Far From You by Lisa Schroeder

Title: Far From You

Author: Lisa Schroeder

Rating: 5 stars

Ages Recommended for: 13 and up!


This book was another fantastic one by Lisa Schroeder, written in verse.
It's about Alice, who's mother passed away from cancer. Her dad is re-married and him and her stepmother, Victoria have just had a new baby girl named Ivy.

On the trip home from visiting Victoria's parents, the car gets stuck in a freezing cold, blocked in by snow ditch, preventing Victoria, Ivy and Alice from getting home for five whole days. No food or water and no warmth will put these three up to the test- some of them maybe not surviving.

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Title: Leaving Paradise

Author: Simone Elkeles

Rating: 5 stars

Ages recommended to: 14 and up!


I'm a HUGE fan of this author, so I pushed myself to read this book, knowing I'd probably love it.
And of course, I did really enjoy it. It wasn't as good as the Perfect Chemistry books, but still really good. The only thing I wasn't happy with was the ending.

Caleb Becker left a party drunk, hitting his sister's best friend, Maggie Armstrong with his car. After months of physical therapy for Maggie and months of juvenile jail for Caleb, the two are finally getting back to their 'normal' schedules.

I can't say too much more or else I'll give way too much away.
The book was a bit slow in the beginning, but after I got started, I couldn't even put it down. I recommend this book a lot. The sequel to this is coming out in September, which I'm super excited to read!!

Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder

Title: Chasing Brooklyn

Author: Lisa Schroeder

Rating: 5 stars

Ages Recommended for: 13 and up!


Much like the other Lisa Schroeder novel I recently read, "Chasing Brooklyn" is about a girl who's boyfriend has just died. But also added in, is the Point of View of the boy's older brother. This book is also written in verse.

Lucca, Brooklyn's dead boyfriend and Nico's dead brother died a year ago. Followed along by his best friend, Gabe, who commits suicide.
Gabe has been haunting Brooklyn, and Lucca has been haunting Nico. Lucca tries to get through to Nico to show him that Brooklyn needs help, while Gabe tries to remind Brooklyn of the promise she made to him shortly after Lucca's death- that she would keep going with life.

The book was REALLY hard to put down and I loved it :)
Very very good!! Probably going to buy this one when I meet Lisa next Saturday.


Praise for CHASING BROOKLYN:

"Sexy, sweet, suspenseful- I couldn't put it down!" -- Lisa McMann, New York Times bestselling author of WAKE

Hold Still by Nina LaCour

Title: Hold Still

Author: Nina LaCour

Rating: 5 stars

Ages Recommended for: 14 and up!


This book is about Caitlyn, who's best friend, Ingrid has just committed suicide.

The book is about Caitlyn's healing, and how she goes from being completely depressed to being able to open up again and find new friends, even though she though Ingrid was the only true friend she could ever have.

The book was a bit slow at times, but I still really enjoyed it and found it really hard to put down.
Very very fantastic ending- completely loved it!!



Praise for Hold Still:


"Beautiful, Poetic, and honest, Hold Still breaks your heart and puts it back together again." -- Elizabeth Scott, author of LIVING DEAD GIRL and SOMETHING, MAYBE

"A beautifully written, gently moving account of a long good-bye that will resonate with anyone who has ever had to let go before they were ready." -- Sara Zarr, author of ONCE WAS LOST

"HOLD STILL may be the truest depiction of the aching, gaping hole left in the wake of a suicide that I've ever read. But it's anything but depressing and gloomy- it's also about the tender shoots of new relationships that grow unexpectedly out of tragedy. A haunting and hopeful book about loss, love, and redemption." -- Gayle Forman, author of IF I STAY

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Title: Speak

Author: Laurie Halse Anderson

Rating: 5 stars

Ages Recommended to: 13 and up!


This book was written a bit differently then most I've read, but I really enjoyed it. It made it a fast read, but still enjoyable.
This book also wasn't the genre I usually go to pick, but I still really enjoyed it.

All over, this book has made a huge difference to everyone who has read it. Personally, I didn't see that as much as I thought I was going to... Though it was good, and something I would recommend, it wasn't THAT good.

Speak is about a girl named Melinda, who at a party during the summer called the cops after she had been raped. Returning to school to join the 9th grade, absolutely EVERYONE hates her. She has no friends whatsoever, except for the new girl, who soon ditches her because of her bad reputation.

Melinda turns mute, hardly uttering two words a day. The book goes on to have her talk about how hard each day is and how everything is so different.


Praise for "Speak":

"An uncannily funny book even as it plumbs the darkness, SPEAK will hold readers from first word to last." The Horn Book

"Melinda's sarcastic wit, honesty and courage make her a memorable character whose ultimate triumph will inspire and empower readers." Booklist

"This extremely well-written book portrays a large suburban high school with a fresh and authentic eye- all the cliques are there, from the jocks, to the Goths, to the 'Marthas' (Martha Steward Wannabes).... This powerful story has an important lesson: never be afraid to speak up for yourself." VOYA

"A story told with acute insight, acid wit and affecting prose." Library Journal

"Gripping... hard for readers to forget." Kirus

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

Title: Rules of Attraction

Author: Simone Elkeles

Rating: 5 HUGE stars!!

Ages recommended for: 14 and up!


This is the second book in the Perfect Chemistry trilogy. The first book was Perfect Chemistry (which I also LOVED) and I was equally happy with the second book!!
In Perfect Chemistry, Ms. Elkeles tells the story of Alex Fuentes and Brittany Ellis, who fall in love. The second book, Rules of Attraction tells the story of Alex's little brother, Carlos and Kiara Westford.

When Carlos gets sent to Colorado to stay with his older brother, leaving his mama and little brother, Luis back in Mexico, he is anything but happy.
After getting busted for having drugs in school, Alex arranges for Carlos to stay with Kiara's family as part of an arrangement so he isn't expelled from school.
While trying to prove that the drugs weren't actually his, Carlos gets mixed into a ton of unwanted trouble, but also grows closer with Kiara.
The two begin to 'fake date' each other, but the truth is, their both madly in love, each afraid to admit their feelings to one another.

This book was AMAZING, and if you haven't started the Perfect Chemistry trilogy, I HIGHLY recommend them!!! The third Perfect Chemistry book has yet to be released, but when it finally comes out, I will definitely be buying it!

New Reviews Soon

I know I haven't posted in ages- I actually haven't read anything since my last posted review :-o

I'm nearly finished with the book I'm reading now, so I promise more reviews will be coming soon!!


~Rachel <3

Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott

Title: Stealing Heaven

Author: Elizabeth Scott

Rating: 5 stars

Ages Recommended for: 12 and up!


Danielle's mom and dad have been stealing their way through life since before Danielle was even born. She's never had a steady home ever in her life because each month, they move into a different house, rob some innocent person's house, and then boom- they're out into another state and another house doing it again.

I can't really say much more because I would totally give everything away...

Oh, but for once, I really LOVED how this book ended!! It was really good and I was happy with it.

But this book was REALLY good, just like all of Elizabeth Scott's other books have been. I really recommend it, even if it's not what you would usually check out. It was also a really fast read for me (Or maybe that was just because I was up until 2 in the morning reading it......)


Praise for "Stealing Heaven" by Elizabeth Scott:

"Elizabeth Scott has written a gripping story about growing up, breaking free, and making some of life's most important choices. STEALING HEAVEN grabbed me on the first page and didn't let me go until the very last word." - Carolyn Mackler

"Scott tells a surprising story. Dani is a brave teen who can and does shape strong future for herself" - ALA Booklist

"An addictive book about a real world that feels like a fantasy." - Maureen Johnson

Cliquetionary: The Wit and Wisdom of The Clique by Lisi Harrison

Title: Cliquetionary: The Wit and Wisdom of The Clique

Author: Lisi Harrison

Rating: 4.5 stars

Recommended to: 12 and up!


This is the dictionary of all things Clique, from the #1 Bestselling series, The Clique. It includes quizzes like: Which Clique girl are you? and "Conversations with The Clique" with a page on each character, telling her secrets and her favorite things. Then there were a few pages of Clique Quotes, which I thought was cool.
My favorite sections were the Pretty Committee Master Packing list (sooo funny :D) and all of the famous Clique Comebacks.

Really cute book if you're a fan of The Clique!

50th POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm super excited- I've finally posted 50 times on Rachel's Reviews!!!!
Well, now it's technically 51, but same dif, right?

Thanks for reading, everyone! More book reviews soon to come!!


~Rachel <3

Twilight: The Graphic Novel by Stephenie Meyer

Title: Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1

Author: Stephenie Meyer (Art and Adaptation by Young Kim)

Rating: 2 stars

Ages Recommended to: 10 and up!


OK, this was completely corny!!!!!!!
Of course, I'm a Twilight fan, so I couldn't resist picking it up off the shelf at the library. I was really hoping it wouldn't be so stupid, but honestly, I didn't enjoy it!!
The pictures weren't too special, the writing wasn't all that great, and it was weird how it took you through only half of Twilight, leaving just after the meadow scene, the rest 'to be continued in volume 2'...
I read it extremely quick, in about half an hour.

I guess it was okay, though, and some people might enjoy it more than I did.

For Keeps by Natasha Friend

Title: For Keeps

Author: Natasha Friend

Rating: 4.5 stars

Ages recommended for: 12 and up!


This book turned out to be exceptionally good, and I quite enjoyed it. When I got the time to actually read it, it was a really quick read for me, and I liked how the big chunks of dialouge were written.

Josie has never met her dad. When her mom was pregnant with her at just 16, her father, Paul Tucci had just moved half way across the country, leaving him out of the picture.
When Josie and her mom are grocery shopping, they run in to Paul's parents, and then the drama starts. Mr. and Mrs. Tucci, the grandparents that Josie has never met have just moved back to town.
As if any thing worse could happen, Josie's mother starts dating the seemingly perfect Jonathon, and Josie gets caught up with another guy- Matt. Afraid that she'll have her heart broken just as her mother had so many years before, Josie is cautious with her new relationship.

I don't want to give too much of the rest away, but the book is really good. Really, my only complaint was the ending, which I HATED!!
I would recommend this to lots of my friends- it's really good!

Cake Wrecks: When Professional Cakes Go Hilariously Wrong by Jen Yates

Title: Cake Wrecks: When Professional Cakes Go Hilariously Wrong

Author: Jen Yates

Rating: 5 hilarious stars!!

Age range: All ages


This book is perfect if you desperately need a good laugh, because that's exactly what you'll get!! Full of cake mishaps, like spelling mistakes or wording mistakes, even picture mistakes, the book is extremely funny!
Check out the Cake Wrecks blog: http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/