Perfectly Invisible by Kristin Billerbeck Blog Tour

It's Daisy Crispin's final semester of high school, and she plans to make it count. Her long-awaited freedom is mere months away, and her big plans for college loom in the future. Everything is under control.

Or is it?

Her boyfriend is treating her like she's invisible, and her best friend is making her sell bad costume jewelry in the school quad—and hanging out with her boyfriend. To top it off, Daisy's major humiliation of the year will be remembered in the yearbook for all eternity. It's enough to make her wonder if maybe being invisible isn't so bad after all.

Can Daisy get her life back on track? Or is she stuck in this town forever?

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Dripping with humor, drama, and the ups and downs that follow the last couple months of high school, Perfectly Invisible had all the makings of a really great story but alas the plot was...no where to be seen? Daisy's glum outlook on her social life and high school goes from bad to worse when her would-be "boyfriend"and prom date suddenly shys away from her. To top things off things are starting to heat up with her long-time crush Chase, but is he who he appears to be? And what about the constant bullying and attention Daisy has been getting from Amber and her gang? Not to mention her parents over-anxious attitude toward her college plans.

I guess the #1 problem that I had with Perfectly Invisible was that when things started getting really good and interesting...the chapter would end and sometimes it would skip several days into the future without so much as a brief note to wrap-up what important climax had occurred in the chapter before it. It was a bit frustrating. The second thing I disliked was that the story was everywhere: Daisy's high school, Daisy's friend's family dilemma, Daisy's college and job woes, and then of course her continuous–and slightly annoying–struggle between Chase and Max. Also, Daisy's parents were just outrageous at times.
 Perhaps the thing that stands out the most is that even though it fits into the category of a Christian fiction book, I felt that the religious views pushed the characters in certain ways–almost robotically–rather than help them or the story along. Daisy takes her Christianity seriously but at the same time it seemed like she used it as a crutch to get her out of tight spots. Basically that is what the story is all about that the same time–Daisy learns to make her own choices based on her Christian outlook and not to get so wrapped-up in what other people may or may not be thinking.

Since Daisy comes from a pretty conservative Christian household readers who do not normally read religious fiction may very well be "shocked" so to speak by Daisy's dating rules. Not like any of it is at all unheard of of course, but I'm thinking that compared to main-stream "dating" it is different. Too different to be enjoyed is simply a matter of taste NOT a matter of religion.  Even though Daisy goes to a Christian school it is no different than a public high school. Mean girls stalk the hallways, playboys play ball, and the geeks usually go unnoticed...but with Daisy, it's about to change.

Despite Perfectly Invisible having some plot issues, I think Daisy is humorously good example of a slightly geeky only-child finishing high school and trying to find where God is leading her in the world of adulthood.  Daisy must prove everyone wrong–er right–and snag the boy and the college of her dreams.

Recommend? Yes, especially those h.s. seniors who are moving forward in both education and life. Interest would lean more to older teens. Ages 14+

Content: Mild sensuality/kissing. Reference to drugs. (PG)

Other Books By This Author| Perfectly Dateless (Universally Misunderstood 1), Split Ends, What A Girl Wants

|Pages: 266|Release Date: July 2011|Publisher: Revell|

|Genre: Christian fiction, contemporary fiction, chic-lit, relationships, school|Content Rating: 5/5|Cover: 4/5–faces! Not good|

|Overall Rating: 4/5|

This original review is copyrighted© by Books and Literature for Teens. Blog Tour possible by Revell/Baker House Publishing.

Out With the In Crowd by Stephanie Morrill

WARNING!: This is a review of a book within a series and contains spoilers! Please read my review of Me, Just Different, Book 1 in this series.
Skylar Hoyt may have vowed to change her partying ways, but it's not so easy to change her friends. Even though the old Skylar is gone, she's still not sure who this new Skylar really is. Add to that two parents battling for her loyalty, a younger sister struggling with a crisis pregnancy, and a new boyfriend wishing for more of her time, and Skylar feels like she can't win. After all, how do you choose favorites among people you love most?

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Skylar is back and ready to tackle the school halls but is she truly ready for the trials ahead? In Me, Just Different, the first book in the Reinventions of Skylar Hoyt series, Sky decides she no longer wants to be known as the school's party-harty girl. Instead, Sky slips from the "it" crowd and makes changes in her life. Meanwhile, her younger sister is about to go through some changes all her own. In this book, Sky is faced not only with her sister's pregnancy, the constant reminders of her "old" self, but the choice between love or duty.

Teen pregnancy plays a big part in this book and goes into detail about how the girls deal with their consequences. Another great teen-pleaser voiced in Out With the In Crowd is relationships: boys, friends, enemies. During the book, Sky is faced with backstabbing friends and a boyfriend stealer. Stephanie does a fantastic job of setting Sky in real-life circumstances and getting results that any teen girl could relate to. Although The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt might be–in some places–categorized under "religious fiction" there is absolutely no preachiness or anything that some might find offensive to read. In short, I'd recommend to anyone without hesitation. 

I think Stephanie's books are a great alternative for fans or non-fans of "it" girl novels. Instead of reading something about a party-girl, you get to see someone fight against it... to realize there is something more than hanging with the "it" crowd.

Recommendation: I believe I enjoyed reading this second installation to the series even better than the first. Great read for teen girls ages 14+. (Don't forget to read Me, Just Different first!)

Content: Some kisses and intensive family drama. (PG) 14 and up because topics are a little heavy for younger readers.

The Last Straw: Randome passage, pg. 129.

He pressed a kiss onto my hand as a smile crept into his face. "Sorry girl. You can't get rid of me so easy."

|Pages: 249|Publisher: Revell|Published: Jan. 2010|Price: Soft. $11.99|

|Genre: Contemporary fiction, romance, high school, family drama, relationships|

|Age Group: YA, ages 14+|Content: PG|
|Series? Yes, The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt|Order: Book 2|

|Enjoyed It: 5/5|Content: 4/5|Cover: 4/5|

|Overall: 5/5|

Thanks for sending this Stephanie!

This review is copyrighted ©2010 by Books and Literature for Teens.

Scones and Sensibility + Interview with Lindsay Eland

Twelve-year-old Polly Madassa is convinced she was born for a more romantic age. A time when Elizabeth Bennett walked along the stone halls of Pemberley, arm in arm with her one true love, Mr. Dracy. A time when Anne Shirley gazed out at the wild seas off Prince Edward Island with her bosom friend, Diana, beside her. A time when a distinguished gentleman called upon a lady of quality, and true love was born in the locked eyes of two young lovers. But alas... Polly was born in the twenty-first century New Jersey. This however, does not hinder our young heroine from finding romance wherever she can conjure it up. So while Polly is burdened with the summer job of delivering baked goods from her parents' bakery to the people in her small beach town (how delightfully quaint!), she finds a way for force... um.... encourage romance to blossom. Indeed, Polly is determined to bring lovers, young and old, together... whether they want to be or not. - book jacket

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Sconces and Sensibility was a fun book to read. It might seem a little juvenile to older teens, but I thought it was a great story for pretty much any age. Polly, the main character, is a true romantic. She brings out the best and the worst in people. During this particular summer, Polly decides to take matters of love into her own hands had find suitable matches for her sister, Mr. Nighquist, Miss Wiskerton, and Mr. Fisk. The results were predicable, but I enjoyed watching Polly’s schemes unfold to her advantage or to her dismay.

The funny–and special thing–about Polly that sets her apart from most girls, is that she enjoys talking and thinking like Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice and often asks herself what Anne Shirley, from Anne of Green Gables, would do. I think  it’s neat that Eland incorporated these two very classic novels into the story. It was also a great way to sort of introduce those book as well to girls who have yet to read or even hear about them. At first, when you start reading Polly’s narrative, it seems silly that she tries to talk in the style of the Regency Era, but if you look past that, you’ll begin to see a character who is much like you and me. Once upon a time, it was every girl’s fantasy to wear pretty dresses, wear bonnets or sunhats, talk and walk like royalty, and be as elegant as possible. In many ways, Polly brings out the romantics in all of us because she is not afraid to be the person she wants to be whether it’s Elizabeth or Jane Bennett or Anne Shirley. The only problem is that Polly has yet to learn the different between reality and fiction. In the end, Polly has to realize her mistakes and the messes she caused from thinking that no matter what she does, everything will have a “happy ending”. I think Eland has very good potential as a children/young adult writer; it’s always nice to see a new voice in children’s literature.

My Recommendation: For kids/teens ages 10-15 (or any age) who have a soft-spot for Jane Austen inspired books, middle grade fiction, or just enjoy a fun story about matchmaking and scones!

Content: None (G)

The Final Straw: "For everyone knows that a girl cannot live on chicken cordon blue alone."

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|Pages: 309|Year Published: December 2009|Publisher: Egmont US|

|Genre: Contemporary fiction|Content: None (G)|

|Age Group: Ages 10+|Buy/Borrow?: Both|

|Enjoyed It: 4/5|Content: 5/5|Cover: 4/5|

|Overall: 4/5|

Interview with Lindsay Eland

{Blog Tour}

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg + GIVEAWAY

Love is all you need.... or is it?
Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating, so she vows: no more. She's had one too many bad dates, and has been hurt by one too many bad boys. It's a personal choice...... and soon everybody wants to know about it. It seems that Penny's not the only girl who's tired of the way girls change themselves (most of the time for the worst) in order to get their guys..... or the way their guys don't really care. Girls are soon thronging to The Lonely Hearts Club, and Penny finds herself near legendary for her nondating ways--which is too bad, since the leader of the Lonely Hearts Club has found a certain boy she can't help but like.....

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Finally. A book about friends vs. boyfriends; and what a nicely written one too! Even if Eulberg didn't realize or intend for her novel to come out with a message of "friends are more important than guys", it doesn't matter. The Lonely Hearts Club will rock that line from the cover to the very last page.
Lets face it. More than half of us have been there. BFFs or boys? Boys or more boys? It all starts in mid-school around the age of twelve and sadly it stays that way for a long time. No more emails, IM chats (this was before text messaging), no saving seats on the bus. It's sad really, that girls would give up all their good friends for one measly boy who will only end up "dating" you for a record breaking two months. In the end, the unwanted friend comes up with two options: loose 'em or go with the flow. At Penny's high school everybody ends up "going with the flow" and getting boys for themselves; that is, until Penny makes a stand and creates a club that will change her and her friends forever.
In a world of teen books that explore boys, dating, romance, and more boys, it's nice to see a book come along with an alternative outlook to having boyfriends or more importantly, exploring the truth and hurt that comes along with it.
Overall, The Lonely Hearts Club is a great book for teen girls and I'm sure a lot of us will relate and connect with Penny as she takes you on a whirl-wind of a story from dodging jerks, crazy principals, to rocking with the Beatles and finding the right guy. Recommend for teen girls ages 12 and up!

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Elizabeth Eulberg was born and raised in Wisconsin before she headed off to New York City to work in the book biz. She lives outside of Manhattan with her three guitars, two keyboards, and one drumstick. While writing her debut novel, she tried swearing off boys forever. It didn't work.

|Pages: 285|Year Published: Jan. 2010|Publisher: Point|
|Genre: Contemporary fiction, chic lit, teen romance|
|Age Group: YA, ages 12+|Buy or Borrow? Both|NEW!
|Content: Some sexual references at the beginning|
|Enjoyed It: 4/5|Content Rating: 4/5|Cover: 5/5|
|Overall|

NEW! Cover Notes: Nice cover Point. Although it doesn't make the book quite POP out of the shelves, it screams femininity and has great detail to look at. Love the shoes. Thoughts anyone?

Dying to read LHC? Already have a copy but want one for your friend or library? Enter my contest to win 1 of 3 copies of Elizabeth Eulberg's hip debut novel. Girls rule!

How to Enter

• Fill out this Form

Who Can Enter

• Anyone living within the USA (ships from publishing company)

Deadline - Feb. 8th, 12 pm EST (winners announced next day)

Love Rules by Dandi Daley MacKall

Emma and Jake Jackson and Mattie Mays -The Three Musketeers, The Three Stooges, Three Coins in a Fountian. When Mattie and Jake (Emma's brother) decide to head for California to Freedom University, Emma is left behind; but before they leave Missouri, Emma makes them promise to send her postcards about everything they learn about love. And from the looks of things, it's going to be pretty hard too.....

LOVE RULE #1:

The chances of finding love at this university are slim to none. And slim went home.

From "Greek God" to the nervous nerdy Jeremy Skittles, Mattie sets out to find true love-but could it possibly be right under her nose?

This book was absolutely stunning and so very fun to read! The book is narrated by Mattie who is the best character I've read in a long time. (I think I was secretly glad to read a character who thinks like me.) I mean, she's so animated and realistic! She's got a unique sense of humor, an inspiring view thats all her own, and a funny habit of speaking in foreign accents. Plus to top it off, MacKall puts the best little details in the book about Mattie, Jake, and Emma's friendship. (My favorite detail in the entire book was the "moon checks".)

Though Mattie is the main narrator, another neat thing about this book is that you get to see inside the minds of Mattie's dates or other guys she meets.

Okay don't get me wrong, this girl is not some tramp who goes around deliberately dating guys nor is college the best time to look for true love, but nevertheless it made a wonderful heartfelt story about finding true love and what true love should really be.

To tell you the truth I sorely miss Mattie, Jake, and Emma and am excited to read more of MacKall's books. Just to give you a taste of MacKall's writing skills, I'm going to give you a little blurb from the beginning of the book:

There are some moments that are prefect. I'm only 17, and I know this. Sitting on the hood of the old Ford, wedged between Emma and her brother, Jake, I lean back against the windshield. I can't even guess how many time the thre of us have come to this spot. First on our bikes....and later, when Jake got his license, in his car. I want to memorize every detail-the stars, white explosion on blue-black sky, their blurred reflections on the reservoir lake, rippled by the late summer breeze.

Dandi D. MacKall has written over 350 books for adults, teens, and kids. Some of her teen novels include Crazy in Love, Eva Underground, and Maggie's Story. Love rules! End of story.

Pages: 242 Year Published: 2005 Genre: Realistic/Contemporary,

Romance, Comedy, Chic Lit Age Group: YA, girls ages 14+

Content: Mild sexual references, drinking, and one frat party scene

(main characters do not take part in any of the above)

Recommend? Yes!

Rating:

Enjoyed It:

Notes From A Spinning Planet-Ireland

It’s pretty humiliating to admit, but I’ve never flown in a plane before today. So wouldn’t you think that I’d be feeling pretty jazzed right now? Instead I keep grabbing onto these armrests as I ask myself why on earth I ever agreed to come on this frightening trip.…

Affectionately teased as a “country bumpkin,” nineteen year-old Maddie has never been one to explore new territory. Her first trip outside of the country with her Aunt Sid and Sid’s godson, Ryan, promises an exhilarating adventure. Northern Ireland is more captivating than she even imagined–and Ryan is offering plenty of intrigue himself. 

As Aunt Sid researches peace camps, Maddie and Ryan explore Ireland’s rich landscape. During the journey, Maddie begins to discover more about what she wants from life, while developing a deeper friendship with her irresistible traveling companion.

When Maddie and Ryan dig for the truth about the IRA car bomb that killed Ryan’s father years ago, questions about the past accumulate. Unable to let go of growing suspicions in this mysterious country, Maddie finds herself on a dangerous journey, a journey that will lead her to the greatest discovery of all. 

overview from amazon.com

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After reading this book I actually felt as if I had visited Ireland too! (I even miss Clifton) It was funny, adventurous, and intriguing. I mean, seriously, I had no idea what is going on in Ireland right now and the constant battles between Northern Ireland (English government) and the rest of Ireland. It's sad really, the IRA started out simply fighting for freedom from the British government, but this new generation of the IRA (who now call themselves the RIRA, the Real Irish Republic Army) are just nuts with their car bombs and subway bombings. In my opioion, both sides are missing the point nowdays.

I really love Carlson's books. They have layers. The surface layer is the main idea or event in the story, the second is the complexity of the characters and what's going on with the characters besides the main event, and the third is a tinsy bit of Carlson's own Christian beliefs. Once all those layers are put together, you get a wonderful story and a colorful dash of characters. Maddie's personality was really well developed and I just love hers sense of humor. I'll really miss all the characters and places.....but hey! there's two more books!

Melody Carlson has written over a hundred books for adults, teens, and children. She is the author of The Diary of a Teenage Girl series and countless other books for teens. Visit her website at www.melodycarlson.com 

Pages: 256   Year Published: 2006    Fiction: Realistic/Contemporary, Chic Lit

Level: YA, ages 13+    This Book is For: Tween to Teen Girls

Should I Waist My Eyes On This? Yes     Buy or Borrow: Both

          Rating & Reviewer Enjoyment: