Tour stop - Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein Review + Q&A

Today I am a host for the Pretty Amy book tour. First of all, I have a review for you. Below that I have posted a Q&A. Enjoy!


title: Pretty Amy
written by: Lisa Burstein
genre: ya, contemporary
pages: 304
published by  Entangled Publishing
published may 8th, 2012

Amy is fine living in the shadows of beautiful Lila and uber-cool Cassie, because at least she’s somewhat beautiful and uber-cool by association. But when their dates stand them up for prom, and the girls take matters into their own hands—earning them a night in jail outfitted in satin, stilettos, and Spanx—Amy discovers even a prom spent in handcuffs might be better than the humiliating “rehabilitation techniques” now filling up her summer. Worse, with Lila and Cassie parentally banned, Amy feels like she has nothing—like she is nothing.


Navigating unlikely alliances with her new coworker, two very different boys, and possibly even her parents, Amy struggles to decide if it’s worth being a best friend when it makes you a public enemy. Bringing readers along on an often hilarious and heartwarming journey, Amy finds that maybe getting a life only happens once you think your life is over.

Burstein created a simple, unique and amazing book every teenager, expecially girls, will like. It has something for everyone, characters you can easily relate to, and lots of humor. And the cover is beautiful!

Most books about teenage girls and prom don't exite me at all. In fact, I hate them. But already after reading the blurb of Pretty Amy I knew this book wouldn't be like those books. Being arrested on prom night? Amazing plot! Prom really changed Amy's life, in many ways, but most of all, it has shown her what is really important in life. And that was one of my favorite things about this book, it was not just a story, but it was very well thought out!

"I used to be nice, but nice was boring. Nice hadn’t gotten me anywhere." This line really describes the way Amy, the main character, acts. The world didn't care enough about her, so now she pretends as if she doesnt care about anything. Amy was a very fun character. She had to overcome a lot, after being arrested on prom night. But she handled the situation perfectly, and came out great. Other important characters were her two completely different best friends; Lila, the barbie girl and Cassie, the rock chick everyone is scared of. I love it when the main characteris in a book differ a lot, but still live together in harmony.

You read this book from Amy's point of view, the first person. I always like to read from this perspective, because you get way more insight in the story and the life of the character this way.

I rate this book 3.5 stars - You should read it! 


the Interview


1. What inspired you to write Pretty Amy? 

I was arrested during my senior year of high school, not for the same reason Amy was, but that was where the kernel came from. I also knew I wanted to write a "shocking" book from a teenage girl's point of view. I feel like you can get away with your character being a murderer, or a jerk, or just a smart ass more easily if your book isn't contemporary and I wanted to try to break that mold with PRETTY AMY. I also wanted to write a contemporary YA book that was about what real teens go through. I feel like teenage girl's lives are complex and I hoped to show that in PRETTY AMY.


2. Do you have any strange writing habits? I  myself always need to have my favorite book lying next to me, as a stimulation. 

Yes, I write with my laptop on my lap. I cannot write at a desk.

3. Does music inspire you while writing, or do you prefer to write in silence? 

Write in silence. I am way to easily distracted :).


4. In the book, Amy gets in trouble because of the Prom. Was your prom a disaster, too? 

I never went to my senior prom. I think that was why I made it such a hard night for Amy.


5. What was for you the hardest part of Pretty Amy to write? 

It wasn't so much a scene, as the end of the book. Amy goes through a pretty significant emotional and psychological change throughout the novel and it was hard to get it just right. Hard to make it as authentic as she is in the earlier parts of the novel.

Have a great day!
xo Mar

Art Geeks and Prom Queens by Alyson Noel

book: Art Geeks and Prom Queens
written by: Alyson Noel
series? Nope
genre: young adult, chicklit, romance
pages: 240
publication date: September 1st, 2005
publisher: St. Martin's Press

Dorks, Dweebs, Debutantes, and Jocks—Where would you fit in?


Being the new girl is tough—just ask sixteen-year-old Rio Jones. A New York transplant, Rio has no clue how she's going to fit in at her fancy new private school in Southern California. Plus, being late, overdressed, and named after a Duran Duran song doesn't make the first day any easier for her.


Then Rio meets Kristi. Beautiful, rich, and a cheerleader, Kristi is the queen bee of Newport Beach. And Kristi isn't friends with just anyone, so Rio is thrilled when she's invited to be part of the most exclusive, popular clique. Of course, like any club, Kristi and her friends have rules: Always smile (even if you don't mean it), always dress cute (and never repeat outfits), and always flirt (but only with jocks, preps, and rich college guys).


At first Rio is having a great time, but as she becomes more immersed in this jet-set crowd, she figures out there is one last rule that her new friends forgot to mention: Don't cross Kristi . . .

first of all -

I've heard a lot of great things about Alyson Noel's books, especially the Immortals series was recommended to me by tons of people. So finally I decided to pick up an Alyson Noel book. YAY :)

my review:

Already after reading the blurb and a couple of reviews, I knew this book was in the danger zone. I heard them talking about a stupid main character. And I absolutely hate it when the main character is a brainless girl. Still, I decided to give it a chance.
I only need two words to describe the whole plot of this book. Mean Girls. *the first movie*Yeah, that's all I need to say about it. Those two plots are exact matches. *spoilerspoilerspoiler*Normal girl goes to high school gets geekish friends then gets popular friends ,she turns into a royal bitch and her geekish friends dump her. Then there still is the boy that she CANNOT date, which appareantly is enough reason to love him and want.him, and in the end they kiss. Well, I don't think I missed a single important thing.
The main character, Rio, ironically named after a Duran Duran song, starts off as an OK character. Then she wants to be one of the popular girls. She wants a boyfriend, she wants to be everyones best friend. She completely forgets her first friends, the nice ones. If she were a real person and if she would do this to me, I would absolutely hate her. Still, the geekish friends forgive her everytime, and even save her ass a few times!
The pace of this novel was too slow in my opinion. The author could have written the story on 50 pages instead of 240, and still it would have said exactely the same.
The writing style of Alyson Noel was pretty good. That saved the whole book. Or at least, a little...


rating:
1.5 stars


xo Mar

Putting boys on the Ledge by Stephanie Rowe

book: Putting boys on the ledge
written by: Stephanie Rowe
series?: Boys series, #1
genres: Romance, Chicklit, Young Adult
pages: 170
own / library / netgalley
publication date: November 31st, 2011
publisher: TKA Distribution


note: 
as always, I'd like to thank Netgalley and TKA Distribution for sending this e-galley to me. It looked very interesting, but I found it very, very disappointing... I hate to give negative reviews but I have to stay honest.

the book: 
Meet Blueberry Waller, whose name is the only interesting thing about her life. Until now.
Not only is Blue dealing with the worst name in the world, crazy parents and a clingy younger sister, she just got a part in the school play. And now she’s acting with Heath Cavendish, total crush-worthy senior. He would never give a second look to a girl like Blue. Except he has.
Her friends say Blue should play it cool, put Heath on the Ledge so she can keep the upper hand. Trouble is, she doesn’t know how to be clever around boys. Thankfully her pal Colin offers his help in teaching her how to get the guy. But he’s just being a good friend. Isn’t he?
Suddenly the wallflower is getting all the attention. But will being in the spotlight keep Blue from making the right decisions...for her?
A Girlfriend’s Guide to Boys: For these four friends, understanding the world of boys is only half the battle.

my review:

First of all, I have to stay honest, and I honestly didn't like this book. 

I had lots of problems with the main character, Blue. She thinks that her life is miserable, only because of a crazy family and name. Of course, those aren't big problems, most of teens deal with crazy families *at least, I do* and sometimes they have crazy names. What's in a name? :) The minor problems don't make her life miserable, or at least they shouldn't, or there is something seriously wrong with Blue. I actually like her name, Blue is a funny name ^^ But, back to my problems with her. She is one of those girls I usually avoid talking to.  A girl who does always want attention. Then there is a hot guy, who is one of the most popular boys AND is 4 years older, and what does she? She falls in love with him *sigh* This is what I call the Twilight-effect. *I didn't look it up, but is it allowed to be dating a guy aged 18 when you're 14? In the NL the 18+ one isn't allowed to 'touch' the under-18-year-old one. Don't know how that's in the rest of the world. I don't mean that they check it or something, just that you as the younger one can use it against the older one in e.g. a trial.*

Then there are her crazy-in-a-bad-way friends. All they can talk about are boys, boys and boys. I mean, they go to school, shouldn't they at least talk a little bit about that? Maybe one line in a whole book? Well, in this book they didn't talk about school AT ALL. School means a lot to me, as a 'normal' teen girl. Other things are important, too, and I don't like to talk about it all the time, but I talk about school with my friends. But whatever, maybe it's just something that has to do with me.

Then there comes the school musical. Of course, already when the words school musical are mentioned, you know that she is going to get a part. She gets to play the mother of her crush. -.-

Getting on to the next character, the only one I did like a little, Colin. He's working in the barn at Blue's house. He is honest, normal and funny. But then it gets bad, because he falls in love with Blue *noooo* and that's the end of the awesome Colin. There are some crazy scenes involving Colin in this book. He is following Blue everywhere, or at least that's how it seemed to me. Stalker-alert!

The crazy friends say that Blue should put the boys on the ledge. You know, the place you jump from when you commit suicide --' which declares the title.

There are three more books in this series, each written about on of the crazy friends. 

I read a couple of 4- and 5-star reviews on GoodReads. I do understand that people liked this book. I guess I just don't like this type of books, that are about nothing... *sigh*

rating: 

1 star... 

xo Mar

I'd tell you I love you, but then I'd have to kill you by Ally Carter

book: I'd tell you I love you, but then I'd have to kill you
written by: Ally Carter
series? Gallagher Girls #1
genres: young adult, romance, chicklit
pages: 284
own / library / netgalley
publication date: April 25th, 2006
publisher: Disney-Hyperion press


note: Thanks to Disney-Hiperion press and Netgalley for giving me the oppotunity to read this exiting book with an amazing but awfully long title. It had been on my TBR list for a very long time.

the book:
Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school-that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses but it's really a school for spies. Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the skill of a real "pavement artist"-but can she maneuver a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her?


Cammie Morgan may be an elite spy-in-training, but in her sophomore year, she's on her most dangerous mission-falling in love.

my review: 

This book is epic! Cammie Morgan is the teenage girl version of James Bond, or whatever awesome spy there is out there. She is super smart, can do about everything she wants. But what does she do? Fall in love, of course. The one and only thing she doesn't know everything about. The one thing that will put her into a series of awkward positions.

The Gallagher academy seems like this boarding school for rich girls. But nothing is like it appears to be. People from town think that every girl from Gallagher academy is spoiled, and that they all are daddy's girls. In some way, they are right. The girls from Gallagher academy are not normal... 

Cammie is a great character, or at least she is for about 90%. She is a genius, she has friends and a great sense of humor. But her love at the first sight really annoys me... *sigh* She turns into such a stupid little girl when she falls in love. Nothing matters to her anymore. And that while her whole relationship consists of lies. How can you lie to the person you love? To me it just seems impossible. Not that I never lie, just that I can't lie to the people I love most. Maybe it's just me, but still... And yes, I know that she was educated to be able to lie, like a spy. But whatever.
The pace was perfect, as was the writing style. Ally Carter didn't lose my interest once while I was reading this book! The plot is very intersting. A boarding school for geniuses that are going-to-be spies. Girls that can speak 14 languages, including Swahili :o And of course, a forbidden love...
I think the title is perfect for this book, only, it is so long :o I'd tell you I love you, but then I'd have to kill you. Seriously, it might be the longes title I've ever seen. *now I'm exaggerating... just a little :)* and the cover looks amazing and goes with the book very well!
I can't say how much I regret not picking up this book earlier. I really needed a book like this 2 years ago, so that I'd have never read Twilight... *sorry if you like Twilight...*


This book is full of humorous dialogues, action and girliness. A very interesting and funny book I'd recommend to every teenage girl that loves to read!


rating: 
4 stars


xo Mar

the statistical probability of love at first sight by Jennifer E. Smith

book: The statistical probability of love at first sight
written by: Jennifer E. Smith
series: -
genres: romance, young adult
pages: 256
own / library / borrowed
publication date: January 2nd, 2012
publisher: Poppy / Little Brown


note: Who wouldn't want to read a book with a title like this? And the cover is so cute! Only those things made me decide to pick this book up, which was a great decision!

the book: 
Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?


Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

my review: 

After seeing John Green talking about the book, I knew for sure that I must read this book. Anything he recommends to his readers, I'll read *or at least 99% of it*
When I started reading it, I fell in love with the writing style of the author. It was very easy to read, and felt like you were flowing through the book. The pace of the story wasn't very high, and there didn't happen lots of things. But you can't expect lots of things from a book that only is about one day?
The characters in this book were great. There was Hadley, the main character. She was very much like a John Green character, with strange fears *mayo* and realistic thoughts. Then there was Oliver, the cute English boy that keeps on mocking American culture. Everything you expect an English boy to be like you can find back in him. Then there are some other characters, which I have honestly already forgotten about. They didn't intrigue me...
The family drama this book is about is nothing unusual. Some of my friends have been in the exact same position. *not the England-America thing, just the divorced and has a new girlfriend thing* I think the feelings of Hadley are represented very realistic, like any teen with seperated/divorced parents would feel after the divorce.
The romance in this book was great, but predictable. They meet in a terminal, have seats next to each other *what a coincidence!* and then find out that they really like each other. I am not one of those girls that believes in love at first sight... That's why I found some of the parts of this book rather boring.


full of hilarious dialogues, family drama and romance - a recommender for every teen girl that loves love :)


rating: 
4 stars

the last little blue envelope by Maureen Johnson

The last little blue envelope by Maureen Johnson

 

Book:  the last little blue envelope

Written by: Maureen Johnson

Genres:  chicklit, travelling, young adult

Pages:  (my version) 255

Release date:  april 26^th 2011

Own / library / borrowed

Series?:  yup, little blue envelopes #2

Publisher:  HarperTeen

Note:  I read this book in Dutch, not English. So I hope the names were translated the same. Loved that it was partly in Amsterdam, thanks from all Dutch fans to Maureen, we love you. Make sure you follow Maureen Johnson on twitter, her tweets are hilarious! @maureenjohnson

The book:  (spoilers if you have not read the first part…)

After going home without reading the last letter, Ginny starts applying to universities. There is only one thing she still has to do, answer the famous question every university asks: write about a life-changing thing that happened to you. When she decides to start this she sees she has got a new email. In that email, which was sent to her by an unknown stranger, stands that he has found her last letter. Ginny decides to go back to England to get the letters. Here she meets the one with her letter, Oliver, who decided that he wanted half the money the last painting of her dead aunt brought. Ginny had to agree. Also, she found out that her kind-of-boyfriend had found a new girlfriend. Together with him, his girlfriend and Oliver Ginny travels around Europe, looking for the last pieces of the painting.

My opinion on:

·        ~ the characters:  I love Ginny, she is so much like the writer, Maureen Johnson. She is crazy, funny and adventurous, I wished I were her! Then you also have Ellis, the new girlfriend. She is this super-talkative friend you must love. Also you have Keith and Oliver. Keith is a jerk in this book, and Oliver seemed one too, but as it turns out he was OK.

·       ~  the setting of the book: yay! Amsterdam! (sorry, but as you know I’m Dutch and I love to read what other people think of my country in books) There were a few prejudices about The Netherlands in this book. First of all; Drugs. Peepz, I know you also think about it this way, Dutch people are always stoned. Well, I have to say: not true. Then there was a part about windows that are always without windows. That part is true, only I have never thought about it the way she said it. My house also has no curtains for the biggest part, and where it has curtains they are only closed at night. Funny J

·       ~  the way the book was written: Funny, easy to read, full of humor, awesomeness.

·       ~  the cover:  since I’ve read the Dutch version, I will show you that cover next to the English cover, cover battle time <3

w

which cover do you like best? I prefer the dutch one actually... :)

total:

4 stars go to Maureen Johnson’s the last little blue envelope <3