Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler

Description: A teen’s world comes crashing down in this compulsively readable YA debut that’s as literary as it is commercial. Gabby Gardiner wakes up in a hospital bed looking like a cautionary ad for drunk driving—and without a single memory of the accident that landed her there. But what she can recall, in frank and sardonic detail, is the year leading up to the crash. As Gabby describes her transformation from Invisible Girl to Trendy Girl Who Dates Billy Nash (aka Most Desirable Boy Ever), she is left wondering: Why is Billy suddenly distancing himself from her? What do her classmates know that Gabby does not? Who exactly was in the car that night? And why has Gabby been left to take the fall? 
As she peels back the layers of her life, Gabby begins to realize that her climb up the status ladder has been as intoxicating as it has been morally complex...and that nothing about her life is what she has imagined it to be. (for more info click here)


Epic Wins:

• Gabby- Truth? In the begginging her boyfriend-obsessed-self really got under my skin but I knew there was a bigger picture, that she wasn't that kind of character. She was sarcastic and funny and seemed to talk to herself... a lot. 
• You have to admire the way Stampler pulls a story together. You never really knew where Gabby's story would lead next, and though you could predict the ending you couldn't figure out the strange maze that she created to get there. 
• The Realistic Coma- I have now read three- yes three- books that involve the main character suffering from a coma. This one was the first one NOT to offer special side effects stemming from a coma- well besides a major headache. 
• "It's not that she's a nun. It's just she is trying to figure out how to be me." pg 369 of the arc
• "Uh Viv?" John says, not merely concious but coherent, "The point us, he wasn't a very nice boyfriend."" pg 354 of the arc. Call me weird but I loved watching her father sober up and start actively helping his daughter. It was like somehow this trama had woken him up. 
• Message 1- Don't let a boy (or girl) be the deciding factor of your happiness. Don't tie yourself so completely to him that when cut off everything dissolves.
• Message 2- We have to figure out who we are and sometimes that means making mistakes- like Billy -and learning from them. 
• Message 3- People will lie to you but you have to be able to face the truth, especially when you don't want to. You have to take it like it is because the truth hurts but being duped hurts just slightly worse. 
• Message 4- The people you discount could end up being the ones who help you in the end. Like Gabby's dad and her therapist. They stood up for her when she least expected it. 

Epic Fails:

• Sex, underage drinking, and Billy are the only things that annoyed me and really the first two didn't really bother me all that much. 

Overall:The Realistic story of a girl and exactly where it began. Sarcastic and witty with a dash of girl-hoplessly-falls-in-love creating an original tale. 


just sayin,
-Kare

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

Description: Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped. (to find out more go here)

Epic Wins:

• Min- Artsy, film-lover, and- well- different. Though her letter-style voice was hard to get use to she had a good story to tell. She saw things in a slightly different light. 
• The letter-style- I found the style to be unique. Min was writing a letter to Ed, always pulling you back to the fact that they were over. I've never read a whole story in that format.
• The smell- You can call me insane or off-my-rocker but the way a book smells matter to me. This book right here smells like a year book, heck it's pages even feel glossy like a yearbook. I find this far too awesome. *sniffs book one more time* Yep it's that good. 
• The Art- The novel is chalk full of these amazing works of art. They were of each item in the dumping box (more on that later). You turn the page and BAM an egg-cuber for your viewing pleasure!
• The box and the items therein- Imagine if your ex dumped a box loaded with little knick-knacks and paraphernalia from your time together along with a note explaining everyone of them. This is the basis of Min's story.
• The films- This slightly lost me because I didn't recognize any of them (I'm thinking they were just made up) but a YA character who can appreciate an old, black and white movie? That I can relate to. 
• I'm always cautious when approaching a novel written by a guy, in girls point of view because I have witnessed some real disasters. Luckily Handler pulled out an amazingly real girl voice (okay in the wrong context that would sound weird...). I was not disappointed. 

Epic Fail:

• The letter style- (Oh my gosh how many times am I going to mention this??) I found it hard to keep all the facts strait because it was somewhat vauge. I even had to put it down because it gave me a headache. 
• Ed Slaterton- This guy was doomed to be disliked by me. Mind you he had some great moments but he just had too many bad moments. The bad overshadowed the good completely. And that is why they broke up (okay it's not the only reason, there are like a dozen answers to that)

Overall: You can't deny your curiosity of this book, at least I couldn't. I even put it down but greedily I came back to find the answer as to why they broke up. Kudos to the author for such a good book. 


just sayin,
-Kare

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

Description:
Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she's going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He's out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy's stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she's managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they're suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can't see is the one thing that's right before her eyes. (click here to find out more)


Epic Wins:

• Ed- He is a genuine guy. You can tell he has a deep passion for art and he wasn't haughty about it. 
• Lucy- She was riot. She always managed to make me laugh and you could feel her love for art come through the pages. 
• Leo had a slight point of view where you get to read some of his poems and thoughts. It was awesome to see that slipped in between Lucy's point of view and Ed's point of view.
• Every page or two I would laugh whether out of irony or something silly Lucy or Ed said. You just can't help but laugh.
• I've seen authors take one day and triumphantly compose a master piece (If I Stay). Crowley did it in a 10 hour period of time. A whole book that takes place in just ten hours. 
• Speaking of Crowley's superpowers, this girl can write! Once I started this book I couldn't stop. Seriously something about the characters against the night time setting and the fast pace of the plot I just couldn't put it down.
• I recently read Tagged by Mara Purnhagen and I am glad I read it first. As good as Tagged was it lacked a little. So I wasn't surprised when Graffiti Moon surpassed it on a grand scale. Same basic idea two totally different takes. 
• Art- Graffiti Moon clearly states that graffiti is art. No questions. Nope none. It IS art. 
• Australia- A night time look at the streets in Australia. Also includes lingo; like instead of bathroom they say toilet (weird that I would choose this as an example... eh? I mean the bathroom really Kare?)
• The dynamics between Ed and Lucy were intense, the way they interacted with one another, their history. 
• The Other Relationships: A. Dylan and Daisy worked in a Ron and Hermione way. They fight about everything but in the end they truly care about each other. B. Leo and Jazz both lost and looking for a good time only to find... static!

Overall:
A hilarious story about art, broken noses, and finding love in unexpected places.


just sayin, 
-Kare

Revealing Eden by Victoria Foyt

Description: Eden Newman must mate before her 18th birthday in six months or she'll be left outside to die in a burning world. But who will pick up her mate-option when she's cursed with white skin and a tragically low mate-rate of 15%? In a post-apocalyptic, totalitarian, underground world where class and beauty are defined by resistance to an overheated environment, Eden's coloring brands her as a member of the lowest class, a weak and ugly Pearl. If only she can mate with a dark-skinned Coal from the ruling class, she'll be safe. Just maybe one Coal sees the Real Eden and will be her salvation her co-worker Jamal has begun secretly dating her. But when Eden unwittingly compromises her father's secret biological experiment, she finds herself in the eye of a storm and thrown into the last area of rainforest, a strange and dangerous land. Eden must fight to save her father, who may be humanity's last hope, while standing up to a powerful beast-man she believes is her enemy, despite her overwhelming attraction. Eden must change to survive but only if she can redefine her ideas of beauty and of love, along with a little help from her "adopted aunt" Emily Dickinson.

Epic Wins:

• Eden- She is a surprisingly strong main character head strong, self sufficient, and smart. 
• The concept- A future where because of extreme heat. it genetically deficient to be white. This creates an interesting scenario, pearls vs coals.
• The science- This includes gizmos/gadgets and all the other awesome technology they had. The science to change a persons very DNA was very thought out and intriguing. 
• This novel was like Beauty and the Beast meets Avatar in a blissful blender. Themes from both stories wind into this novel in unexpected way. 
• Bramford- There connection was more physical* but only because he was so dang mysterious. I rooted for him from the start but I wish you saw more of his personality. (*by physical I don't mean sex I just mean the flutter/shock when they touch.) 
• Eden's father- He was SUCH a nerd, a science geek to his very core. He always had wise things to say and a way of looking at things from a distance. 
• Adopted Aunt Emily- aka Emily Dickinson. Dickinson's words are quoted all over the book. Eden's mother quotes/read/loved Emily Dickinson's words so it's no surprise that in times of great need Eden summons these words.
• Message 1- Wait and see. This is the authors translation of don't judge a book by it's cover. Eden's father continually reminds her of this. Wait and see, don't jump to conclusions about people or situations. Wait it out and develop your own opinion. 
• Message 2- Take care of our earth, use it's resources wisely because they might just run out. 
• Message 3- For crying out lout if you like someone tell them this. It reduces mis-communication and the whiplash effect**

Epic Fails:

• **The whiplash effect- The Chemistry between Eden and Bramford was like fire, very hot. The only thing that bugged me was that with in the very same paragraph they would go from about-to-make-out to let-me-strangle-him. These happened all the time, there seemed to be no middle ground they were either in love or in hate. 
• Sometimes it seems like Eden's character was older than seventeen, maybe twenty-something. But then again a different society may force you to seem older than you are...who knows.  

Overall: Such a stunning novel based in a lively world. I truly loved getting to know Eden and her world.

just sayin,

-Kare

The Girls of No Return by Erin Saldin

Description: Erin Saldin's The Girls of No Return is a lacerating young adult debut about girls, knives, and redemption. The Alice Marshall School, set within a glorious 2-million acre wilderness area, is a place where teenage girls are sent to escape their histories and themselves. Lida Wallace has tried to negate herself in every way possible. At Alice Marshall, she meets Elsa Boone, Jules, and Gia Longchamps, whose glamour entrances the entire camp. As the girls prepare for a wilderness trek, Lida is both thrilled and terrified to be chosen as Gia's friend. Everyone has their secrets – the “Things” they try to protect; and when those come out, the knives do as well. (For more information click here)

Epic Wins:

• Lida- Lida is girl who is lost and sad. You could feel her pain and loneliness through her words. Add to that her biting sarcasm and Lida is hard not to root for. She seems to find herself with in the nature surrounding her new setting.
• Boone- Wild. Fierce. Herself. She was so in tune with who she was that people felt it. She was mean at times but she was honest and up front.
• TGoNR's description had me hooked but the actual book out weighed my expectations, by a lot. It went deeper, pushed further, and wandered into the shadows and masks people cling to. 
• The epilogue- It's not at the end but instead  filed in through the story, giving you bits and pieces to the puzzle before it all clicks together.
• The prologue- Not at the beginning (are you confused yet?). It's at the very end. I found this to be one of those this-is-only-the-beginning-of-the-story things. Perhaps Lida goes on to do great things and all of her experiences from her teen years lead her to those great things. The end of her story is actually just the beginning of her story. (now you are REALLY confused).
• Margret- She's one of those adults who understands teens far more than they even understand themselves. She was always there to lend fortune-cookie-type advice but never harped on them. 
• Message 1- When keeping something a secret at some point it becomes harder to keep than telling it in the first place. This is the point when you probably should tell it.
• Message 2- In life it is often your reaction and your choices that define who you are as a person. You control every outcome based on your actions. 
• Message 3- Get over yourself. We need this more than we realize. Focusing on ourselves forces blinders in our vision eventually making us loose sight of the bigger picture. 
• Message 4- Everyone has a Thing. We all have problems and issues that we are working out- some worse than others. 

Overall: A fast paced story filled with Things that we deal with , the choices we make, the true friendship we find, and a lot of sarcasm.

just sayin,
-Kare

If I Tell by Janet Gurtler

Description: Jasmine Evans knows one thing for sure... people make mistakes. After all, she is one. Jaz is the result of a onenight stand between a black football player and a blonde princess. Having a young mother who didn't raise her, a father who wants nothing to do with her and living in a small-minded town where she's never fit in hasn't been easy. But she's been surviving. Until she sees her mom's new boyfriend making out with her own best friend. When do you forgive people for being human or give up on them forever?

Epic Wins:

• Jaz- You get to see her grow and change as a character while keeping a secret stretches her over great lengths. She was witty, sarcastic, and had a way of putting things into perspective. 
• The secret (or secrets in general)- It ate away at her until she wanted nothing more then to scream out, lash out. You learn that everyone has some sort of secret they are keeping, something they are holding onto. 
• This novel debated the question of whether- when presented with someones secret- to tell or not. At first Jaz is ready to spill the secret but slowly she realizes maybe that isn't what she should do. It's all about who you tell and how. Maybe some secrets are best left as just that- a secret. 
• Jackson- He was judged mainly by the rumors that swirled around him. He was sweet and adorable despite those very rumors that suggested otherwise. Jaz learns not to trust what others say.
• Ashley- She was Jaz's reality check when she went too far, a real best friend. However- unlike most YA besties- Ashley and Jaz didn't have that tell-all sort of friendship. 
• Jaz's home situation- I call it a situation because it was far from normal. Not because she lived with her Grandmother but because she knew her mother. Typically if they live with a relative there parents are out of the picture- whether by death or by choice. 
• Biracial issues- Jaz feels like she is an in-between category. She isn't black but she isn't white either. Her town makes her feel isolated because she isn't one or the other. 
• Music- Jaz is a musician. She plays her music to enjoy it not for the opportunity to get famous. She plays like it's breathing. 

Overall: It's understated but impossible to put down. This is one of those books that hits almost every button with precise aim creating an epic story.

just sayin,

-Kare

January In a Nut Shell

It's February! *throws heart shaped glitter in the air* So a whole month has passed by in the lovely year of 2012. How is everyone? What great books have you read so far? What books do you plan on reading in February? I know I've gotten to read some really good books so far. 

Books Read In January:

1. Rock On by Denise Vega
2. If I Tell by Janet Gurtler
3. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
4. Revealing Eden by Victoria Foyt
5. A Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont 
6. Fracture by Megan Miranda
7. Where it Began by Ann Redisch Stampler
8. Forbidden Mind by Kimberly Kinrade
9. Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler 
10. The Girls of No Return by Erin Saldin
11. Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell

Reviews Posted In January:

• The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight- CCC, Standalone
• Ditched by Robin Mellom- CCC, Standalone
• Willow by Julia Hoban-  CCC, Standalone
• Fracture by Megan Miranda- Standalone

Author Posts In January:

• Victoria Foyt

just sayin,

Kare

Ditched: A love Story by Robin Mellom

Description: High school senior Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. So she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her.

Ian, who always passed her the baseball bat handle first. 

Ian, who knew exactly when she needed red licorice. 

Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom. 

And then ditched her. Now, as the sun rises over her small town, and with only the help of some opinionated ladies at the 7-Eleven, Justina must piece together — stain by stain on her thrift-store dress — exactly how she ended up dateless. A three-legged Chihuahua was involved. Along with a demolition derby-ready Cadillac. And there was that incident at the tattoo parlor. Plus the flying leap from Brian Sontag's moving car... But to get the whole story, Justina will have to face the boy who ditched her. And discover if losing out at prom can ultimately lead to true love. 

Filled with humor, charm, and romance, Ditched: A Love Story by debut novelist Robin Mellom will have readers dreaming of love on their own prom nights.

Epic Wins:

• Justina- An odd duck but funny and charming. As she rehashes through her night you can't help but fall in love with her story. I've heard a lot of people had issues with her choices but I thought she was a character worth rooting for. 
• Ian- Oh man would I love to read his side of the story! He was a sweetheart even if Justina missed it sometimes, okay more like all the time. He went out of his way for her, a lot. 
• The stains, bruises, and tares were a riot to read about as she pieced together how she ended up with each one on this prom night of nightmares. 
• The Mikes- Two boys both names Mike who help Justina through her night. They were hysterical and always filled with good intentions, despite the fact that they were always high. Always.
• Serenity and Bliss- They were the Mike's dates to the prom, but were from a rival school. Along with the Mike's they were always there for Justina in tight situations. 
• The two women who sit and listen to Justina's story at the 7-Eleven. They interjected at times and were just funny to read about. 
• You honestly NEVER know what is going to happen next with this girl. One minuet a tattoo parlor the next she is   in a ditch on the side of a room. 
• Message 1: Sometimes it's best just to ask how someone feels about you, much safer. Never know maybe they feel the same way.
• Message 2: Don't make assumptions about people, sometimes you are dead wrong.
• Message 3: The universe will push you but as long as you endure you'll find what your looking for.

Overall: A cute, hair-brain adventure that I couldn't stop reading. Light and fluffy but just my cup of tea. Filled with french fry shaped bruises, strange but wise tattoo guys, and a very stained and tattered dress all wrapped up into one prom night. 


just sayin,
-Kare

2012 Challenges

Last year I started out with like five challenges and then said screw it a few weeks into it. This time I'm starting smart. I think two challenges plus my Goodreads goal will be just enough for me this time around. Now this past year I totally failed on updating my challenges I hope to change that this year. I will do a monthly update of what I have read/reviewed and the challenges they go towards. All of my goals are up for change without any notice, sort of like a chameleon just less awesome.


Completely Contemp Challenge (or CCC or Triple C but that just sounds dorky) hosted by Chick Loves Lit.

Since I am a HUGE contemporary fan this first challenge is sort of a no-brainer.My number is ten for now. Here is my list:
2010-

• 13 Reasons Why
• Willow
• Amy & Roger's Epic Detour
• Something Like Fate
• Gimme a Call
• Please Ignore Vera Dietz
• Before I Fall
• Anna & The French Kiss
• Chasing Brooklyn
• Tagged

2011-

• A&L Do Summer
• The Survival Kit
• The Sky is everywhere
• Along for the Ride
• Instructions for a broken heart
• Sean Grizwold's Head
• Love & Leftovers
• Ten Things We Did (and probably shouldn't have)
• Bunheads
• Sharks & Boys

2012-

• Pretty Crooked
• The List
• Ditched
• Graffiti Moon
• Welcome Caller, This is Chloe
• Where it Began
• The Summer My Life Began
• The Queen of Kentucky
• The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
• 50 Reasons to Hate My Dad

Standalone Reading Challenge Hosted by Icey Books and I Like These Books. 

This one makes sense because I have an irrational fear of series. (That and oatmeal. *shivers* Don't give me that look, it's true.) Some series, if I REALLY like them I can continue to read them while others die at book one. Here is THAT list (again it's up for change):

Standaloners-

1. Fracture
2. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
3. The List
4. Ditched
5. One for The Murphy's
6. Why We Broke Up
7. Katana
8. The Queen of Kentucky
9. Tiger Lily
10. Rock On
11. The Breakaway
12. 52 Reasons to Hate My Father
13. League of Strays
14. Tokyo Heist
15. Send Me A Sign

Just Sayin,

-Kare