Tag Archives: reviews

Book Review: Boundless

Posted in Books by

Boundless CoverBook Review: Boundless by Cynthia Hand

Published January 2012|Published by HarperCollins|448 pages

E-book|Purchased from the Nook store

Series: Unearthly #3

Genre: YA/Paranormal- Angels

Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Cynthia Hand’s Website

Summary: The past few years held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner ever could have anticipated. Yet through the dizzying high of first love to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she could no longer deny was that she was never meant to have a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seemed like the best option, so she’s headed back to California—and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfill her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must choose her fate once and for all.

I absolutely loved Boundless!  I was so looking forward to it, and yet sad to see it go, but it was also worth the wait to see what happened to the characters I’ve come to love.

So, Clara goes off to Stanford with Angela and Christian, still heart-broken over Tucker but determined to protect him.  It seemed like Clara and Christian would end up together, so anyone who’s Team Christian will be disappointed…and those who love Tucker and Clara (myself included as far as Team Tucker goes) will be very, very happy.  But before that happiness, there were some tears that were preceded by me wanting to know WTF just happened!  I’m really glad I didn’t read that particular part of the book in public…because I’m pretty sure people would have thought I was insane.

We finally learn Angela’s purpose, which is to tell her former boyfriend, Phen, that the 7th is ours…meaning her child is the 7th Triplare belongs to the good guys.  7 is pretty important because there are only 7 on earth at any given time, meaning 3 are on the side of black wings and the other 3 aren’t…meaning Angela’s son is super-important!  And we learn that Clara’s purpose- for the entire series- was to come to Wyoming so she could meet Angela and save her son from the clutches of the Black Wings.  Looking back, it was never about her ending up with Christian, but with her meeting Angela.  And it’s honestly cool that the entire series has built up to her real purpose, instead of a different one each book- we just thought it was incomplete or a different purpose each one because we didn’t know how things were going to turn out!

There was an epic battle, and as was expected, it turned out fairly well for Clara, Angela and Christian.  Okay, so maybe Angela ended up in hell, and Christian and Clara had to go save her (with the help of Sam) and maybe Jeffrey ended up in hell too, with Clara needing to save him too.  That was a pretty intriguing part of the book, because it mirrored Palo Alto.  It felt much more like an alternate reality than anything else, but still intriguing all the same.

So…there was definitely a point where I was all “OH MY GOD, THAT DID NOT HAPPEN, PLEASE TELL THAT’S NOT REALLY JUST WHAT HAPPENED, PLEASE LET EVERYTHING BE OKAY, YOU NOT JUST JUST DO THAT TO ME!”  And then there were sad tears, and then I was all, “OH THANK GOD EVERYTHING WORKED OUT,” which was followed by happy tears.  So Kleenex is a must if you haven’t read Boundless yet, because you’ll need it!

And because I have this need to go back to Tucker and Clara…I am so, so happy they ended up together!  They seriously belong together.  There was quite a bit of squeeing when they got back together!

It really is good I didn’t finish this book in public…but acting like a total fangirl can be so much fun!

What else am I missing?  Oh, this was such a great ending to this trilogy, and I really can’t imagine a better way to end it.  Everything really fell into place in Boundless.  Angela and Jeffrey did get some rolling of the eyes (and their fair share of my shaking my head at them) and while Jeffrey’s thing was never completely resolved, Angela’s storyline made a lot of sense, especially because it’s so connected to Clara’s story.

Final Thoughts:

It really should be obvious that I LOVED Boundless.  Do I wish there was a bit more resolution to Jeffrey’s storyline?  Yes, but overall, this was such a great ending to the series.  I wasn’t disappointed at all, and be sure to have some Kleenex handy if you just happen to read it.  Like, I just couldn’t put it down, because I read it in a day…that is how much I loved it.  Boundless gets 5 stars.

Book Review: Dreamless

Posted in Books by

Dreamless CoverBook: Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

Published May 2012|Published by HarperTeen

E-book|Purchased from the Nook Store|305 pages

Series? Yes, Starcrossed #2

Genre: YA/Paranormal- Greek Mythology

Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Josephine Angelini’s Website

Goodreads Summary: 

Can true love be forgotten?

As the only Scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.

Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out—a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies’ cry for blood is growing louder.

As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen’s sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.

Josephine Angelini’s compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding as an unforgettable love triangle emerges and the eternal cycle of revenge intensifies. Eagerly awaited, this sequel to the internationally bestselling STARCROSSED delivers a gritty, action-packed love story that exceeds expectation.

Dreamless was such an interesting, enjoyable read!  After reading Starcrossed, I knew I had to continue the story, and I’m really looking forward to the final book, Goddess, which comes out this year. So, Dreamless.  I started it, and had completely forgotten what happened in Starcrossed, so I decided I should probably re-read it.  I did, and started on this one…and we really do see the aftermath of Starcrossed.

The island is completely weird, people are out to get Helen, and she and Lucas need to avoid each other, because it’s too hard for them to be near each other and it t doesn’t work out too well.  What they don’t know- but the reader does- is that they really aren’t related.  But with the introduction of Orion, we see what I’m absolutely sure will become a love triangle, especially whenever Helen and Lucas find out that they aren’t related and that Helen’s mom lied to everyone about that.  Then again, their inability to do math just adds drama and conflict to their relationship.  We don’t see much of her mom, and I’m really curious as to what’s going on with her, because I JUST KNOW there’s something fishy.  And since we don’t find out what it is in this book, it’s sure to come out in the next one.

Mythology time!  Angelini has built on the Greek mythology and added to it!  Helen’s wandering the Underworld, manages to free the Furies with Orion’s help, and also manages to free the gods in this super-secret master plan to get them out of their prison.  There’s a lot of chaos and destruction, but things sort of work out okay.  Key words being sort of, because it feels like the calm before the storm.

I really need to brush up on my Greek mythology, and I like that Automedon had an evil minion in Zach, who manages to figure out that the reason why Automedon was never killed in battle because no one thought to shoot him in the ankle.  I should have been able to figure that one out, but it was still a nice surprise, and a twist I wasn’t expecting.  She really does make Greek mythology really interesting and really cool.

Helen going into the Underworld was a bit boring because it was pretty much the same thing over and over.  She does keep trying (because she’s the only one who can) and Lucas does help her, even though he resorts to nefarious means to do so.  Well, sort of nefarious.  Either way, he does help her.

I’m going back to Orion for a second.  I just…I don’t think I like him with Helen.  Especially with the math that everyone should be able to figure out but aren’t.  I’m glad he could help Helen, because she really needed it and he was able to descend into the Underworld with her.  But really, she and Lucas belong together.  The whole Helen Of Troy thing hasn’t really been played up as much as I expected, so either Angelini has decided to not go in the direction…or we’ll see in the next one.  I’m betting on seeing it in the next one, but it probably won’t be on the level I’m hoping for.

Final Thoughts:

Dreamless is more action-packed than Starcrossed and it was a fun read.  I’m impressed with how Angelini puts her own twist on Greek mythology.  There are some things that are a little too weird (i.e. no one being able to do math) and things that we’re not getting the whole story on (like…what Daphne’s really up to).  But overall, Dreamless is such a good continuation of the story that I can’t wait to read the next book!  Dreamless gets 4 stars.

Book Review: Breaking Beautiful

Posted in Books by

Breaking Beautiful CoverBook: Breaing Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Published April 2012|Published by Bloomsbury

E-book|Purchased from the Nook store|270 pages

Series? No

Genre: YA/Contemporary

Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Jennifer Shaw Wolf’s Website

Goodreads Summary: Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.
 
When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.

Breaking Beautiful…what to say about Breaking Beautiful?  I liked Breaking Beautiful and how she doesn’t remember what happened the night of the accident.  I thought the cover was beautiful and it’s really interesting- plus, it does go well the book!

Allie was interesting, and you can see how much her relationship with Blake affected her.  You can still see how much of a hold he has on her, because even though he’s now dead, she still doesn’t talk about the abuse.  I liked seeing her remember what happened the night of the accident and how she remembered Trip.  Wolf does a great job at weaving the past and present and I didn’t sense any predictability…until the end, of course.  The ending was an odd mix of abruptness and predictability, and didn’t quite fit with the rest of the book.

I have mixed feelings about her relationship with Blake.  She’s still dealing with her own issues, and while I can understand her going right to Blake, the thing I don’t get is why he has such strong feelings for her, even though she’s ignored him for several years.  Her parents seemed pretty distant- and not just because of the way Trip was isolating Allie.  Her father I can understand, seeing as how he was in the military, but her mother seemed really distant and too interested in making sure Allie and Trip were together, and that Allie stayed true to Trip’s memory after the accident.

One thing I thought was really weird was how the investigation was dropped and then opened up again.  Like all options weren’t explored the first time around, which you’d think the police would do.  Maybe it’s because she didn’t remember what happened, but we don’t really get a lot on that initial investigation.  And Trip’s dad had a little too much pull.  Why wait to have the case opened up again, when he could have pressured the police to keep it open?

I was slightly surprised by how well Shaw dealt with the abuse.  I thought it was done really well, and while Allie’s relationship with Blake leaned towards the predictable, Lifetime movie/Nicholas Sparks book end of things, it was still handled better than I expected (even if I do have mixed feelings about it).  I liked that we slowly learned about their relationship as the book progressed and that we see their relationship after Trip died.

Final Thoughts:

I liked Breaking Beautiful.  There were things that didn’t quite make sense, but there were also things I really liked.  Breaking Beautiful gets 3 stars.

Gilmore Girls 2 x 4: The Road Trip To Harvard

Posted in Season Two, The Gilmore Girls Project by

Season 2, Episode 4- The Road Trip To Harvard originally aired October 23, 2001.  It was written by Daniel Palladino and was directed by Jamie Babbit.

We open this episode with Rory and Lorelei on the road.  Lorelei is complaining about forgetting her music, and needing to listen to AC/DC, while Rory needs to have map, and is complaining about how they don’t know where they are and where they’re going.

Lorelei calls Sookie, and asks her to tell Miss Patty, so the entire town has talked Lorelei’s broken engagement out of their system by the time they get back.  Lorelei also asks her to not worry about the cake, and would be horribly upset if Sookie had gone to the trouble of making this amazing cake…and what we know is that Sookie has made the cake, because she’s Sookie, but naturally, Lorelei doesn’t know that Sookie already made the cake.

They head to New Hampshire, where Lorelei has a friend who owns a B&B, only to learn that he’s sold it to a woman who has named it the Cheshire Cat and has redecorated it to look like a typical B&B.  They decide not to eat dinner, even though they’re hungry, because Lorelei doesn’t want to talk to any of the people staying there.  Lorelei and Rory have this…interesting…discussion about the broken engagment.  I wouldn’t necessarily call it a fight, but Lorelei and Rory have this talk about Max.  Lorelei clearly doesn’t want to talk about it, but Rory really does, and is going on about how Lorelei loves Max but is just scared, and is throwing their life away, and how Lorelei will regret it, and just won’t give it up, even though Lorelei says she doesn’t want to talk about it several times.

I thought this scene was really interesting, because they’re both insistent about talking or not talking about Max, and they aren’t listening to each other.  Rory brings up how close they are, and how they’re best friends.  I do love their relationship, and how close they are- they really are friends first, mother-daughter second, and this is the first time where you really see them not get along in any way.  To a certain extent, Rory has a point- they are close, but at the same time, Lorelei is trying to establish some sort of boundary where her relationships are concerned.  And Lorelei has an excellent point when she points out the fact that they’re best friends when they’re at a U2 concert.  I get Rory’s upset, but she just really needs to accept that Lorelei doesn’t want to talk about it.  They go to bed, and Lorelei says she’s sure about breaking off the engagement and that she wishes she loved Max.

This makes me wonder if she ever loved Max- and if she did, was it really enough to spend the rest of her life with him?  I mean, we randomly see them go out on a date but we never see Lorelei completely in love with him and excited about the wedding…it really did feel like she was going through the motions with Max sometimes.

The next morning, Rory apologizes, reads what Lorelei wrote in the guestbook and changes it to make it nicer.  They try to escape with no one noticing, but unfortunately, it doesn’t work, and (to their dismay) actually have to socialize with the other guests.  They manage to escape and take a trip to Harvard, where Lorelei takes Rory on a tour of the school, get coffee, sneak into a dorm and wander into a class.  Okay, how is it that they manage to sneak into a dorm?  I have never lived in one, and while this episode aired just over 12 years ago, you’d think there would be some sort of security…especially at a school like Harvard.  Yeah, that’s never mentioned because Lorelei just needs to have Rory in that dorm, but still a little strange.

Rory sits in on a class- which is my least favorite scene in the episode- and it’s just painful to watch.  I don’t know if it’s because she’s just wandering around or if it’s because she’s an exceptionally smart high school student pretending to be a college student, but it was still hard to watch.

So, they get back to the Cheshire Cat, and head home, where Lorelei looks like she’s going to cry as she looks at the hoopa.  It’s actually seems to be the first time she seems to show some emotion about her engagement.  Fast forward to Friday night dinner, where Lorelei did slides of their trip to Harvard.  Once it’s over, Emily wants to know why she took a trip so close to her wedding and if Max minded.  Lorelei clearly didn’t tell Emily that the wedding is off, and Emily automatically assumes Lorelei eloped so Emily couldn’t see Lorelei get married.  She does tell Emily, who says she’ll return the gift.  Rory reading while Lorelei is trying to figure out the gift was highly amusing.

After dinner, Rory hangs out with Lane, while Lorelei goes to Luke’s, and asks him about opening a line of credit.  I think he’s slightly confused by this question, but Lorelei has decided it’s time to move forward with opening her own inn.  She leaves the diner, and calls Sookie to talk about it as she heads home.

Favorite Lines:

Sookie, to Lorelei’s wedding cake: “You were a good cake, Clyde, never should have named you.”

Emily, about Lorelei’s thumb being in a picture: “This one makes me feel just like I’m in your finger.”

Pop Culture:

Hootie And The Blowfish, AC/DC, Liberace, Alice In Wonderland, Anarchy In The U.K., Louis And Clark

Final Thoughts:

This is probably my least favorite episode of the season…well, so far anyway.  Definitely the last season plus the start of season two.  There were some things that were a little too hard to believe (Harvard) and other things that were a little irritating (Rory wanting to talk about Max and not leaving it alone, when Lorelei clearly doesn’t want to talk about it).  I was bored watching it, and it was an episode that didn’t really stand out the first few times I watched it.  It gets 1 mug of coffee.

Book Review: The Disreputable History Of Frankie Landau-Banks

Posted in Books by

The Disreputable History Of Frankie Landau-Banks CoverBook: The Disreputable History Of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

Published September 2009|Published by Disney Publishing

E-book|Borrowed from the library|208 pages

Series? No

Genre: YA/Contemporary

Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|E. Lockhart’s Website

Goodreads Summary: Frankie Landau-Banks at age 14:
Debate Club.
Her father’s “bunny rabbit.” 
A mildly geeky girl attending a highly competitive boarding school.

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 15:
A knockout figure. 
A sharp tongue.
A chip on her shoulder.
And a gorgeous new senior boyfriend: the supremely goofy, word-obsessed Matthew Livingston.

Frankie Landau-Banks. 
No longer the kind of girl to take “no” for an answer. 
Especially when “no” means she’s excluded from her boyfriend’s all-male secret society.
Not when her ex-boyfriend shows up in the strangest of places.
Not when she knows she’s smarter than any of them.
When she knows Matthew’s lying to her. 
And when there are so many, many pranks to be done.

Frankie Landau-Banks, at age 16:
Possibly a criminal mastermind.

This is the story of how she got that way.

So…The Disreputable History Of Frankie Landau-Banks…that’s quite the title!  But I liked it, and I certainly wasn’t expecting to, because I’ve tried to read a couple of her other books and couldn’t get through them.  Upon finishing, I really liked it, but now I just have mixed feelings.

I liked seeing how much Frankie changed but I especially liked seeing all of the trouble she got into.  The pranks and the secret societies and boarding schools are a great combination.  She’s definitely clever, and I really liked that about her.

But…

I get why she infiltrated her boyfriend’s secret society- she wanted to be included and for him to trust her with it and she just wanted people to notice her.  But I think I would have preferred her to start her own secret society instead of infiltrating the one her boyfriend’s in.  I just couldn’t connect with Frankie and she seemed a little self-absorbed at times.  I get she wanted people to notice her- who doesn’t?  But the way she went on and on about it just irritating.

It’s just, the hint of girl power combined with people wanting to notice combined with infiltrating her popular boyfriend’s secret society didn’t really work for me.  I think it’s because they seem to be such different things that I couldn’t completely believe it.  Plus, the pranks, as clever and fun as they were, seemed a bit too adult.  At least in terms of what Frankie wanted people to get out of them.  Like, she’s all upset that her boyfriend didn’t get the political meaning behind them.  At 16, she seemed a little too aware of gender and political issues- her thoughts seemed more adult than 16-year-old girl.

Other characters!  I didn’t care for any of them, and to be honest, they didn’t really stand out.  I didn’t like Matthew and Frankie as a couple, and it really felt they were together just so Frankie could complain about how no one noticed her.

Final Thoughts:

An evil genius at a boarding school with a secret society and pranks is such a good combination!  I think Frankie taking over the Bassett  Hounds was supposed to be empowering, but I didn’t really get that at all…I mean, how is taking over a boys-only secret society supposed to be all girl-power-ish?  Assuming that’s what Lockhart wanted to get across.  Overall, the things I did like far outweighed the things that annoyed me, so The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks gets 3 stars.

Book Review: The Immortal Rules

Posted in Books by

The Immortal Rules CoverBook: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Published April 2012|Published by Harlequin Teen

E-book|Borrowed from the library|351 pages

Series? Yes, Blood Of Eden #1

Genre: YA/Paranormal- Vampires

Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Julie Kagawa

Goodreads Summary: In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked–and given the ultimate choice. Die…or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend–a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn’t easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what–and who–is worth dying for.

I have no idea why it took me so long to read The Immortal Rules!  I loved The Iron Fey series by Kagawa, so it makes sense I’d pick up The Immortal Rules at some point.

I’m not sure what I was expecting, but The Iron Fey and The Immortal Rules are very, very different.  Julie Kagawa is just so amazing at putting her own twist on things!  The vampires are definitely in charge, and treat humans as cattle.  There’s just something about her vampires that are super-interesting.  And while I love a good vampire story, Kagawa gave them new life.  I was so fascinated by the idea of being Registered and the Rabids and a disease that killed off a lot of the human population.  It’s all futuristic and dark and not what I was expecting.  She did a great job creating this world and creating characters who are interesting and start to question everything they’ve believed in.

I’m not completely sure about Allison as a character.  It took me a while to warm up to her, and while I didn’t completely love her, I did sort of like her and understand where she was coming from.  Zeke was just okay but it was nice to see a potential love interest who shows up half-way through the novel.  Actually, the romance was set-up really well, and there are going to be quite a few problems they have to work through.  But I liked that we get an idea of what this world is like and how people see vampires.  It really wasn’t easy for Allison to be a vampire, and I liked seeing how people treated her before knowing she was a vampire and how they treated her after finding out.

Back to characters, Kanin was really interesting, and it’s too bad we don’t see more of him!  I think I like him better with Allison, but I have the feeling it’s not going to go that way.  There’s a lot of mystery as far as Kanin is concerned so hopefully, we see more of him.

It did start off a little slow for me, but once things got going, I found myself enjoying it more and wanting to know what happened!

Final Thoughts:

I really liked The Immortal Rules.  I don’t love it the way I loved The Iron Fey, but I love the way Kagawa takes vampires or fairies and makes them really interesting.  And I really need to mention the cover, which is really interesting and a nice change from the covers with the typical pretty girl in a pretty dress.  While I normally don’t pay attention to the cover and whether it goes with the book, I have to say that this cover really does go hand-in-hand with things that happen!  The Immortal Rules gets 4 stars.

GG 2 x 3: Red Light On The Wedding Night

Posted in Season Two by

Red Light On The Wedding Night originally aired October 16, 2001.  It was written by Daniel Palladino and was directed by Gail Mancuso.

We open this episode with Rory and Lorelei taste-testing different cakes at a bakery in Stars Hollow.  Rory printed up some quotes for the invitations…which is super weird because THE WEDDING IS IN TWO WEEKS!  I get this is a low-key wedding planned that has been planned in 3 months, but who prints up invitations for said wedding TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE WEDDING IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN?!?!  I’ve never planned a wedding, and I have never been involved in the planning of a wedding, but shouldn’t the invitations be one of the first things you take care of?  Rory wonders about the ethics of taste-testing when Sookie is going to be making the test.  And then Fran mentions something about a coffee-flavored cake.

Next, Max and Lorelei hire Kirk, of all people, to be their wedding photographer.  I know any scene Kirk is in is going to be funny in a very strange way, but again, why are they leaving stuff until 2 weeks before the wedding?  The chairs, catering and location are taken care of right away, but you wait a couple months to hire a photographer and to print invitations?  That seems a little backward to me.  Anyway, Lorelei asks Max to stay over, because his apartment is going to be painted, and that way, he doesn’t have to go back and forth.

Rory and Dean are talking about their plans for the evening, when Rory brings up going on a double-date with Lorelei and Max.  We find Max cooking dinner, and Rory thinks the food smells good, even though it’s weird that someone is actually cooking in the kitchen.  They seem surprised by the fact that the oven has a broiler, and I’m not sure if they’re just joking around, or if they’re being serious.  Maybe it’s both!

Later that night, Lorelei goes to talk to Rory, because it’s weird for her to have Max there.  Rory tells her that it’s just Max, but Lorelei starts talking about how their life will change once Lorelei gets married, because it won’t be a girls-only, no boys allowed club anymore.

At breakfast the next morning, Taylor is in a good mood because Stars Hollow is getting its first traffic light.  This doesn’t go over well with Luke, who uses it as a way to get out of talking about Lorelei’s wedding.  We go on the double date, which ends with Max learning that there’s no need for him to be a parent with Rory.  Basically, Max comments on how Rory and Dean are still on the porch, wonders what he should do if he comes home and they’re making out on the couch.  Lorelei says that since Rory’s all grown-up at the age of 16- I think she’s still 16- at this point, so let’s go with that- there’s no need for him to parent Rory because she’ll handle it.  Lorelei doesn’t see the problem, and Max wonders what his role is, other than answering the phone and making garlic bread.  He asks Lorelei if she’s even thought about how their future, because they’re taking two very different lives and melding them together.  Not surprisingly, Lorelei hasn’t thought about it, but says she’ll start thinking about it.  Seriously, two-ish weeks before you’re getting married, and you’re just now talking about stuff like Max’s role in Rory’s life?  They make up minutes later, and so we find Lorelei and Sookie talking about Lorelei’s bachelorette party at the installation of the traffic light.

Fast forward to the party- which takes place at a club, and somehow Rory manages to get in, despite the fact that she needs to be 18, and is currently 16.  I sort of have an issue with this- I mean, Lorelei and Rory are super-close, and you’d think it would occur to Lorelei that maybe her bachelorette party should be somewhere that Rory is, oh, I don’t know, actually allowed to get into?  Unsurprisingly, Rory actually gets in, and they find Emily sitting at a table.  Everyone (Michel, Sookie, Miss Patty, Lorelei and Rory) order drinks, and Emily talks about how excited she was the week leading up to her wedding.  Emily shares that she would try her dress on every single night.  Sookie calls Jackson, Rory talks to Dean and Lorelei calls…Chris.

She goes off into a corner, and just wanted to share her news with someone who knew her, but it turned out that Rory had told him Lorelei was seeing Max.

The next day, she’s at work, and Michel, Sookie and Lorelei are all hung over.  Max shows up, because he wanted to drop something off, but couldn’t, because he doesn’t have keys and there was no one to let him in.  Lorelei apparently keeps forgetting to give him keys, and he’s trying to not read too much into it, but he eventually tells her to think of someone besides herself.  He apologizes immediately.

Later, Rory asks Lorelei why she called Chris at her bachelorette party, and Lorelei blames it on the Long Island Ice Tea.  Which is totally weird, because she ordered her drink and talked to Chris, like, a few seconds later.  At this point, I think she’s having doubts, especially after what Emily said, and just needed to blame it on something.

Luke built a hoopah for Lorelei, and they talk about weddings and relationships.

The episode ends with Lorelei cancelling the wedding because she didn’t try on her wedding dress everyday, and Lorelei and Rory going on a road trip.

So, here’s what I’ve been not saying the last couple weeks.  I’ve seen each season several times, so I knew that things wouldn’t work out between Lorelei and Max.  At least Lorelei didn’t actually get married, but watching it this time around, it really seemed like Lorelei wasn’t sure about getting married from the moment Max proposed- maybe even saying yes, because that’s what people expected her to do…which is really unlike Lorelei.

Favorite lines:

Rory, in reference to ethics: Highly subjective and completely over-rated.

Lorelei: I hate funny bottoms.

Pop Culture:

Billy Jack, Mussolini, Brady Bunch, Yogi Berra, AI (the Haley Joel Osment movie)

Final Thoughts:

This really was a frustrating episode- much more than what I remembered.  Honestly, it seemed like Max was much more willing to be in a serious relationship than Lorelei.  I found myself agreeing with Max several times throughout the episode.  Just because Rory’s 16 doesn’t mean Max shouldn’t have a role in raising her.  Just…this was a really frustrating episode.  It gets 2 mugs of coffee.

Book Review: Eon

Posted in Books by

Eon CoverBook: Eon by Allison Goodman

Published June 2011|Published by Penguin Group

E-book|From The Library|337 pages

Series?  Yes, Eon #1

Genre: YA/Fantasy

Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Allison Goodman’s Website

Goodreads Summary: Sixteen-year-old Eon has a dream, and a mission. For years, he’s been studying sword-work and magic, toward one end. He and his master hope that he will be chosen as a Dragoneye-an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune. 

But Eon has a dangerous secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been masquerading as a twelve-year-old boy. Females are forbidden to use Dragon Magic; if anyone discovers she has been hiding in plain sight, her death is assured. 

When Eon’s secret threatens to come to light, she and her allies are plunged into grave danger and a deadly struggle for the Imperial throne. Eon must find the strength and inner power to battle those who want to take her magic…and her life.

I so enjoyed Eon!  I loved the dragons and the dragon mythology Goodman used.  I was really reminded of the Chinese Zodiac, especially at the beginning.  Actually, I would say that it’s Chinese Zodiac meets dragons.  I  could imagine everything so clearly, and I loved how everything was described.  Plus, Eon’s ability to see all 12 dragons was interesting and definitely unique, but sadly, it was something that wasn’t really explored in the book.  It kind of seemed really important, but sadly, it wasn’t as important as I was expecting.

I just loved the setting!  It’s refreshing to see a a fantasy setting that’s not medieval European-esque.  It’s so imaginative and while I cannot remember the name of the place where Eon lives, it’s still such a great setting.  I could picture everything so clearly, and it really felt like Goodman spent a lot of time working on this imaginative world!  There’s definitely a whole history there, so it’s a little sad we don’t get more of that history.  Like, the Mirror Dragon randomly disappears, and does so for hundreds of years, only to return.  Why did the Mirror Dragon disappear for so long?  And why can Eon see all 12 dragons?  Perhaps that will be answered in the sequel, which I definitely want to read.

So…Eon.  I’m actually pretty neutral about girls disguising themselves as boys, and considering my frustration with girls wanting to be all warrior woman in fantasy novels, I was surprised to find that I actually liked Eon!  She’s definitely an interesting character, and her journey to communicate with her dragon was cliche, but it didn’t bother me in the slightest.  There’s a lot of potential, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.  There are a lot of characters, who weren’t what I was expecting!  Sure, there is some predictability there, but for the most part, they were all really interesting characters.  There are a lot of really interesting relationships between all the characters, and I can’t wait to see how some of them play out in the sequel.

Final Thoughts:

I really liked Eon.  I loved the dragons, the setting sounds amazing, and the characters are interesting.  I have some unanswered questions, but I am looking forward to reading the sequel.  It’s also nice to see a fantasy setting that’s NOT in medieval Europe and the twist on the Chinese zodiac worked really well!  Eon gets 4 stars.

Book Review: Etiquette And Espionage

Posted in Books by

Etiquette And Espionage CoverBook: Etiquette And Espionage by Gail Carriger

Expected Publication is February 5, 2013|Published by Little, Brown And Company

Paperback|ARC that I borrowed from a friend|307 pages

Series? Yes, Finishing School #1

Genre: YA/Steampunk

Find out more: Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Gail Carriger’s Website

Goodreads Summary: It’s one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It’s quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to Finishing School.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners–and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine’s, young ladies learn to finish…everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but the also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage–in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year’s education.

Set in the same world as the Parasol Protectorate, this YA series debut is filled with all the saucy adventure and droll humor Gail’s legions of fans have come to adore.

Steampunk is one of the those genres I haven’t read…and realized I needed to after reading this book!  Seriously, this was a fun book to read.

There’s something really charming about Etiquette and Espionage, and there were quite a few times where I couldn’t help but laugh…mostly at the really creative but amusing names.  But Sophronia going to a finishing school (in the sky!) and learning how to curtsy and throw knives at the same time?  Seriously cool!  Seriously, her mother sends her away to finishing school, and her family has no clue

So…steampunk!  Steampunk is pretty cool, and reading a novel that’s steampunk is even better.  There’s just something about steampunk that makes so great for a novel!

The characters are a lot of fun, and Sophronia was an especially great character.  Monique definitely is her nemesis, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for their relationship!  There are so many interesting characters- vampires, werewolves, and the assorted people Sophronia comes across while going to finishing school, as well as her teachers and classmates.  I did feel like I didn’t really get to know the characters very well, but I honestly didn’t mind, and it didn’t occur to me until after finishing the book.  But it’s also the first book in the series, and I am (surprisingly) willing to overlook it.

And a spy school attached to an evil genius school?  I absolutely loved that part.  What would an evil genius school be like?  I don’t know, but I can’t wait to find out more.

Carriger created a really interesting world, and even though it was set in the same world as the Parasol Protectorate, I didn’t feel like I was missing out on any important info.

Final Thoughts:

Etiquette And Espionage was definitely a fun read, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.  The characters were really delightful, and I’m sure hijinks will ensue.  Etiquette And Espionage gets 4.5 stars.

Book Review: If I Stay

Posted in Books by

If I Stay CoverBook: If I Stay by Gayle Forman|Narrated by Kirsten Potter

Published April 2009|Published by Listening Library

Audio Book|Borrowed from the library|4 hours 58 minutes

Series? Yes, If I Stay #1

Genre: YA/Contemporary

Goodreads|Barnes And Noble|Amazon|Gayle Foreman’s Website

Goodreads Summary: The last thing Mia remembers is the music. After the accident, she can still hear it. And she can see her damaged body being taken from the wreck of her parents’ car – even though she doesn’t feel a thing. 

All she can do is watch as doctors rush to save her life, as her friends and relatives gather outside her room, as the boy she loves struggles to be near her. 

As the next twenty-four hours unfold, Mia must come to terms with what came before the crash – and what would come after. And she knows she must make the most difficult choice of all. If she stays…

When I saw If I Stay available at the library, I knew I had to check it out!  And I pretty much checked it out because I’ve heard a lot of really good things, and wanted to know why people loved it so much.

At first, I wasn’t sure about If I Stay.  You get a little bit of Mia’s life and then the accident happens.  You do get a lot of flashbacks, so you get a great picture of what her life was like before the accident.

I was reminded of The Lovely Bones while listening to If I Stay.  So if you liked The Lovely Bones, you will probably like If I Stay.  I think it’s that Mia and Susie are watching things happen- Susie from heaven, and Mia wandering around the hospital.  But while Susie has already died, Mia has to make the decision of whether she wants to live or die.  I didn’t get a huge sense of it being a hard decision to make, because it mostly felt like Mia was reliving life before the accident.  Yes, her parents and younger brother died, and maybe she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do because of that, but it didn’t really come through for me.  But her grandpa giving her permission to die- if that’s what she wanted- was touching, in it’s own weird way.  Although, you do see how memories play a role in her decision, so maybe her decision came through…just not in a way I would have expected.

I was trying so hard to not cry at the end- which is what you get when you listen to an audiobook in public, and don’t want people to think you’re crazy by crying out of nowhere.  Still, I did get pretty teary-eyed.

Speaking of the audio, Kirsten Potter did a wonderful job narrating.  She really brought things to life, and there was definitely a lot of emotion throughout the book.  The book worked really well as an audiobook, so I’m glad I listened to it.

If I Stay was fairly short, and I do think it could have been a little longer.  I get why the book ended the way it did, and anything past the ending really wouldn’t have fit.  I really am looking forward to reading the sequel, Where She Went, because I really want to know how things work out for Mia and what life is like for her!  Seriously, I NEED TO KNOW!

Final Thoughts:

Okay, I love how simple the cover is!  And it actually…kind of makes sense.  Plus, the title is absolutely perfect for the book!  So, I really liked If I Stay, which was narrated so well!  Plus, Mia making the decision she does…so sad at times.  Seriously, choosing to live or die?  If I Stay gets 4 stars.