How to Hook a Hottie

How to Hook a Hottie
by Tina Ferraro

4/5

Kate DelVecchio is all about money. She has the plan to become a millionare before she turns 20. No college for her. Her parents of course don't agree with her little plan. But, Kate gets them to agree to hand over her college account if she graduates with straight As and if she has at least $5,000.

Kate isn't much of a relationship girl. When the hottest guy in school asks her to the football banquet, she agrees, making her the news of the school. She starts being approached by girls asking her how she scored the hottest guy in school, as if she actually wanted him (which she didn't).

Kate comes up with a plan to help others get the hottie they want, making $100 off each person. But what happens when the plan starts to backfire? And when she starts to feel something towards Dal, her best friend, that she hasn't felt before?

This was a really good book. The title kind of threw me off a bit, but once I started reading, I was hooked. :) Kate was a good character, and even if she didn't know it from the start, I could totally tell that she was into Dal. She really grew up throughout the story too. I was so surprised by the way she helped Lexie too. I recommend this book to anyone. It was great!

Story of a Girl

Story of a Girl
by Sara Zarr

3.5/5

Deanna has been known as the "school slut" since she was thirteen. Now she has just finished her sophmore year. Things haven't changed: her dad hates her and will hardly speak to her and the guys at school are always trying to get with her.

The guy was Tommy, Deanna's brother's (Darren) supposed best friend. Deanna was in middle school, and he was a junior in high school. He told her he really liked her. She believed it, and didn't want to seem so young around him. It was just the way he looked at her. And then her dad followed them one night and found them parked and doing more than just kissing.

Deanna got a job at Picasso's Pizza at the start of summer. On her first day, Tommy was there...working. But she stayed, hoping it would be okay. Eventually, they talk about what had happened, and how miserable he had made her life. All the while, Deanna's home life isn't getting any better. Her brother, his girlfriend, and their baby are having their own issues. Deanna finally has the breakdown that has been held inside for two whole years.

This was an alright book, but not what I was expecting. It wasn't bad, but it isn't a favorite. The story was good, but I wasn't really satisfied with the ending. It didn't really clarify what would happen with her brother, with Tommy, he parents, or her friends. I liked the other book by Sara Zarr better. The story line was really good though. The "school slut" is a believeable story as well.

Private

Private by Kate Brian

5/5!

15 year old Reed Brennan finally has an out to her crazy home life, including her pill-popping mother. She got a scholarship to Easton Academy. This place is completely different than her old school.

Once she arrives, she notices how much different she is compared to everyone else. She first meets Thomas, who flirts with her whenever they run into each other. Then there was the Billings Girls: the most beautiful and sought after girls in the school. Reed wanted to be one of them.

As she tries to impress them, she changes her whole self. She used to be the quiet girl who kept to herself. Now she is finally ready to change. She wanted in so badly. As she gains their "friendship" she learns her limits. She changes...for the better?

I loved this book!!! I read it within a day, I just couldn't put it down! Reed was a great character, and she reminded me of myself in a few ways. The one thing I didn't like about her though, was that she was wanting a change for herself so badly that she went to lengths that were kinda crazy. Overall, it was a great book. I like the boarding school type stories. I wish I went to a boarding school! Life would be way more interesting. :) I recommend this book to everyone that enjoys books like Gossip Girl and The It Girl.

Reckless: An It Girl Novel

Reckless: An It Girl Novel
by Cecily von Ziegesar

5/5

Little Jenny Humphrey has certainly made a name for herself since she arrived at Waverly Academy. She got the boy she fell for, Easy Walsh, who just happened to be her room-mate's ex. But there is one problem: Lately Easy just isn't too sure about what, or rather, whom, he wants.

Tinsley is still the uberbitch, and everyone knows. She begins to like Julian, a freshman, which is the worst thing about it. The four room-mates have been separated: Callie is with Jenny, and Tinsley is with Brett.

Jenny is confused with Easy. Callie is still pining for him too. Easy just wants to kiss both of them. Tinsley wants Julian. Brett wants to have sex with her boyfriend, Jeremiah, but then learns a secret of his. These girls all have problems. When Tinsley spills a secret about Callie and Easy, Jenny is broken. Then Jenny, Callie, Brett, and a girl Kara (who is super cool) make a pact together. Maybe they call all be friends again...perhaps with no Tinsley afterall.

This book went by so fast. There was so much drama. I was getting really pissed at it though...in the good way, where you connect with the characters. Easy made me really angry. But then, Callie surprised me, which was good. I just love this series. I cannot wait for the next few books!

Let's Get Lost

Let's Get Lost by Sarra Manning

4.5/5

Isabel is the girl everyone is afraid of. She will bully you and ruin you. Even her "friends" are scared of her. She likes to be in charge. Her father blames her for everything, her brother just wants to annoy her, and her teachers can't get through to her. She loves the power. Did I mention she is only 16?

She meets Smith at a University party one night, and they make-out drunkenly. Then she sees him a few days later. She begins telling him lies, so he doesn't figure out she isn't 18, like she told him. They start to hang out, getting much closer than either of them thought.

Then Is's "friends" tell him the truth about her. That she isn't what she says she is. He hates her for it. Later on, there is an accident, and Smith comes to her rescue.

This was a really good book. I didn't really enjoy the ending though. It didn't say much on the subject of what was going to happen with Is and Smith, which is what I wanted to know the most! But, oh well. I liked her character, even though she was really rude and bossy. At the end, she realizes that her being in charge isn't the most important thing. She really learned her lesson at the end, and that was the message. I recommend this book. It's a fast read, and really good.

Sweethearts

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

4.5/5

Jennifer Harris is dead. She's become Jenna Vaughn, since her mother remarried. They moved, Jenna goes to a new school, leaving her entire past behind her.

Her birthday is here. Birthdays were always hard on her, ever since that one birthday many years ago...Anyways, now she has the life, the friends, the boyfriend. One thing is missing. Her best friend from grade school. One day he up and disappeared, no word, no letter, no nothing. Jennifer thought he was dead, and her mother didn't tell her that he wasn't.

One day, Cameron Quick, her best friend from long ago, turns up at her school. She is happy, confused, and thoughtful. As she goes through her own personal problems, she is thinking more and more about her's and Cameron's past together, and what they have to do now, since they have both been keeping that terrible secret of what really happened on her birthday those years ago.

This book was really sad, I thought. It was good, but slow, especially in the beginning. I liked how like, every other chapter was of what had been going on at Cameron's house on her one birthday. That made the story make more sense. The worst thing about this book was the ending. I didn't like that part at all. It made me really sad, and I want to know more. It just wasn't a good part to end at, I think. But otherwise, it was a good story, and can be relatible to the people who have actually been through this before. Go read it!

A Little Friendly Advice

A Little Friendly Advice

by Siobhan Vivian

4/5

Ruby is turning the sweet sixteen. When her father shows up that day, 6 years after he left, Ruby is awestruck and angry. He ruins her big day, when all she wants is to hang out with her friends, Beth, Maria, and Katherine, taking pictures with her "new" vintage Polaroid camera.

Ruby has had a tough past 6 years. Her father left, she got no explanations. Beth has always given Ruby advice: forget your father. He left you, so he's not worth it. When Ruby founds out about a secret Beth is keeping from her, her life seems to be all jumbled. She meets Charlie, and has an instant connection with him.

Knowing Beth is keeping something from her, they argue more, and Ruby is like an outsider to their group. Katherine is extra pissy towards her, Maria doesn't really know anything about the whole situation, and Beth isn't telling her the truth. What happens when Ruby finally finds out the whole truth? Will she ever see her dad again?

I liked this book. It was kind of slow, but once it got to the point, it was much better. I liked Ruby, but she seemed really weak and vulerable. She didn't know who she was, or who she wanted to be, but I suppose that made the story all the more relatible. It was a fast read, and went by faster. I wish it didn't end. I want there to be a sequel or something! I want to know what happens with Ruby and Charlie, if anything happens. Well, I recommend this book if you just like books about friendship and families. :)

Notorious: An It Girl Novel

Notorious: An It Girl Novel
By Cecily von Ziegesar

5/5!

In the second installment, Jenny Humphrey has been at Waverly Academy for a week. She has the dreams of becoming the "it girl" of the school. So far, she's made her presence known.

As Jenny falls fast for her room-mate's boyfriend, Easy Walsh, her other room-mate, Brett, is having a difficult time with her affair with a teacher. The Tinsley comes back. She and Callie are BFF again, and decide to hate Jenny and Brett.

Is Waverly big enough for Jenny, Brett, Callie, and Tinsley? Who will be the It Girl?

So, this is the second book and I loved it! I can't wait to get the rest from the library. But instead of doing separate posts, I may just do all of those together. Anyways, I love Jenny's character. Callie and Tinsley though...they're basically...bitches, which makes this book have even more twists and turns. I read this book in one day, so it really was good. :) I reccommend it if you enjoyed Gossip Girl.

Victoria and the Rogue

Victoria and the Rogue by Meg Cabot

4 out of 5

At sixteen, Lady Victoria Arbuthnot is shipped to London on the Harmony to search for a husband. She had lived in India her whole life as an orphan, though being cared for by her three uncles.

On the ship, she meets the attractive Hugo Rothschild. He proposes to her on the ship, and Victoria accepts, only to make the Captain, Jacob Carstairs, jealous. When in London, she stays with her aunt and uncle along with their family. Victoria finds herself helping the Gardiner's as a daily chore.

Jacob Carstairs keeps calling on Victoria. Eventually he is able to be alone with her to tell her the truth of her fiancee. And after she knows, he kisses her like she had never been kissed before. Victoria realizes what she must do about her fiancee, so she does it. A week after breaking off the engagement, Hugo wants to see her, to return her letters. She meets him, and is caught in a storm, then taken to his home, where they will not allow her to leave. Her only option was to climb out the window. And Jacob Carstairs rescues her.

I liked this book. It wasn't my favorite by Meg Cabot, but it was good, none the less. It's one of two of her historical fiction books, and I liked it. Victoria was a strong character, and it was funny, since you could tell that she was raised by men. Though, sometimes she really made me mad. She never realized her true feelings for Jacob until she thought she would have lost him. Anyways, I suggest this book if you like historical fiction. It's nothing like any of Meg's other books, so check it out.

Gossip Girl: The Carlyles

Gossip Girl: The Carlyles
by Cecily von Ziegesar

5 out of 5

After Blair, Serena, and Nate leave for college, there are new troublemakers in town! The Carlyle triplits, Baby, Avery, and Owen move into the old Waldorf Upper East Side apartment, after their grandmother's death, leaving the comfotable, old Nantucket behind them.

There's Baby, who can't stand being away from her stoner boyfriend. She attempts getting kicked out of Constance so she can go back to Nantucket. When she finally leaves, she comes upon something she didn't want to see. Avery wants to make a name for herself, and it sure doesn't help when Baby is making such a commotion around Constance. And there is Owen, who wants to find his hottie hook-up from the summer. Though, when she appears, things aren't as easy as he thought they would be.

Jack is home from Paris, where she got kicked out of a ballet program. She goes home to be with her boo, J.P, who seems to not be as interested as he was before. And when she finds out Baby is walking J.P.'s dogs, she gets a little more than upset. Jack turns to making Baby and Avery's lives a living hell. Rhys and Kelsey have been together basically forever. When Kelsey breaks up with him for "someone else" he doesn't understand it. He turns to his new best bud Owen for solace, not knowing that he should be worried about Owen.

Boy, oh boy. I loved this book. At first I wasn't too sure about it, since it wasn't about Blair, Serena, and Nate (I love them dearly!). But once I got started, I couldn't stop. There are just as many twists as the other books. The characters are strong, and somewhat realistic. Go read it! :)

Mermaid Park

Mermaid Park by Beth Mayall

4 out of 5!

Amy and her family are going on vacation to New Jersey, to stay with her aunt. It was where her mother was raised. She tries her hardest to spend time away from her family, especially her obnoxious step-father. She convinces her mother to let her stay with her aunt for the rest of the summer.

Amy found her dream job at Mermaid Park. She works, and watches the girls in their mermaid outfits swim in a gigantic water tank, mesmorized by their beauty, and dreaming to be one of those girls.

She befriends Stephanie, who shows her what the job is all about. When she has to go be with her brother, Amy gets to take her place as Mermaid Queen.

She discovers more about herself, and uncovers a secret her mother had kept from her her whole life.

I really liked this book. When I read the title, I was just kind of drawn to it. Amy was a really strong character, though throughout the book, she kind of made me a little mad for some things. :) But overall, I liked how Beth Mayall writes. This was her first novel, so I hope to read more from her in the future.

Airhead

Airhead by Meg Cabot

5 out of 5!

Emerson Watts is your average girl. She is a junior in high school, has a best friend, Christopher, whom she secretly loves, and a sister who is embarrassed by her.

On the day of the Stark Megastore grand-opening, Em is forced to go, to watch after her sister, Frida. Gabriel Luna, the singer-song-writer, and Frida's crush, was to be performing and signing autographs. Nikki Howard, the Face of Stark, was to be there too. An accident strikes, changing Em and Nikki forever.

Em wakes up in the hospital a month later. She is utterly confused about what had happened. Gabriel Luna visits her in the hospital, and Em didn't know why. Then she realizes that she isn't Em Watts anymore. Lulu Collins, Nikki Howard's BFF comes with Brandon Stark, Nikki's on-again off-again boyfriend to kidnap her. Em tries to explain that she wasn't Nikki Howard, but Lulu just wanted to believe there was a spirit-transfer, like in Freaky Friday. Em notices a tender scar on the back of her head, and then recalls watching a surgery show with Christopher about brain transplants. She realized that she was now Em Watts in...Nikki Howard's body.

She gets back to the hospital, and demands to hear what was going on. Turns out, just as Em was trying to save Nikki from a falling TV at the grand-opening, Nikki just happened to have an aneurysm at the same moment. That left Nikki Howard dead, and Em gravely injured. Now Em must be Nikki Howard, a model, so her parents don't have to pay two million dollars worth of medical bills plus more. Em decides she wants to go to school. Her story is that she had amnesia from the accident, so she doesn't remember how to model or anything. She wants to go to school so she can be around Christopher, since she can't even tell him that she's still here.

Em (erm...Nikki) goes through obstacles with boys who are in love with her, papparazzi, obsessing fans, and her agent. Well...Em Watts is gone, and Nikki Howard is here to stay.

This was an awesome book! Meg Cabot is my favorite author, so I was glad to get another great book by her. It was fun, and different than most of her other books. I really enjoyed it. I stayed up until 2 finishing it! Em was a strong, edgy character who you can relate to. Frida was like a normal little sister who is embarrassed by her "average" older sister. Overall, it was a great story and I can't wait until the sequel, "Being Nikki" comes out!