Book review:A Match Made In High School

Title: A Match Made In High School
Author: Kristin Walker
Publisher/Release Date: Razorbill, February 4 2010
Pages (Paperback): 288
Rating: * * * */ 5
Summary from Goodreads:

When the principal announces that every senior must participate in a mandatory year-long Marriage Education program, Fiona Sheehan believes that her life can’t get any worse. Then she marries her “husband”: Jerky male cheereader/jock Todd, whose cheerleader girlfriend, Amanda, has had it in for Fiona since day one of second grade. Even worse? Amanda is paired with Fiona’s long-term crush, Gabe. At least Fiona is doing better than her best friend, Marcie, who is paired up with the very quiet, very mysterious Johnny Mercer. Pranks, fights, misunderstandings, and reconciliations ensue in an almost Shakespearean comedy of errors about mistaken first impressions, convoluted coupling, and hidden crushes.

My thoughts: I am absolutely in love with this book! It has a refreshing, surprising plot filled with aborable characters, hilarious situations, excellent music and pure fun.

Characters: Fiona was an great main character- very well-developed. I loved that she was a geek, but fierce and strong at the same time, like a real person should be. She had a smarty, witty tone that I could completely relate to. And as for Johnny Mercer (cleverly named after Johnny Mercer, the musician)? My absolute favorite male character, possibly ever. He had fantastic taste in music (The Killers, Radiohead, Chairlift, even a little Velvet Underground & Niko), was big, tall and husky, AND completely sweet. If only every boy was like that! Todd was unfortunately
reminiscient of guys at my school, but got more likeable and funny as the book went on, and you could tell him and Fee were only pretending to hate each other to show they cared about each other. I wasn't sure what to think of Marcie, but from what I saw I didn't like her- which brings me to my only complaint character-wise: I felt like some characters didn't show up enough, like Johnny and Marcie, and also Fiona's neighbor, Sam- and adorable little 6-year-old Fee babysitted- for them to really develop, and that made me feel kind of cheated. I wanted more.

Plot: While slightly- ok more than slightly, but nothing wrong with that!- unbelievable, it was fresh and original, with plenty of unexpected twists. It was so fun and hilarious, with everything from pranks by Fee and Todd to mid-announcement assistant principal breakdowns to parents constantly chanting outside the school in protest of marriage ed- Fiona's mom being the leader of it!

Writing: A fun, strong tone on Fiona's part, believable and smart dialogue, and generally absorbing writing.

Overall/anything else?: A great new debut for the new year that deserves a spot in your TBR pile.

Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with a complimentary review copy for fair reviewing!

Book review: The Catcher In the Rye

Usually, my policy is that I ONLY review- bookwise, at least- "classic" novels- you know, the all time greats, the legends- but I'm making an exception for The Catcher in the Rye, bu J.D. Salinger because of his death a couple days ago, which you probably heard about :C (Superfrown!) Besides, The Catcher in the Rye is one of the best kinds of classics- easily read and easily related to.





Title: The Catcher in the Rye
Author: J. D. Salinger
Publisher: (Paperback reprint) Back Bay Books, January 30th, 2001
Pages: 288 (Paperback Reprint)


What can I say about the Catcher In the Rye? I loved it and hated it when I read it about a year ago, and to this day I don't know what I think of it.

Characters: There are very few characters- really, only Holden and his little sister Phoebe immediately come to mind- but Holden was very well-developed. However, that doesn't mean he's a character you'll like at all- he's a true hypocrite, always calling people and things"phony" and "depressing", when that's exactly what he is, which his sister calls him on towards the end (I knew I liked that girl at the beginning of the book...). But I think that you weren't meant to like him- he shows the flaws of humanity, how judgemental and hypocritical we can be yet turn around and think we ourselves are flawless. I loved his little sister, though- she was such a good counterbalance to him, how she was so innocent, but so smart and had such interesting views to things.

Writing and plot: The plot is almost nonexistent, mainly consisting of Holden's rants, ramblings, whines, "observations', and various tangents. Being as that's the way I think and tend to write (of course I edit... 0_0) I didn't care too badly. However, most people will have a definite problem with that, as well as . If you like your books neat and organized, with a definite point, this probably isn't a book you'll like when your forced to read it in middle/high school, or college- if you haven't been already :P

Overall: While notfor everyone, it's definitely a YA novel deserving of praise, if only for how real Holden is, how closely linked his problems are to our own, and how his thoughs are so much like ours.

(I think it may be obvious why I don't review classics now- above my head :P)

Bad Blogger.

Hey all! Sorry I've been neglectful and a bad blogger *turns hand at extremely painful and awkward angle to tsk at myself*! Also, sorry if you're comments have been rejected- I don't mean to, I've been getting a LOT of spam *COUGH COUGH COUGH*.

BUT. I'm back for good, and can't wait to start book blogging again! I hate to admit it, but lately I've had zero interest in reading- it's all music and vinyl (I think I might start a music blog or w/e. Like I know anything about it :P) up there :P

I've finished a lot of my ARC's, so expect reviews tomorrow :) I'm also bringing back all the bookish meme- WoW, IMM, TT... yeppers.

Off to do stuff!