Review of "Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer" and GIVEAWAY!!! :)

Expected Publication:  September 29th, 2013

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer

By: Katie Alender

Scholastic Press

ISBN-13:  9780545468091

Colette Iselin is excited to go to Paris on a class trip. She’ll get to soak up the beauty and culture, and maybe even learn something about her family’s French roots.

But a series of gruesome murders are taking place across the city, putting everyone on edge. And as she tours museums and palaces, Colette keeps seeing a strange vision: a pale woman in a ball gown and powdered wig, who looks suspiciously like Marie Antoinette.

Colette knows her popular, status-obsessed friends won’t believe her, so she seeks out the help of a charming French boy. Together, they uncover a shocking secret involving a dark, hidden history. When Colette realizes she herself may hold the key to the mystery, her own life is suddenly in danger . . .

Acclaimed author Katie Alender brings heart-stopping suspense to this story of revenge, betrayal, intrigue — and one killer queen.

Review

     Colette Iselin is determined to make it on her class trip to Paris.  She'll do anything to retain her popularity and image, even in the face of an ugly divorce between her parents, with reduced financial circumstances to top it off.  Finally having become friends with the too most rich and popular girls in school, Colette is determined to hold her social standing - hiding the reality of her lack of money and her new scholarship student status.  Once in France, Colette finds herself torn between being true to who she really is and what makes her happy & pleasing the mean girl who is her "best friend."  Also, high profile families once belonging to a secret society in service to Marie Antoinette are being killed in particularly gruesome ways - losing their heads just like the long-dead royal.  It's up to Colette to find a way to stop the killer or she might be next, because it turns out that Colette's family might have committed the worst betrayal of them all.  Can she save herself and her friends, learning in the meantime what's important in life?

     I wasn't sure what exactly I was going to think of this book, as I had seen some pretty negative reviews for it beforehand.  But once I got started I really enjoyed my time spent reading this one!  Colette goes through some serious character growth in this book, starting as a less vocally mean version of Gretchen from Mean Girls, and becoming her own person who makes friends based on who they are - instead of their popularity or bank accounts.  She is rude to her Mom and brother in the beginning, treating them like they are beneath her and all she wants is to stay with her Dad in New York so she'll have money again.  After everything she goes through in France and witnessing the easy and downright happy relationship her tour guide/love interest Jules shares with his family, Colette's attitude adjusts more favorably.  The dynamic between Colette and her mean girl friends Pilar & ringleader Hannah, versus the dynamic between her and tour guide Jules & laid-back, semi-outcast Audrey.  The relationships between all he girls are definitely true to real life high school girls and the mean girl traps they can fall into regarding each other.  But never are any of the girls portrayed as evil, only unthinkingly cruel and snobbish at the very worst.  

     I agree with other reviewers that this book is more of a teen drama/coming of age story, in the guise of a gory thriller/murder mystery.  It was a pretty well-conceived mystery though, with the murders not following any obvious pattern until Colette begins uncovering the connection between the victims.  The mysterious key/necklace she finds in her Grandmother's belongings at home before coming to France also make up part of the puzzle for Colette.  The only part that really rang falsely for me were the confrontations between the murderous ghost of Marie Antoinette and Colette.  I just never felt like the threat was real or I should take it all that seriously.  Overall, the writing  and plot in this book were pretty solid, but the character development in Colette and the descriptions of France itself were what made the book for me.  The secret society aspect definitely didn't hurt things either!  I would recommend it for a fun, somewhat light (if still thought-inducing) read.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication is September 29th, 2013.*

***Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway below, to win some awesome Marie Antoinette themed prizes, including a copy of this book! :)  Good Luck and the rules are on the 'Copter.  May the best (wo)man win! 

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Sorry, I Can't LARP With You...

Published:  May 7th, 2013

The Summer I Became A Nerd

By: Leah Rae Miller

Entangled Teen

ISBN-13:  9781620612392

On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blonde cheerleader - perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback.  But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad.  That she's a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body isn't just unknown, it's anti-known.  And she needs to keep it that way.

Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop's counter uncovers her secret, she's busted.  Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie's whisked into Logan's world  of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games.  And she loves it.  But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become...and the more she risks losing Logan forever.

Review

     I generally tend to like/love most of the books I read published by Entangled Teen.  They always manage to find either really off-the-cuff, odd but loveable stories or ones that are just so fluffy they are a great break from all the heavy fic out in the world.  This book is some combinations of the two.  After a humiliation that Maddie suffered in middle school when she let her freak flag fly, she has done her absolute best to make everyone forget that it ever happened.  On her quest to achieve this, Maddie has gained mega-popularity by denying the things that really interest her and pretending to be someone she's not.  Most of the time Maddie has is spent doing things she hates, she doesn't even really like her boyfriend, and is desparate not to lose her best friend, who is the only one she really loves in her fake life.  Only during the summer does she have a break from all the lying.  Nerdy t.v. show marathons, comic books and not having to shop 'for fun.'  But she goes to the local comic store so she won't have to wait for the last issue of her favorite comic for months before it can be shipped offline to her.  Of course the boy behind the counter is Logan, a nerd from school who has the power to blow her cover.  Hilarity ensues and romance blooms.  But can Maddie finally learn that to really be happy she has to be true to herself?  Or will she continue with her fake life and lose any chance she really has with Logan?

     I have to say that while I understand the appeal this book held with all the people who recommended it to me, I really wasn't really all that pleased with it.  I spent the majority of the book disliking Maddie and thinking she was pretty damn stupid.  I got past my popularity woes when I left middle school and entered into high school, so maybe that's why I couldn't really relate to her.  In the synopsis it sounds like a bearable plot, but it practice the obsession that Maddie has with popularity (at the cost of her own happiness) was extremely obnoxious.  She treats going to the comic book store like a secret spy mission for chrissakes!  Everything she does in regards to her nerdy obsessions was over the top and I wasn't always able to suspend my disbelief.  And the absolutely low opinion she obviously has for a girl who has been her best friend for years now, is disgusting to me.  She spends the whole friendship lying to her on the pretext that she won't like Maddie if she knows the truth.  Well guess what, that's not a real friendship then is it?  I thought not!  The crushy flirting and escapades with Logan were adorable and I love when he takes her LARPing (live-action-role-playing for those who don't know the acronym).  Watch Role Models (with Paul Rudd) and you'll get kind of an idea of what it is, only not as detailed or nerdy as it appears in this book!  Near the end of the book when everything hits the fan, the plot started to drag for me.  Yes, by the conclusion girl gets boy and finally removes her head from her ass.  There were a lot of cute scenes in this book, but I guess I need to just avoid books with popularity as a main issue from now on.  I just won't really care enough to empathize and will probably end up being a mean old lady, like I was just now.  Not for me anymore! :)  But I think a younger teen, probably about 12-16 would like this book.  They could probably relate a lot better!

VERDICT:  2.5/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book was published on May 7th, 2013.*

Teen Movie Review #1: Valley Girl (1983)

     Hey guys!  Since it's Friday and i feel like I haven't been updating this blog nearly enough, I decided to throw in a movie review.  I still haven't watched Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters or Jack The Giant Slayer (even though both are sitting on my shelf waiting).  So I'm going back to a favorite of mine, which is what we YA nerds like to call a 'teen' movie! :)  I'm coming up with the criteria for this review kind of on the fly so please bear with me!  Plus it's really early in the morning and almost bedtime for me.  Cause as my friends and family will tell you, I stay up about three or four hours past everyone else's normal bedtimes.  Without Further adieu, here is one of the five (maybe six) Nic Cage movies I can stand at all: Valley Girl.

Title: Valley Girl (1983)

Availability:  DVD, YouTube, Netflix

Reason:  To See Yet Another Star-Crossed Couple Find Love (Old Friends or New Ones)

The Low Down According to IMDB:  

Julie, a girl from the Valley, meets Randy, a punk from the city.  They are from different worlds and find love.  Somehow they need to stay together in spite of her trendy, shallow friends.

My Take On Things: 

Randy and Julie are two teens from different worlds - or at least their zip codes make it seem like that's how it is.  But when they meet its instant attraction.  Can they overcome her snobby friends and expectations of how things are 'supposed to be' or are they doomed from the start?  Also, Julie's hippie parents and douchebag, wannabe ex-boyfriend provide some serious entertainment value along the way.  Plus there is a skeevy subplot about one of Julie's friends, Suzi, competing for the romantic attentions of her friend Skip with her young stepmother.  All in all, about what you'd expect from an 80's film - especially one mostly cribbed off of Romeo and Juliet! 

The Cast:

Nicolas Cage as Randy

This has the distinction of being the only movie in which I ever though Nic Cage was hot.  The chemistry between him and Deborah Foreman is OFF THE CHARTS.  He makes a very convincing punk and yet has an underlying sweetness that lets you know he's just a big ball of fluff inside - even with the leather and crazy hair.  Plus, bonus is that he has hair in this - with no signs of balding.  Ahhh, for the days of youth! :)

Deborah Foreman as Julie

I don't know what happened to her acting career over the years after this movie, but maybe staying out of the spotlight isn't such a bad thing if being in it means you make horrendous movies like some of the ones Cage has been in!  She has such a sweet spark in this movie and her smile is absolutely GORGEOUS.  Yes, the feathered hair is questionable and she does go to the prom with Tommy instead of Randy (which is seriously insane people!).  But Julie also happens to be a teenager and for her age she does a decent job of being true to herself and I wouldn't mind go shopping for an afternoon with her.  Plus, there is always the adorableness of this:

I REST MY CASE.

Michael Bowen as Tommy

His clothing alone and it's preppiness makes it obvious that he's a) A complete douchebag, and b) The enemy in every way.  He's no Hardy Jenns but he plays a good enough sleazebag that you want to punch him in the face.  Plus, apparently someone thinks he's a pretty good actor cause IMDB informs me that he was in Beverly Hills Cop III, seven episodes of LOST, some really random one episode parts on lots of TV shows, and most recently (and notably) was in an episode of Breaking Bad, along with a small role in Django Unchained.  

Elizabeth Daily as Loryn

The most gullible of Julie's friends and is known as the group slut.  Immediately falls into Tommy's web of bullshit after Julie dumps him and allows him to go almost all the way, only stopping short of the one last event.  Watching the movie you can't help but feel bad for her, cause it's obvious that all she wants is desperately to be liked.  The outfits are atrocious and the actions are worse, but the heart's in the right place.  And she went on to be Dottie in Pee Wee's Big Adventure.  After that it was all voice work, most famously Tommy on Rugrats and Buttercup on Powerpuff Girls.  I know, right? :)

Frederic Forrest as Steve Richman (Julie's Dad)

He is absolutely hilarious as one half of a hippie relationship, whose parenting style towards Julie is so out of touch with the times.  The health food store scene when she's 'working' is a really great example of this.  But he's just uncool because he's a Dad.  He still loves her though and is definitely one of the less cookie cutter teen movie parents in existence.  In the picture above he's supposed to be getting the camera for Prom pictures...he's smoking weed instead.  IT beats shining a shotgun I guess!

*I did not spotlight Julie's friend Stacy or Randy's friend Fred, mainly because Fred is somewhat of a clueless creep (even if he is somewhat funny) and Stacey spends all her screen time complaining (and not in a humorous way either).  Neither of them are very interesting characters in my opinion when up against the others in the movie.

Romance Rating Scale:  5/10 (Sweet, with an edge)

There is too much dithering and wishy washy behavior on Julie's behalf while trying to follow the pack for this to be truly swoonworthy.  There are a couple hot makeout sessions, but mostly its just beautiful smiles and angst (the best way to mirror R&J, anyways).

The Soundtrack:  

Not really sure how to grade this, other than on personal enjoyment.  Martha Coolidge definitely has an ear for music and the stuff that's played for Julie and her freinds fits them to a tee.  It's the same for when they're cruising Hollywood on Randy's side of things.  My favorite usage of a song in this though would be Modern English "I Melt With You" being played during the Julie/Randy montage and then the end credits.  It fits the spirit of the movie and the whirlwind, consuming romance that the two become involved in.  Also liked Josie Cotton's "Johnny Are You Queer?" and The Plimsouls "A Million Miles Away."  The whole soundtrack is killer though and deserves a listen.

Recommended Viewing:

If you're in the mood for a sweet romance, some smiles and tears involved, this would be the one for you.  With punk-boy Cage, a pint of your favorite ice cream and comfy pair of PJs this is great Saturday night viewing for a relaxed night in.