The Compound

S. A. Bodeen

Published: 2008

245 Pages

Rating: B

Eli and his family have lived in the Compound for six years.

                        The world they knew is gone.

            Eli’s father built the Compound to keep them safe. Now, they cant get out.

He wont let them.

(from inside book flap)

Dad asked me if I wanted to see more of the Compound.

            I didn’t. We would have to wait fifteen years before it would be safe to go outside. Which left more than enough time to see the rest of the Compound.

Our new world.

            A world I would soon hate.

(from back of book)

 

If you have ever seen the movie Blast from the Past, this book will seem similar to you, yet different in so many twisting ways.

Eli grew up being the son of a billionaire. Him and his three siblings got everything they wanted, no matter what it cost. Eli had a twin brother named Eddy, and Eddy was the main reason Eli had friends. As a kid Eli was a brat and disliked by many other kids, whereas Eddy was friendly and never complained and he had many friends. Once Eli and Eddy were born, their father started working on the Compound. It was a safety place for them if there was ever a nuclear attack on the U.S. So when Eddy and Eli were nine years old, they were camping on their many hundred acres of land with their family, and then the sirens went off and they had to make a mad dash to the Compound. Eli, his sisters and his parents were there…but not his grandma or Eddy.

Fifteen years they would have to spend in the Compound , surviving on the food their father had stored there. According to Eli, the Compound had a good setup. It was quite large, every one had their own room, there was a gym, many storage rooms with food and cleaning supplies, and there was even an infirmary. Yet that didn’t make it feel like home, after six years of isolation without his twin or grandmother, Eli was getting sick of living underground and he was determined to find out if there was any human life left about ground.

Eli uncovers some secrets that his father is hiding, and now he cant trust him. Every day in the Compound makes Eli more and more determined to find out what really happened six years ago when they first entered the Compound. Was there really a nuclear attack? And how did his father know about it?

This book is a very interesting read filled with many twists and turns, I couldn’t put it down. And it made me think, could I ever live in a compound underground and not go crazy? Check this book out, you’ll probably learn something about trust and family devotion.

-A. 

GreenBeanTeenQueen Birthday Contest!

Happy Birthday GreenBeanTeenQueen! In honor of her birthday, she's hosting a contest giving away copies of:

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

Lovestuck Summer by Melissa Walker

The Wedding Planner's Daughter by Coleen Murtagh Paratore

They all sound like great books and it'd be great if I won them! But you should go enter too so you can have the chance to win. Click here to enter!

-B

P.S. How awesome is that cake?!

New Moon Reuinion Scene Filming & New Layout!

First of all, there's a new layout. It's not my favorite but I seriously am so bad at HTML, so I hope it looks semi-decent. What do you guys think? And do you have any suggestions for layout sites? That'd be really helpful!

Kristen and Rob shot the Reunion scene today and someone amazing took incredible pictures! I'm kind of disapointed since Bella and Edward aren't supposed to kiss until they're back in America and he explains to her that she isn't dreaming (which is one of my top 5 favorite parts of New Moon). FYI: The dots on Rob are for the CGI just in case you thought they were a bunch of moles or something. Thoughts?

See the pictures here!

Do not watch video if you don't want to be extremely spoiled!




If you watch the video, it's basically like watching the scene. It's so powerful.

**Thanks to www.HisGoldenEyes.com for the news!**

-B

Evermore

Alyson Noel

Published: 2009

301 Pages

Rating: B

After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen year old Ever Bloom can see people’s auras, hear their thoughts, and know someone's entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact and suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school – but everything changes when he meets Damen Auguste

Damen is gorgeous, exotic, and wealthy. He’s the only on who can silence the noise and random energy in her head – wielding a magic so intense, its as though he can peer straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she’s left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea just who he really is – or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is that she’s falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.

(from back of book)

All right, so I am a little hesitant to do this review mainly because I don’t want to give too much away but also because this book reminds me of Twilight. There are differences but the first half made me think I was reading Twilight, or something that resembles Twilight but with little things changed.

Ever lives with her only aunt because after her parents died in a car accident, her aunt was the only one left to take care of her. When she had arrived at her new high school just a few years ago, she changed her attitude and her appearance. Before the accident at her old school, she was popular, a cheerleader and dressed preppy, now she wears jeans and hoodies. Her best friends and Miles, who is gay, and Haven, who is another outcast like Ever. Ever’s life has never been the same since the accident… she can read minds, see people’s aura’s, and she can even talk to her dead little sister. She hates the noise and the colors bursting from everyone around her.

Damen Auguste transfers to her high school and is immediately loved by all, even her “gothic” bff, Haven. He is sexy, confident, and amazes everyone with his charm. It turns out he is the only on who can silence the voices Ever hears. He is a mystery to Ever, she doesn’t know much about him except that he is different from anyone else she has ever met, and she loves that.

Haven starts to become distant from Ever and she starts becoming like on of her other friends that just moved to their town also, her name is Drina. Ever fights to keep her friends but also struggles with her powers and her love for Damen.

Yes, it is a little like Twilight, but I think it’s a decent book, and I bet it would be better if you have never read Twilight. Sorry for the lame review, I didn’t want to go into much detail, if you read it, I think you will understand why. Check it out.

-A.

Vampire Diaries TV Series Promo!

I haven't even read the books yet but as soon as I saw this, I got beyond excited! Probably because I know Marisa will be jumping up and down. You can probably already tell how much she likes the series from the reviews she gives them. I thought Elena was supposed to be blonde but maybe I'm wrong? I don't know, but this is exciting! :)

[EDIT] Marisa: This trailer looks awesome! I think that the TV show is going to be great. Full of action and romance!! Yay for that. It looks like they stuck pretty close to the book. I mean obviously the actors are a bit of a disappointment but they can't get everything perfect. Elena is supposed to be blonde with blue eyes but no big deal. The actress who plays her seems to have good acting skills. Stefan is a total hottie! I love the actor who is playing him. They totally cut out Meredith and Bonnie is completely different but again they can't get everything spot on. Damon is not the total sexy bad boy I was hoping for but his personality seems exactly the same. I didn't get to see Matt but he's there!! Yay! And Elena has a brother instead of a little sister. Yes Briana was right I was jumping up and down while watching this :) The acting looks good, the show looks suspenseful and mysterious. Totally excited.

-B

Rules of the Road

Joan Bauer

Published: 1998

201 Pages

Rating: B-

The Trip of a Lifetime

Jenna Boller can sell anyone anything. She’s the best employee at her branch of Gladstone’s Shoes. But her family problems are harder to handle, and there are times when Jenna wishes she could just take a break. So when Madeline Gladstone, the elderly president of Gladstone Shoe Stores, hires Jenna as her chauffer for the summer, Jenna leaps right into the driver’s seat. And that begins a cross-country adventure, where she and Mrs. Gladstone learn a lot about the rules of the road…and the rules of life.

(from back of book)

To start off, this is a very short read. I’d say it’s a great book to read in between two larger, more complex books, because it is nice break from everything.

The story is a very cute one I must say. One that I have never read before and one that not many could pull off…but Joan Bauer did. Its not the ordinary love story, or tragic tale of a misfit teen.

Jenna is a teenage girl who “worships” her drivers license, yet she doesn’t have a car to drive. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t trying to get one, she is saving her money for the car of her dreams…a red convertible. She works at the Gladstone Shoe store in her hometown, Chicago. She’s sixteen and the best employee there. She works hard because that’s really the only place she can be at and be completely happy. Her life turned sour when her father started drinking too much and that eventually ended her parents marriage, but that was when she was younger and yet those bad memories still follow her around. Now at sixteen she deals with her fathers sudden visits and drunken phone calls, which are making her go crazy. Luckily for her, there’s a chance to get away…

That summer she becomes Mrs. Gladstone’s driver from Chicago, Illinois to Dallas, Texas. They travel to dozens of places, visiting dozens of Gladstone Shoe Stores. And they encounter many problems along the way. Mrs. Gladstone’s son is threatening to sell the company and there’s a fight to the finish to see who exactly will control Gladstone Shoes in the end.

This is a compelling story of a young woman who is tired of the life she is living and is ready for a change. And ready to stand up to her father’s drinking problem once and for all.

A fast read, that may not look all that interesting, but its better than it seems. Give it a shot.

-A.

The Clique

Lisi Harrison

Published: 2004

224 Pages

Rating: C-




Synopsis:

Massie Block: With her glossy brunette bob and laser-whitened smile, Massie is the uncontested ruler of The Clique and the rest of the social scene at Octavian Country Day School, an exclusive private girls' school in Westchester County, New York. Massie knows you'd give anything to be just like her.

Dylan Marvil: Massie's second in command who divides her time between sucking up to Massie and sucking down Atkins Diet shakes.

Alicia Rivera: As sneaky as she is beautiful, Alicia floats easily under adult radar because she seems so "sweet." Would love to take Massie's throne one day. Just might.

Kristen Gregory: She's smart, hardworking, and will insult you to tears faster than you can say "my haircut isn't ugly!"

Enter Claire Lyons, the new girls from Florida in Keds and two-year-old Gap overalls, who is clearly not Clique material. Unfortunately for her, Claire's family is staying in the guesthouse on Massie's family's huge estate while they look for a new home. Claire's future looks worse than a bad Prada knockoff. But with a little luck and a lot of scheming, Claire might just come up smelling like Chanel No. 19. . . .The Clique . . . the only thing harder than getting in is staying in.

Review:

I'd like to first apologize in advance if I'm dissing your favorite series; I definitely know how that feels and wouldn't want to make anyone feel bad.

When Claire moves to Westchester, NY, she kind notices how everyone at her school is rich and instantly catches the bad vibes from Massie, the daughter of the family she's staying with. She just keeps trying and trying to fit in with Massie and "the pretty committee" and that might be the thing that really got on my nerves. She isn't a strong character, she just keeps trying and trying and is so desperate-like. I really liked her the way she was before she got all caught up in petty, prissy fights.

I guess I can see why this book is so popular with the "tween" crowd, but I just could not get into it. It was an easy read but the amount of superficiality and corniness completely turned me off. As soon as I read the phrase "Eh. Ma. God", I kind of knew that this wasn't exactly my type of book.

The movie however, was kind of just as average and corny as the book, but it was funnier and cuter. It's kind of like a Mini-Mean Girls story if you think about it.

I guess if you're 14 and under, give it a try. But if you're older, I predict that this will at the most be a guilty pleasure.

-B

Lock & Key

Sarah Dessen

Published: 2008

422 pages

Rating: A

Synopsis:

“Ruby, where is your mother?”

With that question from the social worker, Ruby knows the game is up.

She’s been living alone in the old yellow house, waiting out the months until she turns eighteen and can finally be on her own legally. It certainly wasn’t in her plan to be reunited with Cora, the sister who left ten years before, and brought to live with Cora and her wealthy entrepreneur husband.

Suddenly life is transformed: a luxurious house, private school, new clothes, and even the change of a future Ruby couldn’t have dreamed of. So why is she wary, unable to be grateful, incapable of letting anyone close? Her old life has been left behind, but where does she fit in this new life? Only Nate, the genial, popular boy next door, seems to understand, perhaps he’s hiding some secrets of his own.

(from front of jacket flap)

This book is like any other from Sarah Dessen, absolutely amazing. Maybe I am just bias since I love all of her other books, but this book just has it all, all in perfect balance…deception, hate, sadness, love, scandal, friendship and a wonderful story. Not to mention an ending that doesn’t get me worked up.

Sarah Dessen has a way of connecting with the reader. Whether its because the story is close to your own personal one, or because her words just fill you with such emotion you don’t know whether to break down in tears or jump up and dance. The way she writes makes you feel you are in the story and experiencing what the main character is experiencing. When I read, I make “mini-movies” in my head based on the story, and with Dessen’s style of writing it is so easy to do that, and you almost wish the movie would never end.

The main character, Ruby, has had a tough life ever since she was young. Her parents got a divorce when she was only five and after that, she rarely saw her father. Her mother became distant from Ruby and her sister, and she started to drink more and more. The only positive thing left in Ruby’s life was her older sister, Cora. Cora is ten years older than Ruby and has always been there for her, Cora was her ‘mother’ after her actual mother stopped caring for her. But ever since Cora went off to college, she hasn’t been around much either. But that changes when Ruby is forced to live with Cora and her husband, Jamie. Ruby had been spending the past couple months living on her own ever since her mother left without notice, but now Ruby is reunited with her older sister who hasn’t been in her life for the past ten years.

Their relationship isn’t what is used to be and Ruby isn’t quite certain she ever wants it that way again. But when it turns out Ruby isn’t as put together as she once thought, their worlds collide and they both find once again that they depend on one another, and their sisterhood is challenged with Ruby’s independent attitude and Cora’s knack to repay Ruby for not being there.

Not only is this a great story about a troubled teen fighting for freedom, but it is a beautiful story of two sisters trying to make it work between them after so many years being apart. And oh yeah, I forgot to mention…the hot, popular guy at Ruby’s new high school, Perkins Day. His name is Nate, and not only is he charming, gorgeous, a great guy and loved by all that know him; he also has a past that he is hiding.

Ruby’s story is a captivating one and definitely something you should read.

(I didn’t talk about the title and its meaning, mainly because I have a slight issue with it. Its not a big problem, but the symbolism behind it I’m still processing, and kind of wishing Dessen went further into detail about it. But maybe it’s a good thing she didn’t. haha)

-A.