Saving Francesca: Poem and Review

Find on Goodreads

Goodreads Description: Francesca is stuck at St. Sebastian’s, a boys' school that's pretends it's coed by giving the girls their own bathroom.

  Her only female companions are an ultra-feminist, a rumored slut, and an impossibly dorky accordion player. 

 The boys are no better, from Thomas, who specializes in musical burping, to Will, the perpetually frowning, smug moron that Francesca can't seem to stop thinking about.

 
Then there's Francesca's mother, who always thinks she knows what's best for Francesca—until she is suddenly stricken with acute depression, leaving Francesca lost, alone, and without an inkling of who she really is.  Simultaneously humorous, poignant, and impossible to put down, this is the story of a girl who must summon the strength to save her family, hersocial life and—hardest of all—herself.

                                                                                                                                          

My emotions spun round

Round and

round and 

round

I smiled

cried

laughed 

weeped

grimaced

smirked

bawled

grinned

A Masterpiece

That's what Saving Francesca is.

Okay, that was my first "review poem". I want to start doing these regularly. Something unique to go with Counting in Bookcases. How did you like it?

As indicated by the poem above, I really enjoyed this book. Only a truly good book can evoke so much emotion. Really, I felt the whole time I was either laughing or flat-out bawling. 

Saving Francesca really pulls at your heartstrings. Ultimately, it is about a girl who loses the strong, leader-like mother she knows to acute depression. Francesca suddenly has no one to tell her who she is, or to give advice. 

Francesca is on her own to find friends. And finding good friends at "a school that pretend's it's coed by giving the girls their own bathroom" is kind of hard. Also, Francesca has family problems to figure out, including her aunt's wedding, her fathers guilt, and her grandmas stolen S biscuit recipe. 

The characters, and Francesca's voice are what makes this such a good novel. You have the funny characters, who are deeper than they seem. You have the opinionated characters, who take great care of their friends. You have characters looking for their personality, when it is right there all along, just hidden. You have the shy characters, sweet characters, eccentric characters.

And, meanwhile, Francesca is telling the story, with her voice that is so real it cracks open your heart. You love her sarcastic comments, scattered thoughts, fragile outlook, growing opinions, angry moods, and "journey to self discovery".

You will grow to love Francesca, Mia, Thomas, Tara, Justine, Siobhan, Will, and Luca. I strongly recommend you read this. It is not exciting or action filled, but it is filled with things that happen to someone everyday but people fail to realize what they are feeling. Marchetta strikes truth in this amazing novel. 

5/5 bookcases

Clockwork Princess: Before the Release

Well, the Clockwork Princess craze has unleashed. Fans, such as myself, have been reading teaser after teaser, and watching the trailer over and over again. Or just staring at the beautiful cover. Goodreads members have been making predictions. Rants have come forth from blog commenters. Blog hosts are busy making their teams clear, while biting there nails hoping there preferred guy gets a happy ending.

For people who haven't read this series yet, the hype may seen a little overkill. It isn't.  The Infernal Devices readers have been waiting for this one for a long time. A very long time.

I have to say I am team Will. I didn't think I would be. While I read the first book I was busy thinking Nah, he is too much like Jace. So, Team Jem I was. And the Clockwork Prince came and I was thrown off my tracks. Will, too me, no longer seemed like Jace. He was just trying to do the right thing. But, I still love Jem. Okay, this is hard. I am team Will because of how much he did for Tessa and his family. Both guys, I really hope, get a happy ending.

I know that there also a chance Tessa doesn't end up with either guy. It better not happen or I may cry for days afterward. Tessa deserves to have a little happiness too!

Cassandra Clare is an amazing writer. If Clockwork Princess is as good as the two processors, she may earn a place on my favorites authors list. I really hope this is a good conclusion to the series. I have a feeling it could be a tear provoking one though.

Goodreads Description: Danger intensifies for the Shadowhunters as the New York Timesbestselling Infernal Devices trilogy comes to a close.

If the only way to save the world was to destroy what you loved most, would you do it?

The clock is ticking. Everyone must choose.

Passion. Power. Secrets. Enchantment.

Danger closes in around the Shadowhunters in the final installment of the bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy.

Are you excited for Clockwork Princess? Any predictions or hopes? Team Jem or Will?

Goodreads 

Cassandra Clare's Site

Review: The Tower- Deck of Lies #2

Find on Goodreads

Goodreads description: Death brings some families closer, but it’s ripped mine apart. I wanted to convince the police that they had the wrong suspect...but I never expected them to start suspecting me. Now, I have no choice but to keep searching for the truth, even if all my relationships fall to pieces around me.

Someone is trying to make me look guilty. I never thought my mission to prove my own innocence would lead me to more family secrets. I thought I had already discovered the truth about myself. But every answer raises more questions, and everything I think I know is about to change...again.

I have to find the truth, no matter how much it hurts -- before I get charged with murder.
The Tower is a very good continuation of the Deck of Lies series. I finished this book the day I started reading it.

*Spoilers ahead for those who haven't read the first book*

The Tower starts is mostly about Rain trying to figure out who is Laurel's killer, along with the added family and friend drama.

It seems like each character has some secret or mystery to go with them. Sawyer is acting strange, we learn Laurel was obsessed with Sawyers crazy aunt, Owen is not acting mournful about Laurels death, River is locked up, and the police are becoming interested in Rain. There is never a dull moment, to say the least. Plus, we learn more about Rain's parentage.

The mystery of Laurel's killer is well put together. It is complex and frustrating. Every time a new clue or lead would show up I would think I knew who did it, only to be utterly frustrated and clueless the next moment.

Rain is a very good main character. Her voice feels genuine and I think she mostly makes smart decisions. Although there were some times I wanted to yell at her when she was flippant with the police. Not a smart move Rain.

In this book we see a lot more of Sawyer. I am completely thrown off by him. One minute he is acting strange, and the next he is very sweet. I wonder if he has a secret too or something. I am not sure if he had anything to do with Laurels murder.

There is a sort of air to the story I found cool. Rain tells the story with a feeling of normalness, she still goes to school and has breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She isn't solely obsessed on anything. Yet you can sense some things and people have changed. Other people haven't. It feels realistic.

Overall, this book was a nice, thrilling sequel. I can't wait to read the next book! I might buy a copy of the series in paperback, so far it definitely deserves to be on my shelves.

4/5 bookcases

Review: Belles

Find Belles on Goodreads

Goodreads Description: Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she's ever known.

Unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn't go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn't thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates' Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls' lives forever.

Belles is an entertaining read. The characters and settings are vibrant, and there is a good, strong message about being yourself, not judging, and having guts. I am looking forward to the next book.

Belles starts off by meeting Izzie Scott and Mira Monroe (Also known as Isabelle and Mirabelle). Izzie is a sweet girl who lives in a poor town, Harborside, where she swims and has ice cream with her friends each day. Her home life isn't so good though. Her grandma has medical issues and on somedays doesn't even know she has a granddaughter. Izzie is only narrowly avoiding foster care.

Mira Monroe is a snobby rich girl who hangs out with other girls like herself. Of course, she doesn't mean to be snobby, it is just the way things are in Emerald Cove, the glamorous part of North Carolina. Mira is best friends with one mean girl, Savannah, and turns a blind eye to her friends cruel comments and actions. Mira is a good girl at heart, just she has no guts.

One day Izzie gets the bad news that her Grandmother is moving into a nursing home. She is sent off to some distant relatives she didn't know she has, the Monroes. Izzy doesn't fit in to Emerald Cove, especially after she makes enemies with Savannah. Even Mira plots with her friends behind Izzies back. She blames Izzie for the changes happening in her family and social life.

Throughout the book there are a lot of good messages. When Izzie is judged unfairly, and laughed at because of where she came from, we learn to not judge without backstory and evidence. We learn to have guts to stand up to not-so-much friends. And to do what you want to do, not what others tell you to do.

I love how Mira grows throughout the story, she becomes not so afraid of being herself. Izzie helps her a lot with this. She sees how Izzie is real, not like her friends. A lot of Mira's attitude in the beginning of the book is caused by the society around her. She doesn't know how to act any other way. Emerald Cove is kinda a snobbish place, but I hope Izzie and Mira can change it. Especially since there are a lot of good people in Emerald Cove, just the mean ones hold the reins.

This book has secrets, blackmail, mean girl plotting, and the hopes of two budding romances. It kept me reading with al, it's drama, good messages, and real characters. I highly recommend this book.

4/5 bookcases

Feature and Follow Friday

Today's Question is...

What is your favorite Outdoor Reading Spot?

I love to read in my nice cozy hammock! Preferably when it is sunny. But, of course, I need a little patch of shade over me to read comfortably... and a nice glass of lemonade! So relaxing.

Where is your outdoor reading spot? I can't wait till summer so I can inhabit my spot again, how about you?

I'll follow back everyone who follows me. Enjoy dreaming of sunny days to come!

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is an awesome meme hosted at Breaking the Spine.

This Week I am Waiting On...

All Our Yesterdays

Find on Goodreads

Goodreads Description: Marina has everything. She’s got money, popularity, and a bright future. Plus, she’s best friends with the boy next door, who happens to be a gorgeous prodigy from one of America’s most famous families.

Em has nothing. Imprisoned in a small white cell in the heart of a secret military base, all she has is the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

But Marina and Em have one big thing in common: they’re the same person.

Now Em must travel back four years in time in order to avert the terrible future from which she’s fled, and there’s only one way to do it. She must kill the person who invented the time machine in the first place: someone from her past. A person she loved.

But Marina won’t let them go without a fight.

Doesn't the description sound so intriguing? The cover is pretty too. What are you waiting on? Link me up!

Review: Pivot Point

Pivot Point by Kasie West
Publication Date: February 12th, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: YA Paranormal

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

I don't know why, but I pre ordered this book 3 months before it came out, and I am so glad I did. Pivot Point glues you to it's pages, and I finished it in one night.

The book starts out very quickly. Addie comes home from her supernatural school to hear the news that her parents are getting a divorce. Her mom is staying in the Compound, while her dad is moving to the normal world. Addie has to pick who to live with.

She calls her best friend over and, to help decide, uses her powers as a searcher to see both paths in the future. There is no dragging whatsoever in the beginning. You get a quick introduction, and then into the action. Just the way that keeps the audience interested in the book.

One path, the one with her dad outside the compound, shows Addie adjusting to "normal" high school. She finds friends, one of which, Trevor, could be more of a friend. Addie learns valuable lessons about life outside her supernatural community.

When with her mom, Addie hangs out with her best friend and a famous school football player, Duke. The paths intertwine, in each you'll earn unique information about a mystery. Another enjoyable aspect in the book. Each path also has it's consequences and perks. Very true to real life.

Addie is a very relatable heroine. She is nice, realistic, and unique. I especially think book lovers will love and understand her. Her best friend, Laila, is a pretty cool character too. She is funny and supportive, although in some ways she is very alike other best friends in YA.

The whole Compound idea is very interesting and fun to read about, each person has a power or ability. There are so many cool ideas the author throws into the book, human lie detectors, telekinetics, perceptives, mood controllers, and more. And the world created seems like a regular teens world, with the normal drama, only with a supernatural twist!

Overall, I would recommend this to all supernatural lovers. The characters were deep and the plot and writing was addictive. Pivot Point is a great read!

5/5 Stars
I can't wait to read Kasie West's next novel, The Distance Between Us!