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Saturday, May 2, 2009

Obsessed with YA- My thoughts on many books

Over the past couple of weeks I've read some fantastic YA books but never carved out any time to post them to my blog. So today I decided to do a mini-review for these wonderfully written gems.........

Perfect: A Novel
Author: Natasha Friend
Published: 2004
Genre: YA

Short Synopsis from Goodreads:
Isabelle Lee has a problem, and it's not just Ape Face, her sister, or group therapy for an eating disorder, or even that her father died and her mother is depressed and in denial.Caught in the orbit of popularity and appearances, Isabelle must navigate a world with mixed messages, false hopes, and potentially harmful turns, while coping with her own flailing family and emotions.

My thoughts:
This author does a great job of introducing harmful body image and eating disorders to the 12 year-old demographic and above. I have found that my middle-school students really like reading her books and we find a lot to talk about. I know of girls who at the early age of 10 don't eat lunch and think they're fat. Friend takes the reader into the life of Isabelle and shows the reader how through depriving herself of food, Isabelle thinks she's controlling a part of her life that she feels is totally out-of-control. The author does list quite a few resources for parents and girls who find this story a reflection of themselves.
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Wicked Lovely
Author: Melissa Marr
Published: 2007 by Harper Teen
Genre: YA/Fantasy/Fae/Faeries

Background info from Goodreads:
Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention. But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King, who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries. Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries. Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world.

My thoughts: This book for me was wickedly DELICIOUS!! I loved it. In fact, I loved it more than any of Holly Black's books....please don't kill me Black fans! This book was just the right mix of faerie, real-life, intrigue, and a little romance. I'm so happy that this is a trilogy because I really enjoyed Marr's writing and I wasn't ready to leave this world behind. I brought home the second book this week from the library!!! I have a lot of girls at school all in a tizzy because I've been gushing about this book constantly and my favorite thing to say about it is this:

After I read Wicked Lovely, I said to myself.....Edward who?
I'm officially in love with Keenan- the Summer King and
Seth, who is Aslinn's mortal boyfriend.

Keenan was staring at her, too intently for comfort. "I don't know why certain people shine for others. I don't know why you and not someone else." He gently pulled her forward and whispered, "But it's you I think of when I wake each morning. It's your face in my dreams."

He didn't move, he just stood there in the middle of the room, watching her. "You're what matters."
"Hold me? if you still want to, I mean. She looked away."Everyday"- and then he was there, lifting her into his arms,holding her like she was fragile and precious- "I want to hold you every day. Nothing will ever change that."
- scene between Aslinn and Seth


Do you understand now? I'm swooning!!!!!
Read this!



Other Reviews:
The Written World
Books and NeedlePoint
Em's Bookshelf
A Striped Armchair
Unmainstream Mom Reads
Beth Fish Reads
Things Mean A Lot


Tomorrow I will post two more reviews of some of my all-time favorite YA books that I've read this year....Wintergirls and If I Stay.....hope to see you then!!



10 comments:

  1. Swoon! I can't wait to read Wicked Lovely. It's in my pile but underneath a few other reads.

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  2. I hear ya! I love Melissa Marr. Edward who is right!

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  3. I don't know why some people avoid YA, they must not realize how well written so many of the books are! Both of these books sound great and will be added to my wishlist. (especially Wicked Lovely! :D )

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  4. I agree with all of you about how delicious Keenan and Seth are :o)

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  5. I loveeeeeeeeeeeee the reviews! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

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  6. I've seen quite a few good reviews for Wicked Lovely. I think I'll have to track it down!

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  7. Hiya,
    Thanks for hooking up my review - I will do the same - soon. I need to recommend Perfect to my daughter who is always complaining that she is fat - she is 14 and
    5'9" and while she realizes she should weigh more than her 5'4" friends she still doesn't like it!

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  8. It must be intensely satisfying working in a school library. Your students must love that you read and are familiar with the books they enjoy. I remember when I taught study skills and discussed with the students what we were all reading. Some of my fondest memories.

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  9. I've been on a YA kick too lately! I just got a copy of wicked lovely not long ago...really looking forward to that one!

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  10. I totally do understand :D Wicked Lovely is going to be one of my next reads. I can't wait!

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