A Baker's Dozen Is One Too Many...

Published:  February 4th, 2014

Something Real

By: Heather Demetrios

Henry Holt BYR

ISBN-13:  9780805097948

Seventeen-year-old Bonnie™ Baker has grown up on TV -- she and her twelve siblings are the stars of one-time hit reality show Baker's Dozen.  Since the show's cancellation, Bonnie™ has tried to live a normal life, under the radar and out of the spotlight.  But it's about to fall apart....because Baker's Dozen is going back on the air.  Bonnie™'s mom and the show's producers won't let her quit and soon the life she has so carefully built for herself, with real friends (and maybe even a real boyfriend), is in danger of being destroyed by the show.  Bonnie™ needs to do something drastic if her life is ever going to be her own -- even if it means being more exposed than ever before.

Review

     Ever since Bonnie™ Baker was born, her life has been documented on film and watched on TV by millions of strangers.  They got to see her and her many siblings (twelve to be exact) grow up -- and their family fall apart.  The show ended with Bonnie's parents getting divorced and her barely alive after a failed suicide attempt.  Now four years later, Bonnie is just beginning to heal from the anxiety, depression and isolation that being on TV brought to her life.  Going by the name Chloe, she has close friends, a boy she likes and a decent relationship with her siblings.  Then Chloe/Bonnie™'s Mom invites the camera crews back into their lives, rekindling the show after writing a tell-all book.  Of course she doesn't tell any of the kids about it until the crews show up.  Bonnie and her brother Benton are absolutely furious.  The last thing they want is to be back under a microscope.  Can they find a way to take control of their own lives, in the face of total dehumanization, marketing ploys and the unwillingness of their own mother to let them live their lives free?

     When you think of reality TV (or at least when I do), I never consider the children.  I tend to focus on the trashiness and greediness of the adults involved with the shows.  They're exploiting their own personal lives, relationships, privacy and themselves for money and fame.  Not to mention the poor taste they usually exhibit while they do it.  This book shows me what it must be like to be a child on TV, displayed for the entire world to gawk at.  Bonnie's relationships with her parents crumble.  Her Mom never has any time for her after they adopt the rest of the kids, and she hasn't seen her Dad since the divorce four years before.  Her sister Lexie blames her for the loss of the cameras and the fame.  The only one in her family that Bonnie really has a good relationship with is her older brother, Benton.  That's because Benny is of the same opinion she is - fame isn't worth the price of admission.  All the family drama and the complicated relationships were compelling stuff.  

     Probably my main complaints would be the lack of depth to Chloe's friends, Tessa and Mer, who really seem to exist as her connection to normality.  I did like the way Benton's relationship with Matt wasn't portrayed as being a big deal.  They were just two boys who were in love with each other.  There was bit of friction with Matt's religious parents near the end, but overall their relationship is treated as just the normalest thing ever - as it should be in books and real life, always!  Patrick, the love interest for Chloe, was extremely close to Gary Stu territory.  He was entirely too perfect and I could not spot a single flaw.  The only thing that ever caused problems with him and Chloe was when she tried breaking up with him "for his own good."  And honestly, he's loving and supportive, never gets mad at her and is willing to put off his acceptance to Columbia for a year, so he can travel around the world with her (all because she was too chicken-shit to apply to any colleges).  The end is kind of loose, with Chloe and Benton patching things up with Lexie, moving out after they turn eighteen, and hiring a lawyer to sue MetaReel and tank the show the best they can.  But we readers never get to see the resolution to any of these conflicts.  All in all, an intriguing book that really makes you consider the people behind the reality show "characters."  I'd recommend this to someone who enjoys a good character study.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

A DJ Saved My Life Tonight

 

Expected Publication:  September 17th, 2013

This Song Will Save Your Life

By: Leila Sales

Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR)

ISBN-13:  9780374351380

 

Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski’s strong suit. All throughout her life, she’s been the butt of every joke and the outsider in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise nearly gives up. Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute, yet mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and most importantly, a love for DJing.

Told in a refreshingly genuine and laugh-out-loud funny voice, THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE is an exuberant novel about identity, friendship, and the power of music to bring people together.

 

Review

 

     I got this book as part of a tour site I'm a member on and we get five passes per year.  I almost used a pass towards reviewing this one, just because of the sheer personal pain that reading it brought me.  As someone who was bullied from grades 1-8 and spent the rest of my teenage years in awkward, shy distrust (and a few of my adult ones too), this was very difficult.  When I was reading Elise it was like looking in a mirror.  A little kid doesn't realize that they're doing something 'wrong' by being different - until other people start pointing it out and mistreating them for it.  I was lucky enough that when I reached high school the bullying ended and I found a measure of piece.  I also never got quite far enough to attempt suicide, but I did consider it many a time when I'd come home crying and heartbroken that no one liked me. 

 

 

 Me as a Zombie Princess in 5th Grade, LONG before it was cool.

 

     Elise wears all the wrong clothing.  She listens to all the wrong music.  And for the life of her, she can't figure out why everyone seems to hate her so much.  So this year, Elise is going to try something completely different.  She's going to buy clothes like everyone else wears, stop being the first with an answer in class and most of all Elise is going to be anyone but herself.  When even that doesn't work, Elise tries to kill herself.  Even that doesn't turn out how she though she wanted it to.  So when walking one night Elise stumbles on party girl Pippa and her musician friend Vicki, headed for the hottest underground party around.  Elise goes with them to Start and it changes her life.  Connecting with hot DJ Char, she starts to learn how to DJ as well and finds something she's truly passionate about.  But having friends for the first time in her life, and the complications they bring with them, Elise's entire life is turned upside down.  With the bullying at school intensifying and things at home blowing up as well, can Elise figure out what the right thing is?  And can she manage to figure out who she is in the process?

     I think that Elise was a startlingly realistic character.  That didn't always mean that she was the best person or the most interesting one in the room, but it meant that I cringed when she was treated like dirt.  I felt bad for her, even when she did stupid things like try to commit suicide and destroyed her little sister's school project (to try and get her to be normal like everyone else).  And as someone who's been there, it's difficult to feel like you're from a different planet than everyone else.  Romance was not a large factor in this book, but Elise did get into a quasi-relationship with Char (the hot, college-aged DJ who mentors her at first).  He turned out to be someone different than she though, acting like a womanizing douchebag most of the time.  But I think the dynamic between them and Char's twisted relationship with Pippa, a messed up British girl, help Elise realize that not everything's always what it seems.  Other people have problems too, they can just be better at hiding them. 

     Vicki's acceptance of Elise and her refusal to be shut out by her was awesome.  Not to mention Mel the doorman, who is just downright awesome.  I did like that Elise's parents were involved in her life, but agree with some other readers that they were somewhat clueless.  Sometimes parents just don't get bullying and how devastating it can be.  The resolution with the kids at her school was realistic as well.  Elise's attitude towards other people and her snobbery when it came to music was just downright mean at times though.  And the way she treats two gossipy, fellow unpopular girls from school who actually make an attempt to be her friend is rude and condescending.  That was the only thing that bugged me really in this book as an annoyance factor - Elise acting like she thought she was better than everyone (but feeling so lost without their approval).  Overall it was an intense read and I highly recommend it as a realistic look at bullying, especially for teachers and parents who feel like they just don't get it.  For former victims of bullying and those who might have had a suicide attempt, WARNING.  THIS BOOK CONTAINS TRIGGERS.

 

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

 

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication is September 17th, 2013.*



Ordinary People, Issues Included

Published:  January 1st, 1976
Ordinary People
By: Judith Guest
Viking Books
ISBN-13:  9780670528318

The Jarrets are a typical American family. Calvin is a determined, successful provider and Beth an organized, efficient wife. They had two sons, Conrad and Buck, but now they have one. In this memorable, moving novel, Judith Guest takes the reader into their lives to share their misunderstandings, pain...and ultimate healing.

Review

 

     A lot of people are depressed by this book.  I am not one of them and every time I re-read it (so far about six times!) it uplifts me and reminds me that nothing is ever quite so bad as I think it may be.  This book is about the Jarret family, Mom and Dad with their two sons.  When we meet them they only have one son left, Conrad, the younger son who has recently been released from a sanitarium after attempting suicide.  The book is mostly from Conrad's point of view, with some glimpses into his Father, Calvin's head.  The entire family is dealing with the loss of Con's brother Buck, but instead of bringing them together it's tearing them apart.  His Mother, Beth, is using every excuse to escape the situation with constant vacations and denial that anything is wrong.  One scene in particular at a friend's party, where Cal is slightly drunk and discusses Con's therapy, really makes her angry.  You don't share personal business with anyone but family, and even then you NEVER talk about it - that's her life motto.  Without perfection in her life anymore, Beth has no clue who to blame.  She becomes withdrawn and harsh when Cal tries to show any interest in Conrad, who is trying to piece his life back together in a way that makes him happy.  Which isn't necessarily the way his Mom wants things. Maybe Cal isn't as happy as he always thought either.  When he begins looking past the face value of the things in his life, the situation finally combusts.

     I loved this book.  It's an honest and hard look at the consequences of real-life tragedies and how they change people forever.  The family dynamic is extremely interesting, with Cal being the slightly hovering, interested parent and Beth seeming like she wishes Conrad would just disappear.  Conrad himself is messed up and after living his whole life in a house that kept repression and perfection as rulers (*cough* *Beth* *cough*) this is really the first time he has ever dealt with his emotions in an honest way.  As he works through the guilt, sadness and anger of Buck's death, as well as his twisted relationship with his Mom, we see him grow as a person and learn to let himself be happy.  Cal's transformation from clueless, middle-aged lawyer with the perfect wife and good son also is something to see.  He really starts to take off the rose colored glasses and feel what's going on in his life.  Dr. Berger, the not-so-crazy therapist that Con (and late Cal) go to see is what makes the book in my opinion.  His obvious contentment with life and it's ups/downs is the opposite of Cal and Con but it balances them out.  The ending of this book, reconnecting with the old while moving on with the new is beautiful.  One of my favorite books that I've read since becoming an adult.  Super glad that when I was nineteen the cover and synopsis intrigued me.  Overall and extremely well written novel, a character piece that is in the style of The Virgin Suicides or White Oleander.  It is something special that only comes around every so often.  I highly encourage anyone who hasn't read it to give it a shot!  You won't regret it! :)

 

VERDICT:  5/5  Stars

 

**No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.**

I'm So Over It

Expected Publication: September 18th, 2012
Burn for Burn
By: Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13: 9781442440753

BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY...
THEY GET EVEN.

Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.

Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.

Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.

Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

Review

   Lilllia has always been pretty, popular and has a great family life.  She manages things well until the night she has too much to drink at a party, and a boy goes to far even though she says 'no.'  Not to mention her younger sister seems to be having sleepovers with one of Lillia's guy friends (Alex Lind), lying and sneaking around.  She can't seem to count on her best friend Rennie, who seems more mean girl than friend lately.  So Lillia decides to get revenge on Alex herself - with the help of outcast Kat and not-so-new girl Mary.  Kat wants revenge on Rennie herself.  A long time ago they used to be best friends, until Rennie decided to ditch her and spread nasty rumors about her that ruined her seputation.  Now Kat is fed up and wants her to pay for what she's done.  Mary also wants revenge.  She came back to Jar Island specifically so that she could get back at one of the most popular boys in school, Reeve, who drove her to try committing suicide in the seventh grade and turned everyone against her.  Now she wants him to feel the pain that she's felt all of these years.  At first the girls are united under a drive for revenge and things run smoothly, just a little fun.  But when things get taken too far and someone ends up in the hospital, will the girls be able to live with themselves?  I thought the idea for the novel was intriguing and I loved Jenny Han's Summer series.  I'm not such a big fan of Siobhan Vivian, but I felt like with two writers it would easily overlooked.  I loved the narration for Lillia.  The poor girl was trying to please everyone in her life, while still keeping something for herself.  My main complaint would be that the rape was majorly glossed over.  It didn't affect Lillia nearly as much as I thought that it would.  Also, her entire 'revenge' issue could have been settled by simply freaking TALKING TO ALEX!  All the same, for me she was the most sympathetic.  With a horrible best friend like Rennie, sympathy is in order.  Second in my mind was Kat.  I identified with her ostracization, the rumors and the somewhat poor upbringing she had in comparison with her classmates.  I definitely understood her motivations for revenge and why Rennie was the target.  I mean, it wasn't enough to just ditch Alex she had to ruin her life as well, on the heels of the loss of her Mom.  The one character I didn't connect to AT ALL was Mary.  I felt like she was part of an after-school special, not a book.  She was very one-dimensional.  I never felt like I, as a reader, got much insight into her mind.  She was far more of a telling character than a 'showing' one.  The situation with Reeve felt very untrue and not very realistic (at least in my experience).  The plot was a little slow to unfold, but once it did it went really smoothly.  All except for a really abrupt and in my honest opinion, ridiculous ending.  Even if there is a sequel I don't forsee myself reading it.  The ending ruined any good feeling for the rest of the book on my part.  The hint of supernatural thrown in on the last few pages didn't fit in at all.  It was the Waldo of the 'Where Is Waldo' book series.  Not a book I will re-read or recommend.

VERDICT:  2.25/5  Stars

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. It will be available for purchase on September 18th, 2012.*