Review: The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “Duffy,” she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren’t so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

 

Bianca Piper is The DUFF. But she doesn't know this until Wesley (so eloquently) let her in on that little tidbit of information. Bianca loathes Wesley. She hates him with the fiery passion of a million suns because of who he is ... the player. Then it happens. She kisses him. She still hates him but she doesn't mind using him as a little diversion from her screwed-up life. And what a diversion he is!

Unfortunately, I didn't hear about this book until I saw the preview for the movie. To be honest, I thought that the title and whole premise was mean as hell. Do kids really use this term?!? It wouldn't surprise me but I would hate to be The DUFF. That being said ... the summary intrigued me. And at that point, I was hooked and I had to read it. Man ... am I glad that I did. Well, my sleep patterns aren't glad because I read this book in one sitting. Well ... laying. I went to bed thinking that I would just get started on it and the next thing I knew, it was in the middle of the night and I was reading the last sentence. I was just so completely immersed that I didn't realize I had been reading for so long!

I don't really have any specifics to give you on this one ... I just liked everything. I liked how the story was set up and executed, I liked the characters and how they were so very thought out and seemed like some kids I used to know, I liked the flow of the story and how it never really slowed down or got boring and most of all, I just liked the story as a whole. Everything about it was just great and I actually want to read it again immediately. 

Yes, this is a YA book. Yes, it is made for teenagers. But I can see how it could strike at the heart of most people. Most everyone has had family issues, big or small, at some point and we all know how finding some sort of distraction can become addictive just so that we can get away. I don't think that this book is just for YA readers, I think that most everyone can come away with something from these pages, even if it's just a laugh at Bianca's sassy attitude (which I couldn't get enough of). 

All in all, great book. I'm excited to read some more stuff by Kody Keplinger. If it is anything like this one, I know that I'm a fan for life. 

Available NOW!

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Review: The Scorch Trials (The Maze Runner #2) by James Dashner

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end.

Thomas was sure that escape from the Maze would mean freedom for him and the Gladers. But WICKED isn’t done yet. Phase Two has just begun. The Scorch.

There are no rules. There is no help. You either make it or you die.

The Gladers have two weeks to cross through the Scorch—the most burned-out section of the world. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Friendships will be tested. Loyalties will be broken. All bets are off.

There are others now. Their survival depends on the Gladers’ destruction—and they’re determined to survive.

I don't really know where to start with this one ... I picked it up immediately after finishing the first novel and I'm glad that they went together completely seamlessly. It was if the book had just continued and there wasn't a different title. This is great for a reader who picks up the whole series after it's complete and doesn't have to wait for each installment. If I had read this when it first came out and then had to wait for the third book, I would be nothing short of pissed. Once again, this one stopped at this massive crossroads and I had to pick up the 3rd book before I even wrote the review for this one because I just had to know what had happened. 

All in all, a good book. I wavered between 3 and 4 stars on this one. It was super exciting and so much stuff going on, so I wasn't bored but I did find myself skipping sentences and paragraphs just because the info wasn't REALLY important and I wanted to get on with the story. I guess you could say it lagged a little for me. Now, this may not be the case with a younger reader. Compared to the age that this book is targeted at, I'm old and I can imagine that younger generations might have more patience for this style of writing. 

I really don't have much else to say ... I can see why this book's rating is lower than the first ... the excitement does taper off a bit but it's still something that will keep your attention and you'll feel the need to pick up the next installment right after you finish it. The characters were great, the author really kept the same feel throughout both novels. The book magic was still the same ... nothing about the characters were changed, the feel of the novel was identical to the first. I think that is hard sometimes with authors. They get the first novel published and then who knows how long of a break there is in between the first and the second and before you know it, the characters just don't read the same between the two. I'm glad that didn't happen this time. 

I don't have any more time for dissecting this one ... I gotta get back to reading the final novel in the series ...The Death Cure!

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Throwback Thursday Review: The Demon Trapper's Daughter (The Demon Trappers #1)

Throwback Thursday is a upcycled weekly feature hosted by Sabrina at I Heart YA Fiction. To participate, read an older release or a book that has been on your shelf for awhile. Post your review, then link back to I Heart YA Fiction using the little linky! (Or repost an old review - there's no reason those books from a couple years ago shouldn't get some love!)

 Summary

It’s the year 2018, and with human society seriously disrupted by the economic upheavals of the previous decade, Lucifer has increased the number of demons in all major cities. Atlanta is no exception. Fortunately, humans are protected by Demon Trappers, who work to keep homes and streets safe from the things that go bump in the night. Seventeen-year-old Riley, only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father’s footsteps. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing attraction to fellow Trapper apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving citizens from Grade One Hellspawn. Business as usual, really, for a demon-trapping teen. When a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood, she realizes that she’s caught in the middle of a battle between Heaven and Hell.

Rating & Review

I read hundreds of books each year. I have read some amazing books so far this year and I would have to say that The Demon Trapper's Daughter has to have been one of my absolute favorites!

From the very first page, Jana Oliver had me hooked. She is a perfect example of a great writer whose books will become the new rage. Her character development was perfect, you came to love and sympathize with them or hate them all together. I think that a great writer will get the reader to have an emotional response to what is going on within the pages, this seems to be Oliver's specialty. Riley was so well written and the back and forth with Simon is great. And while some of them don't make a HUGE appearance, the demons were pretty lifelike ... I came to really enjoy when certain ones would make an appearance because I was excited to see how Riley would react.

Writing about the struggle between good and evil isn't exactly a new endeavor in the literary world. What is unique is the way that Oliver went about weaving the story. The concept that she came up with (demons walking around terrorizing society with trappers hunting them down and catching them) was interesting and gripping. 

The awesome thing is that there are three other books in this series and I've heard that they are all just as good as the first installment! Unfortunately, I haven't had the opportunity to read them yet because I have a reading list longer than the Great Wall but I will get to them soon!

Amazing book, a must read!!!

Find The Demon Trapper's Daughter here:

Goodreads

Amazon

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Wired Kingdom (Tara Shores #1)

Title: Wired Kingdom (Tara Shores #1)

Author: Rick Chesler

Date Published: May 2010

Publisher: Deviation

Pages: 426

 ★★★★✩

When a blue whale tagged with a webcam as part of a hit reality television series broadcasts a brutal murder at sea, an FBI agent with a fear of water, finds herself in a deadly race to reach the animal before an unknown killer can destroy the digital evidence it carries.

 A reality tv guru had the interesting idea to equip a wild blue whale with a web cam and make it a live feed 24/7 on the internet for people to watch. The feed showed everything that the blue whale was seeing and also had its gps coordinates available so that the audience would know where the blue whale was. The show "Wired Kingdom" was quite successful, so when the large at-home audience watches a woman meet her demise right in front of the blue whale, there was a public outcry as to whether the incident was staged or real. The FBI gets called in to check it out and the excitement of the book ensues.

Wired Kingdom was a gripping book that seems to have been heavily researched. I was really surprised at how caught up in the book I actually became. Rick Chesler wrote Wired Kingdom from many points of view - which is normal for an author - but he also included the whale's point of view and I found that very interesting and unique. For me, the book really showed down around page 140 for some reason but after 10-15 pages, it picks right back up. During those 10-15 pages, it felt like the book hit a brick wall for me, in a sense. I have reread the same passage a few times and always the same mental reaction - but do not let this discourage you from picking Wired Kingdom up at your nearest bookstore because you will not regret buying this book!

The Prophecy (The Watchers Chronicles #1)

Title: The Prophecy (The Watchers Chronicles #1)

Author: Dawn Miller

Date Published: April 2010

Publisher: Zondervan

★★★★✰

Remember these words well. It's only a thin veil that separates them from our world. As time grows near, they will return to make their war upon mankind. They will torment, attack, and cause destruction on this planet. They will never hunger; they will never sleep. They will walk amongst us unseen. Invisible to all but those born to see. And each generation of five that sees shall endure more than the last. But the final generation of Watchers will not only endure, not only watch... ...THEY WILL FIGHT.

This book is about 5 children struggling with inner turmoil, demons, spirituality and their fated futures. Do not get discouraged with the first few chapters of this book. It is a bit confusing but it all starts making sense once you get into it. 

I thought that with this being a teen book it would be way too easy to read - I was delightfully mistaken! It is a very mature read. It does reference drugs in the first few pages and teenage pregnancy. If you want to shelter your child from this type of reading, just scan the first few chapters - it's nothing too extreme. The Prophecy surprised me at the end. 

It had a super slow beginning, but in hindsight with all of the information given, it needed to be that way. Good versus Evil has always been a favorite for many authors to write about, but I haven't ever read one quite as good as this.

Prelude to a Scandal (Scandal #1)

Title: Prelude to a Scandal (Scandal #1)

Author: Delilah Marvelle

Date Published: December 2010

Publisher: HQN Books

Pages: 376

 ★★★✰✰
Lady Justine is willing to trade her good name, her reputation and her place in London's gossip-hungry ton to secure her father's release from prison. But when the notorious Duke of Bradford counters her offer with a proposal of marriage, the stakes grow higher still. For while the smoldering lord is famous for his conquests, the man is oblivious to both her devotion and her charms. And Justine is soon afraid she has wagered all for naught.

Occasionally, I love a good romance novel. Especially a period one ... you know ... ones that are set back in the mid to late 1800's or the early 1900's. Prelude to a Scandal was pretty good. It wasn't the best book I've ever read, but it was good and I will probably read it again. The story line is unlike any other historical romance I've ever read.

**Little Itty Bitty Spoiler Alert**

The sex addiction problems that the main male character has, I never thought to put it into the era it was written for. Having said that, it felt a little forced. I got a little irritated with how pathetic the male character sounded. I guess I'm a normal woman who wants to read that romance novel with the strong male hero who is flawed but not a loser. I hate begging, so maybe that is my problem with the guy in this story. The female character was well written but something bugged me about her too, I just can't put my finger on it.

Prelude to a Scandal had some twists and turns that surprised me and it was pretty well thought out. To be honest, I couldn't put it down because I wanted to know what happened next, so maybe the character flaws didn't bother me as much when I was reading it as it does now that I've had time to look back on the book.

If you like romance novels, give this one a try - it definitely deserves a shot. You might not feel the same way about the characters as I do. 

Retro Demonology (The Demon Trappers #0.5)

Title: Retro Demonology (The Demon Trappers #0.5)

Author: Jana Oliver

Date Published: December 2010

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Pages: 31

 ★★★★★
A Demon Trapper’s bonus story.

Before Riley Blackthorne can take on Grade Five demons, she has to trap her very first. Her debut solo trapping experience should be a breeze, just a harmless Grade One after all. But throw in some dippy hippies (whose peace signs and Patchouli really aren’t driving any demons away), one mischievous demon, and a run-in with the police, and Riley might not be able to pull it off...

This is a must-read for everyone who is interested in The Demon Trappers Daughter! It gives you a little insight into a couple of days before The Demon Trappers Daughter starts. It's full of colorful descriptions of a hippie couple that Riley encounters on her first solo job. Short and sweet! 

Power Down (Dewey Andreas #1)

Title: Power Down (Dewey Andreas #1)

Author: Ben Coes

Date Published: September 2010

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Pages: 449

★★★★★

A major North American hydroelectric dam is blown up and the largest off-shore oil field in this hemisphere is destroyed in a brutal, coordinated terrorist attack. But there was one factor that the terrorists didn't take into account when they struck the Capitana platform off the coast of Colombia—slaughtering much of the crew and blowing up the platform—and that was the Capitana crew chief Dewey Andreas. Dewey, former Army Ranger and Delta, survives the attack, rescuing as many of his men as possible. But the battle has just begun.

While the intelligence and law enforcement agencies scramble to untangle these events and find the people responsible, the mysterious figure of Alexander Fortuna—an agent embedded into the highest levels of American society and business—sets into play the second stage of these long-planned attacks. The only fly in the ointment is Dewey Andreas—who is using all his long-dormant skills to fight his way off the platform, then out of Colombia and back to the U.S., following the trail of terrorists and operatives sent to stop him. 

Power Down was one of the most amazing books I have read in a long time. I absolutely LOVE how Ben Coes tells a story. He tells it from one person's point of view, rewinds a few sentences and then goes to another character in the book and talks about how they view it or what they are going through during the same time period. This is Ben Coes' first book and I hope that there are many more to come, I am a dedicated fan now. In the synopsis for Power Down, they compare Ben Coes to Vince Flynn which I think is a grave injustice to both writers. Being a (major) fan of Flynn also, having read a lot of his books and then comparing it to Coes, the only similarities I see are that they focus on government issues and they are both great writers. Amazing. The way Coes developed the main character, Dewey Andreas, and made him so imperfect was also a big hit with me. I love it when the main hero is flawed and doesn't come out of gun battles unscathed and you don't see that too often. I am definitely impatiently waiting the next installment of Dewey Andreas ... hopefully there will be one! Great job, Coes!

Broken (Will Trent #4)

Title: Broken (Will Trent #4)

Author: Karin Slaughter

Date Published: 2010

Publisher: Delacorte Press

★★★★★

 When Special Agent Will Trent arrives in Grant County, he finds a police department determined to protect its own and far too many unanswered questions about a prisoner’s death. He doesn’t understand why Officer Lena Adams is hiding secrets from him. He doesn’t understand her role in the death of Grant County’s popular police chief. He doesn’t understand why that man’s widow, Dr. Sara Linton, needs him now more than ever to help her crack this case.

While the police force investigates the murder of a young woman pulled from a frigid lake, Trent investigates the police force, putting pressure on Adams just when she’s already about to crack. Caught between two complicated and determined women, trying to understand Linton’s passionate distrust of Adams, the facts surrounding Chief Tolliver’s death, and the complexities of this insular town, Trent will unleash a case filled with explosive secrets—and encounter a thin blue line that could be murderous if crossed.

Broken starts off with what Grant County personnel thinks is a suicide. Through a series of events, a suspect is captured and Dr. Sara Linton is dragged into the fold (unwillingly at first) along with Will Trent. They both start investigating the circumstances surrounding the arrest of the suspect and the unfortunate set of events that follow.

As expected, Broken is absolutely amazing. Anything about Grant County is great because Karin Slaughter writes in such a way that you really feel a connection to the characters. After I finish reading each Grant County book, I always find myself wondering what certain characters will be up to next or feeling angry at them for something they have done - like they are real people. This book just leaves me speechless. This is by far Karin Slaughter's best book to date in my opinion. The pages blow by and before you know it, you're angry because you've finished the book. Broken is filled with surprises that completely blind side you and keep you on your toes!

The Marbury Lens (The Marbury Lens #1)

Title: The Marbury Lens (The Marbury Lens #1)

Author: Andrew Smith

Date Published: November 2010

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 358

★✰✰✰✰

Sixteen-year-old Jack gets drunk and is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is kidnapped. He escapes, narrowly. The only person he tells is his best friend, Conner. When they arrive in London as planned for summer break, a stranger hands Jack a pair of glasses. Through the lenses, he sees another world called Marbury.

There is war in Marbury. It is a desolate and murderous place where Jack is responsible for the survival of two younger boys. Conner is there, too. But he’s trying to kill them.

Meanwhile, Jack is falling in love with an English girl, and afraid he’s losing his mind.

Conner tells Jack it’s going to be okay.

But it’s not.  

Little Miss Bookmark did not like this book. Little Miss Bookmark thought this book was weird. Little Miss Bookmark had high hopes that this book would be good but Little Miss Bookmark thought that it fell short. REALLY SHORT. (If I could quadruple underline REALLY SHORT, I totally would ... just thought you should know that ... )

Annoying when people talk in 3rd person, right?!? THIS BOOK WAS FULL OF THAT!!!!

First of all, I HATE having to say that a book is bad. I can only imagine how much work goes into writing a book and to bash what someone has slaved over makes me feel horrible. But. Oh. My. Goodness. This book was almost like a train wreck - I didn't want to look, but I just had to. I had to finish this book even though everything inside me kept saying, "STAY AWAY!!".

It was just weird. I had a hard time looking past the main character talking in third person and the story line was ... weird ... just weird. Jack gets kidnapped and then all the sudden, "his brain is messed up". Uh ... okay (???). Then Jack went to England and he met a guy (I still don't know if he existed or was just in Jack's head) that gave Jack some glasses so that he could see another world through them. Literally. An alternate universe. The premise of the book was awesome - it had a great chance to be one of the most amazing books. But it was just too confusing, I had no idea who it was that was talking sometimes because Jack kept talking in 3rd person!

And new paragraphs were started.

For no reason.

In the middle of the action.

With only one sentence each. WHO DOES THAT?!?

Anyway, in case I didn't make it clear ... I was disappointed. I had really looked forward to reading this. It's just unfortunate. Little Miss Bookmark wishes she could get the hours back that she lost 

reading

this

book.