When I Crossed No-Bob

When I Crossed No-Bob by Margaret McMullan

Set against the backdrop of 1875 Mississippi, When I Crossed No-Bob is the story of twelve-year-old Addy O'Donnell. Addy's pappy ran away a few years ago leaving Addy and her momma to try to eek out a life in post-Civil War rural Mississippi. Life is proving to hard for Addy's momma so she leaves Addy behind and strikes off for Texas and Addy's pappy.

Left by herself at the wedding of two strangers Addy is taken in by the newlyweds, Frank and Irene Russell. It is with great trepidation that Frank (star of McMullan's How I Found the Strong) takes Addy in, after all she is a no-good O'Donnell. O'Donnells are known for two things, being the meanest people to ever walk this earth and living in the swamp of No-Bob.

Addy tries to prove her worth to the Russells as she deals with not only her own misfortunes but those of a state and a county trying to come back from a war that literally tore our country apart. Topics such as poverty, independent rule and most importantly racism are dealt with by Addy and in the end she will have to decide if she is her own person or if she is nothing more than an O'Donnell.

Readers will find Addy endearing and many readers will be able to connect with Addy on a personal level. Whether you have had a hard life, grown-up in a rural area, had a family reputation that wasn't so good, been abandoned by your parents, or just felt like an outsider where ever you went, you will see yourself in Addy. And through her struggles, maybe you will find out a little about yourself as well.

I think that it is important to note her that McMullan does an excellent job of dealing with the topic of racism and that children today could benefit from the lessons taught in this book. There are however terms that were common in the time period (1875) that might offend some readers. However, it is this realism that makes the book that much more realistic and powerful.

Fabulous Terrible: The Adventures of You

Fabulous Terrible: The Adventures of You by Sophie Talbot

I just finished reading a new book, Fabulous Terrible: The Adventures of You. This fantasy novel that revolves around a foster kid who goes to boarding school is different than any book I have ever read; it may even be the first of its kind on the market. What makes this book different is the main character, it is you.

The book is published by Chooseco, who is famous for their Choose Your Own Adventure line of books. I know as a kid I was an avid reader of them. Remember: dying in the books doesn’t count if you still have you hand on the previous page. Similar to those books you are the main character, however you do not have to choose any paths in this one it is straightforward story.
I must admit that I wasn’t too into the main character being me, because I know I’m not that person and I just couldn’t feel like it was me. However, I must admit that once I got past the “you look around” stuff, I found an actually really good fantasy chick-lit book.

As I mentioned already, the story takes place at a boarding school and you are a foster kid who has just received a full scholarship to the elite private school. You are different from the rest of the kids, not only because you do not have parents or money, but because you also have the power to see the future. A secret you are vehemently hiding.

Things do not go well for you at your new school as you are trying to hide your secret and being plagued by someone out to get you, perhaps the rich girl you ticked off the first day of school. There are definitely some twists and turns in this book, enough to make you want the sequel, Fabulous Terrible: The Adventures of You: Chloe to come out sooner than October. I definitely recommend this book to those out there who love chick-lit with a fantasy twist or those looking for a good light read.

Warning: Contains bad language.

Confessions of a Teen Nanny: Rich Girls

Confessions of a Teen Nanny: Rich Girls by Victoria Ashton

If you have read previous entries in this blog, then you know at least one thing, I am a sucker for sequels. I can't get enough of them. If it was me every book would have at least one. That is the reason I completely devoured this book after reading Confessions of a Teen Nanny.

SPOILER ALERT: DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE FIRST BOOK OR DO NOT WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS

This book takes place one week after the previous book ended and we once again find Adrienne and Liz babysitting the same spoiled kids. This book evolves around Adrienne trying to win her boyfriend back and Cameron trying to win Deb of the Year. To top it all off Liz, is worried that something is going on with Parker behind her back.

With the same poor girls in a rich girl world theme of the last book, this book leaves New York City for the snowy slopes of Aspen. It also introduces the new character of Grumpus, an imaginary friend with way too much power. The book also leaves the reader hanging at the end, prompting them to go out and read the third book in this series, Confessions of a Teen Nanny: Juicy Secrets. I can assure you that in the near future you will see a review of this third book on this blog.

I have really enjoyed this series so far, except for one thing. I keep wondering why these rich families are hiring teenage (high school) girls to watch their kids instead of college students or professionals. It is explained that the Warners can't get anyone, but I can't believe they scraped the bottom of the barrel yet. It leaves me to believe that this book might have been written just to be sold to the YA market; I hope that this is not the case.

Warning: Contains teenage alcohol and drug use.

Confessions of a Teen Nanny

Confessions of a Teen Nanny by Victoria Ashton

I was recently in my local dollar store when I came across a book I had been wanting to read, Confessions of a Teen Nanny. I was so excited to find this book and for only a $1 too. I recently went on a vacation and began the book on the long car trip home. It was such a good book I read it in one day (it is pretty short at around 200 pages).

This is the story of Adrienne Lewis, a junior in high school, who attends the most prestigious public school in New York City and who has just started a nanny position for one of New York's richest families. Unfortunately for Adrienne, with this new high paying job comes a bratty genius kid, an overbearing never there mother, and a seventeen-year-old wild child rich witch who is out to steal Adrienne's boyfriend.

A Nanny Diaries for teenagers, readers are introduced to the hideous side of New York's wealthy upper society. Ashton, who in her bio reports to be an elite private school alum who has socialized with the upper class, is probably a socialite in disguise, however she does not curb any of her punches thrown towards the fictional families in this book.

Betrayal is an underlying theme of this book as Adrienne learns that the rich teen queen, Cameron is not really her friend, and that boyfriends and jobs are not forever. Adrienne's best friend and fellow nanny, Liz, also learns some lessons of her own as the story flashes from one girl's experiences to the other. Overall this book is great for lovers of chick-lit or books about the upper class.

This is the first in a series of books.

Warning: This book contains underage alcohol and drug consumption, as well as descriptions of sexual situations.

Incantation

Incantation by Alice Hoffman

For those readers who are looking for a quick read that is well-written and touches on a serious topic, Incantation is the book for you. Today most people believe that the only time that the Jewish people have been persecuted was during the Holocaust; Hoffman's book sheds light on a different time period of hatred and genocide.

It is the dawn of the 16th century and Estrella is a sixteen-year-old girl living in Spain. Estrella thinks of nothing but getting married and always living next door to her best friend. However, her world is suddenly turned to darkness when the evil monster of hatred shows its face in her small town.

The Jews, who have been either forced to convert to Catholicism or live in a ghetto, are facing more and more persecution. Now, as in Nazi Germany, neighbor has turned against neighbor, turning in Jews who were pretending to be Catholic. The bodies and books are burning as Estrella's life and her family are changed for ever.

This book touches on a serious topic through the eyes of a teenager. A quick read for those who enjoy historical fiction. I recommend it to all.

Mob Princess: For Money and Love

Mob Princess: For Money and Love by Todd Strasser

I have to start out by saying that it took me less than a day to read this awesome book!! I first heard of the Mob Princess series about a month and half ago when I attended a conference where Todd Strasser was speaking. Strasser is known for his wonderful serious young adult fiction such as, Give a Boy a Gun. However, he has actually written over 120 books including some that might be known as guilty pleasure reads. When speaking about his books, Strasser made the comment that after he writes a serious book he likes to write a fun one, the Mob Princess is considered one of his "fun books."

I must say that I was a little skeptical about reading a book about a teenage girl written by a middle-aged man. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how well Strasser wrote the character of Kate. She seems more than girl; she is a human being.

Kate, is the sixteen-year-old daughter of Sonny Blessing (head of the Blessing Organization), and as the title implies her father's business is a mafia-type organization. On the day that Kate breaks-up with her boyfriend, everything in her world falls apart. A rival organization is trying to take over her dad's territory, her mom is leaving her dad, her dad is cheating yet again on her mom, and her thirteen-year-old brother is as clueless as always.

With Kate's father having to deal with her mother and his girlfriend, Kate is left to help run the family business. This leads to her enlisting the help of her extremely loose best friend, Randi, in an armored car robbery and meeting with the son of the rival family's boss.

Kate is trying to be a normal teenager, but is that even possible in her family, especially when she has gone and complicated things further by falling for Nick Blatteria, her father's enemy's son? This is a trilogy, so Kate has at least three books to fix everything. I recommend this book to lovers of chick mafia books or just chick-lit in general.

Warning: Contains alcohol usage and sexual content.

Masquerade

Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz

This sequel to Blue Bloods picks up a few weeks after the last book ended. Schulyer's grandmother has just completed her cycle, thanks to an attack by a Silver Blood, and Schulyer has traveled to Venice to find the only person who can help her, her grandfather.

Schulyer's grandfather, Lawrence, has been separated from the family for centuries now, but he is the foremost expert on Silver Bloods. While dealing with the past attacks, which have thankfully stopped, Schulyer must deal with her loss of family, her mother's coma, and her feelings about two different boys, not to mention the fact that she is a half-vampire. The book really goes into Schulyer's new relationships both with Jack, the cute vampire who is promised to his twin sister, and Oliver, her Human Conduit.

Schulyer is torn between the two boys, just as she is torn between her two halves. Her blood is literally battling it out for control of her and she is starting to feel the need to feed. Double identities seems to be a theme throughout this book, hence the name Masquerade. No one knows who the Silver Bloods are, people are falling in love with the wrong people, and the true revelations have begun with the 400 ball (where the true name or angel name of each teen is revealed).

For those teens or adults who loved the first book this book is not a disappointment, in fact I found it better than the first reading it in a mere two days. In a world where vampire fiction is ruling the best seller lists, this book only furthers readers love for the blood drinking romancers who walk the night. A must read for those who love elitism fiction or vampire fiction.

Warning: This book contains foul language, alcohol usage, and graphic sexual content.