Will work for Prom Dress

Aimee Ferris            

Summary: 
Quigley Johnson has, reluctantly, given up the rest of her last year of high school to take part in her best friend Ann's Betterment Plan, which will turn them into the best-dressed, most sought-after, most admired girls at their senior formal. Because - hey - who doesn't want the perfect prom, complete with a dream dress and a devastatingly handsome date?

But the prom costs money - lots of money - and even though the girls could easily have Ann's mom design their dresses (she's only Victoria Parisi, one of the most famous designers in the world), Ann insists that they pay their own way.  And that's how Quigley gets stuck making artistic topping masterpieces on frozen pizzas canvases, before becoming a live model for Ms. Parisi's fashion design class, where she meets Zander.

He's cute, and cool, and funny, with a killer design sensibility (even if he can't sketch).  But is he too good to be true? And what about David, the hot, talented artist at school, who's also kind of a jerk, but won't leave Quigley alone? And Ann - she started the Betterment Plan to improve Quigley and herself, but it seems like it's ripping their friendship to shreds.

This road to the prom dream may just end in disaster.

Plot:

This is a cute, heart-warming romantic story. It’s not an entirely unique concept, a girl worried about prom etc. But the author managed to throw in some quirky characters and events in the mix that made it a very entertaining read.

Characters:

Different, entertaining and flawed, the characters in this book are very interesting. All of them are very relatable and realistic, although some are in pretty strange situations, and you truly start to feel for them. I didn't fall in love with any of them, but they're all pretty likable.

Who should read this?

10+, for some mild language and references to mature content. This is essentially a chick lit book for teens and I doubt it’ll appeal to boys. Definitely a fun, quick read if you’re looking for something to do, but don’t have a lot of time. It only took me about 2 and a half hours to read through this book.

My rating:

While this book didn’t make a very lasting impression on me I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. 3/5

Divergent

Veronica Roth

Divergent #1

Summary:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is-she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

Plot:

This story is everything a dystopian novel should be. It has enough mystery and suspense to keep you guessing, enough romance to keep it interesting and enough drama to make it capture your mind. It pulls you in from page one, and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. Very well written and paced it never bored me for a moment.

Characters:

The characters in this book are very interesting. All of them, especially the main characters, have flaws, and big ones at that. However most of these faults are due to their upbringing in a world were your values and way of thinking are dictated to you. This makes you root for them even when you don’t really like their actions or thoughts. The bad characters are calculating and cruel, but still human enough to be believable.

Who should read this?

13+, mostly due to violence, very mild language and references to other mature content. While the violence isn’t extremely graphic it is quite intense and emotional. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes dystopian novels, especially fans of the 'Hunger Games' series. If you don’t like action-packed, nerve-racking books, don’t read this one.

My rating:

I really liked this book, it’s definitely one of my favorites of the genre. I would go as far as to say it’s a perfect example of how this genre should be written, so I’m giving it a 5/5.

Quote:
“A brave man acknowledges the strength of others.”

Here's the link for the second installment 'Insurgent'. I'll link Allegiant as soon as I review it!

Mansfield Park

Jane Austen

Summary:
Taken from the poverty of her parents' home, Fanny Price is brought up with her rich cousins at Mansfield Park, acutely aware of her humble rank and with only her cousin Edmund as an ally. When Fanny's uncle is absent in Antigua, Mary Crawford and her brother Henry arrive in the neighbourhood, bringing with them London glamour and a reckless taste for flirtation. As her female cousins vie for Henry's attention, and even Edmund falls for Mary's dazzling charms, only Fanny remains doubtful about the Crawfords' influence and finds herself more isolated than ever.

Plot:

I enjoyed this story, it’s not my favorite classic, but it’s nice. The story is about a girl, Fanny Price, who is asked to go live with her aunt and uncle, because of poverty in her own home. It seems that much of this book is revolving around money, the effect of wealth and the way it makes different people behave. The story has a bit of romance and drama thrown in, and is quite likable.

Characters:

There are many unlikable characters in this book. I only really liked two, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The two characters I did like was Fanny, the main character, and Edmund, her cousin, although they were very good people they weren’t perfect. They could be seen as slightly dull, though. Fanny’s uncle is also a good character who develops well during the book. Most of the other characters are essentially flawed, and while this is a good thing, they were generally not very likable.

Who should read this?

10+, there’s hardly any mature content. It may be a bit of a boring read for some people, it’s quite long and written in old-style English, so if that bores you, skip this one. If you’re a fan of Jane Austen, or just classics in general, you should try this one.

My rating:

While I like this book, it’s not going to be added to my favorites any time soon. It didn’t draw me in or keep me interested enough for that. 3/5

Quote:
“Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings.”

Eragon

Summary:
In his homeland of Alagaesia, a farm boy happens upon a dragon’s egg-a discovery that leads him on a predestined journey where he realised he is the one person who can defend his home against an evil king.

Plot:

Now, as someone very familiar with the book’s story I found this movie to be slightly disappointing. Many of my favorite parts had been removed from the story, and I know movies can only be so long, but I felt they had tried too hard to fit everything in. As a movie on it’s own it’s also slightly irritating that they never made the sequel, since the ending seems to hint at one. I found that some of the parts they skipped over should have been included and shown in more detail. Eragon and Brom's journey is almost not shown at all, while it is a huge part of the book. The whole story just felt rushed, like they were skipping over details about the characters and story that made it a little hard to understand.

Characters:

The characters were well portrayed mostly. Especially Eragon, who is shown as a brave, but slightly impulsive boy. I was very disappointed with Arya’s character, she’s become a whole different species, which just doesn’t make sense to me at all. One of my favorite characters in the book Murtagh is shown only a little, and they don’t say much about him. Saphira is probably my favorite in the movie, her voice is incredibly rich and exactly how I imagined it to be.

Cinematography:

Good, especially considering that this is not a very recent movie. Saphira and all the other special effects are well done. The movie is slightly darker than I imagined the book to be, but it works.

Who should watch this:

If you don’t like reading (what are you doing on my blog??? Just Kidding) I suppose this is the only alternative, but for fans of the book, don’t waste your time. If you like fantasy movies, or thought the book was too long, then maybe you’ll like this more, emphasis on the maybe. I personally won’t reccomend it to anyone.

My rating:

I was disappointed with most of this movie. Someone told me the ending wasn’t well handled, but I still expected more from the story. 1/5

Quote:
That's the spirit - one part brave, three parts fool.-Brom

Read my review for the books 'Eragon', 'Eldest' and 'Brisingr' here!

Pretty Little Liars

Sara Shepard

Pretty Little Liars #1

Summary: 

Three years ago, Alison disappeared after a slumber party, not to be seen since. Her friends at the elite Pennsylvania school mourned her, but they also breathed secret sighs of relief. Each of them guarded a secret that only Alison had known. Now they have other dirty little secrets, secrets that could sink them in their gossip-hungry world. When each of them begins receiving anonymous emails and text messages, panic sets in. Are they being betrayed by some one in their circle? Worse yet: Is Alison back? A strong launch for a suspenseful series.

Plot:

I found this story a little hard to follow, the writer uses very long sentences which make it a little hard to read as well. It’s a pretty good story that kept me guessing, but sometimes I didn’t know exactly what was going on. There’s a lot of characters and it takes a while for you to realise who is who. The ending is pretty well handled, ending with a cliff-hanger that will make you want to read the rest of the series.

Characters:

I didn’t hate any of the characters, but I didn’t particularly like them either. Most of them are your typical teenage girls, with their typical problems. You have the weight-obsessed one, the good-girl-gone-bad etc. They were pretty clichéd, but luckily the story saved this from being just another teens-with-problems book.

Who should read this?

13+, as there are many references to mature content. Definitely written with teenage girls in mind, this might be an interesting break from your normal teen girl romance stories. If you want something different, but still relatable, I might suggest this one.

My rating:

I didn’t particularly like this book. Yes the story kept me interested, but I didn’t feel connected to the characters or their problems, and the story wasn’t written well enough to have my full attention. I found it a little hard to read and follow. 2/5

Quote:
"Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead”

Ps. Sorry for taking so long to upload this, I've had it written for a while now, but kept forgetting to put it up...

Eldest

Christopher Paolini

The Inheritance Cycle #2

Summary:

Eragon and his dragon have just saved the rebel state from destruction by the mighty forces of King Galbatorix, cruel ruler of the Empire. Now, Eragon must travel to Ellesmera, land of the elves, for further training in magic and swordsmanship, the vital skills of the Dragon Rider. It is a journey of a lifetime, filled with awe-inspiring new places and people, each day an adventure.

Plot:

This is an incredible sequel to Eragon, it answers many questions that arose in the first book, but asks new ones, making you want to continue reading the series. I really enjoyed the storyline, and while it started a little slow, when I reached about a quarter of the book I couldn’t put it down. I especially enjoyed Paolini’s creation of Ellesmera, the elves’ country, or province or whatever. It’s rich in imagination and I found it fascinatingly beautiful. The battle scenes were also handled better in this novel than the first, with more suspense and action, but less gore. The ending is also adds a marvelous twist, which makes me even more excited for the third book.

Characters:

There is great character development in this book. Especially in the main character, Eragon, who learns more about magic and being a dragon rider from the elves. Saphira also grows, and we see a different side to her, she shows her immaturity more, but still retains respect. I cannot describe all the characters in this book, as there are too many, but Paolini manages to separate them enough that it never gets too confusing.

Who should read this?

13+, again, as with Eragon, it’s mainly because of violence, as there are little other mature content. I felt the violence in this book was slightly less graphic than the first, but maybe that’s just me. Some people might also feel uncomfortable with the magic used in this novel. I think fans of Eragon should definitely read this, however if you didn’t like the first book, don’t bother. Paolini’s style hasn’t changed. Also, this is a long book, as with the first, so if you like shorter, easier reads, this might not be the one for you.

My rating:

I really loved this book, it gripped me more than Eragon did and I adored the different settings and cultures implemented into the story. I would give this a 5/5.

Quote:
“....avoid roasted cabbage, do not eat earwax, and look on the bright side of life!"
-Angela”

Read my reviews for the first and third books in this series, Eragon and 'Brisingr', here! As well as the movie 'Eragon'.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Stephen Chbosky

Summary: 
Fifteen-year-old Charlie is coping with the suicide of his friend, Michael. To lessen the fear and anxiety of starting high school alone, Charlie starts writing letters to a stranger, someone he heard was nice but has never met in person.

Plot:

This story is told from the perspective of the slightly different boy, Charlie. It’s a very interesting angle, as Charlie has a way of saying something directly, which can sometime be very embarrassing and other times he comes up with sayings that are incredibly wise. I really like this story, it’s different and very well written. I found it a little hard to understand the first time I read it, because if you miss anything while reading, a lot of the book won’t make sense. This is not necessarily a bad thing, it means every time you read it you find something new.

Characters:

While I like the story of this book the characters are far better. Charlie, the main character, is incredibly naïve and almost like a child in the way he acts and speaks, yet he is extremely intelligent. Sweet and unassuming he is a unique and interesting character. Sam, his love interest and one of his best friends, have been through a lot, and has much more experience, but are always very kind and encourages Charlie to come out of his shell and be himself. Patrick, Charlie’s other best friend, is Sam’s gay step-brother, he acts funny to hide his hurt, and is a character many could relate to, whether they’re gay or not. All the characters are unique and interesting and colorful.

Who should read this?

13+, there are some swearing and other mature content, also younger people may not understand the depth of this book. Anyone who likes a book that’ll make them think, laugh and cry, you should read this one. As I said with the movie, I’m not sure if everyone will get this book, but it’s worth trying right?

My rating:

I really like this book, although I like the movie more, maybe because it’s just so well made. But I’ll give it a 4/5.

Quote:
“I would die for you. But I won't live for you.”

Read my review for the movie here!