Review of Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler

Title: Where It Began
Author: Ann Redisch Stampler
Published by: Simon Pulse
Pages: 384
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover
Rating: ★★★

Summary from Goodreads: Gabby lived under the radar until her makeover. Way under. But when she started her senior year as a blonder, better-dressed version of herself, she struck gold: Billy Nash believed she was a the flawless girl she was pretending to be. The next eight months with Billy were bliss...Until the night Gabby woke up on the ground next to the remains of his BMW without a single memory of how she got there.

And Billy's nowhere to be found.

How much would you sacrifice to be popular?  That is a question I'm sure many high-schoolers face everyday.  It was an issue when I was in high school and I can only see it getting more serious in years to come.  Gabby seemed happy in her old "sub-regular" life, but then her mom gives her an intensive make over and now she's caught the eye of the High School Hottie.  Only months later she wakes up in a hospital with no recollection of getting trashed and crashing Billy's Beamer. 

I had a really hard time with this novel.   Gabby clung onto Billy so much and made him her universe.  I felt this devotion was very one sided and a little pathetic.  She kept calling herself a cow every time she felt clingy and would actually have to talk herself down from saying certain things because she thought if she told him her true feelings he'd ditch her.  I don't think this is a healthy relationship.  Billy's life also seemed a little too good to be true.  Sure he was on probation for a DUI, but he never seemed to meet with a probation officer or do any community service.  In fact, he and Gabby skipped school all the time and never got into trouble.  How flippin unfair is that.  I'm sure that if I skipped school in high school, I would have not only gotten detention, but also a truancy ticket and been grounded.  Oh the life of the obscenely rich and powerful.   

Without giving too much away there is something weird about the crash itself.  Gabby is found passed out outside the car with the keys still in her hand and no one else around.  You don't figure out exactly what happened the night of the crash until the end because Gabby literally doesn't remember anything.  Throughout Gabby's recovery and the aftermath Billy and his mom guide Gabby with the lawyers, social workers, therapist, etc.  This was very suspicious to me.  I understand they have money and are super connected but I just thought it was a bit shady. 

Another thing that bothered me was Gabby's parents.  They were not the best role models and I wish they would have just been happy with Gabby instead of trying to change her or just flat out ignore her.  I feel they should have thought more about their daughter's best interest instead of trying to impress others around them. 

This novel was very well written and I think it held an important message.  I liked that is wasn't the typical story of geeky girls gets a makeover and snags the football star.  There was more depth to it.  The novel deals with more complex issues of self-esteem, deceitfulness, and getting taken advantage of.  It was tough for me to read, as I mentioned before, but worth it.

Top Ten Tuesday

Today I'm participating in Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Favorite Quotes from Books (may contain slight spoilers):

 

"Be with me always. Take any form, drive me mad, only do not leave me in this dark alone where I cannot find you. I cannot live without my life! I cannot die without my soul."-- Heathcliff, Emily Bronte-Wuthering Heights

"If he loved you with all the power of his soul for a whole lifetime, he couldn’t love you as much as I do in a single day."--Heathcliff, Emily Bronte- Wuthering Heights

"No, I don't think I will kiss you, although you need kissing, badly. That's what's wrong with you. You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how."--Rhett, Margaret Mitchell- Gone with the Wind

Dimitri: "It won't happen to you. You're too . . ."
He groped for the right word, and I mentally substituted all sorts of possibilities. Goddess-like, scorching sexy. Giving up, he simply said, "It won't happen to you."--Rose, Richelle Mead -Vampire Academy

“If you ever think about betraying us just picture my face, because it’s the last time you’re ever going to see it”--Will repeating Francesca, Melina Marchetta –The Piper’s Son

“Because being part of him isn't just anything. It's kind of everything.”--Taylor, Melina Marchetta-Jellicoe Road 

"Albus Severus..you were named for the two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."--Harry, J.K. Rowling-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

"Snapes patronus was a doe. The same as my mothers, because he loved her for nearly all his life, from the time when they were children. You should have realized. "He asked you to spare her life, didn't he?"--Harry, J.K. Rowling-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 

 

“Look after my heart - I've left it with you.”--Edward, Stephanie Meyer-Eclipse

“I decided as long as I'm going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly.”--Edward, Stephanie Meyer-Twilight

Review of Eve by Anna Carey

Title: Eve
Author: Anna Carey
Narrator: Tavia Gilbert
Published by: Harper Audio
Length: 6 hours and 30 minutes
Source: Won in a contest
Format: Audio
Rating:

Summary from Goodreads: Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth’s population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school’s real purpose—and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Arden, her former rival from school, and Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust... and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

Do you ever find yourself having an internal struggle with the main character? 

This is exactly what happened for me with Eve.  I would get so exasperated with her and how naive she was, and then I'd have to remind myself how she was brought up and what her beliefs were up to the point when she left school.  There were times I literally wanted to shake her and tell her to grow up and then again I'd remind myself of her upbringing.  Eve wasn't a character I particularly liked or connected to.  For me she just felt to innocent and even though her reality was terrifying I thought that after a day or so it would have opened her eyes and changed her attitude.  I don't think the whole truth of reality and her decisions ever set in.   

I also felt she was careless.  She got a lot of people killed because of her naivety and because she couldn't fully grasp the intricacies of this world outside of what she's always known.  Maybe I'm being too harsh on Eve, but I never really connected with her enough to end up liking her.  I felt like she was constantly messing up and endangering those around and never really understtod the consequences of her actions.   

As for the story, it held my attention and kept me interested.  I wish there would have been more on how people are living outside the reign of the ruler and how the plague came about in the first place.  I'm thinking this will be a bigger part of the next books in the series as bits and pieces were mentioned in this novel. 

I think other people will really enjoy this book.  The issue for me was that I didn't like the main character and if I don't like the main character I have a hard time enjoying the book.  I think for others if they can connect with Eve or maybe not judge her as harshly as I did this will be a pleasurable read for them. 

Friday Night Date Night

Friday Night Date Night is a feature on my blog that showcases movie review (mostly movies that were adapted from books). Hopefully some of these reviews will help you decide what to watch on your date night or a night of relaxing at home.

From www.comixunderground.com

I was never really into comic books either as a kid or now as an adult.  I didn't connected with the characters and thought the whole science fiction vibe just wasn't for me.  Then a couple years ago a friend of mine convinced me to watch the movie X-Men with her.  I loved it!  Sure the acting was sub-par and the cinematography was not the greatest, but I loved the concept behind the movie.  Each new movie that comes out in the X-Men series makes me more addicted to these mutant creatures.  I want to be one...where do I sign up?  Sorry I digress.  But seriously I was so excited when X-Men:  First Class came out and was it worth the wait; of course! 

I loved learning about how it all began.  Magneto and Professor X have quite a back story that we never really knew about until this movie.  Sometimes prequel movies can seem more confusing because they are happening before what you originally saw.  X-Men: First Class was not like that for me.  I missed some of the old characters but I followed the story line just fine. 

The whole time during the movie I kept focusing on one character who looked really familiar but I couldn't place her.  Who did it turn out to be but Jennifer Lawrence, better known to most as Katniss.  It was nice to see her as a different character, but I think I still prefer her as Katniss. 

 

Overall I really enjoyed this movie and I want more from this series!

 

Want to see more:

 

Review of Lover Enshrined by J.R. Ward

Title: Lover Enshrined (Black Dagger Brotherhood #6)
Author: J.R. Ward
Published by: Signet Book
Pages: 560
Source: Bought
Format: ebook
Rating: ★★★

Summary from Goodreads: In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other?six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. And now, a dutiful twin must choose between two lives... Fiercely loyal to the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Phury has sacrificed himself for the good of the race, becoming the male responsible for keeping the Brotherhood's bloodlines alive. As Primale of the Chosen, he is to father the sons and daughters who will ensure that the traditions of the race survive and that there are warriors to fight those who want all vampires extinguished. As his first mate, the Chosen Cormia wants to win not only his body but his heart for herself- she sees the emotionally scarred male behind all his noble responsibility. But while the war with the Lessening Society grows more grim, and tragedy looms over the Brotherhood's mansion, Phury must decide between duty and love.

Another one bites the dust. I'm starting to get a little worried that there won't be a Black Dagger Brother left for me as J.R. Ward keeps mating them off.  She must be waiting for Vishous to come to his senses, banish that ghost, and come sweep me off my feet.  A girl can dream right? 

In Lover Enshrined we get to see a whole different side of Phury.  What is more complex than a celibate primale...try one whose past demons haunt his every thought.  Phury kind of goes on a tale spin in this novel.  He can't seem to handle the pressure.  While he's trying to keep it together he ends up relying on the red smoke more than he should and neglects his first mate who sits next door and builds structures out of toothpicks and peas (no joke, yea I didn't get that part either).  Maybe I'm being cynical but his self-destruction got a little old to me.  I understand that addiction can easily take over a person's life, but I felt Phury didn't even want to try. 

The plot line for me was a little confusing and I found myself skimming over the 'lesser' parts.  They have never really interested me in the story.  Obviously they are a huge part of this series but for me they are just creepy, stalkerish beings.  Though their extremeness hit a whole new level in this book and they upset the brothers something fierce.  It's officially war time...watch out you baby powder smelling, pale skinned, bleached hair, impotent creepers.  Some big scary men are out for your blood. 

And of course no one can mention this book and not mention Qhuay.  I personally feel that Butch and Vishous should have been an item, even though I'm madly in lust with Vishous myself, but I have high hopes for Qhuay.  Hopefully I won't be disappointed and there will be a book for them in the future!   

April Monthly Wrap-up

Wow another month of 2012 has come and gone.  April was crazy busy and I'm sure May will be even worse with the end of the semester rapidly approaching.  That being said let's see what went on at The Garden of Books in April.

Books I reviewed:

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin - 3 stars
On the Bright Side by S.R. Johannes - 2.5 stars
Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood - 5 stars
Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble - 3 stars
The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth - 5 stars
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green - 4 stars
Hounded by Kevin Hearne - 4 stars
Cinder by Marissa Meyer - 3.5 stars
Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer - 4 stars
Jenny Pox by J.L. Bryan - 3.5 stars
Socialpunk by Monica Leonelle - 4 stars

Progress on Challenges:

1. Debut Author Challenge - 10/12
2. Audiobook Challenge - 10/25
3. YA Contemporary Challenge - 4/15
4. TBR Pile Challenge - 9/20
5. Why Buy the Cow Challenge - 3/12

Top Ten Lists:

1. Top Ten Books To Read In A Day
2. Top Ten Five Books That Were Totally Deceiving
3. Top Ten Tips For New Book Bloggers 
4. Top Ten All Time Favorite Characters In Books

Friday Night Date Night:

The Hunger Games
Monte Carlo
127 Hours

Overall it was a good month with lots of exciting events going on.  I hope everyone had a great April and I wish all a wonderful May. 

Top Ten Tuesday

Today I'm participating in Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Books I'd Like To See Made Into A Movie

1.  Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta.  There is just enough action, mystery and drama to hook a large crowd.  I would love to see this on the big screen but I am deeply scared that I'd dislike their interpretation.

 

2. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys.  I could see this being a very powerful movie that a lot of people would enjoy.  It's a very well written novel and I'd love to see that elegance on screen.

3. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen.  With just a touch of magic this book would make a wonderful movie.  It's light, fun, and I think people would really enjoy it.

4. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray.  I thought that not only was this book hilarious, but it also conveyed a great message.  These are the types of movies we need more of.

5.  Perfect Chemisty by Simone Elkeles.  I'm not going to lie.  This one I want made into a movie just so I can watch Alex over and over again! 

That's all I got for today, but I'm excited to see what everyone else will chose.