Updates

indefinite hiatus; i may not come back to the blog, but I'll leave it up anyway if anyone wants to take a look at any old posts etc. :)

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Upcoming Reviews

You Wish by Mandy Hubbard
Kayla McHenry's sweet sixteen sucks! Her dad left, her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy Kayla's secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles, Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually came true. Because they never freakin' do.
Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year's supply of gumballs arrives. A boy named Ken with a disturbing resemblance to the doll of the same name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla's wishes-past appear, they take her on a wild ride . . . but they MUST STOP. Because when she was fifteen? She wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her. And Ben is her best friend's boyfriend.

Trance by Linda Gerber
Ashlyn Greenfield has always known when bad things are going to happen. Each time that familiar tingling at the back of her neck begins, she knows what's to come a trance. She's pulled in, blindsided, an unwilling witness to a horrible upcoming event. But she's never been able to stop it not even when the vision was of her mother's fatal car accident. When soulful Jake enters Ashlyn's life, she begins having trances about another car accident. And as her trances escalate, one thing becomes clear: it's up to her to save Jake from near-certain death.

 Glimpse by Carol Lynch Williams
In one moment 
it is over.
In one moment
it is gone.
The morning grows
thin, grey
and our lives-
how they were-
have vanished.
Our lives have
changed
when I walk in
on Lizzie
my sister
holding a shotgun.
Twelve year old girl Hope's life is turned upside down when her older sister Lizzie becomes an elective mute and is institutionalized after trying to kill herself. 

 The Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She's content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry's mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry's generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother's past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

 Crash Into Me by Albert Borris 
Owen, Frank, Audrey, and Jin-Ae have one thing in common: they all want to die. When they meet online after each attempts suicide and fails, the four teens make a deadly pact: they will escape together on a summer road trip to visit the sites of celebrity suicides...and at their final destination, they will all end their lives. As they drive cross-country, bonding over their dark impulses, sharing their deepest secrets and desires, living it up, hooking up, and becoming true friends, each must decide whether life is worth living—or if there's no turning back. 

Story Of A Girl by Sara Zarr
In the three years since her father caught her in the back seat of a car with an older boy, sixteen-year-old Deanna’s life at home and school has been a nightmare, but while dreaming of escaping with her brother and his family, she discovers the power of forgiveness.

 Return To Paradise by Simone Elkeles
Caleb Becker left Paradise eight months ago, taking with him the secret he promised to take to his grave. If the truth got out, it would ruin everything.
Maggie Armstrong tried to be strong after Caleb broke her heart and disappeared. Somehow, she managed to move on. She’s determined to make a new life for herself.
But then Caleb and Maggie are forced together on a summer trip. They try ignoring their passion for each other, but buried feelings resurface. Caleb must face the truth about the night of Maggie’s accident, or the secret that destroyed their relationship will forever stand between them. 

 Losing Faith by Denise Jaden
A terrible secret. A terrible fate.
When Brie's sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie's world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don’t know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but.
As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don't line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith’s final night...a secret that puts her own life in danger.

 Hold Still by Nina LaCour
I am a girl ready to explode into nothing.
That night Ingrid told Caitlin, I'll go wherever you go. But by dawn, Ingrid was dead and Caitlin was alone. Suddenly Caitlin has to deal with a completely unfamiliar life-a life without art, the laughter, the music, and they joy she shared with her best friend. When She finds the journal Ingrid left behind, Caitlin gets a chance to learn about another side of her friend; and the journal becomes her guide as she deals with forging new friendships, finding a first love, and learning to live without the one person who knew her best.


 The Duff by Kody Keplinger
Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.
But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him. Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

 A Blue So Dark by Holly Schiendler
Fifteen-year-old Aura Ambrose has been hiding a secret. Her mother, a talented artist and art teacher, is slowly being consumed by schizophrenia, and Aura has been her sole caretaker ever since Aura's dad left them. Convinced that "creative" equals crazy, Aura shuns her own artistic talent. But as her mother sinks deeper into the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet draws Aura toward the depths of her imagination. Just as desperation threatens to swallow her whole, Aura discovers that art, love, and family are profoundly linked—and together may offer an escape from her fears.
♥SarahLydia

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Title: Some Girl Are
Author: Courtney Summers
Publisher: St. Matin's Press
Pub. Date: January 2010
Pages: 256
Summary (from bn.com):
Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard--falling from it is even harder. Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around. Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge. If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day. She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully. Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but this book was almost too vicious for me. I know that Courtney Summers is the 'Queen Of Mean', but this story just didn't have that spark that makes it special. Some things the girls did just didn't make sense; I didn't understand why they did it. However, there's a girl at my school who is exactly like the ones portrayed in Some Girl Are, so I understand why the characters were made the way they were; I just expected some explanation to why they did those things. There wasn't, but it didn't ruin the book for me. Some Girls Are told the classic, mean-popular-girl-turns-into-loser-girl story, but was written beautifully and had perfect descriptions.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, to most people, but not to everyone.
♥SarahLydia

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

(Book Trailer) Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers

 I am absolutely in love with the cover of Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers (coming out December 21); and the trailer is AMAZING. Seriously, you have to watch it, its the best book trailer ever.





♥SarahLydia

I Got A New Blog Layout!

I've been meaning to change the layout of Sarah's Lost In a Book for a while, but just got to it now. I love it, but there's one problem with it: the links on the top (Home, About, Contact, FAQ), are not real links. You can find the real page links on the left under About.
So, what do you think of it?
♥SarahLydia

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Saving Zoe by Alyson Noel

Title: Saving Zoe
Author: Alyson Noel
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pub. Date: September 2007
Pages: 240
Summary (from bn.com):
Meet fifteen-year-old Echo, a typical teen trying to survive high school without being totally traumatized by boy trouble, friend drama, and school issues. As if she didn't have enough on her plate, Echo is also still dealing with the murder of her sister Zoë. Although it's been over a year, Echo is still reeling from tragedy that changed everything. Beautiful and full of life, Zoë was the glue that held her family together, and although the two sisters were as different as night and day, they still had a bond that Echo can't let go of. When Zoë's old boyfriend Marc shows up one day with Zoë's diary, Echo doesn't think there's anything in there she doesn't already know. But as she gives in to curiosity and starts reading, she learns that her sister led a secret life that no one could have guessed--not even Echo.
I've wanted to read Alyson Noel since I first started reading, but never actually did. Saving Zoe is definitely not like her other books, with the topic of dealing with a sister's death, but I found that it wasn't written much differently either. I didn't connect with any of the characters, but I didn't not connect with them either, if that makes any since; and some parts of this story were written kind of poorly. It had about as much depth as her novel Kiss and Blog (opps, I remember I read this one now (: ), which is a completely different topic. I think it may have something to do with the short time period between the release dates of the two books, about four months. Overall, this story is nothing special: not amazing but not terrible.
Would I recommend this book? I might suggest it to people looking for boyfriend drama and friend drama, but not to anyone looking for a deep, emotional book.
♥SarahLydia

Thursday, October 21, 2010

The Summer Of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells

Title: The Summer Of Skinny Dipping
Author: Amanda Howells
Publisher:Source Books Inc.
Pub. Date: June 2010
Pages: 304
Series: Summer #1
Summary (from amazon.com):
While spending summer vacation with her family at her cousins’ fancy beach house in the Hamptons, Mia, 16, wants to join the popular crowd. Instead, she feels like the “frumpy relative”; in fact, even her own mother is a class snob who thinks Mia isn’t slim enough to be part of the “in” set. Then she bonds with gorgeous Simon, the boy next door, and they meet secretly at night on the beach, drink vodka, and skinny-dip in the wild ocean waves. The details about what the kids wear and their conversations about what is trendy overpower the story, especially because much of the fashion will date. But many teens will appreciate this first novel for how the dialogue not only captures the dynamics of Mia’s standoffs with her peers but also reveals her surprising discoveries about adults. Mia’s first-person narrative is right on about wanting to be “cool” even as she despises much of what “they” stand for.
This book made me laugh and cry. It was basically the closest story to perfect I've ever read. The cover and title makes it seem like a light summer read, but its not really. Its more than that. It has depth and shows that everyone, especially the 'mean girls', are real people with problems of their own. The idea isn't exactly original (there are so many books about girls going to the Hamptons or similar places and find the truth about themselves and their lives), but like I said: I loved this one. Mia's voice is perfect, real, and easy to relate to. That's what sets this book away from all the others and makes it worth remembering.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, to anyone and everyone.
♥SarahLydia

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

Title: Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Author: John Green and David Levithan
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Pub. Date: April 2010
Pages: 304
Summary(from bn.com):
One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical. Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both them legions of faithful fans.
I've been a fan of John Green for a few years now, and this book did not disappoint. Both characters were made so fully that they could have been actual people. There's a lot of cussing and talk about sex, but that's just what makes Will Grayson, Will Grayson: Will Grayson, Will Grayson. I haven't been a fan of David Levithan, I heard about his book Boy Meets Boy and didn't read it, but after Will Grayson, Will Grayson I'll be looking for more of his books.
Would I recommend this book? YES
♥SarahLydia

Friday, October 15, 2010

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien

Title: Birthmarked
Author: Caragh M. O'Brien
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Pub. Date: March 2010
Length: 368 Pages
Series: Birthmarked #1
Summary (from bn.com):
In the Enclave, Your scars set you apart, and the newly born will change the future.
Sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone and her mother faithfully deliver their quota of three infants every month. But when Gaia’s mother is brutally taken away by the very people she serves, Gaia must question whether the Enclave deserves such loyalty. A stunning adventure brought to life by a memorable heroine, this dystopian debut will have readers racing all the way to the dramatic finish.
I fell in love with cover of this book, its amazing and matched the story perfectly. The only problem I had with it was that it was very interesting and captivating, then it wasn't, then it was again. Other than being a little jumbled, it was great. Gaia is a very well created character, she's real and fights for whats right and lets nothing stop her.The story's ending hints a sequel, so I'll be looking out for it.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, absolutely!
♥SarahLydia

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Upcoming Reviews

Willow by Julia Hoban
Seven months ago, on a rainy March night, sixteen-year- old Willow's parents drank too much wine and asked her to drive them home. They never made it—Willow lost control of the car and her parents died in the accident. Now she has left behind her old home, friends, and school, and blocks the pain by secretly cutting herself. But when Willow meets Guy, a boy as sensitive and complicated as she is, she begins an intense, life-changing relationship that turns her world upside down.

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien
In the Enclave, Your scars set you apart, and the newly born will change the future. Sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone and her mother faithfully deliver their quota of three infants every month. But when Gaia’s mother is brutally taken away by the very people she serves, Gaia must question whether the Enclave deserves such loyalty. A stunning adventure brought to life by a memorable heroine, this dystopian debut will have readers racing all the way to the dramatic finish.

The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells
While spending summer vacation with her family at her cousins’ fancy beach house in the Hamptons, Mia, 16, wants to join the popular crowd. Instead, she feels like the “frumpy relative”; in fact, even her own mother is a class snob who thinks Mia isn’t slim enough to be part of the “in” set. Then she bonds with gorgeous Simon, the boy next door, and they meet secretly at night on the beach, drink vodka, and skinny-dip in the wild ocean waves. The details about what the kids wear and their conversations about what is trendy overpower the story, especially because much of the fashion will date. But many teens will appreciate this first novel for how the dialogue not only captures the dynamics of Mia’s standoffs with her peers but also reveals her surprising discoveries about adults. Mia’s first-person narrative is right on about wanting to be “cool” even as she despises much of what “they” stand for.

Saving Zoe by Alyson Noel
Meet fifteen-year-old Echo, a typical teen trying to survive high school without being totally traumatized by boy trouble, friend drama, and school issues. As if she didn't have enough on her plate, Echo is also still dealing with the murder of her sister Zoë. Although it's been over a year, Echo is still reeling from tragedy that changed everything. Beautiful and full of life, Zoë was the glue that held her family together, and although the two sisters were as different as night and day, they still had a bond that Echo can't let go of. When Zoë's old boyfriend Marc shows up one day with Zoë's diary, Echo doesn't think there's anything in there she doesn't already know. But as she gives in to curiosity and starts reading, she learns that her sister led a secret life that no one could have guessed--not even Echo.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical. Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both them legions of faithful fans.

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard--falling from it is even harder. Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around. Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge. If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day. She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully. Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

♥SarahLydia

Lock And Key by Sarah Dessen

Title: Lock and Key
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Speak
Pub. Date: May 2009
Pages: 432
Summary (from author's website):
What happens when your past is not just past, but wiped clean entirely? How do you figure out where you're going when you can't even claim where you've been? These were the questions that inspired Lock and Key. It's the story of a girl named Ruby who is abandoned by her mother and determined to make it on her own, even---and especially---when she is sent to live with her long-lost sister in a whole new world of privilege, family, and relationships. As Ruby learns, there's a big difference between being given help and being able to accept it. And sometimes, it takes reaching out to someone else to save yourself.
The description of Lock and Key really drew me in, but I'm not exactly sure what to say about this book. I loved the cover, the idea, and the importance of the key, but it felt like something was missing. I just couldn't get into this book like I thought I would. It was actually pretty good until about the 200 page mark, where it felt like the author was just writing to get it done, nothing else. I also expected more description of Ruby's life with her mom, but it was more like an outline of it. I guess that's how the whole book was to me, outlined without much depth. I'm giving Sarah another chance, though, because this is the first book of hers I've read; and I looked around and it seems like a few of her older books are better.
Would I recommended this book? Yes, I would. Because its a New York Times Best Seller and so many other people loved it; I think this book just wasn't for me.

***Note*** this cover is the UK version b/c I bought it from a seller there. 
♥SarahLydia


Monday, October 11, 2010

Becoming Chloe by Cathrine Ryan Hyde

Title: Becoming Chloe
Author: Cathrine Ryan Hyde
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pub. Date: November 2008
Pages: 224
Summary (from bn.com):
Meet Jordy. He’s on his own in New York City. Nobody to depend on; nobody depending on him. And it’s been working fine. Until this girl comes along. She’s 18 and blond and pretty–her world should be perfect. But she’s seen things no one should ever see in their whole life–the kind of things that break a person. She doesn’t seem broken, though. She seems . . . innocent. Like she doesn’t know a whole lot. Only sometimes she does. The one thing she knows for sure is that the world is an ugly place. Now her life may depend on Jordy proving her wrong. So they hit the road to discover the truth–and there’s no going back from what they find out. This deeply felt, redemptive novel reveals both the dark corners and hidden joys of life’s journey–and the remarkable resilience of the human soul.
This book starts kind of suddenly, but you forget that quickly. Its about a gay seventeen year old boy named Jordy. He lives in New York City by himself, until Chloe comes along. Chloe is a beautiful girl whose been through a lot of bad things. When they both help each other, they decide to stick together. Chloe is innocent and child like, but needs to figure a few things out, so she and Jordy set out to decide whether or not the world is beautiful.
All in all, this is a great book. I found it by accident, actually. I remember really needing a book to read, so I found this one and bought it. At first I didn't like it, but after a few more pages, I realized how great it was and feel in love with it. Becoming Chloe is a very meaningful, and very deep book. Its one of those books that really draws you in and makes you care about the characters. It felt very real, and I know I won't forget it.
♥SarahLydia

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Title: Jellicoe Road
Author: Melina Marchetta
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Pub. Date: August 2008
Pages: 419
Summary (from bn.com):
"What do you want from me?" he asks. What I want from every person in my life, I want to tell him. More.
Abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road when she was eleven, Taylor Markham, now seventeen, is finally being confronted with her past. But as the reluctant leader of her boarding school dorm, there isn't a lot of time for introspection. And while Hannah, the closest adult Taylor has to family, has disappeared, Jonah Griggs is back in town, moody stares and all.
In this absorbing story by Melina Marchetta, nothing is as it seems and every clue leads to more questions as Taylor tries to work out the connection between her mother dumping her, Hannah finding her then and her sudden departure now, a mysterious stranger who once whispered something in her ear, a boy in her dreams, five kids who lived on Jellicoe Road eighteen years ago, and the maddening and magnetic Jonah Griggs, who knows her better than she thinks he does. If Taylor can put together the pieces of her past, she might just be able to change her future. 
Taylor Markham was a really interesting character; she has a true voice and I really felt for her. I was so eager to find out about her past, and future. Five kids from the pasts' story enter-lace with Taylor's, starting with the boy in her dreams; and the tension between her and Jonah was incredible and excited me every time he came in.
When I finished this book, I found that I was seriously in love with it.  Whenever I'm asked, "What's your favorite book?" I have a hard time answering, but Jellicoe Road is definitely it. I don't think any other book in the whole world has had me this addicted. I read the whole thing in one day, stopping only to eat and use the restroom. The emotion, the characters, the plot...everything was amazing. So many people say they couldn't fully like a book because it was sad, but I sobbed at the end of this one and still LOVED it. This book also has one of my favorite quotes: "Hold my hand, hold my hand because I might disappear."
Would I recommend this book? Yes, yes, yes! Its amazing and there isn't one thing I don't like about it.
♥SarahLydia

Hello

Welcome to my blog.The Cover (& Everything In Between) is dedicated to books, the only friends I have that will stay with me forever. Whenever I read a book, I get so absorbed in it that I can't even hear what the people around me are saying.When I feel a book in my hands, it's like I have the power to forget everything that's wrong. When I finish a book, I know that every dime I spent on it was worth it. I carefully put it on my shelf with all my other books, but at the same time, carry it with me. Each book I read gives me so much, even if it wasn't my favorite. I think everyone should have a chance to have that feeling, too. I hope you like what I have to offer and enjoy it.
♥SarahLydia