Annette's Book Spot: road trip

Showing posts with label road trip. Show all posts

Monday, February 18, 2019

Book Review: Immoral Code by Lillian Clark

Immoral Code by Lillian Clark book cover and review

For teen fans of Ocean's Eleven, this story, Immoral Code, about a group of smart teens undertaking a daring caper, will surely entertain. I'm not a teen, and it entertained me.

These five teens decide to take on Bellamy's (one of the teens) long-lost father. You see, she's never known him. Her mother gets a monthly check from his lawyers, but that is it. Bellamy is already a brilliant scientist who has been accepted to MIT. However, when her financial aid request is denied, she knows she will never be able to go. You see, her father is rich. Very, very, like Bill Gates rich. So his income was taken into account, even though he hasn't agreed to help Bellamy with college at all.

Her friends are seriously affronted by this. The hacker of the group, Nari, figures out a way to hack into Bellamy's father's accounts and skim enough so that Bellamy will have enough money for college, but her father will never know. The only problem is, they must break into his office to install some software on his computer.

There are five first-person points-of-view. One for each teen. Each teen is distinct, however some of the chapters are so short, I would forget which one was currently narrating.

The best thing about Immoral Code is the relationships between these five. There is an established romance, and a potential one in the group. You can tell they have spent a lot of time together because of the inside joke, games, etc. that are mentioned. And they are brilliant, so they do things like give each other points for great SAT Vocabulary words. It's all very intelligent, and I loved that.

There is also tension, because one of the group has serious moral questions about what they are doing. And the ending, while turning out happily-ever-after, provides even more tension.

A charming book that took me only a couple of days to get through (which is refreshing in itself), I would recommend Immoral Code to those who enjoy fast-paced stories about high school friendships.

Published by Knopf BFYR, February 19. 2019
Copy obtained from NetGalley
320 pages

Rating: 4/5

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Book Review: The Disenchantments, by Nina LaCour

As far as contemporary stories go, The Disenchantments is a worthy addition to the genre.

The Disenchantments is also a road trip book, which adds a lot with the changing scenery and new characters being introduced. Bev, Alexa, and Meg are in a band. Not a very good band, but that doesn't matter. They are going on a summer tour, and Colby is driving them in his uncle's VW van.

Colby and Bev have been best friends since they were very young, and they, unlike all their other classmates, have decided not to go to college. They are going to spend a year touring Europe. They've been planning this for at least 4 years, and after the band's tour, they are leaving.

Things don't always turn out the way you planned, and this is certainly true for Colby and Bev. Another strength of The Disenchantments are the characters. They each have their own thing going on -- they are not cookie-cutter teens. Their relationships are complex. There's some romance, and quite a bit of tension.

The book is well-written and the pages turn easily and quickly. There's nothing earth shattering here. Just teens trying to figure out their lives and the best direction to take, but it's well done and I think many teens will enjoy The Disenchantments.

Published by Dutton, 2012
Copy obtained from the library
307pages

Rating: 3/5

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Book Review: The Scar Boys, by Len Vlahos @LenVlahos

It is impossible to not fall in love with the main character, Harry, in The Scar Boys.

Harry was burned and horribly disfigured when he was eight years old. He was tied to a tree by some neighborhood boys during a violent thunderstorm. The tree was struck by lightening, and that's how Harry was burned.

He has spent his entire life getting medical treatment, and also psychological help. He has learned some mechanisms for coping, but his life is lonely, and of course he is the victim of bullying.

Enter Johnny. Johnny takes a liking to Harry, and they become fast friends. Harry is so desperate to have a friend, that he becomes somewhat subservient to Johnny. When Johnny decides they are going to start a band, Harry is on board. Harry even takes guitar lessons, and it turns out that the band becomes Harry's savior.

The Scar Boys (the name of the band) become somewhat successful locally, and eventually they decide to go on tour over the summer, before Johnny enters college in the fall. The road trip turns out to be more than just the band playing gigs, it changes everyone's life.

The characters are special. Besides Johnny and Harry, there's Cheyenne, the only female member of the band, and of course there's a romantic sub-plot. The plot is interesting enough to keep the pages turning, even though this is mostly a story of Harry's growth.

The Scar Boys is supposedly Harry's 250 word college application essay that blossoms into this story. He does address the application committee once in a while, but this really was a non-issue for me. I pretty much forgot it was an essay.

I love that the chapter titles were each song titles. Harry provides the writer and performer of each song, and I could pretty much hum the tune to almost all of them.

The Scar Boys is an entertaining coming-of-age story about a very special boy and how music changed his life. It's very short, so you can recommend it to your reluctant readers, your underdogs, and your music lovers. I know I will.

Published by EgmontUSA, January 21, 2014
eARC obtained from NetGalley
256 pages (Qualifies for my Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge!)

Rating: 4/5

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Book Review: Right of Way, by Lauren Barnholdt

Some of this has to do with my being way beyond the target age for this book, but I just could not connect with Right of Way.

Peyton gets stranded at her uncle's wedding in Florida. She was supposed to run away to North Carolina with her friend, but at the last minute her friend backed out. Jace agrees to take her home -- to CONNECTICUT!! Jace and Peyton have a history -- they met last year and had a long-distance relationship for a while but it ended mysteriously. So they take off for Connecticut -- but Peyton plans on ditching Jace in North Carolina and follow her original plan to run away.

Mostly, I couldn't stand the stupid decisions (one after the other) that BOTH characters made. I didn't buy the romantic connection -- but maybe that's because I was so frustrated with these characters. First of all, Jace -- the valedictorian -- is shocked to find out it's over 20 hours to Connecticut. Didn't even consider that before offering to drive her all that way. He's decided to MISS his graduation, and the speech he's supposed to give to take Peyton home. Uh-huh.

I didn't get into the interactions between Jace and Peyton. There is no honesty and I just didn't buy the need for all the secrecy. When the reason is revealed why Jace stopped calling Peyton, I just couldn't believe how petty it was. When the reason Peyton is running away is revealed, Jace tells her she is not making a very logical decision -- running away won't help the situation -- and I totally agree. But Peyton just got pissed.

Then, in the last five pages, they both come to their senses, and live happily ever after. Really?? Everything is all the sudden OK? Just forget all those other issues we've been dealing with, "It will all be OK." I'm not kidding. Right of Way wrapped up so fast I felt cheated. And even more frustrated than I did during the rest of the book.

OK. I realize I'm not the target audience. I'm old. But I give most teens more credit than this author does, I guess. The book was NOT cute enough to overlook the stupid premise. And, some teens will eat Right of Way up. But not all of them. I will be careful about which teens I recommend Right of Way to.

Published by Simon Pulse, July 9, 2013
eARC obtained from Edelweiss
320 pages

Rating: 2/5

Monday, June 17, 2013

Book Review: Golden, by Jessi Kirby @JessiKirby

Note: I read Golden for free online from Pulseit.com. The free books are available for a limited time, and I only had two days to read Golden. I read it on my iPad and found the pulseit reader to be easy to use. I'm not sure how often they offer books to read for free, but I recommend checking it out!

I really enjoyed the characterizations in Golden, but I had difficulty believing a major revelation towards the end of the story.

Parker is a perfect student and a perfect daughter. She found out that she's a finalist for a 4-year scholarship to the college of her choice. All she has to do is write a speech and win the scholarship, and all her dreams will come true.

The scholarship is given in honor of two high school seniors who died 10 years ago in a tragic accident on the night of their graduation. Neither body was ever found, assumed to have washed down the river into a very deep lake during a freak late winter storm.

Parker is a TA for one of the English teachers. Every year this teacher assigns the seniors a final project where they write in a journal about their hopes and dreams for their future. One of Parker's assignments is to mail the journals from ten years ago to all the students who wrote them. No one has read the journals since they were sealed into their envelopes. When Parker finds Juliana's journal, she doesn't know what to do. Juliana is the girl who died in the car accident ten years ago along with her boyfriend. Juliana's family has since moved away. Parker is irresistibly compelled to read the journal and find out if there are any clues to what happened to Juliana and her boyfriend. She feels bad about invading those private thoughts, but not bad enough to stop reading.

Parker kind of becomes obsessed. She eventually lets her friend Kat know about the journal. Parker is also becoming restless. We see her change, partly because of what she is reading in the journal, and partly because she sees the end of her high school career, and possibly her chance with Trevor -- the guy who has been flirting with her for years. Maybe she should give Trevor a chance, and maybe she should be a little more adventurous like Kat wants her to be.

Golden is a book about self-discovery. It does contain a road trip, but only for about 30% of the book, and there's so much more. I loved Parker's growth. I loved Kat -- what a great best friend -- one who allows Parker to be herself, but still pushes her to break the mold that she has squeezed herself into. There isn't a huge amount of romance in Golden. But the slow and sweet, if a bit choppy, relationship that Parker develops with Trevor is an important part of Golden.

So, Parker does solve the mystery about the accident ten years ago. I really didn't like the answer to this mystery. I didn't buy it -- but I understand how it made Parker's story so easy, so I get why Kirby did it. Sometimes you have to suspend some disbelief and quit asking questions about how this could happen and just go with it. So I did.

Golden is a great contemporary that teens will really enjoy. There are a lot of interesting characters here, and I haven't mentioned everything that enriches the plot. Like the art. And Parker's mother. And the speech. And Orion. I could go on, but just let me say Golden is worth the read, and I will be happy to recommend it to my contemporary fans.

Published by Simon & Schuster BFYR, May 14, 2013
eBook obtained from Pulseit.com
288 pages

Rating: 4/5

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Audio Book Review: Heart-Shaped Box, by Joe Hill

Heart-Shaped Box is a macabre, compelling book that gave me shivers at times. I've never read anything by Joe Hill, and I will be adding him to my list of authors to keep track of.

Jude Coyne, who once was a famous rock star, still enjoys collecting bits of supernatural paraphernalia. When he gets the opportunity to purchase a ghost, he has no idea what he has gotten himself into. The ghost comes in the form of a black suit mailed to Jude in a heart-shaped box.

Thus begins a terrorizing journey for Jude and his girlfriend Mary Ann (who he calls "Georgia" since that's where she is from.) Heart-Shaped Box is a classic, scary ghost story that brings heart-pounding terror at times, and also made me a bit sick during some of the violent scenes. Jude and Georgia finally decide to leave Jude's home to get away from the ghost, but as the ghost (named Craddock) tells him, he'll never get away. Craddock intends to kill Jude, and everyone who Jude tries to get help from. But why? Why is this ghost so evil? Well, there's more to the story and I'll let you read Heart-Shaped Box to figure that out. Turns out this wasn't a random on-line purchase. This transaction was carefully planned by some really evil people.

I don't want to give too many specifics except to say this ghost is tenacious. Jude has two dogs that bring an interesting element to the story. Seems the dogs somehow protect Jude from the ghost. Jude and Georgia get more and more beat up as the story goes on. You really don't know what's going to happen or how this all can end -- and that's a big part of the appeal.

Speaking of the ending, I was worried that things would be left hanging. That we really wouldn't know what happened or the resolution would be incomplete. I can happily say that this isn't the case. I was very satisfied when I finished Heart-Shaped Box.

Most of the time, audio books seem to drag a bit because I only listen to a little at a time. So I hesitate to talk about pacing. I thought it was slow, but I was easily swept back into the story every time I turned it on, so I think it's just the format.

If you like your ghost stories scary, relentless, and a bit violent, Heart-Shaped Box is highly recommended. It's been a long time since I felt those shivers up the back of my neck!

The narrator of the audio is Stephen Lang, and he has this perfect, low, sinister voice. He also does a southern accent very well. I would recommend the audio book format, if you are interested.

Published by William Morrow, 2007. HarperAudio.
Copy obtained from the library
384 pages

Rating: 4/5

Monday, March 26, 2012

Book Review: The Goodbye Quilt, by Susan Wiggs

While I enjoyed The Goodbye Quilt immensely, it's not a book for everyone. And, as I mostly review young adult, or books appropriate for young adult, you should be warned that this doesn't fall into either category.

Perhaps I should start by explaining why I read this book in the first place. Well, my daughter is getting married, and I read How I Planned Your Wedding, which is written by Susan Wiggs and her daughter, Elizabeth. It was hilarious, and I wanted to read something by Susan -- she's a romance writer.

The Goodbye Quilt isn't a romance. It's a "niche" book, and I fill the niche.

Molly is going to college across the country, and she and her mother, Linda, are going on a road trip to deliver Molly. Linda is also making a memory quilt for Molly, using fabrics from all sorts of places from her childhood. As Molly drives, Linda works on the quilt. The story is told by Linda, and she regales us with stories of Molly's childhood as we go along.

I'm a quilter. I have a daughter who went away to college, and will soon be married and moving out of my house. So you can see why I could very much relate to the story. It's well written, and was well-narrated. The pace was a bit slow at times, especially when Linda was taking us back in time, but I liked the meandering pace. Some might not.

The Goodbye Quilt is a short book -- only 224 pages, and that was also a plus. I don't know if I could listen to much more than four disks of this story. It's a story about a woman finding herself after her only child leaves home. There are many episodes of inner struggles to figure out what she's going to be, now that she doesn't need to be a mother any more. The ending was predicted, but still satisfying.

I still want to read one of Susan Wiggs' romances, but I am not sorry I read The Goodbye Quilt. Recommended to adult women, probably mothers, whose children are growing up.

Published by Mira, 2011
Audiobook obtained from the library
224 pages

Rating: 3/5

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Book Review: Though Shalt Not Road Trip, by Antony John

Thou Shalt Not Road Trip fulfilled my desire for stories about teens working their way through the many challenges that life can throw them. And, doing this while on a road trip just adds to the appeal.

As part of a youth group assignment at his church, Luke Dorsey begins to write modern day parables for the Sunday school classes. But once he begins, he doesn't stop--even when the writing turns from happy and funny to sad and depressing. His pastor passes the book along and it gets rearranged, and somewhat rewritten, before it is published. The book's popularity has taken off, and Luke is going on a book promotional tour with his older brother Matt acting as guardian and chauffeur.

It turns out, Matt his more in mind for this trip than signing books. He's invited his girlfriend, Alex, and her sister, Fran, to go along. Fran and Luke had a history as best friends until last year, when Fran flipped out, died her hair purple, got tattooed and pierced, and quit going to church. Luke had always had a crush on Fran, but not any more.

The strength of Thou Shalt Not Road Trip is the characters. Especially Luke and Fran. They have a long way to travel, both realistically and figuratively, before this novel ends. The journey is confusing, frustrating, heartbreaking, funny, and fulfilling, and Antony John delivers each of these emotions beautifully.

We also get a bit of Route 66 history and attractions, since Matt is bound and determined to take some "detours," which keep Luke frustrated and tired. This, and the fact that he's trying to figure out what's going on with Fran and losing faith in anything his book says makes Luke's subsequent book appearances more and more challenging.

Bonus: Antony John is from St. Louis, and Luke is from St. Louis, so there are references to the town and the muddy Mississippi. My stompin' grounds....

Thou Shalt Not Road Trip is very easy, quick read. Each chapter begins with "verses" from Luke's book Hallelujah, which are indeed written like parables for the modern teen. There isn't a lot of action or suspense, but the character's relationships and trials keep the pace acceptable. I think teens that enjoy road trip books and stories about realistic teen relationships will enjoy Thou Shalt Not Road Trip.

Published by Dial, April 12, 2012
ARC obtained from Around the World ARC Tours, for review
329 pages (qualifies for my Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge!)

Rating: 3/5

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Book Review: Saving June, by Hannah Harrington

Saving June is a worthy addition to the substantial list of contemporary teen novels dealing with grief after losing a loved one.

In this case, Harper’s older sister, June, has committed suicide just before her high school graduation. This has been a shock to everyone, since June was popular and appeared to be happy. At June’s memorial, Harper meets Jake, who has a mysterious connection to June. Harper soon discovers there’s a side to June she was unaware of.

June’s dream was to go to college in California, so Harper, along with her best friend Laney and Jake decide to steal June’s ashes and take them to California. Harper’s parents, who are recently divorced, had decided to split the ashes among the two of them. (I really can’t believe that. I can’t imagine anyone thinking that is a good solution….) This is unacceptable to Harper as well, and the fact that her aunt has decided to move in with Harper and her mom also sends her reeling. Harper really can’t stand her aunt.

So, this is a road trip story with several interesting side trips—one to St. Louis, where I am from, so that has a special appeal to me. The characters are great, even the side characters that they meet along the way. I believed Harper’s grief, and really thought Harrington did a great job of getting us inside her head. Laney was a great, although unlikely, best friend, and the addition of the mysterious Jake kept me easily turning the pages. I thought Harper’s dealing with her unhappiness by running away with June was a realistic scenario, given the situation.

The only part that left me a little disappointed was the secret that Jake is keeping, which is revealed towards the end of the book. I didn’t buy it. I don’t think he would have kept this secret—it didn’t make sense to me. It makes for a dramatic ending, though.

And…I will still recommend this to my contemp fans. I think they will really like this, especially if they enjoyed 13 Reasons Why, Fall for Anything, Hold Still, or Before I Die.

Published by Harlequin, November 22, 2011
eBook obtained for review from NetGalley
336 pages

Rating: 3.5/5