Thoughts on Invisible by Marni Bates

Jane Smith has never wanted to be anything but invisible at her school. Her sister was super popular, a notable, and Jane knows she can't compete. When her two best friends suddenly achieve popularity, she's left behind wondering if being invisible is exactly what she wants after all.

Not having read the first book in the series, Awkward, I wondered if I'd be able to catch up with the plot and characters or would I be lost? At times I wished I would have first met Mackenzie in her story, for in Invisible I didn't like her at all. She's supposed to be Jane's best friend, but I was rooting for Jane to dump her! Maybe knowing her background, I would have liked her more in Invisible. Other than that, I was able to catch up with the history of the characters fairly well, but I will still probably go back and read the first one.

I like how Jane isn't popular even within her small group of friends, at the beginning of the book. She's not the leader of her small group, nor does she have the admiration of the adults in her life (with the exception of her boss). She's just an average girl that finally has things go her way after some terrible lows. I think many will see themselves in Jane, especially where as their friends start to have new friends and interests they are also left behind and seemingly forgotten. While the chances of having a mistake being talked about on national entertainment shows are extremely slim, many teens will relate to having friends mad at them for something almost beyond their control. Yes, Jane has some terrible things happen to her, but I loved seeing her grow into a new person not afraid on confrontation and speaking up.

The story itself is one I think many fans of romantic comedies will love. There's a love interest here that develops through the book, but with just enough of a twist to keep you guessing to the end. I personally can't wait to recommend it to my Meg Cabot fans. B- rating.

A Small Town, A Rich Fantasy, and Traveling Through Time (or What I Read Last Week)

I've resisted doing "What I'm Reading" or "What I've Read" posts in the past, because I simply thought I should just do post on my responses after finishing a book. And those responses should be one post/one book. I've come to the realization that I simply don't have the time make the time to do a worthy response for EVERY book I read. Sometimes, I just don't know what to say. Other times, I just don't feel like writing a post. Suddenly, I realize I've read something like TEN books with no posts. Yikes! Even though it's not what I originally had in mind, I've decided it's better to post some general, multi-book posts than not at all. I still hope to write some thoughts on individual books as I'm able.

That said, since it's the start of a new week and a new month, here's some of what I read last week.


Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage.
Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel--a cafe owner with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous cafe hostess. She will protect those she loves with ever bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known.

Reminded me of Because of Winn-Dixie with the small-town, quirky characters and a strong sense of community family, but add in the mystery of Mo's background and a local murder. It's one of my favorites of the summer so far. I can't wait to see what my students think when school starts again. A rating.

Sabriel by Garth Nix.
Sent to a boarding school in Ancelstierre as a young child, Sabriel has had little experience with the random power of Free Magic or the Dead who refuse to stay dead in the Old Kingdom. But during her final semester, her father, the Abhorsen, goes missing, and Sabriel knows she must enter the Old Kingdom to find him. She soon finds companions in Mogget, a cat whose aloof manner barely conceals its malevolent spirit, and Touchstone, a young Charter Mage long imprisoned by magic, now free in body but still trapped by painful memories. As the three travel deep into the Old Kingdom, threats mount on all sides. And every step brings them closer to a battle that will pit them against the true forces of life and death--and bring Sabriel face-to-face with her own destiny.


Okay, this one has been on my To Be Read list for a super long time. I adore YA fantasy, and this one has been recommended to me numerous times. I could just kick myself for not reading it sooner, because it's absolutely a-mazing. Simply unforgettable. Nix creates a complex world in the Old Kingdom, but one that's so richly described I had no trouble visualizing and immersing myself there. I have already added Lirael to my lists and hope to get to it before school starts. A+ rating. This one is going on my "Keeper" shelf.

Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone.
Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett's unique ability to travel through time and space brings him into Anna's life, and with him, a new world of adventure and possibility. As their relationship deepens, they face the reality that time might knock Bennett back where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate--and what consequences they can bear in order to stay together.


I received this ARC from NetGalley, as the book isn't scheduled for release until October. I think this time travel romance has something special to make it stand out, and I personally can't wait to get it into some of my teens' hands this fall. Although I am generally a fan of romances, I don't always care for the time travel ones. (Usually, it's travel to a completely different era where the traveler stands out as Not From There. Here, with the travel being only 17 years in the past, most of my concerns were erased.) I think what really resonates with the story is how Anna gets the strength, or maybe gains enough confidence, just by knowing Bennett to change her life. She's a better person for knowing Bennett. It's not a perfect story, by any means. I still had some questions at the end. Will we ever know Bennett's story completely? What happened back home with his sister? Argh! I don't like being left hanging.  That said, it won't keep me from recommending it to my students. B rating.


Now, back to some reading.

Audacious: Ivy's Story by Jude Watson (Brides of Wildcat County #3)

A friend recommended this series a LONG time ago and I finally found one of the books. Ivy and her sister Mattie leave their coastal town in Maine and travel to California after seeing an advertisement for women to come west to be brides. Both girls were eager for a chance to start over in life after their family financial troubles, their father's death, and Ivy's boyfriend leaves her for a life at sea. From what I could gather, the advertisement wasn't exactly for a mail-order bride exactly. The women would arrive in the town, stay in a local boardinghouse and have the opportunity for marriage after getting to know some of the local men. Their travel expenses and room and board was paid for six months. I'm not sure exactly how much time has passed since their arrival in Last Chance, but Ivy has settled in there and has a job as the school teacher. She has fought for improvements upon the school building and more supplies and books for the students. She's made some friends, most especially Justus Calhoun, a local lawyer. Everyone in town thinks he's courting her, but Ivy knows they are "just friends." Her only contact back "home" is through letters with her friend Grace, whom she writes with stories of all the exciting and wild people and events of Last Chance. Grace's brother now wants to publish some of these stories in a newspaper in Boston. Ivy jumps at the chance to earn some extra money, but only if people don't know she wrote them. Thus a pseudonym is created --- Audacia El Dorado. Ivy's a naturally shy and reserved person, but she has a wild streak that she keeps hidden. Audacia is her way to be audacious without others knowing. Her life is turned upside-down when her ex-boyfriend from Maine shows up in Last Chance, spills her secret to everyone, and wants to marry her and take her away.

I know it's not the first one in the series, so I kept reading about events that happened in an earlier book. A bit frustrating for me -- not that I couldn't catch up as to what happened, just that I had to catch up. Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It's a sweet romance -- nothing more than kissing happens in the book -- that has Ivy torn between a second chance with her first love and a new love. I like how Ivy struggles with her decision, seeing the good in each man. That's how life is. It's not an easy black or white decision most of the time. You have to weigh the good and bad and then hope you make the best choice. That said, I think when Ivy makes her decision (sort of), it seems a snap one. I was questioning it as the reader, and we realize Ivy was questioning it as well. Not a perfect solution there. The characters are lively and entertaining which leads to a lively and entertaining story. B rating.

Matched by Ally Condie

I'm so impressed with the Dystopian stories being published nowadays for teens. What seemed to be a minor trend a few years back when *everything* seemed to be about vampires, has exploded into the mainstream and THEN current trend after the success of The Hunger Games trilogy. Everytime I pick up another book set in the future where all is not as perfect as it seems, I'm sure that this will be the one to disappoint me. Such was my frame of mind when I picked up Matched.

Cassia is excited and nervous to finally meet her match. She's eager to see who the Society has chosen as her perfect mate; and an excuse to eat such delicacies as cake and dress up in finery at the banquet isn't bad either. Cassia lives in a world where the Society makes all her decisions for her -- where she lives, what she wears, what she eats, where she works, even when she will die. Her life seems perfect, she's with her loving family, she's matched with someone she's been best friends with forever. What more could she want?

Seeing the flash of someone else when looking at information about her match, Cassia begins to question all that the Society has told her. Suddenly, everything isn't so perfect after all. What if the Society was wrong and they chose her wrong match? If they were wrong about this, what else could be wrong?

There's lots to love about this story. It doesn't take long for me to get sucked into Cassia's world and wonder along with her about her life. As she struggles to decide who is a better match, Xander or Ky, I feel her anguish. I so want her to make the right choices, but I too have no idea what the right choice should be.

Matched will appeal to a wide audience. Fans of SF, adventure stories, and romance will all find something to like here. It's easy to recognize that this will be the first in a series, the ending leaving many plot details hanging. My grade? An 'A!' I for one will be impatiently waiting for the next!

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Jane Austen is a favorite of mine and one of the few authors whose books I actively reread. I've read Sense and Sensibility before, but it had been several years. Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters are forced to live in reduced circumstances, after the death of Mr. Dashwood. (Most of Mr. Dashwood's estate was left to his son, the stepson of Mrs. Dashwood.) Elinor and Marianne, the oldest two of the daughters, have opposing views of what type of man would make the best husband. Elinor is more practical, and wants a sensible, steadfast man, while Marianne dreams of a deeply romantic and demonstrative man. When each sisters meets her ideal man, she finds that her ideals can lead to complications.

Jane Austen is an author that I appreciate more and more every time I read one of her novels. Her style takes some getting used to, for it's not easy to read. The language is that from the early 1800's and not the common speak of today. Those willing to take the time and commitment to delve into Sense and Sensibility will find a fantastic story, but it's definitely not for everyone. I give it an 'A.'

The Season by Sarah MacLean

In The Season, Alex and her two best friends, Ella and Vivi, are preparing for their first Season. They will attend various balls, parties and events with the goal of finding a husband. Well, at least that's the goal of their parents. The girls don't want to get married yet, for seventeen is way too young. Each wants to experience more in life before settling down, and Alex isn't even sure she wants to get married at all. Alex becomes involved in unraveling the mystery surrounding the death of the father of close family friend, Gavin.

I loved reading a YA set during the Regency, for there's not much being written for teens set in that time period. It's accessible for readers that want something like a Jane Austen novel, but find the language in JA too difficult. Alex, Ella, and Vivi delight the reader with such normal teen behavior. They gossip, long for the time when they are independent, complain about their lives and how no one understands them. The mysterious death of Gavin's father, linked to rumors of French spies in England, leads to a thrilling adventure and romance for Alex . I admit, I was thoroughly entertained. Definitely a 'B+' book for me!

The Secret Identity of Devon Delaney by Lauren Barnholdt

Recently, I was discussing YA fiction with an acquaintance and we ended up talking about the "big lie." You know, how the teen tells what he/she thinks is a tiny white lie to make life easier in the short run, but ends up causing a whole lot of trouble in the long run? Well, The Secret Identity of Devon Delaney is one of *those* stories.

Devon is staying with her grandmother for the summer, and while there, meets a fabulous new friend, Lexi. In order to get Lexi to like her better, Devon makes up stories about her life back home. (She's super popular, dating the cutest guy in school, and always dresses in the latest fashions.)Things go downhill fast when Devon discovers that Lexi has moved to her hometown. How will she ever get Lexi to believe all the lies she told over the summer?

The Secret Identity of Devon Delaney will appeal to teens wanting a flirty friendship story, with just a dash of romance. It's a predictable tale, where girl tells lies to make friend, friend shows up in hometown, girl devises all kinds of crazy antics to get friend to believe lies. We all know that telling lies on top of lies will only make it worse when it's all revealed, and it WILL be eventually. This story is no exception. I do like the mom's common sense way of handling the issue when her daughter confesses all her wrongdoing.

Overall, it's a cute, fluffy story that'll catch the eye of many a teen, but nothing special. I give it a C.

The Bridesmaid by Hailey Abbott

I read The Bridesmaid about five years ago and remembered it as a sweet romance with some funny moments. The library's copy was lost, so when I replaced it, I decided to do a reread.

Abby and her sister, Carol, promised each other as children to never get married. Falling in love was okay, but no wedding. You see, they grew up watching many a bride turn into a Bridezilla through their parents' wedding planning and reception hall business. When Carol comes home from college and announces she's engaged to get married, Abby feels betrayed and wants nothing to do with the wedding planning. Abby watches with disgust as her sister turns into one of those screaming, crazy Bridezillas and her parents argue over planning every aspect of the wedding. No one seems to understand Abby's feelings, including her two best friends and Noah, the son of the cake decorator and her crush.

The Bridesmaid was every bit as good as I remembered. Funny scenes give way to moments of angst as the reader gets caught up in Abby's emotions. The romance that develops between Abby and Noah is sweet and I like how they don't let their tiff blow up to a huge misunderstanding. Less drama is better. (Especially since it's not needed with all the wedding drama in the background.) The story is capped off with an expected, but still humorous, ending to the farce.

Romance fans will be delighted with The Bridesmaid, an entertaining romp. Rated a 'B', super cute!

Party Games by Whitney Lyles

The Simon Romantic Comedies have been either a hit or miss for me. Some, I've adored and recommended over and over and others I want to just hide away. I've been wanting to read Whitney Lyles' Party Games ever since hearing that she wrote it. You see, I absolutely adored her Always the Bridesmaid, written for adults.

I'm a bit picky when reading teen romances. I want the characters to be three dimensional -- please no cardboard people. I want the story to be sweet and romantic and it MUST have a happy ending. Party Games almost fulfilled all of these requirements. Sara is refreshingly smart, funny, and level-headed. She works for her mom's party planning business, and seems more than capable in carrying out many of the job duties. Although surrounded by the trappings of the rich, she really doesn't seem obsessed with having everything and being materialistic. She is realistic in that she knows she'll have to save up for things she wants, such as a car. The love interest is a member of an up-and-coming band that seems more focused on the music than on the attentions of female fans. The real reason I'm not completely over the top for Party Games? You see, it does have one of those annoyingly spoiled secondary characters who always get what they want. She does have some redeeming moments, but I was way over her by then.

Overall a fun, light-hearted story that will be a hit for romance readers.  I give this one a B.

Fat Cat by Robin Brande

I'm just amazed at what I think about after finishing Robin Brande's books. I look at what the blurb say the book is about and I just come away with so much more than that. I'm not sure how to describe my reaction to Fat Cat. I never expected this story to affect me the way it did. I knew Fat Cat would be something special, if Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature was anything to go by, but I sure didn't expect it to change the way I look at the world. Now, this doesn't mean I decided to change my name, shave my head, or quit my job. I started looking at what I eat and drink, I mean REALLY looking at what I eat and drink. Granted, I'm not quite as strong as Cat -- haven't been able to give up COMPLETELY on my Diet Cokes yet. But I have noticed that I'm reading labels more, thinking twice about what I'm eating and purchasing. It sure opened my eyes to what I'm putting in my body and I give all the credit to reading this book.

I give this book a B+.

Princess of Gossip by Sabrina Bryan and Julia DeVillers

I picked up Princess of Gossip to read because I liked the cover and I thought it might be a cute story. (And I liked Julia DeVillers' How My Private, Personal Journal Became a Bestseller.) Avery has just moved to southern California from Ohio and becomes embroiled in the world of celebrities and their publicity events after starting a fan page for a new musician. Okay, complete fluff and totally unbelievable, but fun to read in parts. I really liked the idea of how the friends created a second life type world for fans of the singer. I thought the climax and ending was a bit rushed and Avery really didn't get into as much trouble as I would have anticipated, but overall just what I expected -- a cute story. There's nothing special about it, but not a total waste of time either. I give it a 'C' -- Optional.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

I liked this story about two kids from different sides of town who fall in love. While on the surface, their two lives seem to be worlds apart, they turn out to have a ton in common. I wish the Spanish phrases had been easier to figure out in context, but it really fit with the story. (Some, I had to go translate!) It's a bit too mature for middle school -- some issues in this novel are just a bit more than most sixth graders are ready to confront. I think this would be a good fit for many teens, including some relutant readers. My rating: B, Recommended.