BR - Endless Summer By Jennifer Echols



I let my head sink until my lips touched her hands, but my eyes never left her green eyes. Love hurt. Honesty made it worse, and I could hardly stand it.

I sat next to him on the bed and smiled sweetly at him. "You're so tense, Parker. You're not still worried about Adam and my brother kicking the shit out of you, are you?  


Paperback: 624 pages  Publisher: Simon Pulse ( 25 May 2010)  Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary  Source: Author  

                Rating:  

The Endless Summer is a compilation of the first book "The Boys Next Door" and "Endless Summer" I'll be reviewing both without giving away any spoilers!

He moved to my ear again, and my body braced for the shockwaves. Just before his lips touched my skin, he whispered, " I guess we'll know when we get there."

My Thoughts - Now that she's sixteen Lori wants to finally be noticed by her neighbour Sean. She wants everyone to realise that she is evolving into a women, and hey, she's going to do everything it takes to make sure they notice. Plenty of batting lashes and bikinis are involved but for poor Lori - Sean doesn't really seem to notice in the slightest, or does he? She has practically grown up with both brothers and is sick of how they treat her like their little sister, and Lori has more than just the one plan to shake things up. But for any of this to work she's going to need the assistance of her best friend and younger brother of the two Adam. Now Adam is my kinda guy. Lovable, sweet and caring.  However, he's a little ADHD ridden and slightly crazed. Crazy as in he will do the most dangerous stunts and not have a care in the world. He has a temper though and with his brother and his friends picking on him because of his ADHD - doesn't do the boy any favours. Adam also happens to be crazy in love with Lori. .

Endless Summer is hilarious. I need to warn you about this aspect because it's not just hah hah funny but LMFAO *rolling on the floor* HILARIOUS! Despite looking quite daunting in size it took no time at all to get through and I spent all night engrossed which probably was a baaaadddd idea because I'm sure my crazy laughing woke up the mother! I seriously couldn't get past how funny it really was. It takes a lot to make a reader laugh, but even more to have them breathless and clutching their stomach. I knew I was an Echols fan for a good reason.

There are a few things I must mention though. There isn't much character growth between the first and second book which is a shame; this was needed because of Lori's immaturity. She did some really silly things and during the second book her plans to get Sean were horrible and actually annoying. I mean the fact that she even thought of ever doing those things, and then thinking it was ok had me slightly perplexed. I understood his frustrations when she explained her ridiculous plans, I mean, if I was him I would have broken up with her right there and then, no matter what her intentions were. Also, I thought the reason behind why she even obsessed over Sean was ridiculous. I mean she liked him for the wrong reasons. How can you expect a relationship to work when you  want to want to be with someone for personal reasons rather than because you genuinely really like him. It also didn't help that Sean was a jerk! He really got on my nerves. But then so did Adam. Adam was different though. I had my moments with him where he would really anger me but then he would say something sweet and turn me to mush- whilst Sean was pretty easy to stay annoyed at. Sean baiting Adam constantly and using Lori to get to him didn't put him in my good books either. Although Adam's temper got out of hand at times, and he did have his fair share of antics also; his heart, for the most part, was in the right place. Not to mention his strong feelings for Lori and the one liners he tended to pull when she was around were not only amusing but endearing.

There's no denying that Endless Summer is a highly entertaining read which completely won me over. I don't think I have laughed like that in a long time, and although I had my days with Adam, Sean and Lori I found that after finishing the book; I missed them. If you want a fast, sweet, entertaining read then Endless Summer is the perfect read for you.
   


"Young lady," he said, which was a pretty good start for the Talking - To, "I am so proud of you."  DAMN IT!  "Thank you!" I beamed at him like I knew what the hell he was walking about.

I knew how he felt. Tracing my fingernails down his back again, I whispered, "stubble or what?" 

Posted by Blueicegal ♥ at 20:14 Comments
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Top Ten Tuesdays; Ten Books That Tackle Tough Issues


Top Ten Tuesday is  hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.









































Thirteen Reasons Why By Jay Asher; you have a girl who is completely broken, bitter and full of anger. Her voice binds you from the very first page. Hannah is the girl who committed suicide. You cannot walk away from this book without being profoundly affected. I think about it often, even now.


Stolen By Lucy Christopher; a young girl taken away from an airport by a man that is far from the typical stereotype that comes to mind when you think of a kidnapper. We are taken through a harrowing tale of the relationship this young girl shares with her kidnapper. Astonishing and unforgettable.

The White Oleander By Janet Fitch; raw and gritty it has it all. Drug use, alcohol abuse, absence of a mother and father, sexual abuse and foster homes. It shows how peers can influence you, but also shows without a role model, guidance, love and care what can become of a young girl who may not have stood much of a chance when growing up the hard way, but survival is possible for anyone who truly craves it. And she wants it aright. With time she becomes the girl that has learned to not get attached, to move on fast in order to maintain the one thing that is important to her; survival.

The Bell Jar By Sylvia Plath; this book tells the story of a women suffering from depression, a condition which ultimately takes over her life. It's haunting because we now know that many events and individuals from the book are similar to her own. We know she battled the condition and we know how it ended. It's a tragedy, but it was also a breakthrough for countless people out there who were, and still are going through this. It created awareness in showing that this is something real, it is life changing, and it needs to be treated.

Fall for Anything By Courtney Summers; ever lost someone you loved? Haven't? Read Fall for Anything, hear Eddie out and you will never forget the pain and anguish this girl feels. The mystery and unexpected death of her father makes her obsessed in wanting to know what caused him to take his life. Here is a girl who is overwhelmed by grief and can't understand why she can't have her father back. Why he never left anything behind that would have given a clue or had meaning for her and her already broken mother. This is a girl who is desperately trying to put the pieces together, but alongside the reader must learn, that sometimes there are no answers.

Boys Don't Cry By Malorie Blackman; we've read about teenage pregnancies. But how many of you have read a book about a teenage boy who is forced to raise a baby the day his results are due when his ex girlfriend unexpectedly knocks on his door, gives him the child that is apparently theirs, promises she will be back and never returns. Now that's what I call tough love. A very memorable read.

Never Let Me Go By Kazuo Ishiguro; although it's built around a dystopian world, it's the way that the concept affects the characters that is the reason this book makes the list. The individuals have been told from the day they were born what their purpose in life will be. What they can't eat or do. They are not given a choice, that choice and free will is taken from them and abused. They are conformed to think a certain way and manipulated to such an extent that escaping or questioning doesn't even come to mind.

A Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini; it's about; war, love, loss, a relationship between two women in the most unlikely of situations which is placed bare in this book. It may make a depressing read, but it's real, and the book itself is eye opening and amazing.

Before I Die By Jenny Downham; you have cancer, and you have a few months to live. How does a 16 year old girl live with that? Well Tessa makes a list of all the things she wants to do before she dies. And she is determined. Beautiful and evocative Before I Die will make you not only appreciate life but hurt for a girl you wish you knew for a moment longer.

North Of Beautiful By Justina Chen Headley; we all have our flaws, but what about when that flaw has scarred one side of your face? You loose all self esteem and all self worth. You think you're lucky that the good looking guy pays you any attention. It's the journey that Terra takes which interests me. The journey of self discovery that ultimately helps her and her mother come face to face not only with her abusive father but with the real beauty that exist in all of us



Posted by Blueicegal ♥ at 18:52 Comments

To Norway.



I wanted to write this post because although we have mourned in our own way through reaching out to loved ones, through twitter; I wanted all of us as a blogsophere to come together for a moment of silence.

 It's a horrific tragedy what happened to those countless young adults in Norway. And as I read THIS post I know there isn't a soul out there who doesn't feel their eyes well up.

 Having such togetherness in such a hard time is almost beautiful. To have hundreds walk with you who share your pain, with your king, prince, prime minister and princess beside you is a new kind of togetherness. It's a unity, a message. You are not alone. I wish we all focused less on hate unlike that killer and used our hard times like Norway has, to instead, unite as one and promote peace.

 I can't tell you that justice will be served because there is already talk of the man possibly getting parole after seven years. And although his so called motive was to save people from Marxist and Muslims like me who will apparently take over the world, when I saw that post on Mail Online I saw this togetherness that I wish the world could share, always. 

These teenagers died, and they had done nothing wrong; they did not deserve to die. I can't speak for every killer, suicide bomber, and what made this man do what he did, but I can speak for myself and say that I am so moved by how bravely they are handling this. It takes strength, courage and goodness to not have revenge consume you, and even more to not act on it.

To not turn it into war that kills only countless more; like the war that is happening right now.

So I want to take this time for everyone who has lost someone, who has been affected by this tragedy, and have a moments silence. Just us.

Rip to all those who have passed away.



Posted by Blueicegal ♥ at 15:26 Comments

BR - Jellicoe Road By Melina Marchetta



"Hold my hand because I might disappear." 

"Instinct tells me to go to Hannah's, but she doesn't live there anymore and that's when I realize the major difference between my mother and Hannah. My mother deserted me at the 7-Eleven, hundred of kilometers away from home. Hannah, however, did the unforgivable. She deserted me in our own backyard." 

Paperback: 43 pages  Publisher:  Harper Teen (9 March 2010)  Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Source: Bought

 Rating;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             


"Never,' he tells me in a tone full of ice, 'underestimate who or what I care for."

 My Thoughts - I wasn't even sure if I should write this review. The hesitance came from that fact that I had no idea how to form the words that could possibly explain the actual beauty and brilliance of this book. When I think of it a lump forms in my throat and I imagine this distant place called Jellicoe Road, a place I wish I could be a part of, and meet the wonderful people that reside there; the kind of people you come across once in a lifetime.

I've decided to do this. I'm attempting this even though everything is blurry as I write this which makes it all the more harder. It's exactly 4am and somehow I feel like I've just woken up. You know after I turned that last page and closed the book I felt peaceful, so why I am getting emotional whilst writing this review is strange to me too.  

So lets go over the not so great news first. It will take you around 90 somethings - 100 pages to get into the book. Everything before all that is confusing and slow. But if you can bring yourself to trudge through those first 100 pages guys, then you will delve into heck of a treasure. 

The only way to describe my personal reading experience is to let you know that I stopped functioning almost. The need for food was gone, the need for breaks was gone. I didn't get up once even though I was pretty sure I had ran out of tissues and panicked over the thought of having no more to use for bookmarking. Leaving the book did just not seem like an option though. I worked with what I had and only let myself take a deep breath when I felt chocked up, laughed, or sighed. And yes, I did all that. Let's just say I was lucky that I had tissues nearby because I would need them to bookmark countless pages throughout. Also I was lucky that I had my Laptop nearby because the perfect song, besides the book, would be the one thing to keep me company. * 1+1 by Beyonce, it's perfect for the book. Listen to it whilst you're reading it and you''ll see why* I'm not sure when I started reading. It's been a couple of hours though. So bring some snacks, tissues and anything else you might need because as soon as I cracked this book open I didn't move an inch. I kept reading, replaying the song, bookmarking; this became my whole routine. I breathed this book and completely fell in love. Just to let you know; I have been wowed the odd times like this in the past - through The Sky Is Everywhere and Thirteen Reasons Why but it's been a very long time since I've found that wonderful connection with a book again. Reading Jellicoe Road makes me slap away the reading slump I have been battling recently, and makes me look at treasures like these and ask myself; can I ever imagine ever missing out on this? 

Audrey over at Holes In My Brain told me how fantastic this book was. We have very similar taste in books, and I completely trust her, so there was no question about it. I bought myself a copy. However, it took her recent, wonderful review to inspire me to stop thinking about review books for a second. To take a good look at my bookshelf and pick out a book that I have wanted to read for a long time. Jellicoe Road came to mind, and I am so glad that I went on a whim. Thanks for that hun.

For the first time I feel like I can't find it within me to elaborate on the plot or characters. But maybe it's better this way. Leaving as much a mystery as possible will only reward you with a greater reading experience as you peel away the layers of this book. Let me make another thing clear. The first 100 pages are worth it not only because the book is such gem, but because it's only after those 100 pages that things start to make sense and the links between the present and the past start to unfold. Also, you should know that every character held their own. At one point it felt as though history was repeating itself, only without all the loss, without all the tragedy. This time around it was almost like a second chance; they were better equipped and more prepared. This time they found that place that would ensure their togetherness, that would always be there.

 All the characters are so lovely, mature and lovable. They all bring something unique to the table. And then you have the whole concept of the Townies, Cadets and the school leader being our MC Taylor. I could take you through the beauty of those 5 individuals who 18 years ago were young, alive, strong and in love. I could take you through how this whole concept of the Cadets and Townies first came, and how when I see Jonah, Chaz, Taylor, Jessa and Raffy - I see Tate, Narnie, Jude, Fritz and Webb.

I miss each and every one of them so much. I miss the thought of knowing that I will probably never read a book like this again. Knowing that it ended the only way that it could have, but in doing so wiped away any chance of a sequel. Oh, how I would love that sequel. I knew though when the end came that this is was the part where I took a different road and walked away from it all. That is always the hard part when you become attached; that is the hardest of all.

Jellicoe Road has taken me through a unique journey, and one I'm highly unlikely to forget. Maybe this review will give you that push to pick up your neglected copy of Jellicoe Road, or maybe it'll be just the thing you need to put the book on your radar, either way, that is more than enough for me. However, after I've posted this I know my greatest frustration will lie in knowing that I could never fully express how I felt about this book, how I can't give you that experience. That is the part that truly gets to me above else. 

My review can't even come close to doing this book justice, I know that. And maybe when I wake up in the morning I'll read this and be horrified by all these jumbled up thoughts, and slightly embarrassed at this emotional me, but right now, it feels so right. 

Oh and Jonah; my favourite. I'd watch out for that one girls. He's a mystery and a complete heart-breaker <3  


"Chaz," Jonah Griggs says snidely. " Your mum wants you to smile." "And yours wants you to eat shit and die." I'm standing between these two intellectuals while the local photographer snaps away, asking us to say words like holiday and pornography. "Your's thinks you should loosen up," Griggs continues to bait. "Really?" "Yeah. She told me last night."

"Hey," I call out after Jonah Griggs. He stops with Anson Choi by a tree and leans against it, a ghost of a smile on his face. He looks pleased with himself and I give him that little moment of triumph before I get up close and slap him hard across the face.

Posted by Blueicegal ♥ at 06:47 Comments
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