Weekday Thoughts

I don't feel like writing one of those formal-looking review/reflection/reaction things that I do after reading a book, but I do feel like writing, so here I am. Consider it an asynchronous conversation. What about, I'm not sure yet. I suppose I could tell you about what I've been reading lately. 

If you follow me on Twitter, you'll have noticed that I was reading Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly last week. I posted a few quotes that I enjoyed that I'll share with you again:

"Beautiful people don't need coats. They've got their auras to keep them warm." (p. 34) 

"What is it that mends broken people? Jesus? Chocolate? New shoes?" (p. 136)

"I don't like hope very much. In fact, I hate it. It's the crystal meth of emotions. It hooks you fast and kills you hard. It's bad news. The worst. It's sharp sticks and cherry bombs. When hope shows up, it's only a matter of time until someone gets hurt." 

For some, it's a depressing sort of book. The main character, Andi, is miserable, forced to spend three weeks in France with her father (yes, I said forced), when all she'd rather do is wallow at home. She feels responsible for the death of her younger brother, so she's understandably pretty torn up about it. But it's not just about Andi - it becomes almost a dual story, with Alex, an 18th century girl who is intimately linked to the royal family in the midst of the French Revolution, coming to life through her journal that Andi finds. Truthfully, I could have parted with the history lessons in this one and maybe skimped on Alex's story a little, but I'm not a historical fiction fan. I loved Andi's characterization, her depression, her hopelessness, her pain, the emotion in this book. What a mood I've been in.

I've felt a slight reading slump lately - not that I've been reading a lot less (well, maybe a little), but rather that what I'm reading isn't exactly hitting the spot. Good books, to be sure, but not that "right book at the right time" kind of books. Maybe it's just my lack of time available to devote to books. Hmm.

I started reading What I Was by Meg Rosoff over the weekend. Have I ever expressed how much I love Meg Rosoff? No, I do not think I have. I've only read How I Live Now and The Bride's Farewell, but with some authors, you just know you're going to love everything they write. She has this particular style, this something, about her writing that I can't describe but love oh so very much. It's deceptively simple but packed with emotion and meaning. But I have to be in a certain mood for it, and here I am. Listening to "The Freshmen" by The Verve Pipe and needing another Mountain Dew. Thinking that Spring Break is only three days out of my reach. I leave you with a quote from What I Was:

"The featureless trundle of my existence began to change. At the time, I didn't have the insight to wonder at the transient nature of despair, but now that I'm older I've seen how little it takes to turn a person's life around for better or worse. An event will do, or an idea. Another person. An idea of a person." 

February Reading Recap

Books Read in February

Black History Month Books

I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont

Shades of Black by Sandra L. Pinkney

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford

Mirandy and Brother Wind by Patricia C. McKissack

Books Read While Browsing our Scholastic Book Fair

Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio

Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Ready for Anything! by Keiko Kasza

Aliens Love Underpants! by Claire Freedman

Fractured Fairy Tales for First Grade

Chicken Big by Keith Graves

Chicken Little by Rebecca Emberley

Henny-Penny by Jane Wattenberg

The Gingerbread Boy by Paul Galdone

The Gingerbread Man by Jim Aylesworth

Chicken Little by Steven Kellogg

Rosemary Wells Author Study for Kindergarten

Bunny Mail

Bunny Party

Bunny Money

Max's Dragon Shirt

Max Cleans Up

Dr. Seuss Birthday Celebration for Second Grade

Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!

Scrambled Eggs Super!

Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose

New Picture Books & Graphic Novel

The Pirate of Kindergarten by George Ella Lyon

A Pirate's Night Before Christmas by Philip Yates

A Pirate's Guide to First Grade by James Preller

Copper by Kazu Kibuishi

What If? by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Here Comes the Garbage Barge! by Jonah Winter

Just in Time, Abraham Lincoln

Other Goose by J.otto Seibold

Dear Primo by Duncan Tonatiuh

The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood

Animal Crackers Fly the Coop by Kevin O'Malley

Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown

Young Adult Novels

Matched by Ally Condie

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves (review)

Across the Universe by Beth Revis (review)

Challenge Progress

Debut Author Challenge: 1

Graphic Novels Challenge: 1

POC Reading Challenge: 1

Shifter Challenge: 0

YA Reading Challenge: 4

Notable Mentions

While selecting books for our guest readers to read during our African-American Read-In this week, I happily stumbled upon Mirandy and Brother Wind by Patricia C. McKissack. From the first page, I was swept away in this delightfully whimsical tale. I only wish I got to read it aloud myself!

Do you want to giggle? Do you? Yeah? Then read Aliens Love Underpants! by Claire Freedman. Aliens visit Earth for one reason alone - to steal your underpants! Silly pictures and rhymes make this one a super-fun readaloud for spring fever days.

It's a little embarrassing to be an elementary school librarian who doesn't know her folk and fairy tales, but I have inexperience on my side here. I never read them as a kid and don't remember having them read to me, so here I am trying to play catch-up. And I love it! I read The Gingerbread Boy by Paul Galdone, an oldie but a goodie, last week to first grade, and they loved it too (followed by The Gingerbread Girl by Lisa Campbell Ernst, a story about the boy's younger, smarter sister).

I'm having a blast going through my new books, though it's been a slow process. These two - What If? by Laura Vaccaro Seeger & The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood - are both short and mostly illustrated with very little text, but oh the impact! What If? shows two friends playing with a ball in the ocean and has several alternate scenarios of what would happen next when the ball rolls onto the beach. So much teaching potential here! Perspective, making choices, interpreting illustrations, writing text to accompany pictures, etc. And I recommended The Quiet Book to a teacher who absolutely loved using it with her students - it describes all the different ways one can be quiet. Lovely and thoughtful, both of these books are.

Here Comes the Garbage Barge! by Jonah Winter is the true story of a barge full of garbage with nowhere to go. From the Jersey shore down to New Orleans and almost up the Mississippi, this barge has no place to unload and a long journey it's taken. The illustrations remind me of clay-mation (remember when that was popular?) and are decidedly creepy at parts, but the story is fascinating and rather shocking.


To Read in March 

Well, I knew I would read a lot of picture books in February, and that I did. March may be my month for early readers and middle grade chapter books. I've neglected those lately. And then there's Spring Break, when I hope I'll be able to read an adult novel, gasp! Water for Elephants is my choice, but it's still a few weeks away. I've had enough YA, I think. Or maybe it's just that I really don't like the one I'm reading now. Oh, and all those books turning into movies this month! Oof, another busy month. 

How'd you do in February?

 

2011 Page to Screen Reading Challenge

Last night, I had the brilliant idea to start my own book club in town because I don't currently have one (nor have I ever), and that just seems ridiculous since hello, I'm a reader. So, I decided that the theme had to be universally loved, and BAM! books to movies came to mind - who doesn't love going to the movies? I do this anyway. I don't generally see a movie in the theatre unless I've read the book first. This is my idea. It's so original, right?

Okay, maybe not. A quick search on A Novel Challenge showed me a few others who may have had this same idea. Thus, I'm now joining the 2011 Page to Screen Reading Challenge hosted by Reading Extensively because even if I don't get my in-real-life book club going, at least I'll have some pals to read with online.

This challenge is fairly simple. Read at least five books-to-movies. I like it.

Here's what's on my to-read and to-watch list so far:

I Am Number Four, movie released February 18, 2011


Update: YES, I read this! But I still haven't seen the movie...

Beastly (re-read), movie released March 4, 2011

Update: No, I didn't re-read it. But I did just see the movie! And I really liked it, even though it strayed from the book a bit. 

Jane Eyre (re-read), movie released March 11, 2011

Update: Haven't re-read or seen it. Maybe over the summer...

Atlas Shrugged, movie released April 15, 2011

Update: Did this movie even come out? No, I didn't read it or see it. Yeesh...

Water for Elephants, movie released April 22, 2011

Update: Yes, I read it! I actually read this one in Italy and was going to see the movie in Italian... except that the theatre was closed for the summer. Hmmph! So no, I haven't seen it yet. 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (re-read), movie released July 15, 2011

Update: No, I didn't re-read it. Though I really should have because I saw the movie and was less than impressed. Am I the only one who is glad that it's over?

The Help (re-read), movie released August 12, 2011

Update: Didn't re-read it and still haven't seen it. I guess I watch less movies than I thought! 

The Invention of Hugo Cabret, movie released November 23, 2011

Update: I'm currently reading this one and hope to see the movie this month. 

Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves

Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves
published January 2011 by Simon & Schuster
512 pages (hardcover), YA
YA Reading Challenge ; POC Challenge

Kit and Fancy are the daughters of the Bonesaw Killer, living in Portero, Texas, where reality and fantasy (or rather, horror) are confused easily. Fancy's the baby of the family, and at fifteen, she has yet to learn how to properly dress herself or experience emotions like a real-life human teen. Kit and Fancy have been the closest of sisters, sharing secrets and animal anatomy experiments, but Kit's got a boyfriend, and that means that Fancy is no longer privy to every detail of her life. Sure, their dad's in jail for hacking people up, and perhaps they have a knack for the family trade too, but the girls aren't immune to the hazards of growing up.

Other reviewers get into the gory details of this story, but that's not what it's about for me. I'm okay with the torturing, the killing, the twisted dark sides that Kit and Fancy possess, so plot-wise, I have no trouble reading about the disturbing ways of life for these Portero residents. Kit can communicate with the dead and Fancy can create a "happy place" to transport the evildoers of their town to. So what? What intrigues me are the characters themselves - their motivations, self-perceptions, and attempts at growth. This, Ms. Dia Reeves does well. Fancy hates people beyond her family and is so child-like that it's almost comical - until she gets a good look at herself and nearly unravels. Kit is such a flower, blossoming in her strange world, trying new things and spending more time away from the comfort of her home. This is a story about two sisters paving their own paths in life, while still attempting to hold on to each other.

I loved this book. More than I loved Bleeding Violet. But like I said about that one, it's not a book for everyone. People have compared it to Dexter, and I guess if you need to compare it to something, that works. Except that Portero is nothing like Miami.

Five purple crayons because I'm still a little dumbfounded by how much I love love loved this book. Will read again. Need to buy my own copy. 

Reviewed elsewhere:
La Femme Readers ; Dear Author ; Steph Su Reads ; Good Books and Good Wine

Across the Universe by Beth Revis + Giveaway!

Across the Universe by Beth Revis
published January 2011 by Penguin
416 pages (hardcover), YA
2011 Debut Author Challenge ; YA Reading Challenge ; Dystopian February
*reviewed from ARC

This book begins as Amy and her parents are being frozen, to be awakened in 300 years when the starship Godspeed will land on a new inhabitable planet. Unfortunately, Amy wakes up about half a century too early, as her block of ice is rolled out of its freezer to thaw. Luckily, the doctor on board and future leader Elder are able to save her. The story shifts between Amy and Elder, as they try to figure out who wanted her dead and who is continuing to sabotage the cryogenically frozen people on board the Godspeed.

Elder is a leader in training, under the guidance of Eldest, who has the responsibility of keeping the 2,000+ person society on the Godspeed safe and peaceful. The ship is on autopilot, but the people need someone to watch over them. The society functions smoothly, with clearly defined generations (mating is only allowed during the Season) and jobs. People work in fields, genetics labs, and other parts of the ship out of necessity. Although they may not all live long enough to see the Godspeed land on Centauri-Earth, they have hope that their children will. The back cover of the ARC calls this book Titanic meets Brave New World, and I say that's about right. But I can't tell you why!

Others have already said this, and I will agree that the first half of this book was slow. I took frequent breaks because I just couldn't get into it. But then there's a whole lot of action and secrets revealed all at once, and I was flying through it to see what would happen next. I thought the story was lacking at first - I'm a Star Trek fan, I know how these things work. But this is no ordinary science fiction or dystopia - we have murder mystery as well, and tons of twists and turns. There were quite a few "didn't see that coming!" moments that I was rather happy for. Overall, a solid debut and a refreshing dystopia - what can I say? I'm a fan of space travel. Three purple crayons from me.

Reviewed elsewhere:
Becky's Book Reviews ; holes In My brain ; The Story Siren ; Candace's Book Blog ; A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust ; La Femme Readers

GIVEAWAY

Though the book is out already, I do have an ARC to give away. Fill out the form below for a chance to win! 

Pirate picture books

My latest book order came in a week or two ago, and I've been slowly reading through all my new library books. I don't know how I managed it, but I kinda maybe sorta bought THREE picture books with pirates. Um, oops? I must have had Johnny Depp on my mind. Anyhow, here they are!

A Pirate's Night Before Christmas written by Philip Yates, illustrated by Sebastia Serra (2008)

Quite the retelling, this one is! It begins, "'Twas the night before Christmas aboard the Black Sark / Not a creature was stirrin', not even a shark!" I love the invented pirate rhymes, but I love more the pencil & ink digitally colored illustrations. They're soft, yet vibrant, and rather tropical because of course instead of reindeer, we have seahorses pulling the sleigh. A pirate glossary at the end of the book will help translate some of the jargon to curious listeners (and readers), though the illustrations tell the story perfectly well.

 A Pirate's Guide to First Grade written by James Preller, illustrated by Greg Ruth (2010)

Add this to your collection of "first day of school" books to read and share with teachers. I love it because of its potential to jump right in with a discussion of how illustrations tell a story separate from yet complementary to the text. Yes, it's a book about a boy's first day of school, but on this journey, he brings with him a crew of pirates, drawn in sepia-like tones while the rest of the story is done in watercolor oilstick and pastels. Are the pirates really there or not? Students will catch on to the fact that they are a figment of the boy's imagination. The text is done in pirate-speak but the endpapers provide a glossary, and of course, the illustrations show what may get lost in translation.

The Pirate of Kindergarten written by George Ella Lyon, illustrated by Lynne Avril (2010)

This one's not actually about pirates, but since it has pirate in the title, I thought I'd share anyway. Ginny always has her nose in a book, quite literally, and has trouble making out which bunny ears to cut. During her vision screening at school, she finds out that most people don't see two of everything like she does, so she goes to the eye doctor to fix her double vision - hence the eye patch. I like how the eye patch at the end turned her into a pirate, which was something positive and special for her. Great readaloud for kindergarten students before their own vision screening at school.

Other pirate favorites:
How I Became a Pirate written by Melinda Long, illustrated by David Shannon (2003)
Pirates Don't Change Diapers written by Melinda Long, illustrated by David Shannon (2007)
Henry & the Buccaneer Bunnies written by Carolyn Crimi, illustrated by John Manders (2005)
Henry & the Crazed Chicken Pirates written by Carolyn Crimi, illustrated by John Manders (2009)

In My Mailbox

I know it's a little late for an IMM post, but I just had to share my excitement! I don't get books in my mailbox very often, so it's a special occasion. :) Look what I got!

I won an ARC of Across the Universe by Beth Revis from One Librarian's Book Reviews. Thanks, Melissa! Even though the book is already out, I'm still happy for the ARC because I'm #6 on my library's holds list, which may take months, and I just can't wait that long. You have seen all the rave reviews of this book, right?

I also got quite a few beauties from the library this week. Lookie here.

 

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (because everyone love love loved it)

You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin (because it's noir and got mixed reviews)

Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves (because Bleeding Violet was delightfully dark & twisted)

Sapphique by Catherine Fisher (because I liked Incarceron and wonder what's next)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren. Head on over to see what goodies everyone else received this week!

P.S. You see that Dystopian February button to the right? Clickie clickie to go to Presenting Lenore's blog, where she'll be reviewing dystopias all month long! I'll be reading a few myself. :)

January Reading Recap

Books Read in January

PICTURE BOOKS

Of Thee I Sing by Barack Obama, illus. by Loren Long

When Dinosaurs Came with Everything by Elise Broach, illus. by David Small

Cowboy & Octopus by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith

Fred Stays with Me! by Nancy Coffelt

A Taste of Colored Water by Matt Faulkner

Two Bobbies by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery, illus. by Jean Cassels

CHILDREN'S NONFICTION

 My Uncle Martin's Big Heart by Angela Farris Watkins, illus. by Eric Velasquez

Coretta Scott poetry by Ntozake Shange, paintings by Kadir Nelson

Martin Luther King Jr. by Joeming Dunn, illus. by Chris Allen

Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illus. by Brian Pinkney

Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman by Marc Tyler Nobleman, illus. by Ross Macdonald

YA FICTION

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa (review)

Once in a Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber (review)

Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian (review)

XVI by Julia Karr (review)

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson (review)

The Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney (mini-review)

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain (mini-review)

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White (mini-review)

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (mini-review)

Challenge Progress

Debut Author Challenge: 1

Graphic Novels Challenge: 0 (for shame!)

POC Reading Challenge: 2

Shifter Challenge: 3

YA Reading Challenge: 12 !

Belated Reactions

Goodness, did I read a boatload of YA this month! Even more, I wrote about much of it. Don't be fooled though - just because I didn't review it all doesn't mean I didn't love it.

I read Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles on Sunday night (way past my bedtime) and loved it just as much but quite differently than Perfect Chemistry. This one follows the middle Fuentes brother, Carlos, as he moves from Mexico to Colorado to live with older bro Alex, in an attempt to stay out of trouble and finish high school. So who's the chica this Latin boy is going to fall for? None other than his peer guide Kiara. Kiara is smart, independent, athletic, and cares little for her outward appearance or for impressing Carlos. I loved the tug-of-war between Kiara and Carlos in this book. And of course, I can't help but root for them both, underdogs in their own ways. I never thought I'd enjoy YA romance as much as I do these books. They're funny, edgy, and definitely sexy. Can't wait for the third, Chain Reaction, to come out this summer!

I also finally finished my beloved vampire series, Vampire Academy, this month with The Last Sacrifice. I didn't love love love it as much as some of the other books, but like Mockingjay, it was a fitting ending to the story. Sigh. I feel so lonesome when series I love end.

But! I started a new werewolf series that I absolutely adore and can't wait to read more of - Nightshade by Andrea Cremer was absolutely fantastic, and I am not too keen on waiting until July to read Wolfsbane. If you haven't read it yet, a word of friendly advice: don't! Wait until the next one is published so you can read them together and then groan in anticipation for this third. Oh series, we have such a love/hate relationship. 

Oh, and this isn't YA, but if you haven't read President Obama's picture book Of Thee I Sing, why not? It's a beautiful letter to his daughters, highlighting key figures in history and seeing their greatness in his children. The illustrations by Loren Long complement and help tell the story so so perfectly. Go read it!

To Read in February
My books for my graphic novel grant are trickling in, and I need to read them. Many because I want to and others because I need to know that I made good decisions. But I just haven't been in the mood lately. YA has taken over my world. I expect it will soon taper off, and then I will have time to read these precious graphic works. February is a short month, so I suspect I'll read less, but who knows. I'm falsely snowed in (where's the snow? the ice? why am I home on a Tuesday afternoon?), so I should be reading right now. I'll probably do an author study with kindergarten (Rosemary Wells? Kevin Henkes? or just jump right in to Mo Willems?), fractured fairy tales with first grade, and Coretta Scott King Award winners with 4/5th grade, so my picture book numbers will be higher. We'll see how it goes!

Of faeries and werewolves

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
published August 2010 by Harlequin Teen
304 pages (paperback), YA
YA Reading Challenge

This is the second book in the Iron Fey series, so if you haven't read The Iron King, you may want to skip this review. Meghan Chase has just saved her brother from the Iron Kingdom with the help of Winter Prince Ash and best friend Robin Goodfellow, aka Puck. In exchange for Ash's help, Summer Princess Meghan has offered to go to the Winter Court with Ash. Meghan is practically a prisoner and certainly despised by the Winter Fey, and her interactions with Ash are hot and cold. One minute he's kissing her and about to confess his love and the other he's ridiculing her and speaking to her as if she were scum. Romantic complications aside, the Iron Fey are gaining power even though Meghan had slain their King, which could mean the destruction of both the Summer and Winter Courts. Do they join forces to defeat the unnatural Iron Fey or fight each other, oblivious to the danger about to befall them?

This book started a little slowly for me. I appreciated the recap at the beginning because it had been awhile since I read The Iron King. But once I was about halfway through, I could not put it down. I love this world. I love Meghan's strange powers that I'm still trying to figure out. I even don't mind the little love triangle between Meghan, Ash, and Puck. And Grimalkin! Oh, I was so happy to see him again - that cat had quite a few witty remarks. There's action, suspense, romance, heartache, and comedy - what more could you want?

Four purple crayons from me! I can't resist a fanciful faerie story. :)

P.S. The Iron Queen is out this month!

Once in a Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber

published December 2010 by HarperCollins

292 pages (hardcover), YA

YA Reading Challenge ; Shifter Challenge

Celeste and her two best friends are dating three star athletes - the perfect high school sixsome. They spend their time at games, parties, and the mall, just like any other suburban Eastsider. Celeste has never liked the way the Eastside and Westside students ignored each other, Eastsiders the more privileged, wealthy and snobbish types while the Westsiders were more working-class, down-to-earth and humble. The groups didn't mix. But then Brandon moves to the Westside, and Celeste can't take her eyes off of him. She knows she can't like him, but she does anyway. Especially since he saves her life by warding off a pack of wolves on her snowy, misguided walk home one afternoon. Oh, and by the way, legend has it that werewolves exist in this town.

Like Celeste, I try to find the good in any situation, person, or book, in this case. I really battled with this one. Why was the writing so bland? Why was the story so unoriginal? Why did I even finish reading it? And I finally decided that I was not the target audience. This book would be just fine for middle or younger high school students, particularly struggling readers who still want to read the same kinds of books as their peers. The writing reminded me a lot of what I see in early readers for K-1 students - short, choppy sentences; stilted dialogue; and brief chapters to propel you. But then, what of the plot? The character development? They were both a bore and entirely too predictable. And maybe that's fine for a younger, less experienced in this genre audience, but not at all what I was expecting. 

So, that makes it a two purple crayon book for me.

P.S. The only thing that kept me reading this book was its resemblance to Kirk's movie in Gilmore Girls. The dialogue is eerily similar in style! 

Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian

Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian
published September 2010 by Scholastic
336 pages (hardcover), YA
YA Reading Challenge

I don't usually use blurbs, but this one said all I wanted to say. From the dust jacket:

Life is about choices, and Natalie Sterling prides herself on making the right ones. She's avoided the jerky guys populating her prep school, always topped honor roll, and is poised to be the first female student council president in years.

If only other girls were as sensible and strong. Like the pack of freshmen yearning to be football players' playthings. Or her best friend, whose crappy judgment nearly ruined her life.

But being sensible and strong isn't easy. Not when Natalie nearly gets expelled anyway. Not when her advice hurts more than it helps. Not when a boy she once dismissed becomes the boy she can't stop thinking about.

The line between good and bad has gone fuzzy, and crossing it could end in disaster... or become the best choice she'll ever make.

This book was good. I can't believe how many negative reviews I read for it, though. Most of them cried the same - Natalie's not a likable or a relatable character. Well, no, she's not very friendly or approachable. She's goal-oriented, with very little people skills and a know-it-all attitude. Reviewers said that made her unbelievable, that they'd never met anyone like her in real life. Really? I certainly have! Especially in a teenage girl who is trying so hard not to let boys and high school drama rule her life. Who wants desperately to be successful - to leave a legacy behind and make a name for herself in all that she does. Who acutely feels the pressure of being a female in a male-dominated society, to the point where she cannot see beyond herself. Yes, I've known (and know still) girls and women like that. Natalie is determined to be assertive in all that she does, and she sometimes fails to see how that hurts others. So, sure, she has flaws, and she is slow to realize them, and we don't really get to see her change her ways, but there are morsels of hope by the end of this book.

One reviewer also said that when dealing with teens and sex, there's no need for subtlety. Others called the book preachy. I don't know that it was either. I suppose I'd lean towards the subtle side. It was complex, that's for sure, and Vivian didn't attempt to explain away all the iffy decisions Natalie and her small group of almost-friends made. There is much room for interpretation and discussion in this book, and that's why I liked it so. The characters were developed just enough that you could guess why they did and said the things they did but not too much that it was spelled out for you.

I wish I had this book in high school. I might have questioned more and thought of absolutes less. Even looking at the title, I cringe when I think about how many times I've probably said those words about myself. So damaging - to myself and other girls. Because isn't that how you say it? I'm not that kind of girl. Like you're better than that girl. You have higher standards, morals, ethics, whatever. And those kinds of girls are all the same, lumped in the same category, on the receiving end of your disdain. Too much measuring, too much hate - let's all just be ourselves and be happy with each other, okay?

Anyhow, back to the book. Another fantastic YA read - goodness, I'm on a roll! Go read it. Have thoughts of your own. Share them, please. :) Four purple crayons from this Natalie.