The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows - no more. It's a personal choice...and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born; The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her nondating ways...which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like...

I love the Beatles. I just thought I should throw that out there.

That said, any book centered around the Beatles is going to be good in my opinion.

I wasn't so impressed with the beginning of the book, but it's vital to the rest of the story. Without the chain of events set up at the beginning of the book, there would be no "Lonely Hearts Club". Let me paint a little picture for you-- Girl falls hard for guy, guy sweet talks girl into becoming some crazy, clingy, check-the-phone-every-thirty-seconds-in-case-he-calls, ditch-friends-for-boyfriend kind of traitor and then girl gets burned by guy or guys in succession. Girl gets fed up with it all, maybe has a mini public freak out, and swears off men completely. Puh-lease. I went to high school. I've SO been there.

Enter Penny Lane and the Lonely Hearts Club (L.H.C.). Enter girl power. You think I'm kidding. This book really was an example of women empowering each other and encouraging each other to live their dreams... for about 5 minutes. Then Penny turned into Dr. Jekell and Mr. Hyde. Poor thing. She just needed a man in her life. And I'm not talking about John, Paul, George, and Ringo. :)

(Okay, so maybe it was more than 5 minutes...)

I really did like this book. I thought it was hilarious that Penny's sisters were named after Beatles songs, too. Really, her parents were obsessed. I loved Penny's parents. Especially in a particular scene when they go meet with the principal who is having concerns about the effect of the L.H.C. on the student population. By the end of the scene, I couldn't quit smiling. I was so proud of Penny's parents. They were just what parents should be. Even if they were a little on the crazy-obsessive side.

Just read this. Even if you hate it, you'll get to have Beatles lyrics running through your mind for a few days! Can't go wrong there.

Happy Reading!

B.L.A.???

Do you think there is a such thing as Book Lover's Anonymous??

"Hello, my name is Megan, and I am addicted to reading." (All: Hello Megan.)

In the past 5 days, I have purchased 6 new books. Yes, 6. Holy Cow.

• Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
• Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright
• Timeless by Alexandra Monir

These were all purchased on Saturday. Then, two nights ago, I was talking to my husband because I lost a book that I bought for myself for Christmas (that he was supposed to wrap up and give to me) but I really don't recall ever opening that present, and it just occured to me that it hasn't made an appearance on my bookshelf. As I was searching everywhere for it, my husband said to me, "Maybe it's a sign that you have too many books."

Seriously??

Is there even such a thing?? Sacrilege is what I say to that.

Anyway, I've been so bummed about not being able to find that book, that today I caved and bought not just one, but THREE new books. (I should mention that none of them was a replacement to the book I lost-- I know, where's the sense in that?) So, now being sent to my doorstep are:

• Demonglass (Hex Hall, Bk. 2) by Rachel Hawkins-- Yes, Hex Hall is THAT good. And I'm not even completely through it yet!
• Stork by Wendy Delsol
• Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble

Don't tell my husband. I'll never live it down. :) Now I have to find room for them all on my bookshelf...

Now I have to ask,

What books are you dying to read this year??

Happy Reading!!


***EDIT: Can I admit to something?? I just looked back at my past Amazon orders... I never ordered the book I thought I'd lost. I really thought I had, but now I see what I got instead, I remember... Oops. Now seriously don't tell my husband. hahaha ....I feel dumb now about searching for it forever. :)

Gentlemen by Michael Northrop

Micheal, Tommy, Mixer, and Bones aren't just from the wrong side of the tracks--they're from the wrong side of everything. Except for Mr. Haberman, their remedial English teacher, no one at their high school takes them seriously. Haberman calls them "gentlemen," but everyone else ignores them--or, in Bones's case, is dead afraid of them. When one of their close-knit group goes missing, the clues all seem to point in one direction: to Mr. Haberman.

Gritty, fast-paced, and brutally real, this debut takes an unflinching look at what binds friends together--and what can tear them apart.

I must be on some kind of streak. Seriously.

I have been wanting to read this book for ages. It sounded like a good, suspenseful book, and I finally was able to find it at my local library. (I'm a strict read-it-before-I-buy-it kind of girl.)

I was so disappointed. It wasn't at all what I was expecting--and not in a good way. It was twisted and a bit sinister. I've read some good reviews for it, but it just wasn't my style.

You be the judge on this one. I really don't have much to say about it.

Happy Reading!

Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood by Eileen Cook

Popularity is the best revenge.

In the final weeks of eighth grade, Lauren Wood made a choice. She betrayed her best friend, Helen, in a manner so publicly humiliating that Helen had to move to a new town just to save face. Ditching Helen was worth it, though, because Lauren started high school as one of the It Girls--and now, at the start of her senior year, she's the cheerleading captain, the quarterback's girlfriend, and the undisputed queen bee. Lauren has everything she's ever wanted, and she has forgotten all about her ex-best friend.

But Helen could never forget Lauren. After three years of obsessing, she's moving back to her old town. She has a new name and a new look, but she hasn't dropped her old grudges. She has a detailed plan to bring down her former BFF by taking away everything that's ever been important to Lauren—starting with her boyfriend.

Watch out, Lauren Wood. Things are about to get bitchy.

I swear to you all I am not plotting revenge on anyone. Though you may think it with all these "help karma out" books I've been reading lately. Funny enough, I don't think I've ever really tried to get hardcore revenge on anyone in my entire life. I just never was the type to hold a grudge. It is kind of fun to live vicariously through a fictional character though. And to get some awesome ideas in case I ever get a hankering for some juicy revenge...

I have to be honest-- I didn't love this book. Just coming off The Karma Club, this wasn't nearly as impressive. I did really like Helen/Claire though. Despite how hard she tried, I just don't think she had it in her to be a genuinely mean person like Lauren was. And I am glad for that, because Lauren was a BEAST. (The words I really need to use to describe her are words that I don't say, so use your imagination.) Helen/Claire was the type of girl you could hang out with. And she really was a great friend--unless you stabbed her in the back.

I also liked the moral of the story. I think it's so easy to get caught up in the "importance" of popularity. I know many girls stress about where they rank on the "food chain" that is high school. This book shows the importance of staying true to yourself, and being a good friend and a good person. That those things are infinitely more important. Lauren is the prime example that being popular doesn't necessarily equal being well-liked. I think it's so much more important to be well-liked. (And no, this is not coming from a high school loser who is saying that to try to make it true. It is true.)

The message is pretty clear-- be the bigger person. Forgive those who've wronged you and MOVE ON.

Although it isn't the best book I've ever read, I definitely think it's worth checking out for the message of the book. Get it from the library though. :)

Happy Reading!

The Karma Club by Jessica Brody

Madison Kasparkova always thought she understood how Karma works. Do good things and you'll be rewarded, do something bad and Karma will make sure you get what you deserve. But when Maddy’s boyfriend cheats on her, nothing bad comes his way. That’s why Maddy starts the Karma Club, to clean up the messes that the universe has left behind. Sometimes, though, it isn’t wise to meddle with the universe. It turns out Karma often has plans of its own.

I got this book a couple months ago and it's been keeping my bookshelf warm. It looked so sad sitting there, pouting at me because it wasn't getting any attention-- much like my three-year-old does when I'm taking care of my infant. So, I thought I'd better give it a read. At first, this was easier said than done.

It took me a few attempts to get into this book, but once the Karma Club was formed, I was hooked. I loved their "operations", and the hilarious names they gave to each mission. I thought the twists in the story were perfectly executed, and by the time I closed this book, I had a smile on my face and a warm, fuzzy feeling in my heart.

I loved the lessons the characters learned along the way, and I think the message in the book is one many can relate to and learn from, which is-- You don't mess with Karma, because it'll come for you. Like Cops with a camera crew, for the whole world to witness. And trust me, it won't be pretty.

This book is a must-read. I laughed out loud throughout most of it--which should be a testament in itself of this book. (That doesn't happen often!) The voice the story is told in was brilliant, I thought. It really seemed like a teenager telling the story. And not in a "like"/ "totally"/ "OMG" kind of way. This was one of the best light reads I've enjoyed in a while. Just... Read this.

Happy Reading!

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

Release Date: March 7, 2011

It’s the summer of 1889, and seventeen-year-old Amelia van den Broek has been sent to Baltimore to stay with her stylish cousin, Zora, who will show her all the pleasures of city life and help her find a suitable man to marry. With diversions ranging from archery in the park to dazzling balls and hints of forbidden romance, Victorian Baltimore is more exciting than Amelia imagined. But her gaiety is interrupted by the disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies, and the young woman who was an outsider is suddenly quite in demand. However, her attraction to Nathaniel, an artist who is decidedly outside of Zora's circle, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him. And while she has no trouble seeing the futures of others, she cannot predict whether Nathaniel will stay in hers.

 

When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause of them.

I admit, I've been mulling over this book since the weekend. Even after almost a week, I am undecided on whether I really loved it or really didn't love it. Maybe I've settled somewhere in the middle...

There were so many things I loved about this book. I loved Amelia. Even though times were different, Amelia was much the same as teenagers today. A sixteen year old girl struggling to find herself and maybe love along the way. Granted, she's looking for a husband at sixteen, while girls nowadays are looking for a boyfriend, at best. Oh, and Amelia has visions of the future. That's a bit uncommon today too, I suppose. Amelia was just naive enough to be endearing but daring enough to make you want to see her story through to the end.

I also loved Nathaniel. There were some things about him that I wanted so badly to understand, but for the life of me didn't. I'm a bit confused why some of the things he did were even in this book. However, as far as love stories go, this was one I enjoyed, mostly thanks to Nathaniel. Amelia was far "out of his league"--and they both knew it-- but I think that's why I loved the romance side of the story. What girl doesn't want to read about a forbidden romance??

This book had a little bit of everything-- romance, adventure, intrigue, and tragedy-- all with a little supernatural thrown in. Overall, I really did like this book. The reason I've been so undecided is that I didn't like the ending, which is, of course, what you walk away from a book remembering. If I don't like a book very much, but it has a spectacular ending, I'm more likely to be generous in my review of it. This book was the opposite for me. I liked the story, just not the ending. So, I'm a little torn. Maybe I'll just let you be the judge. I definitely think The Vespertine is worth reading, just don't say I didn't warn you if the ending leaves you a bit disappointed.

Happy Reading!

**I received this egalley from the publisher for the purpose of review.

Enough Already

I really feel the need to address a certain problem. So, here it is.

Megan's Soapbox in Ten Sentences or Less

Just about every book I have read in the past two months (with the exception of Harry Potter-- because J.K. Rowling is above lame descriptive terms) has had the main male character with one similar feature.

It's always "...with a perfect face except for a slightly crooked nose, like it's been broken and never healed quite right...but in a good way....".

Since when is "slightly crooked" or a nose that "never healed quite right" sexy? Then I wonder, is it even possible for it to be "in a good way"? I think not.

Case in point-- Owen Wilson. Definitely NOT hot.

Please quit using this description. It's getting old (and NOT in a good way). Give him a hunchback or something, since it's basically the same thing.

Thoughts??