Reviews

-A-
A Time for Dancing by Davida Wills Hurwin
Actor and the Housewife, The by Shannon Hale
Adoration of Jenna Fox, The by Mary E. Pearson
Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

-B-
Body Finder, The by Kimberly Derting

-C-
Call Me Sonya Grey by Sonya Grey Lloyd
Click by David Almond, Eoin Colfer, Roddy Doyle, Deborah Ellis, Nick Hornby, Margo Lanagan, Gregory McGuire, Ruth Ozeki, Linda Sue Park, and Tom Wynne Jones

-D-
Dream Girl by Lauren Mechling

-E-
East by Edith Pattou
Enna Burning by Shannon Hale

-F-
Fat Cat by Robin Brande
Forest Born by Shannon Hale

-G-

-H-
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling

-I-
I Can't Keep My Own Secrets: Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous and Obscure by various authors
If I Stay by Gayle Foreman

-J-

-K-

-L-

-M-

-N-
Narrative Life of Frederick Douglass, The by Frederick Douglass

-O-
Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr
Ophelia by Lisa Klein

-P-
Paper Towns by John Green
Prophecy of the Sisters, The by Michelle Zink

-Q-

-R-River Secrets by Shannon Hale

-S-

-T-
This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

-U-

-V-

-W-

-X-

-Y-

-Z-



Movies
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Julie & Julia
Les Miserables

Fat Cat by Robin Brande Review

Cat is smart, sassy, and funny. But thin, she is not. Until her class science project. That’s when she winds up doing an experiment—on herself. Before she knows it, Cat is living—and eating—like the hominids, our earliest human ancestors.

When I first picked this book up from the shelf at my library, I thought two things: (1)Hey, I've seen some pretty good reviews for this! and (2)This book has the potential to be...shallow. I'm not the kind of girl who really enjoys reading books that don't have some depth to them. I don't read the Gossip Girl series or books that revolve entirely around romance. Why? It's not because there's anything wrong with the books themselves. It's because when I finish a book with a message that strikes a chord in me, there's a moment where everything feels complete and whole and blissful. I love those moments. :)

Getting back on track...I was pleasantly surprised to find that Fat Cat was full of witty humor and strength. Cat was a completely lovable character; she was intelligent and sweet and a hard worker. Robin Brande wrote this in a smart way. The story itself was entertaining and fast-paced. All of the characters were believable and three-demensional. I was hooked- I stayed up late to learn the final details of her project, and her personal journey. And, when I closed the back cover in the end, I had one of those aforementioned moments. :) Don't waste time; go pick it up for yourself!

Rating: 9.5/10

Wishlist Wednesday

When a small mistake costs sixteen-year-old Eagan her life during a figure-skating competition, she leaves many things unreconciled, including her troubled relationship with her mother. From her vantage point in the afterlife, Eagan reflects back on her memories, and what she could have done differently, through her still-beating heart. When fourteen-year-old Amelia learns she will be getting a heart transplant, her fear and guilt battle with her joy at this new chance at life. And afterwards when she starts to feel different—dreaming about figure skating, craving grape candy—her need to learn about her donor leads her to discover and explore Eagan’s life, meeting her grieving loved ones and trying to bring the closure they all need to move on. Told in alternating viewpoints, In a Heartbeat tells the emotional and compelling story of two girls sharing one heart. -Goodreads

Although I had heard bits and pieces about this book from looking around the book blogosphere, the first time I read a full review for In a Heartbeat was from Sandy at Pirate Penguin's Reads. She really enjoyed it, so I think that I'll give it a try! Fingers crossed I can find it at the library!

<3 Cate

Reviews

-A-
A Time for Dancing by Davida Wills Hurwin
Actor and the Housewife, The by Shannon Hale
Adoration of Jenna Fox, The by Mary E. Pearson
Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

-B-
Body Finder, The by Kimberly Derting

-C-
Call Me Sonya Grey by Sonya Grey Lloyd
Click by David Almond, Eoin Colfer, Roddy Doyle, Deborah Ellis, Nick Hornby, Margo Lanagan, Gregory McGuire, Ruth Ozeki, Linda Sue Park, and Tom Wynne Jones

-D-
Dream Girl by Lauren Mechling

-E-
East by Edith Pattou
Enna Burning by Shannon Hale

-F-
Fat Cat by Robin Brande
Forest Born by Shannon Hale

-G-

-H-
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling

-I-
I Can't Keep My Own Secrets: Six-Word Memoirs by Teens Famous and Obscure by various authors
If I Stay by Gayle Foreman

-J-

-K-

-L-

-M-

-N-
Narrative Life of Frederick Douglass, The by Frederick Douglass

-O-
Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr
Ophelia by Lisa Klein

-P-
Paper Towns by John Green
Prophecy of the Sisters, The by Michelle Zink

-Q-

-R-River Secrets by Shannon Hale

-S-

-T-
This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

-U-

-V-

-W-

-X-

-Y-

-Z-



Movies
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Julie & Julia
Les Miserables

My Top Five of 2009

It's the end of the year already! Here are my top picks for 2009; I enjoyed reading each and every one of these- I hope you'll do the same! I have no doubt that 2010 holds just as many thrilling, hilarious, grips-you-til-the-end reads. :)



Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale Review
and Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson


Ophelia by Lisa Klein Review
and Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen Review


Paper Towns by John Green Review


What were your top picks?
Also, feel free to take a survey I created to get some feedback on the blog; it would be very much appreciated! Click here to take survey.
<3 Cate

Challenge Overload

Before I get into this post, I just wanted to remind you that I created a New Year's Survey, and I'd love to get your feedback! There are more details in my previous post. :) Click here to take survey

Okay, it's very possible that I may have gone a little overboard with my challenge participation this year. To be honest, I don't really even know exactly what I have to do for each and when to finish them by. So, this post serves two purposes: to help me be a little less scatterbrained and to give you the opportunity to join some challenges- I'm sure it's not too late for some of them!


First up, The Sarah Dessen Challenge, hosted at Em's Bookshelf. I'll admit, I did start this challenge way late; it began in May, but there was no final challenge date, so I decided to hop on board! I gave myself until the end of the school year (June 9th) to read and review all nine Sarah Dessen Books. So far, here's what I've got!

That Summer
Keeping the Moon
Someone Like You
Dreamland
This Lullaby= Finished!
The Truth About Forever= Read, but no review yet
Just Listen
Lock and Key= Read, but not review yet
Along for the Ride= Finished!




This Challenge is being hosted by Nicole over at WORD For Teens. The books for this challenge must involve water - be it about pirates, mermaids, or the coast of California, fiction or nonfiction. All need to be read (and in my case reviewed) by September 19th, 2010! Unfortunately, I'm VERY behind on this challenge! Here are my ten chosen books:

1.Bloody Jack, by L.A. Meyer.
2.Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie.
3.Piraticia by Tanith Lee
4.Mermaid Park by Beth Mayall
5.Pirates! by Celia Rees
6.Benjamin Manry and the Curse of the Blood Bones
7.The Life of Pi by Yann Martel
8.Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli
9.The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
10.The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway



Ahh, the Alice Challenge. I don't believe that I have read or reviewed anything for this list whatsoever...yikes! I have until August 21st, 2010.

Tasks (Part I):

*Read and review Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
*Read and review Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
*Read and review Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin (publish date December 2009)

*Read and review one other book from the list of "retellings and sequels" or "literature with allusions and influences" from the list here . If you know of a book that will work that is not on the list, you may use it, but please have it approved as part of the challenge first.


Tasks (Part II)

*Watch and review Disney's animated version of Alice in Wonderland
*Watch and review one live action (already released) movie version of Alice in Wonderland.
*Watch and review Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (due for release in 2010)
*Watch and review one other movie listed under "Film" here



And last, but certainly not least, The 100+ Book Challenge, hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog. Thank goodness books can cross over for all challenges on this one! I don't have a definite list; I think I'm going to just take this year as it comes! I have until the end of December, next year!


What challenges are you participating in this year?
Have a wonderful day!
<3 Cate