mapped out by mom, quickly turns into a surprising, awesome epic detour!

I LOVED this story! I LOVED these characters! Roger is sheer awesome sauce! His name has now officially been added to my Book Boyfriend Hall Of Fame. And I would totes be BFFs with Amy any day! They both seemed very real to me. I liked the fact that, in the beginning, Amy was a little wary and uncomfortable traveling across the country with someone she barely knew and how the further they went she began to loosen up and unravel the story of why she doesn't drive, refuses to wear sunglasses and can't bear to listen to Elvis anymore.
Roger was the perfect road trip companion for her. He was sweet and funny and nice and was very compassionate towards her and everything she'd been through. 
I thought that Amy and Roger's somewhat lukewarm friendship slowly and steadily turning into something more was totally swoontastical! It's like 200+ pages of adorable foreplay!
I even loved the secondary characters. Walcott, Bronwyn and Lucien were all great in their own ways. And even though they only occupied about one to two chapters, they still made a distinct impression and had their specific roles to play to move the story along.
I also liked that Morgan Matson described the journey in such rich detail. It made me feel like I was in the backseat along for the ride. I thought the scrapbook element and the multitude of playlists was a cool bonus too. 
This book made me wanna take my own road trip immediately. It also spurred me to make my own Epic Detour Playlist (which I've included below.)
Amy and Roger's Epic Detour is a fantastic book about love, lose and the courage it takes to move on. I would HIGHLY recommend this book especially right now in July cos it would make the PERFECT beach read!

The Scale of Judgment says...... 5!

EvilEva's Epic Detour Playlist #1

"Taking Cues From Roger" aka "Because I Heart Music" aka "I Also Love Lists"

Song Title                                   Artist

"Right Now"                                SR71
"So Long, Astoria"                     The Ataris
"Back To California"                 Sugarcult
"Vegas"                                        New Found Glory
"Be My Escape"                         Relient K
"Our Time Now"                        Plain White Ts
"Good Life"                                One Republic
"Uncharted"                               Sara Bareilles
"Movin' On"                               Good Charlotte
"Crazy Ride"                               Michelle Branch
"It's Alright"                               MxPx
"Maps"                                        Yeah Yeah Yeah's
"Wish You Were"                      Kate Voegele

The TBR Back Burner Challenge: Round 5 Reviews

This month I decided to go with two YA books that I have continually heard great things about courtesy of the blogosphere. With this much hype will they live up to it or fall flat? Lets see.

EvilEva reviews...... Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. 

 
One night, in a porn shop of all places, Will Grayson meets Will Grayson.
Will Grayson is killing time, trying out his new fake ID after being ditched by his friends.
The other Will Grayson is there to meet the boy of his dreams (and IMs) Isaac, for the very first time.
But when Isaac doesn't show, one Will Grayson will try to help out another with a little assistance from could-be crush Jane and the fabulous, musical-loving, larger than life Tiny Cooper in this story about maybe-love, betrayal, friendship, chance encounters, jazz hands and allowing yourself to fall.

This book is so clever and witty and unique and honest and full of hilarious one-liners!
I liked both Will Graysons. I thought they each had clear, individual voices. And I found both of them to be likable characters.
I liked the concept of a straight character and a gay character essentially going through the same romantic hardships but in different ways. They both want love and want to be loved but at the same time they're afraid of it.
Will #1 likes Jane but he doesn't know if he like likes her. Except he totally does and they're so good together but he doesn't want to ruin what they have by diving into something he may not be ready for. But he also doesn't want to see her with anyone else.
Will #2 has fallen in love with a guy online. But the he finds out the whole relationship was a lie. He's devastated, obvs, until he meets Tiny Cooper. Tiny takes Will under his massive, gay wing and shows him kindness and understanding. And though Will loves Tiny, he's not sure that he's in love with him.
I liked that. It made the characters seem real. Love isn't just wonderful. It's scary. It's a leap of faith. And that's scary. I thought the authors did a spectacular job of showing both sides, the beautiful and the uncertain. 
I also thought it was great that one of the protagonists was gay. So often in books gay characters come in as the sassy stereotype, sashaying into a scene, making some pop culture quip and exiting in a flash of glitter. Will Grayson isn't a glittery guy. He's just a boy that happens to be in love with another boy. I liked that he wasn't just the one-dimensional sidekick that he so easily could have been. 
At it's core, this book is about love--- first love, false love, loving your friends and loving in spite of being afraid. And I loved it!

The Scale of Judgment says...... 4.

EvilEva reviews...... The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart.
Frankie Landau-Banks attends a prestigious boarding school known as Alabaster Preparatory Academy. During her sophomore year, Frankie becomes somewhat of a bombshell, nabs the senior boyfriend and discovers a secret society on campus. She also finds out that said boyfriend is a member of said society. And Frankie wants in.
But one thing about the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds--- it's BOYS ONLY.
And that doesn't really jive with Frankie. So if she can't join 'em, she's gonna take 'em down.
Masterminding a series of intricate pranks, Frankie is gonna make this a year no one will forget!

Dust off your Spice Girls CDs (or if you're A Young, google "Spice Girls," go to iTunes, purchase Wannabe, then promptly crank it!) cos this book is totes Girl Power-y!
Frankie is one smart cookie. She works the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds like no boy ever could. And yet the boys still won't give her her props. Stupid boys!
Frankie is an awesome protag. She completely outwits the Basset Hounds and relishes in that but she really just wants them to acknowledge her as something more than simply "Matthew's girlfriend." She wants them to see her as a worthy opponent (or ally), that she has a brain and good ideas.
But the boys are stuck in that old school, 1950s, Leave It To Beaver thinking of men make the money, have the ideas, rule the world while the women cook, clean, and make babies. i can't stand that type of thinking. So that kinda kept me from feeling the swoony-swoon for any of these dudes.
And for Frankie to be so brilliant, it kinda annoyed me that she really just wanted these elitist boys approval. i kept thinking "Frankie, you are made of awesome! Don't get bogged down in these nub's opinions of you." 
The story, on the whole, is about not being afraid to grow into who you are meant to be. Frankie says bye-bye to Bunny Rabbit. She is more than Zada's little sister. She is no longer just that adorable sophomore that goes out with Matthew Livingston. She's Frankie Landau-Banks and she's a force to be reckoned with.
Never hide who you are becoming. Whether it's a great debater. An ultimate Frisbee champ. Or a criminal mastermind. ;)

The Scale of Judgment says...... 4.

The TBR Back Burner Challenge: Round 4 Reviews

Time to make an adjustment. We put on our big girl panties for a more sophisticated trip down Memory Lane for The Super Nostalgic Book Flashback Challenge. So now lets slip on our Underoos so that we may tackle some of the kid-lit that has accumulated in our TBR pile. Starting with a Newbury Award winner.

EvilEva reviews...... The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

Nobody Owens, Bod if you please, is a normal boy that lives in a graveyard and is raised by ghosts. His family was killed by a man named Jack. And now Jack is on a mission to destroy the one that got away. But Bod has been given the Freedom of the Graveyard. He knows the lay of the land and all the creatures that inhabit it. Like the ghouls and the witch and the Sleer. Bod has friends in low places. Six feet low. And they'll do anything to protect him to ensure that he lives another day.

I was hoping I would like this book more than I did. Not to say that I didn't like it. Of course if did. It's by Neil Gaiman. I adore Coraline. It's just, the pace was a little wonky to me.
It started out strong with the man Jack. Neil Gaiman did not play around in that first chapter, y'all. But for several chapters after that it was just the story of Bod growing up in the graveyard and the ghosts he meets and the adventures he has traipsing through the cemetery. It's one of those things where the author has to tell you that story so he can tell you this story. So it was kinda like a collection of short stories that eventually connect at the end. Which I figured out when everything started coming together but while I was reading it I kept thinking, why do I need to know this, what happened to Jack, why isn't Silas better preparing Bod for the real world? Like I said though, it all comes together in the end.
I liked Bod. I think he was a good protagonist. But my fave character would have to be Liza Hempstock, the witch. I really liked her and her story. I also liked Silas, Bod's guardian. I wish there was more of his backstory though. And I'd really like to know what exactly he is.
Other than the odd pacing, I enjoyed this book. I've always had a weird fascination with graveyards. I'm more intrigued than creeped out whenever I find myself in one so I thought the whole premise of being raised in one and conversing with the residents there to be pretty cool.

The Scale of Judgment...... 3.

EvilEva reviews...... 100 Cupboards by N.D. Wilson.

After the mysterious disappearance of his parents, 12 year old Henry is sent to live with his aunt, uncle and three cousins in their Kansas farmhouse. One night, while trying to sleep, Henry hears strange thumping and bumping from the other side of the attic walls. He removes the plaster and finds something very unexpected. 99 cupboards in various shapes and sizes. Each cupboard leads to a strange and different world. Henry and his cousin Henrietta start investigating the cupboards. Some lead to beautiful lands. Others to dreary, unkind places. The kids are having fun jumping through worlds but something insidious has stepped out of one of the doors. And it wants Henry's blood.

This is the first book in the series and there are two others out now. I liked this one and I think that kids would like it too. It's that whole wondrous feeling that you get when you're little and a door can lead you so much further than just the back of the closet. As a kid I can remember always wanting to find a secret room or a hidden door or an uneven floorboard with a compartment underneath. (Never did though. My house, it seems, is just a house.) Well this is the story that I wished for myself. Henry and Henrietta find these cupboards and discover that there are all these different worlds going on in them. There is danger and excitement and anxiety and adventure. I liked that the kids were smart and so brave. They got into jams and would try to figure their way out of them.
My favorite character was Henrietta. I thought she kicked so much ass especially for a little kid. I also liked Blake the cat. He was very protective and I thought that was pretty cute. Kinda made me want a cat. And I don't even like cats.
I thought all the cupboards and the places they lead to were really interesting. If I were to find myself in the Willises attic and could open any of the doors, I'd choose: Door 1. Library (duh) Door 58 Hollow. Door 63 Lighthouse. And Door 89 Loft. I don't know what I'd find there but those are the doors that interested me.
My only problem was that the book starts out a little slow. It picks up fairly quickly though so it wasn't that big of a deal. It kinda reminded me of Alice in Wonderland, going through a mysterious door, meeting odd people, discovering strange lands. It's a really great adventure book for kids (and kids at heart that are still looking for that secret passage.)   
Dandelion Fire is the second book in this series. And I think I'll pick it up. I'd like to see how this series plays out.

The Scale of Judgment says...... 3 and a half.

The TBR Back Burner Challenge: Round 3 Reviews

There was really no rhyme or reason in picking this months TBR selection. Previously I went strictly chick-lit and after that strictly YA. This month I decided how bout a little of both. So here we go.

EvilEva reviews...... Unpredictable by Eileen Cook.

Sophie has given Doug six years of her life. Doug has given Sophie the boot. However, Sophie will not give up that easily. Or rather Sophie will not be given up that easily. She plans on getting Doug back by any means necessary. Whether she has to steal his socks, move his car or pose as a psychic in order to trick his new girlfriend into breaking up with him.

With a little help from professional skeptic Nick, Sophie hones her faux psychic skills and becomes a little too convincing.
Now she's being offered a gig at a radio station and shortly thereafter Doug comes waltzing back into her life. But is this really what Sophie wanted? Or is she destined for something more?

I loved this book! The premise is deliciously ridiculous and yet sheer genius.
When someone breaks your heart you shouldn't waste your time wallowing. Oh no. You should use those precious moments to go and steal all the matches to his socks from the laundry room of his new apartment! You should take the spare keys and move his car a few parking spaces down from where he originally parked it! All in an attempt to drive him crazy and realize how much he needs you! I could seriously imagine some women "getting ideas" after reading this book.

As a main character, Sophie is super likable and totes hilarious! There were several parts when I literally laughed out loud. She is just so spunky and madcap! She would be the girl to accompany you on an ex-drive by, no questions asked. She would call your ex for you, pretending to be a wrong number, to see if a woman answers. She's zany but she means well. I didn't really get why she was pining so hard for Doug though. He was a total douchenugget. He was so self centered. I just kept thinking "Sophie! Girl, open your eyes! He is NOT worth it. And it is so very obvious that Nick is totally into you."
I liked Nick. I wasn't in complete swoony-swoon mode though because he had an odd way of phrasing things that sometimes made me think "Are there really any guys that talk like this? I've never met one if this particular breed does in fact exist." But he was really sweet and I loved that he was nerdy. Because I heart nerds!

I wish there was a little more hanky panky going on because I do like a certain amount of sexy times in my lady literature.
But Eileen Cook more than made up for the no boot-knocking with all the silliness and the misadventures of Sophie. I really liked her writing style. It reminded me a lot of Meg Cabot's.
So if you're into the Cabot you'll probably enjoy the Cook.
And good news, I just discovered that Eileen Cook has three YA books out! So, even more TBR! I'll definitely have to check those out.

The Scale of Judgment says...... 4.

EvilEva reviews...... You Wish by Mandy Hubbard.

Kayla is seriously NOT looking forward to her sixteenth birthday party. A party, btw, that she didn't want in the first place. But her mother throws a big bash anyway complete with party guests Kayla doesn't even know and an obnoxious four-tiered pink monstrosity of a cake. Kayla is upset by all this bullshizz, so she decides to make a wish on that hideous cake. She wishes that all of her birthday wishes came true.
And that's when Kayla's troubles begin.

The next morning, she's suddenly the not-so-proud owner of a life-sized My Little Pony. The next day her room is covered in gumballs. Then she finds a weird, red-headed girl that looks suspiciously like her old Raggedy Ann doll, alive and sprawled out on the floor of her closet. Then an overly-tan, overly-muscled, semi-plasticy boy named Ken starts following her around.
Kayla's wishes from birthdays past are coming true!

She has to stop these wishes. Because, A.) so far they have all been completely ridiculous and are ruining her life! And B.) last year she wished that her crush, Ben would kiss her. But this year Ben is her best friend's boyfriend! 

I think the premise of this book is hilarious. A My Little Pony, a Raggedy Ann doll and a Ken doll coming to life and invading your teenage world in which you no longer care about any of them, is pretty funny.
And Kayla is a decent protagonist being so super mortified by all of these childish wishes and then also forced to deal with them. 

I wish the author had taken a little more time with the story though. There were parts that I felt were a little rushed. It was like all these other little moments were there for nothing more than filler until the next wish was revealed. I also thought that the author was a little too pop culture-y for pop cultures sake. Kinda like, none of this really has anything to do with the story and in no way moves the story along but here's a random mention of Miley Cyrus and Chuck E. Cheese and Twilight. 

And if I had to read about Kayla's Converse ONE MORE TIME! Ugh! We get it. You're cool and alternative and nobody understands you but can you shut the fuck up about your shoes already! Don't get me wrong, I love Converse but I don't love being beaten over the head with them, physically or metaphorically. 

I thought the book was good for what it was, a light, fluffy, chick-litty, YA novel.
I'm a little cover slutty over it, I must admit. I like that it's plain and simple while still conveying the meaning of the story. I like how the words "You Wish" look like smoke coming from the pony candle. I thought that was pretty clever. Plus, I loves cupcakes!

The Scale of Judgment says......3.