Soundtrack Saturday (17)

Hello, Hardcover Lover readers! It's Saturday, so that means it's time for another edition of Soundtrack Saturday!

In case you're a new follower or just noticing this meme, here's what it's all about:

Soundtrack Saturday is a book meme that I created so I can share my love of music with my readers. There is a catch, though... The soundtracks are book soundtracks! As with all bookish memes, there are a few steps to follow to help you create your own Soundtrack Saturday post:

• Choose a book that you've read
• Create a mini or full soundtrack for that book based on characters and plot details
  
  • For more detailed instructions, visit the meme's homepage.
• Please credit me somewhere in your post
  
  • It can be as simple as "Soundtrack Saturday was created by Erin at The Hardcover Lover.
• Please comment on my post, so I can be sure to check out your post
• Add your name to the link-up tool 

Book Review: Ashes to Ashes

Title: Ashes to Ashes

Series: Burn for Burn

Authors: Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: September 16, 2014

 

New Year's Eve ended with a bang and Mary, Kat and Lillia may not be prepared for what is to come.

After Rennie's death, Kat and Lillia try to put the pieces together of what happened to her. They both blame themselves. If Lillia hadn't left with Reeve... If Kat had only stayed with Rennie... Things could have been different. Now they will never be the same.

Only Mary knows the truth about that night. About what she is. She also knows the truth about Lillia and Reeve falling in love, about Reeve being happy when all he deserves is misery, just like the misery he caused her.

Now their childish attempts at revenge are a thing of the past and Mary is out for blood. Will she leave anything in her wake or will all that remain be ashes?

My Review

I wanted to like Ashes for Ashes just as much as I liked Burn for Burn and Fire with Fire, but unfortunately, I did not enjoy this one as much as the other books in the trilogy. It's a pretty solid book, but one thing - the epilogue - basically ruined a lot of the plot for me.

A lot of things in this book really work well. It starts off with a very somber feel, and rightfully so given what happened at the end of Fire with Fire. Even though it took me a little longer to get into it, I really enjoyed that part because it made that sad aspect of the plot so much more realistic. After that, things start to heat up quickly, and it keeps going until the end of the book. Most of the second half is pretty intense with wild things going on and the girls trying to finish up senior year. 

The paranormal aspect comes into play a lot more in this book with Mary, and you know what... I actually liked it! It might be a first for me to enjoy something like this, but I'm crediting it to the very contemporary feel of the books. I thought that it was unique as far as paranormal concepts go, and I had to stay up all night just to see how everything would eventually pan out. I was definitely very wrong with my thoughts on what the paranormal aspect would end up being.

There are also a few things that didn't work well in this book. All of a sudden, it seems like it's okay for Lillia and Kat to be seen in public together, like at the lunch table and in the hallways. I get that the whole school is mourning and people are trying to make ammends, but for them to all of a sudden seem so buddy-buddy in school is a bit strange. Don't get me wrong because I liked it, but they were too chummy in public too fast. 

Now... I stated that the epilogue pretty much ruined a lot of the book for me, and this is true. I only say this because I felt like it was so out of place. The epilogue is told from Lillia's perspective. I'm okay with this because I felt like much of the series was about telling and figuring out Lillia's story, but it flashes forward to the future and feels too rushed and incomplete. I didn't really like it, and not because of how things end. It brought the book to a strange halt that I didn't understand or like. 

Ashes to Ashes is an okay ending to the Burn for Burn trilogy. Unfortunately, I do think some things could have been thought out better to make it a more enjoyable read, but the suspense and crazy happenings in this book kept me interested enough to read up until that epilogue.

Book Review: Fire with Fire

Title: Fire with Fire (Burn for Burn #2)

Authors: Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 

Publication Date: August 13, 2013

Format: Hardcover, 517 pages

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

When sweet revenge turns sour… Book two of a trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian.
Lillia, Kat, and Mary had the perfect plan. Work together in secret to take down the people who wronged them. But things didn’t exactly go the way they’d hoped at the Homecoming Dance.
Not even close.

For now, it looks like they got away with it. All they have to do is move on and pick up the pieces, forget there ever was a pact. But it’s not easy, not when Reeve is still a total jerk and Rennie’s meaner than she ever was before.
And then there’s sweet little Mary…she knows there’s something seriously wrong with her. If she can’t control her anger, she’s sure that someone will get hurt even worse than Reeve was. Mary understands now that it’s not just that Reeve bullied her—it’s that he made her love him.
Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, burn for a burn. A broken heart for a broken heart. The girls are up to the task. They’ll make Reeve fall in love with Lillia and then they will crush him. It’s the only way he’ll learn.
It seems once a fire is lit, the only thing you can do is let it burn...

Soundtrack Saturday (15)

Wow! It's hard to believe that this is my fifteenth Soundtrack Saturday post.

In case you're a new follower or just noticing the meme, here's what it's all about:

Soundtrack Saturday is a book meme that I created so I can share my love of music with my readers. There is a catch, though... The soundtracks are book soundtracks! As with all bookish memes, there are a few steps to follow to help you create your own Soundtrack Saturday post:

• Choose a book that you've read
• Create a mini or full soundtrack for that book based on characters and plot details
  
  • For more detailed instructions, visit the meme's homepage.
• Please credit me somewhere in your post
  
  • It can be as simple as "Soundtrack Saturday was created by Erin at The Hardcover Lover.
• Please comment on my post, so I can be sure to check out your post
• Add your name to the link-up tool

This week's book for Soundtrack Saturday is Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian. If you missed my review, check it out here.

1. "Summer Love" by Justin Timberlake
2. "Happy" by Pharrell Williams
3. "All About You" by Hilary Duff
4. "One More Night" by Maroon 5
5. "Lips are Movin'" by Meghan Trainor
6. "Roar" by Katy Perry
7. "I'm Not the Only One" by Sam Smith
8. "I Love It" by Icona Pop
9. "Done" by The Band Perry
10. "Tiptoe" by Imagine Dragons
11. "Chandelier" by Sia
12. "Dark Side" by Kelly Clarkson
13. "Bad Blood" by Taylor Swift

As always, feel free to participate in the meme! I'd love to see some of the songs that you think of while you're reading or what songs remind you of certain books. Feel free to leave a comment to let me know what you think of this week's soundtrack.

Happy reading!

Book Review: Burn for Burn

Title: Burn for Burn

Series: Burn for Burn

Authors: Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: September 18, 2012

Postcard-perfect Jar Island is the kind of place where nobody locks their doors at night, where parents can sleep easy, knowing their daughters are tucked away safe and sound in their beds.

But bad things can happen, even to good girls, and sometimes the only way to make things right is do something wrong.

Lillia used to trust boys, but not anymore. Not after what happened this summer. And she'll be damned if she lets the same thing happen to her little sister.

Kat is through with being called a freak. She's over the rumors, the insults, the cruel jokes made at her expense. It all goes back to one person - her ex-best friend - and Kat's ready to make her pay.

Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. Now that she's back, he's gonna be in trouble . . . 'cause she's coming for him.

Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they've each had a taste.

My Review

Burn for Burn is the opening book by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian's Burn for Burn trilogy. (The series also includes Fire with Fire and Ashes to Ashes.) This novel definitely isn't the greatest YA novel out there, but it's not the worst. It is a pretty quick and entertaining read about vengeance. I enjoyed this book, but my rating is somewhere in between three and four stars just because I didn't find it to be spectacular.

When I first started reading it, I thought the three girls, Kat, Mary, and Lillia, were all seeking revenge for dumb and immature reasons, but I was very wrong! I really liked how Han and Vivian revealed little bits of their past and the reasons why they are seeking revenge throughout the book instead of all at once because it kept me interested in the book.

I like the three main characters, Kat, Lillia, and Mary. They each bring something unique and interesting to the book. I'd have to say that I am more interested in Mary and Lillia because their stories are a little more complicated, and I like how they are characterized. I could take or leave Kat.

Just a little warning... There is some heavy content matter in this book. I wasn't really surprised about this, but it's definitely a book for older teenagers. I really think the issues that Han and Vivian use in the plot are things that teens should be reading about, even if they don't know anyone who may have dealt or is dealing with them. I'm glad these two authors acknowledged and mentioned them in this book.

I really liked the writing style of the book. The paragraphs are short and easy to read, but they are still interesting enough to entertain a reader. There were some minor narration issues, and I will admit that I sometimes had to flip back to the beginning of each chapter to remember who the narrator of that chapter was. I didn't have to do look back a lot, but it was enough to annoy me a bit.

The end of the book is an abrupt cliffhanger, so I'm glad that I waited to read all three around the same time, instead of waiting a year for the next book. The ending of the book is also so intense and piqued my curiosity about books two and three.

Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian met in graduate school in New York City and have been inseparable ever since. The idea for the Burn for Burn series began over cupcakes, as the best ideas usually do. 

Jenny Han is the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer I Turned Pretty series and the Burn for Burn trilogy. 

Siobhan Vivian is the author of The List, Not that Kind of Girl, Same Difference, A Little Friendly Advice, and the Burn for Burn trilogy.

Book Review: The List by Siobhan Vivian

Title: The List

Author: Siobhan Vivian

Publisher: Push

Publication Date: April 1, 2012

Rating: ☆☆

Synopsis:
An intense look at the rules of high school attraction -- and the price that's paid for them.

It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn't matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up.

This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, "pretty" and "ugly." And it's also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection of the two.

My Review:

Mediocre is pretty much the only way that I can describe The List by Siobhan Vivian. It's just not a very good book. It's not even a good book. It's not terrible, but it's definitely something I won't be reading again.

Vivian's writing style is dull.  It lacks excitement and variation. She writes The List in the present third person, and that gives the book a rather boring readability. I felt like it was taking me forever to get through the book. I also felt like the third person, omniscient narration made it hard for me to connect with the characters.

One thing that I feel the need to mention here is the use of a terrible, terrible word to use as a synonym for "stupid." I don't even want to type the word in my review, but I'm sure you can guess that I'm referring to the R-word. As a teacher, I'm extremely mad about this. There are young girls reading this book. People are trying so hard to eliminate its use as an insult. It's not even in dialogue. It's just sitting there used to describe something. I don't know if I can take Vivian as a serious author after seeing that in a YA book. 

I can't even believe the ending of the book. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I was unsatisfied. There were some questions that needed answers that Vivian ignored. It's a shame that she didn't answer them in just a few more pages.

I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. I'm a little upset because I'd been wanting to read The List for a while now, but you live and you learn. I'm just hoping that the Burn for Burn books I have sitting on my desk are nothing like this one.

The Friday 56 (8)

The Friday 56 is a weekly bookish meme hosted over at Freda's Voice. The rules are easy  to follow. All you need to do is open the book you're reading to page 56 (or 56% for e-readers) and give us a little bit of what you're reading without spoiling anything major. You want to give people a little preview that makes them want to read what you're reading.

This week, I've been reading The List by Siobhan Vivian. It's about eight girls who have either been named the prettiest or ugliest in their high school class. It's definitely not the best book that I've ever read, but it just got a little bit more interesting, so I'm hoping for a strong ending.

"The return to Crestmont Outlets at the end of the summer provided her with a new wardrobe at a low, low size. But deep down Bridget knew this wasn't a good thing. At least that part of herself was still working. She wasn't totally gone." 

So what are you reading this week? As always, feel free to let me know in the comments and leave links to your own Friday 56 posts. I'd love to see them!

Top Ten Tuesday (5)

Top Ten Tuesday (TTT) is a weekly meme hosted by the ladies over at The Broke and Bookish.

Each week, there is a different topic, and all you need to do is give your answers in the form of a top ten list. They love making lists. I love making lists. It's a win for them, and it's a win for me. And it's a win for you because there is always the chance that you'll discover a new book that you want to read. And who doesn't love discovering new books?

Top Ten Books I Really Want To Read But Don't Own Yet

• The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler - It won't be released until next year, but I want it now. The book is based on "The Little Mermaid." I love a good fairytale, and a retelling of one is always something that interests me. And I really love Sarah Ockler's writing style. It is fun, even when she writes about very realistic and serious subjects.
  
• The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey - This is another book that's not yet released, although it's due out next month. There was a lot of hype about The 5th Wave, and rightfully so. The book was amazing, so I am excited for the rest of the series. I think I can wait until release day for this one because it's so close, but I will probably drive to Target right after work to buy it.
  
• The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige - The cover was just recently released, and I am in love with it! I loved Dorothy Must Die almost as much as the odd looks I got from older folks while reading it in public, so I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of it. I need to find out what happens next.
  
• Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick - I've been wanting to read this for a while, but I always put it back on the store's shelf because of the price tag. One of these days I'll get around to purchasing a copy of it, but for now, it remains on my TBR list of books I don't own.
  
• Flawless by Sara Shepard - I read the first Pretty Little Liars book, and I really want to read the rest of them. But I own a hardcover of the first one, so I want a hardcover of this one so they look good on my shelves together. And of course, the TV show makes me more curious to see how they adapted these books. I know people have said the show and the books are very similar, but I want to see for myself.
  
• The List by Siobhan Vivian - The Young Adult literature class the year after mine got to read this book because Ms. Vivian was supposed to come in and speak with them. From what I heard, she never did, but the book seemed interesting, so I want to read it. I'll probably grab a paperback from Target soon.
  
• Poetry 180: A Turning Back to Poetry by Billy Collins - This is set up to give students a new poem each day during the school year, so as a teacher, I want to see if it's worth using one day in my classroom.
  
• The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot - I still haven't read The Princess Diaries, and I feel like I should have in elementary school. These books have been around for a while now, but I just never bought them. To be honest, I didn't know the existed until right before the movie was released. 
  
• Rooms by Lauren Oliver - It's not out yet, but it's her adult debut and I really think it'll be a great read. I do try to read as much adult fiction as I can because I'm twenty-five, and the synopsis of this book had me sold. I am probably going to pre-order it in the very near future.
  
• Hard Choices by Hillary Rodham Clinton - I've always been interested in politics, and I've admired Hillary since I was twelve years old. This book appeals to me because I love to learn about the more recent things in the United States, and she witnessed quite a lot first hand.