Review: Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Title: Catching Jordan

Author: Miranda Kenneally

Publisher:  Sourcebooks Fire

Publication Date: 12.1.11

Pages: 288

Genre: Contemporary, Sports

Series: No

Source: Purchased ebook

Rating: B+

Summary (from Goodreads):

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

Review:

Ever since I heard about this, I wanted to read it. Not only because it represented a strong female lead who was willing to tackle (ha, get it?) some intense issues, but because I felt a personal connection to it. The idea Miranda Kenneally presents (a female football star in a traditionally male role) seems so radical, but I actually had the pleasure of seeing this happen.

When I was in high school, one of my friends tried out for and made starting quarterback of our varsity football team senior year. Unfortunately she tripped and fell down some stairs at home a week before the opening game and broke her ankle, thus benching her for the season. But I remember how awed and excited the school was about her playing, and how protective her male teammates were of her.

I think that was my favorite part of Catching Jordan; watching the way Jordan interacted with her teammates and the way they took up for her. She was their leader on the field, but their sister off. She had amazing relationships with these guys, but each one was unique and Kenneally did a fantastic job of that. I love how awkward and unsure she made Jordan, especially when I came to girly things (like kissing and dresses). I fell hard for Jordan and this entire story. Watching her struggle as she discovered first love and what I meant to be loved was a joy.

I will say that the plot is a little predictable and some of it was borderline cheesy, but every now and then you need a novel like that. Something that is light and fun and fluffy, that just makes you feel good. This is going to be one of my go-to books when I need a fun fix, and one I will happily reread over and over.

Buy: Amazon

Waiting on Wednesday (21)

"Waiting On"  Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking  the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on....

 

 

Social Suicide

by: Gemma Halliday

 

Here's the Goodreads blurb:

Twittercide [twit-er-sahyd]: the killing of one human being by another while the victim is in the act of tweeting.

Call me crazy, but I figured writing for the Herbert Hoover High Homepage would be a pretty sweet gig. Pad the resume for college applications, get a first look at the gossip column, spend some time ogling the paper's brooding bad-boy editor, Chase Erikson. But on my first big story, things went...a little south. What should have been a normal interview with Sydney Sanders turned into me discovering the Homecoming Queen-hopeful dead in her pool. Electrocuted while Tweeting. Now, in addition to developing a reputation as HHH's resident body finder, I'm stuck trying to prove that Sydney's death wasn't suicide.

I'm starting to long for the days when my biggest worry was whether the cafeteria was serving pizza sticks or Tuesday Tacos...

 

 

Why I need to read this one:

I fell in love with book #1 in this series, Deadly Cool. It was fast, fun, flirty, and fantastic. Basically everything I look for in a book. Fans of the show Veronica Mars definitely need to check out this series ASAP!

 

Social Suicide will be released by HarperTeen 4.24.12 

Top Ten Tuesday (2)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list  that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun!

This week is a freebie, so I can make my own list. I've decided on:

Top 10 Books I Want to Give As Gifts

 

 

1. Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

I actually mentioned this book in my Follow Friday post; words cannot express my adoration of it. Emma and Brendan are my favorite YA pairing this year. Their romance is just amazing.

 

2. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

This book is wonderful for all ages. There is just a magic to Funke's writing that sucks you in. It's an amazing fantasy. Go for the book, not the movie. I would give this to my 7 year old cousin and my 70 year old grandmother.

 

3. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

After the vampire crazy Twilight spawned, it seemed like those were the only paranormal books most of the public would touch. I read this book about werewolves and shoved it into the hands of my friends, thus pulling them from the vampiric ice age and into the werewolf millenium.

 

4. Shine by Lauren Myracle

This has been a book with a lot of controversy surrounding it, but the message is so profound and important.

 

5. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

This book is heartbreaking and provacative and one ginormous emotional rollercoaster. It may not be the obvious choice for a book I would give to others, but there is a raw power to this book that I think everyone should experience.

 

6. Die For Me by Amy Plum

Never in my life have I fallen in love with the city in a story. Amy Plum does a magnificent job of making me love Paris and all her splendor. OK, so the fact that the leads are amazing doesn't hurt either.

 

7. Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

Want a fun, fast, and breathless read? This is your book.

 

8. The Princess by Lori Wick

This has been my go-to book any time I needed something comforting. I love the simple elegance of it.

 

9. The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

I love mythology, and I know a lot of people who also enjoy it. This makes a great book. The retelling of Hades and Persephone set on a modern stage with a twist was one of my book highlights of 2011.

 

10. The Negotiator by Dee Henderson

Book #1 of the incredible O'Malley series by Dee Henderson. This one has it all: mystery, suspense, romance, family, loyalty ... LOVE this series and have read it (all 7 books) multiple times.

Teaser Tuesday (9)

Teaser Tuesday is weekly meme hosted by Mizb at Should be Reading 

Grab your current read 

Open to a random page 

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!

 

This week I'm reading...

 

 

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

 

" 'We'll discuss other issues in the morning, and that's' - he checked a small device - 'in three hours. Get some rest. It sounds like you've had a difficult day.'

If only he knew." pg. 29

 

Incarnate will be available 1.31.12 from Katherine Tegen Books

*Quote taken from Advance Reader Copy and may not be the correct page in the finished copy*

Review: Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

Title: Love & Leftovers

Author: Sarah Tregay

Publisher:  HarperCollins Children’s Books

Publication Date: 12.27.11

Pages: 304

Genre: Contemporary, Poetry

Series: No

Source: ARC from publisher

Rating: B

Summary (from Goodreads):

My wish
is to fall
cranium over Converse
in dizzy, daydream-worthy
love.

When her parents split, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father.

By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this "vacation" has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up. But understanding love, especially when you've watched your parents' affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? Can you even know it until you've lost it?

Review:

Let me begin by saying I was not expecting this book to be told entirely in poetry format. I actually knew little about this novel before getting it in the mail, but what girl doesn’t love a good coming of age story? The way Sarah Tregay writes this tale is beautiful and poignant, but I think the story may suffer a little from the way it’s told.

A story told entirely in the poetic form is daring and revolutionary. It took me a little while to get into the story because I think my brain has become stuck on one format of storytelling in novels, and the shift took me by surprise. Once I got past that, I started to remember my love of poetry. There is something so simplistic and beautiful about poetry, and that really enhances the story here. Poetry is the closest form of written art in my book; instead of hanging pictures, Tregay hung words.

My biggest complaint is the serenity of this story. Forgive me for going into metaphor overload, but this story like a lake when the sun is shining and it’s 80 degrees outside. It’s peaceful and calm. There may be a breeze that makes the waves ripple along the surface a little, but there were no huge rapids or twists. There were no surprises and short of the format, nothing new. I didn’t have any “Oh, my God—did that really just happen?!” moments.

Please don’t get me wrong—this book is very good, and I do recommend it. But I don’t recommend going into it thinking this book will be exciting. It’s paced and sweet and light, but it’s not as meaty a story as I would prefer.

Buy: Amazon

Follow Friday (8)

Question: Keeping with the Spirit of Giving this season, what book do you think EVERYONE should read and if you could, you would buy it for all of your family and friends?

Such a fun question ... I think if I had to pick one book (and I'll keep it a 2011 release) it would have to be...

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

I simply fell head over heels in love with this book. I got a chance to read it before it was released via Netgalley, and then I immediately bought it when it was released and since then I've read it two more times this year. Words cannot express my love for this book. It's got one of the best YA romances I've ever read.

Check out my review here: http://theirishbanana.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-spellbound-by-cara-lynn-shultz.html

I cannot wait for SPELLCASTER (Book #2) to be released this March!!!

Waiting on Wednesday (20)

"Waiting On"  Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking  the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on....

Unraveling

by: Elizabeth Norris

Here's the Goodreads blurb:

A YA thriller, features a 17 year old girl who mysteriously comes back to life after dying in a car crash. She sets out to avenge her father’s murder, solve the case he was working on, and stop the rapidly approaching apocalypse. And unravel the mystery of the boy responsible for bringing her back to life.

 

Why I need to read this one:

Going just on that small blurb? I am extremely excited. It's just a gut feeling I get when I read the synopsis and saw that cover. I love a good paranormal mystery.

 

Unraveling will be released by Balzer + Bray on 4.24.2012

 

On a side note, I have another WoW:

 

 

 

 

Yes, I will be attending BookExpo America this June! I'm so, so excited! I've had the hotel booked for months and the site says registration begins this month! Is anyone else going?

Review: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Title: Under the Never Sky

Author: Veronica Rossi

Publisher:  HarperCollins

Publication Date: 1.3.2012

Pages: 400

Genre: Dystopian

Series: Yes (Under the Never Sky #1)

Source: ARC from publisher

Rating: A+

Summary (from Goodreads):

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY.

Review:

It’s not very often I set a book down when I’m finished and literally say aloud, “Whoa.” This book took me totally off guard. The dystopian genre is becoming heavily populated and I am constantly wondering when the books will all start to overlap. Under the Never Sky is definitely one that will always stand out. Veronica Rossi is, simply put, a literary genius and I totally have an author crush on her now. Not only did she create two worlds on this novel (it’s a daunting enough task to just create one dystopian world), but she filled these worlds with rich, lush characters.

Aria is awesome personified. She has it all: kindness, snark, wit, innocence, and a healthy dose of resilience. I loved reading about her time spent in Reverie, but I loved even more when she was banished and forced to survive in the Aether. This is one tough chick, but Rossi balances that tough exterior with a vulnerability that would make anyone fall for this girl.

Aria and Perry are going down as one of my favorite YA romances of all time. Their scenes are electric and kept me turning every page in the early morning hours. I was so desperate to know how their story ended (my only complaint is that darn cliffhanger ending!), and I couldn’t get enough of them. They balanced each other so well; he made her stronger and she made him more understanding. I love when a couple can complement one another. It’s so rare to find in YA books anymore; they actually made each other better.

I cannot recommend this book enough. I preordered it before I was even halfway finished. I knew I would need to own this one for myself, and so do you! I loved it all—from the virtual realities in Reverie to the dusty, barren Aether, and all the characters in between. Rossi is a marvelous writer and you’d be crazy not to buy this book ASAP.

Buy: Amazon

Review: Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala

Title: Don’t Breathe A Word

Author: Holly Cupala

Publisher:  HarperTeen

Publication Date: 1.3.2012

Pages: 320

Genre: Contemporary

Series: No

Source: ARC from publisher

Rating: A

Summary (from Goodreads):

From asthma, which has nearly claimed her life. From her parents, who will do anything to keep that from happening. From dangerous Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out.

Joy can take her cruel words until the night they go too far.

Now, Joy will leave everything behind to find the one who has offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. She will become someone else. She will learn to survive. She will breathe…if only she can get to Creed before it’s too late.

Set against the gritty backdrop of Seattle’s streets and a cast of characters with secrets of their own, Holly Cupala’s powerful new novel explores the hurt of bullying, the meaning of family, and how far a girl will go to discover her own strength.

Review:

This book has actually been sitting on my shelf for a few months I kept putting off, and now I am kicking myself. This book was, simply put, INCREDIBLE. It has so many layers, so many twists and turns, so many gut wrenching moments … It’s a contemporary YA masterpiece. This book has cemented a place on my shelf forever, and Holly Cupala is a writer I can’t get enough of.

Joy is a heartbreaking character. What drives her to ultimately abandon her home, safety, love, and security is gut-wrenching. I felt an immediate kinship to her because I also suffer from severe asthma. When she mentioned her mother obsessively cleaning the house to eradicate any stray speck of dust, I completely understood because that was a perfect description of my mother and me.

When Joy moves from the suburbs to the streets, she sheds every inch of “Joy”—from her hair to her name (she adopts the name Triste). On the streets she connects with Creed, a boy she had seen before in passing. Together, with two other friends, they form a pseudo family that take care of one another. The truth is that homeless, starving Triste is freer than Joy ever was.

Cupala pulls no punches and there are several moments that had my pulse racing. This isn’t a flowers and frills book about a girl who finds herself on the streets. The novel is gritty and graphic, and often shows the lengths people will go to so they can simply survive another day. Think of the worst case scenario for a teen living on the street and Cupala tackles it head-on with more grace than I could've thought possible.

This book is being released mere days into 2012, and if it’s any indication of the books to come next year, I cannot wait. This book is amazing and stunning and beautiful and every other fabulous adjective you could use.

Buy: Amazon

TGIF (5)

TGIF @ GReads is a great way to meet new bloggers. Feel free to leave me a comment and I'll be sure to pop over to your blog and follow you back!

This Friday's question:

Writing Reviews 101: What's your process for writing book reviews? 

Any tips or suggestions you would recommend to other bloggers?

Wanna know a secret? I'm a horrible procrastinator. I have a least ten reviews waiting to be written. I actually wrote four reviews the other night to force myself to catch up. Mostly the reviews I postpone are for books I either completely and totally adore or completely and totally didn't enjoy.


Can I just say I do not recommend my way of writing reviews? Don't do what I do. I often forget special, key moments I loved when reading, but neglect to add in my review. Then I'll read someone's review of the same book and they mention it, and I feel like an idiot. Or worse, if I'm not a fan of the book, I forget what I read. Then I have to dig out the book and skim it to remember what it was I wanted to say.

I hate writing negative reviews and shy away from them. But I also understand (and I hope others do, too) that this blog is simply my opinion on a book. It's not gospel. Just because I didn't enjoy a book doesn't mean it won't be your new favorite. I think if you are going to write a negative review, you need to justify why it didn't work for you. Don't just say, "I didn't like it." Why didn't you like it? And I also always try to throw in something I did like and maybe even a link to a positive review.

Positive reviews are hard for me because I can never verbalize what I feel internally. That warm, gooey feeling you get when a book is just perfect and lights your world on fire is so hard to put into words. And I feel like I get repetitive in my glowing reviews: "It was just awesome. It was epic. I loved it." Maybe it's just my hang ups.