Privilege by Kate Brian

Summary: Ariana Osgood ruled exclusive Easton Academy -- until she was arrested for murdering Thomas Pearson. She's spent the past two years at the Brenda T. Trumbull Correctional Facility for Women plotting her escape and is determined to get a second chance at the glamorous life she left behind. And Ariana will do anything to get her way.... 

From the author of the bestselling Private novels comes a new series about the dark world of wealth, secrets, and Privilege

Review: I picked up this book because of the exceptional Private series. If you've never heard of the 'Private' series look it up, it's like a better version of 'Pretty Little Liars.' This book was highly recommended throughout the mystery lovers community. Honestly it took me a while to finally get to reading this, but I'm so glad I did now. Kate Brian succeeded in another gripping and intense novel. Read Privileged if you've read the Private series or read the Private series so you can read the Privileged series. Privileged takes you to a whole new world you didn't see in 'Private' and everything is a game. 

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

Summary: Micah will freely admit that she’s a compulsive liar, but that may be the one honest thing she’ll ever tell you. Over the years she’s duped her classmates, her teachers, and even her parents, and she’s always managed to stay one step ahead of her lies. That is, until her boyfriend dies under brutal circumstances and her dishonesty begins to catch up with her. But is it possible to tell the truth when lying comes as naturally as breathing? Taking readers deep into the psyche of a young woman who will say just about anything to convince them—and herself—that she’s finally come clean, Liar is a bone-chilling thriller that will have readers see-sawing between truths and lies right up to the end. Honestly.

Review: It's weird that some people loved this book, and others thought it was horrible. I wasn't really sure who to listen to, but I ended up just picking it because I thought it seemed different. Not exactly sure why I felt that, but I knew it wouldn't be quite the same as other YA fiction novels. The main character was strange, but strange in a good way. It's weird that its a mystery because usually in mysteries you follow the main character when trying to solve the mystery. Although in this one it as hard to tell whether or not the main character is you know...lying. Its hard to believe someone who lies that often or lies 24/7. You'll just have to read it and try and see how it works out!

The Future Of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler

Summary:
It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbours their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long - at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail,his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.

By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right - and wrong - in the present.

Summary from good reads


Review: (SPOILER ALERT)
When I first came across this book, hoping to find more good reads, I had high expectations because most people who have read this book, have been telling me how it was really good. With the addition of Jay Asher, the author of Thirteen Reasons Why, I looked forward to reading it. I wondered how the two authors would intertwine social networking and romance together.This book was without a question a page-turner. The plot was very intriguing, it made me ask myself questions like; What would I do if I could change the future? Would I be able to take the responsibility for the things I change? I subconsciously put myself in Emma's perspective and it really put me in deep thought about the actions I would do, to "help" the future become "brighter".

I knew Emma and Josh were going to be together, right from the start.(Main characters usually end up together.)But, when Emma surprised Josh with a kiss, I literally stayed on the floor for 5 minutes. (typical fan girling) The ending satisfied me unlike some other books I've read. Although it doesn't have and epilogue, the plot would of done well with or without one. With one, we'd learn about their futures. Without one, It'd be more mysterious leaving you wanting more. There wasn't any major problems, although I'd like to know more about what would happen to Sydney. Her future husband is gone!

Overall, I would recommend it to anyone who digs the romantic comedy genre. Warning, this isn't about time travel. I thought so at first, and I was wrong.
MY RATE: 4/5! * * * *

Winner Week #5!

Each week the Richmond Public Library will be awarding prizes to teens who submit reviews. Each winner will receive a book of their choice and other fantastic prizes. This weeks winners are:

1.) Mimi Bookworm
2.) Emily  - Librarian's choice for a fantastic review of Requiem

Congratulations and we look forward to additional reviews throughout the summer!
!

The Book of AWESOME by Neil Pasricha

*About the Book:

From neighbors with pools to ordering off the menu at fast-food restaurants tofixing electronics by smacking them, The Book of Awesome takes on life’s sweet feats with all the honest humor and winning enthusiasm that has earned Pasricha’s blog its millions of followers. But while powered along by Pasricha’s distinctive, fresh, and hilarious voice, The Book of Awesome isn’t about one man’s favorite things, but rather a catalog of the universal little pleasures we all share. With its focus on the many things that bring us together rather than the few things that split us apart, it’s a book that will appeal to people from all walks of life — housewives and college kids, children and senior citizens alike. Arising out of Pasricha’s riffs on popping bubble wrap and getting a trucker to blow his horn is an unexpected, genuine sort of inspiration, as The Book of Awesome offers up a hearty cheer for all the little things we take for granted.

Review (ish):

Life's tough at the moment. I think it's because I'm at that point of my high school career where everyone starts showing how they really feel. So a pick-me-up was definitely needed, and I found it.. in the library. The book reminds us of the free things in life that make us happy and just feel AWESOME. I smiled and chuckled a lot while reading this and I think I might have creeped a couple people out on the bus once, but s'all good. Pasricha does a good job of including every age group into each happiness which is quite considerate. The idea isn't original though since I've seen quite a few books that stated things we should be happy about. But it's the simple language, smart wit and some sarcasm, and great use of imagery that made this book a 5/5 for me!

*about the book taken from his site.

Me, My Elf, and I by Heather Swain

Summary: It's not often you see an elf in the middle of Brooklyn, let alone a tall, blond, gorgeous elf in the middle of one of the most prestigious performing arts high schools in the country. And yet, that's just where Zephyr Addler finds herself: smack dab in the middle of a bustling New York City school, worlds away from the secluded woodland community she knows so well. But Zephyr knows that she has to figure out how to live in the world. And dress in the world. Thanks to a little friendly advice from her new friend Mercedes, Zephyr starts to get the hang of Brooklyn. That is, until Zephyr snags a role in a commercial, beating out the most popular girl in school, Bella Dartagnan. Now with Bella and her friends out to get her, can Zephyr out-maneuver the mean girls (and catch the eye of a certain cute boy) without losing herself?

Review: This was like the cutest book ever. If you've read my reviews you know I rely on the main character, because for some reason when I read a book I try and put myself in the main characters shoes. That way it kind of makes me feel like I'm a part of the book. Its weird I know, but its easier for me to do that if the main character is relatable or really likable. In this book it would actually be physically impossible to hate the main character. Like you can't I mean, she's an elf. You cant hate an elf. I love how the main characters innocence is what gets her into so much trouble. She's out in New York, and well it would be pretty scary going from a small town to New York, especially when the small town you're coming from is an all elf, tiny community, no pun intended. Zephyr and her family can actually pass off as humans looks-wise, but as for acting like humans they've got it all wrong. All Zeyphr wants to do is fit in with her new school, and throughout the book I was really rooting for her. Although it was so funny watching her struggle, her being completely naive and whatnot. Even though this book is about elves, which yeah isn't pretty common, it still mixes in the mean girls cliche, giving it that typical teen girl book feel. I mean I'd prefer it to be a little more original, but it was still a pretty decently thought out book. If your looking for a little fluff to lighten up your day read this :)  

Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Taken from Goodreads: 

They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.
But we are still here.
And there are more of us every day.
Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.
After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.
Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.
Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.
But we have chosen a different road.
And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.
We are even free to choose the wrong thing.
Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge

Spoilers included in review.

This last book of the trilogy was quite intense. The mystery of who was burning out the Invalids and homesteads kept the story going. The alternation between Hana and Lena's POVs connected the story together pretty well: what's happening inside and outside the walls. 

Alex came out of nowhere, unexpected and alive. I liked how throughout the book, Lena was struggling between choosing Alex, her first love who freed her from Zombieland, and Julian, who helped her when she thought Alex was gone forever. The way the tension between Alex, Lena, and Julian was written was realistic: the jealousy of Lena when she sees Alex and Coral together; how she wanted to push Julian away but was hesitant because she knew he was one of the only people she could rely on. The character development of Julian and how others treated him was quite interesting. From an outcast in the Wilds, to an eager volunteer wanting to fit in with the Invalids. 

Lena's mom's appearance was expected in this last book. The part where she sat down with her mom and poured all the feeling out to her was very emotional for me. The last two books showed how Lena felt toward her mom, and in this book, when they finally meet for real, it was obvious that Lena and her mom, although changed by the Wilds, have this strong relationship that time or hardship cannot take away. I thought it was interesting that although the characters are in different world than the one we live in, Lena is still behaves like a teenage girl. I felt a connection toward the way she didn't want to tell her mom about her relationship with Alex and Julian because I would probably do the same if I was in her situation. 

Surprises in the book: Lu and Raven. The irony of the line Raven said, "Lu can come with us. She's a walking good-luck charm." The good luck charm led them into a trap. I think this is also a way of showing that there is always someone who will betray the larger group. In Zombieland, the Invalids rebel against the cure, and in the Wilds, someone will also end up having a change of heart and rebelling against the Invalids. Now, Raven's death was devastating. I felt really bad for Tack because of all those years they spent together, surviving, taking care of each other. If she had not died, she could have lived happily with Tack after the walls came down. She took a bullet for Pippa who had the bombs. However, they all understand that sacrifice is needed to keep safe what is important to them .  

I liked the connection to the story of King Soloman. The revised version in the book was quite terrifying to imagine; cutting a baby in half. But the real version, where one of the mothers gave up her clam on the baby so her child would stay safe, I think it was a great influence on how the characters acted in the book. When Alex disappeared after his fight with Julian, I had to give it some thought to understand the note he left Lena. I think it could mean that he left so she doesn't have to be torn between him and Julian anymore. This already showed that Alex still loves her, despite how he acted. The other story, the story of Bluebeard and his room full of corpses of women. I think that story really impacted how Hana acted. She realized she was about to marry "Bluebeard". Fred, the major, was just like Bluebeard, killing innocent people and locking them up so the truth would not spread and any curious people would also be killed. 

Honestly, I was a bit disappointed about the ending. It was very vague. Alex and Lena found out they still love each other. Lena found Grace and together, they took down the walls, the barrier between the two worlds. There was no epilogue on what happened to Hana and Fred, nothing on the relationship between Lena and Julian (it was like Lena went straight back to Alex after his confession that he loved her and left Julian hanging). Maybe the author wanted to have a vague ending to give us room for imagination, but personally, I like straight forward conclusions to a story. Still, kinda sad that the story's over. 
4.5/5 for mostly of the book.