Bad Girls with Perfect Faces
Author: Lynn Weingarten
320 pages
Published: October 31, 2017
Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
When I looked up, his smile was wide and real. “Ready?” he said.
I faked a smile back. I had gotten so good at faking things.
I thought: You brought this on yourself, Sasha. You will have to pretend forever now.He squeezed my hand again. He couldn’t begin to imagine what this actually was. He had no idea what I’d done. What any of us had.
When Sasha’s best friend Xavier gets back together with his cheating ex, Ivy, Sasha knows she needs to protect him. So she poses as a guy online to lure Ivy away.
But Sasha’s plan goes sickeningly wrong. And she soon learns to be careful of who you pretend to be because you might be surprised by who you become…
Kim’s Review:
This cover fascinated me! I found the book super cheap at Ollie’s (if y’all have an Ollie’s near you, then go and check their book section on a regular basis. I have gotten so many popular books for cheap!). This is definitely a YA book with a lot of teenage drama and idiot teens who think they know things when they actually don’t. Having said that, I actually liked this book. And that’s a big deal for me, since I hate teenagers!!!!!! 😊
The mystery and thrill were thick enough that I passed over the drama with slight annoyance and just kept reading, cuz I wanted to know what happened! Sasha is a relatable kid who sounds a lot like me as an adult and I appreciated that. Xavier is just downright likable and you hate to see him suffer. Ivy is horrible and I hate her. But there were some crazy twists and turns and I just turned page after page, wondering and worrying and anticipating. And the resolution is worth it! Definitely not a book for younger kids; there are major adult themes and some big language. But I do recommend this book for anyone looking for a YA thriller!
The Gift that I Can Give
Author: Kathie Lee Gifford
Illustrator: Julia Seal
Published: October 23, 2018
32 pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Date Read: November 25, 2018
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
God, will You show me
The gift that I can give
As I grow and love
And learn how to live?
Help your children discover that they don’t have to wait until they are grownups to make the world a better place! The Gift That I Can Give helps children find unique ways to make a difference today in the lives of those around them. The beautiful new picture book was written by Kathie Lee Gifford and illustrated by Julia Seals.
The Gift That I Can Give is a heartwarming story from Kathie Lee Gifford of how all children have something they can do today to make a difference. Whether it is being kind, giving a family member an extra-big squeeze, visiting someone who is sick, or cheering on a friend, this story will inspire children, leading them to want to read it again and again.
Kathie Lee Gifford is a trusted voice who feels like a friend for countless people. With her strong faith, enthusiasm, and playful writings, she appeals to young hearts and empowers them with the message that no one is too young or too small to share their gift with others.
Jessica’s Review:
The Gift That I Can Give is a short children’s picture book that talks about how we all have a special gift. This story is a journey for one little girl as she tries to figure out just what her gift is. This book shows God’s love and she even prays to try to find out her gift. This book shows that even the smallest and simplest action (even from a child) can help someone in a huge way.
The illustrations are impressive: They are large, colorful, and show a diversity of children throughout. The pictures help to enhance the reading experience.
The Gift That I Can Give is written in a fun way for children (everything rhymes!) and they are sure to enjoy it. Maybe they will even realize what their special gift is after reading this book!
Special thanks to Netgalley for my copy that I received.
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Published: October 12. 2010
472 pages
Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.
PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.
Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.
Kim’s Review:
I love this book so much! This was the first book that kept me up until 3:00 in the morning and then I had to give study halls to all my classes so I could finish it. Yeah, yeah, I was occasionally a bad teacher.
Revolution is the perfect combination of history and fantasy. No, none of us can really step back in time to live out the life of an obscure historical criminal just to see how the story ends. But Andi did, and we can all live vicariously through her. Donnelly does a great job of showing the other side of the French Revolution. It seems like in every portrayal, the royals are the bad guys and the revolutionaries are the good guys. That is not the case at all. As with most history, the Revolution was not black and white. There were no good guys or bad guys, there were people who fell on one side or the other. Both sides were guilty of horrible things and both sides did good things. Donnelly gives us a look into some of the true innocents in the Revolution, the royal children. Louis XVI and Marie Antionette had several children, but only their daughter survived the Revolution. What is truly sad is that their son, Louis-Charles, suffered in ways that no child should ever have to. He was imprisoned, sealed into a room and reduced to starvation and madness.
Andi was an ok character. I felt sorry for her because of the death of her brother and her mother’s downward spiral into a mental breakdown. Her father certainly didn’t help matters by ignoring everything, including Andi. But, at times, she turned into a whiny teenager and I lost patience with that attitude really fast! Alexandrine, the girl in Paris during the Revolution, was a much more likable character. She was faced with tough situation after tough situation and yet she kept fighting and trying and I found her fascinating! Overall, this is just an awesome book that held my attention from the first page to the last page. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction and to any teen whether they like to read or not.
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
