Charlotte's Library

What Happened to Goodbye written by Sarah Dessen I missed the good old Sarah Dessen writing.  Yes, her stories are often formulaic, but most of the time, they each have a special something to set them apart.  I wasn't thrilled with her last two unremarkable books, Lock and Key and Along for the Ride , but I was glad to see the uniqueness shine through in her latest , What Happened to Goodbye .  It's emotionally honest, sweet, and utterly relatable, leaving me with a smile and lots to ponder after finishing.  I think Dave could have used some more character development, but he's a new classic Dessen boy.  Sarah Dessen's books are always going to have a special place in my life and on my bookshelf, some books more than others, and I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next! Rating: 5/5 Also by Sarah Dessen: That Summer Keeping the Moon The Truth About Forever I got this book from...:a gift =)

Between Here and Forever written by Elizabeth Scott I had recently mentioned how hit or miss Elizabeth Scott's books are, and was thrilled to discover that this one was definitely a hit!  It was a predictable, fluffy story, and much more repetitive than necessary (Seriously, how many times do I need to hear that you're tired of living under your sister's shadow, I don't need to read that every other sentence), but overall, a fabulous story about finding happiness in yourself.  It's an emotionally honest story, so even though you probably don't have a comatose sister, you'll still be able to see parts of yourself in the various characters.  Word of warning, though, this is one story where you don't want to read the summary.  Don't you hate it when huge plot points are revealed near the end of the story, but you saw them coming because of the summary you read before even opening the book? I got this book from...: Giveaway

As Simple as Snow written by Gregory Galloway This is a reading that requires some backstory.  I actually read this book because it came highly recommended by John Green , and it's easy to see why.  It's extremely similar to Paper Towns .   Too similar for my liking.  Either book is great on its own, but knowing the connection somehow cheapened both in my mind.  The book has its moments of extremely insightful writing, but it did not keep my attention throughout the whole reading.  The entire time, I kept drawing connections between this book and Paper Towns , and not in an enriching way, in a 'wow, this is almost identical' way.  Words were brought together in powerful ways, but the story was lacking, leaving the reader with a fragmented string of beautiful thoughts.

Heist Society written by Ally Carter I read   a few of the Gallagher Girls  books, but could never bring myself to care much about them.  They seemed juvenile and formulaic.  I was discouraged to hear that Heist Society  would also take place at a boarding school, but was glad to find that most of the story did not revolve around that.  It's certainly a fresh concept, revolving around the underground world of art heists (Which, let me just say that I'm not a huge fan of the title.)  The book set up some great mysteries to be continued in the future, and I'm excited to read the sequel.  This is another book where I was worried about stretching the story too thin in order to force a series, but I think (and hope!) Ally Carter manages to avoid that in the end.

Love is the Higher Law written by David Levithan I was 10 when September 11th happened.  It was difficult for a 10 year old to fully grasp what was going on.  Reading this story, written from the eyes of three teenagers who were affected by 9/11 in three different ways, allowed me a new perspective on the event.  The book was also set right in NYC, whereas my friends and I were in central Virginia when the tragedy occurred.  David Levithan crafts a touching story in a sensitive way, realistically describing what three typical teenagers would have gone through in the wake of a national tragedy that happened in their backyards.  He does his usual, incredible job of intertwining the lives of strangers, but as the saying goes, aren't we all strangers at the start?  I personally expected to read a tragedy.  I thought I'd be reading about three teens who all suffered huge personal losses, like the deaths of their parents or classmates.  Instead, I read ...

  As I Wake written by Elizabeth Scott  Elizabeth Scott's books have always been hit-or-miss with me.  I admire her writing style and think she is talented at what she does, but some of her stories are more bland than others.  As I Wake had an intriguing premise, but the delivery was confusing .  It was a weird blur between dystopian and realistic fiction, and while that may appeal to some, I would have preferred a clear distinction.  Reading the summary, I was hoping for something realistic-but-creepy, similar to Living Dead Girl , which is my favorite of Scott's books.  Instead, I got the suspense I was looking for, but with a heaping side dish of confusion leading nowhere.  You know, the kind only previously experienced through watching LOST , only, in my opinion, worse.  I don't know.  I'm certainly no expert on the subject, but you think Twilight had an unhealthy romantic relationship?  I think you haven't read this book....

I was lucky enough to hear Gayle Forman speak in Pittsburgh this past Friday.  I'd managed to read If I Stay , which had been on my reading list for a while, but I just hadn't gotten around to it until the last minute.  Unfortunately, Where She Went didn't get to me until the day after her visit.  I think that's always going to be one of my biggest regrets.  While If I Stay had a pretty powerful impact on me, Where She Went hit much closer to home, and I wish I'd had the chance to read it before getting to see Gayle in person. Anyways, so I took notes, as I do. Gayle's speech focused on the idea of writers being liars and thieves.  She talked about how the truest of books she's written, a non-fiction book called You Can't Get There From Here , also had the largest gaps of emotional authenticity. She talked about "stealing" other people's anecdotes, and how you should never tell a writer anything.  Adam in If I Stay and Where She Went , ...