Teenage Girls Will Kill Me

1. They can be real bitches
2. Their drama always pisses me off
3. It might be possible that you can actually die from worrying too much

Where do you draw the line, as a mother, between how much teenage girl drama to get involved in and how much to let them work out on their own?   I remember only a few instances where my mother got involved with my teenage drama.  

Once, when some crazy chick (who has sent me about five friend requests through Facebook because apparently she is so stupid that she can't figure out that if, we were not friends in high school, we are not going to be friends now) harassed me to the point that she actually showed up at my front door and proceeded to inform my mother that she was there to "kick my ass".   Oops.  I guess someone forgot to tell her that my mother had no problem ripping her to shreds.  See what I mean about stupid?  Sometimes you just can't outgrow stupid.  As I said before, no names shall be mentioned to protect the stupid but I can give you some hints. 

1. Her name could also be considered one of the most common stripper names

2. Kids love to eat it, and if it's chocolate I love to eat it too.

3.  It rhymes with sandy.

See how that works?  Three is a magic number and I still refrained from giving away the identity of those that irritate me most.

Anyway, there might have been another time or two that my mom mediated between my 'besties' and myself when we had a falling out.  Of course, back then, whatever the problem was must have been the most dramatic thing ever (the equivalent to each and every episode of the Bachelor) but only the most upsetting and hurtful were the times I told my mother about and therefore she intervened.

So now, as a mother, when my teenage daughter comes to me in tears I weigh carefully whether or not to get involved or to let her work it out on her own.  Yesterday, I got involved.  I chose to get involved because she was being unfairly accused of something and treated horribly by the person that is her best friend.  As a mother it is the most helpless feeling in the world to see your child hurting and know that there is little, if anything, you can do about it.  If I can do something about it, trust me, I will. 

So without going into too many details the general outline is as follows:  Best friend goes on vacation and makes some stupid decisions.  I see/hear/read bits & pieces of information over the course of a month to basically figure out a general idea of what happened.  I know parents of best friend know most of it as best friend has already been punished but think there might be more to the story than everyone knows.  I jokingly make a comment regarding not knowing whether or not I want to see the vacation photos and the next day the best friend has:

1. told my daughter not to speak to her anymore because she is not trustworthy and that my daughter is the reason she is trouble

2. Made passive aggressive status updates toward my daughter and then proceed to tear her apart via chat

3. De-friend me

So, yeah...I got involved.

Let's break this down.  First, all the 'intel' I had came from one text message I overhead and then read, information parents of best friend told me, and then direct comments from the culprit herself.  I think she might be so caught in trying to make herself sound cool and between the truth and lies she has forgotten what she has said and to whom.  Secondly, she then makes comments towards my daughter on facebook and then has a "chat" with her accusing her of being at fault, telling her not to talk to her, she can't trust her, etc. until she virtually hangs up on their conversation.  

So apparently there was more to the story and the off the cuff comment I made gave her some food for thought and so she went home and confessed something to her parents. Thirdly, when I told her in no uncertain terms to grow up, she would no longer treat my daughter that way or blame her for her own dumb choices,  and that she wouldn't come to my home again until she apologized to my daughter and to me...she de-friended me.  LOL.  Apparently in the teen world that is something worth losing sleep over.  Meanwhile I have been playing phone tag with mother of best friend, who at this point, probably thinks I know about whatever best friend confessed to and didn't tell her about it.  The drama never ends.

So back to my list.  I am pretty sure that teen girls could be the death of me.  And people wonder why I drink so much wine.

Zombie Blondes by Brian James and Hourglass by Claudia Gray

Zombie Blondes
By: Brian James

3 Stars

Summary:
Each time fifteen-year-old Hannah and her out-of-work father move she has some fears about making friends, but a classmate warns her that in Maplecrest, Vermont, the cheerleaders really are monsters.

You know how on American Idol the judges say stuff like, "You look great tonight and it was just aw'ight!" because the song wasn't bad but it wasn't extraordinary either? That is how I feel about this book. I love the cover. I love the title. I love the hope that I had for this book. The book itself was pretty good and it held my attention (although I admit that at times I did skim through some of the pages just trying to get past the monologues and to the detailed action and dialogue). Overall it wasn't my favorite book I have read this year and there didn't seem to be any foreshadowing of a possible series so as a stand alone title I give it a 'Randy Jackson' "it was aw'ight!"



Hourglass
By Claudia Gray

5 Stars

Summary:
Star-crossed lovers Lucas and Bianca are on the run, pursued not only by Black Cross vampire hunters but also by the powerful vampires of Evernight, when Bianca learns that her destiny is tied to that of the wraiths.


The third in the series that I have long been waiting for...I devoured this book over Spring Break...trying my best to savor it! I wasn't aware that a fourth in the series would follow...albeit a publishing date of 2011 which might as well be a billion years from now! This book was rich in detail and plot with all the same characters we have grown to either love or hate. A few twists and turns along the way including character reveals you won't expect as well as a plot that will keep you turning the pages. If that doesn't work then surely you will enjoy the maturing of the relationship between Bianca and Lucas as their white hot passion and love for one another is undeniable. I can't wait for book four to see how this story concludes...maybe I can get a preview copy somehow! (Hint! Hint! Claudia Gray and her publishers, publicist, etc.)

Sidebar note: This series would surely make great films with the right casting. I am going to have to get on that! I already know exactly who I would choose to play Balthazar...now on to the rest of the cast!

Wings by Aprilynne Pike and THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX by Mary E. Pearson

Wings
by: Aprilynne Pike

4 Stars

When a plant blooms out of fifteen-year-old Laurel's back, it leads her to discover that she is a faerie and she has a crucial role to play in keeping the world safe from enemy trolls.

This book is a good mix between fantasy and action with a little romantic love triangle. It is written well with a good pace to keep the reader turning the pages. The main character, Laurel, is believable as a strong independent young woman. Although her main love interest seems a little too good to be true, girls will relish in the relationship that develops between Laurel and David. The ending is well balanced between concluding the main conflict and leaving an opening for a sequel. It is appropriate for 7th grade and up.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox
By: Mary E. Pearson

4 Stars

In the not-too-distant future, when biotechnological advances have made synthetic bodies and brains possible but illegal, a seventeen-year-old girl, recovering from a serious accident and suffering from memory lapses, learns a startling secret about her existence.

Part science fiction, part thriller, this book was one that I ignored for many months and then couldn't put down once I picked it up. Jenna Fox wakes up from a coma after a horrific accident to find that she has moved across the country and while she can recall historical facts and recite poetry she doesn't remember learning she recalls very little about herself, her life, and her family. Little by little Jenna begins to piece together her life before the accident and is startled to discover the truth about her existence since the accident. This book draws not only a line in the sand but also a big question mark questioning the difference between what science CAN do and what science SHOULD do. This book is appropriate for 7th grade and up.

The Hunger Games & Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games
By: Suzanne Collins
5 Stars (But really 10 stars)

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen accidentally becomes a contender in the annual Hunger Games, a grave competition hosted by the Capitol where young boys and girls are pitted against one another in a televised fight to the death.

Have you ever had a book sitting around for weeks, possibly months, just sitting there...collecting dust even, on your desk or table? Then when you finally got around to picking it up and reading it you felt like slapping yourself in the forehead like those old V8 commercials? That's what I felt like when after a full year this book was still sitting on my "to read" shelf I finally picked it up and thought to myself, "I guess it is time to see what all the fuss is about." I am so glad I did because now I know. NOW I KNOW!!!

To say that Katniss accidentally becomes a contender in the games is something of a misuse of words. She volunteers to be in the games to save her 12 year old sister from going. I already like this girl. She hunts (illegally) in the woods for food for her family with her BFF Gale, a boy that is obviously in love with her. After volunteering for the games she finds herself surrounded by her own personal entourage of stylist, mentors, and consultants. When she realizes she is being pitted against several other contestants including an adorable baker's son she is destined to be bonded to, she has to decide how she will play the game in order to survive. While she is seemingly clueless in many ways this girl is strong, independent, and determined. Did I mention I like her? If I had to pick one element of this book to claim as my favorite it would be voice. The voice of the main character/narrator/protagonist Katniss is so strong, likable, and immediately recognizable you are guaranteed to sit for hours turning the pages just as fast as your eyes can read.

Catching Fire: Sequel to The Hunger Games
By: Suzanne Collins
5 Stars (But really 10 also)

By winning the annual Hunger Games, District 12 tributes Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have secured a life of safety and plenty for themselves and their families, but because they won by defying the rules, they unwittingly become the faces of an impending rebellion.

There is another one?? How did I get so lucky? The sequel was just as good as the first book in what I know now will for sure be a trilogy (book 3 coming out in August 2010). I am just as impressed with book two as I was book one. Another page turner I could not put down. What I love about this series reminds me of one of the main reasons I loved the Harry Potter series so much. Each book built upon one another and you don't even see it coming. They layer each other, over lapping in certain areas, exposing secrets in other areas. The story is so richly detailed that I wonder if the author has the entire series planned out and then goes back in and fills in the details and dialogue. It is so mesmerizing to me that as I read book two I would suddenly remember things from book one that seemed so insignificant but now holds a key piece of information. I found myself reading book two and taking mental notes in case I needed to remember a seemingly minute detail later in the future. Of course now I must suffer until August to read book three. WHY??? My only hope is that there will be advanced reader copies at the annual Library convention. Just in case, I plan to spend the next six weeks as if I were in football boot camp or military training so I can be prepared to locate and secure a copy. {insert maniacal laugh}

Read this series and you too will be plotting, planning, and laughing like a maniac. It's THAT good.

All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn

All the Lovely Bad Ones
By: Mary Downing Hahn
4 STARS

Travis and his sister Corey decide to boost business at their grandmother's Vermont inn by staging a few "hauntings" that soon draw tourists from across the country, but when their antics awaken a dark force, they must find a way to put to rest the ghosts
they have disturbed.

I will admit that at the beginning I wasn't a fan of the two main characters because I thought they were very impish and immature for their age. Once the ghosts were "awakened" however, I was pulled into the story and started rooting for the main characters in their quest to help the shadow children and completely rid the property of the dark force. This book kept me interested and wasn't over the top scary, in fact, I read most of it in the dark by book light on a drive home from out of town. It has a mystery feel to it but it is certainly a ghost story and a read worth picking up.

When You Reach Me & Schooled

When You Reach Me
By: Rebecca Stead
4 STARS
Great pick for any lover of time travel or the book A Wrinkle in Time.

As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1980s television game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid," a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space.

While the setting of this book is 1979 and it appears to be written as realistic fiction with mystery undertones it turns out that it is a time traveling mystery. Who knew? I guess you do now! However, this does in no way spoil the book for a reader. In fact, it is likely that it makes it that much more appealing. Trying to solve the clues when you don't know what the clues are is a very intriguing plot. It could, at times, be a little confusing but I think that was more because of my nature to attempt to over analyze the plot and try to figure out the book before the reader is meant to figure it out. Those kinds of books frustrate me but they sure make for an interesting read.


Schooled
By: Gordon Korman
5 STARS

When his grandmother falls and hurts herself, Capricorn Anderson is forced to move leave his commune behind, move into a foster home, and attend the public school. At Claverage Middle School, Capricorn's name is put on the ballot for the election of class president.

Gordon Korman never fails to deliver. This book makes me want to be a tree hugging, environmental, corn husk shoe wearing, tie-dye making, peace and love for all hippy throw back. I also want to personally proclaim that it is now a life resolution of mine to be like Capricorn Anderson in mind and spirit as much as possible. Reading this book made me feel good and made me think about how I act, how I react, how I treat others, and what it is I can do to give back to the community and to the planet we all share. Great book with memorable characters and a wonderful moral.

A Mango Shaped Space by Wendy Mass & Splendor by Anna Godbersen

I just finished A Mango Shaped Space by Wendy Mass. This was a quick read and a great book. It is about Mia, who finds out the colors she sees is a real condition called Synesthesia.

Brief summary: "Afraid that she is crazy, thirteen-year-old Mia, who sees a special color with every letter, number, and sound, keeps this a secret until she becomes overwhelmed by school, changing relationships, and the death of her beloved cat, Mango. "


I am currently reading Splendor by Anna Godbersen. It is book 4 in the Luxe Series and I am addicted! I can not wait to crack open this book and bury my nose. I have refrained from reading the spoilers which is so unlike me because usually I can not wait. I just hope everything works out the way I want it to!

Brief summary: "In 1900 New York City, fashionable debutante Diana Holland and married soldier Henry Schoonmaker risk their place in society to be with one another."