Review: The Six Rules of Maybe

Title: The Six Rules of Maybe
Author: Deb Caletti
Source: Purchased

Goodreads Summary and Cover: 

Scarlet Hughes is overly involved in the lives of everyone around her, and exceptionally interested in the habits of her neighbors. But Scarlet is thrust solidly into her own life when her sister, Juliet, returns home from school—pregnant and surprisingly married to a sweet, handsome man whom she seems to have no interest in, but who is hopelessly in love with her. Forced to take a look inward for the first time, Scarlet discovers the necessity of dreams, as well as the necessity of facing reality and speaking the truth.

*I corrected the spelling of Scarlet's name. It's not with 2 t's, Goodreads.*

Thoughts:
Have you ever read a book and liked/disliked it, and you couldn't put your finger on why? That's kind of what it feels like for me with this book.

For The Six Rules of Maybe, I definitely closed the book with a strong like for it. Scarlet was a normal, teenage girl. I could honestly relate to her with her "designated listener" status and Introvert ways. I don't have a sister, so I can't say I've ever crushed on a brother-in-law. :) The way that she felt left out and a sibling received better treatment...oh, yeah! I could see that as a teenager.

Scarlet was worried through the whole book that her sister was going to leave her husband for the skeevy ex-boyfriend. She also thought her sister couldn't love this super sweet guy and thought he was more her type. Hey, even I developed a crush on Hayden! I loved the little notes Hayden left for Juliet. So did Scarlet...the little peeper! :) I don't blame her, though.

I loved that Scarlet had the relationships she did with the neighbors. The old, senile retired Postal Worker, the goth girl, the older couple next door who kept reading scam emails (LOL!), and even her dislike for the little boys and their mother.

There were 2 things that kind of bothered me about this book. One, the language. I understand that language sometimes "fits" the story. Some of the language in this one just felt forced and wrong to me. The other thing was the way that Scarlet and her friends just dropped each other over the summer. What kind of friend's mother tells her they should take a break because of a boy?!? Lame.

Rating:

Despite the language and the lapse of judgement of the girls' friendship, I really did enjoy this story. Finding out what Juliet's hold up was and the end...the bond that Scarlet and Hayden had...was special.

The Six Rules of Maybe satisfies part of the Completely Contemporary Challenge!

Review: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

Title: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour
Author: Morgan Matson
Source: Borrowed from my Library

Goodreads Summary & Cover:

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she's coming to terms with her father's death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road--diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

My Thoughts:
So...EPIC! Adored the journaling, scrapbooking pages, and the play lists in the book! Very clever.

The story starts out with Amy, who is living in her house alone. Her twin brother is away in rehab, her mother has moved to Connecticut to start a new job, and her father had been killed in a wreck just a few months prior.

Since the accident, Amy has not wanted to drive. Enter Roger. Roger is to drive Amy's mom's car and Amy to Connecticut. He has to spend the summer with his dad in Philly, so it just worked out conveniently.

They are given a route, with hotels lined up already. However, the two of them decide to throw caution to the wind and make their own route. Essentially, the route leads us to Roger's ex-girlfriend and him trying to find her since she won't answer his calls. Along the way, however, Amy and Roger develop a great friendship from spending so much time together. They know what each other likes to eat, music, drink, snacks...it's sweet.

Amy took most of the trip to finally reveal to Roger how her father died and the blame that she placed on herself for it. He made her truly understand that it was not her fault.

At the end of this book, I feel the need to jump in the car and do some driving. Maybe stop along the way and get myself a DQ Blizzard and find a cute guy to sit next to.

My Rating:

EPIC DETOUR!!!

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour satisfies a portion of the Completely Contemporary Challenge!

Review: The Sky is Everywhere

Title: The Sky is Everywhere
Author: Jandy Nelson
Source: Borrowed from my Library

Goodreads Summary & Cover:

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transfer from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding. This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie’s struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.

My Thoughts:
Well, sad, sad, funny, sad, sad. Jandy got quite a few tears from me!

Overall, I really did like The Sky is Everywhere. It's heartbreaking to lose someone that you love. I can't even fathom losing one of my siblings.

This was definitely a compelling book with a great recovery message. Grief takes you places you'd never thought imaginable. Also, when that ray of sunshine finally shines through, what a relief!

I am so glad that Lennie was able to grieve. She shared something with Toby, Gram, and Big that no one else could understand. It definitely took them time and awkward moments, but they came through. I adored the brotherly-sisterly bond that eventually seemed to have happened with Toby and Lennie.

Joe. When he showed up with the box of notes...I cried even harder. He really did understand.

Sarah -- what a great best friend! She wasn't pushy, didn't hold grudges, missed Bailey, and was there when Lennie needed her.

Rachel -- You're going down in September! Hehehe

My Rating:

The Sky is Everywhere satisfies a part of the Completely Contemporary Challenge!

Before I Fall Review

Title: Before I Fall
Author: Lauren Oliver
Source: Borrowed from my Library

Goodreads Summary:

What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last.

The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. Living the last day of her life seven times during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death--and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

My Take:

Could you imagine dying and then reliving that same day 7 times? I definitely couldn't! I would be blabbering and not making sense to anyone and end up locked away.

Lauren Oliver has definitely written a beautiful book. Before I Fall had me laughing, thinking, crying, mourning, and appreciating everything and everyone in my life.

On that February 12th, Cupid Day, Samantha was killed in an accident. For the next 7 days, she relives that same day. Each day, she tries to change events that happened -- events that she tried to stop from happening at all.

Along the way of trying to stop things, she ended up realizing she had feelings for another guy besides her boyfriend. She realized that being popular, dating a popular guy, and doing all of the popular things weren't all that they were cracked up to be. I really appreciated that Sam's feelings for her friends didn't change in all of her discoveries and growth. Towards the end of the book, she even has a top 3 list for each of her BFFs about what she loves most about them. Such an endearing touch.

I thought that it was brilliant that each chapter in the book was the start of a new (repeated) day. When I saw a new chapter, I would get excited and wonder what this day would bring.

My Rating:

I truly feel touched after reading this book. I do believe that Lauren Oliver has a fan for life with me.

Before I Fall satisfies a portion of the Completely Contemporary Challenge (2010)!

Completely Contemp Challenge

For the CCC, each reader chooses how many books to read. We have books to read from 2010, 2011 and 2012. I chose to read 4 books from each year for a total of 12 Contemporary Young Adult Novels. 

This challenge is hosted by Shanyn at Chick Loves Lit.

2010 Books
1. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
2. It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
3. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
4. One Night That Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt
*Alternate book in case of a DNF is You Against Me by Jenny Downham*

2011 Books
1. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
2. I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler
3. We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han
4. The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski
*Alternate book in case of a DNF is Want To Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman*

2012 Books
1. Shooting Stars by Jennifer E. Smith
2. The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
3. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
4. Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic
*Alternate book in case of a DNF is Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom*