Review: "The Sky is Everywhere" by: Jandy Nelson

The Sky is Everywhere by: Jandy Nelson
Released: March 9th, 2010
Publisher: Dial
Age: Young Adult
Pages: 272
Overall:
Recommend Level: High
Challenge: 2010 Debut Author (The Story Siren)
Summary: Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey
dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in
town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.


Review: There are things I loved about this book and things...I didn't love, but didn't hate. First off, this chick is a spaz, which makes the book funny in some parts and down right sad in others. I laughed, got teary eyed, wondered what would happen, and wished other things hadn't happened.
Lennie is basically trying to figure out how to get by in life with out her sister and best friend, Bailey. Her mother disappeared when she was one year old so the only other family she has is her grandmother and uncle Big. But at the end of her Junior(I'm assuming) year of high school a new kid has come to town, Joe. And he seems to be completely relentless in getting to know Lennie, unbeknownst to her. When the school year ends Joe begins coming over every morning and spending the entire day at Lennie's to the point he becomes more like family.
Meanwhile Lennie is completely torn and lost when she gains feelings for Joe and also her (dead) sister's boyfriend, Toby.
Through poems she writes and drops all over town, and hiding in the closet her and her sister once shared, Lennie tries to figure out who she is now that her sister is gone.
I know it's completely wrong but I was also on the fence between Toby and Joe. There were times I thought "Joe, you're a jackass" and other times I thought "Joe...you're weird, but I love ya." And then there's Toby: "What the hell are you two doing? You're sister just died!" and "I get it, you're lost. I like you together." Twisted, but I was a little lost myself. There were things I liked about both of them.
During the times that it would really hit Lennie that her sister and mother were gone. She'd been avoiding her best friend, and trying to run from her grandmother's help....I really felt something. I even teared up once (or twice).
I completely loved that this book is really really fast paced. I finished it in one day.
Though the ending wasn't exactly what I wanted, I loved it.

One complaint I have is: It seems that Jandy Nelson has the entire book, characters, world of The Sky is Everywhere created in her mind, but doesn't completely let us in. If I hadn't read the summary, I wouldn't have known how old Lennie is. I didn't know she actually worked at the Deli until further into the book when it became obvious why she talked about it so often. I don't remember if we ever really got any insight to where her father is/was. It didn't feel...complete. But because everything else was fun and real, it completely made up for it.

P.S. I'll be honest, if I saw this cover in the library or store, I'd probably pass it up. It kind of looks like a self help book or a book about finding God....which is nowhere near my style!


Plot:
Characters:
Ending:
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(Check out the full list of 2010 Debut Authors I have lined up to read as well as the reviews of the ones I've already read. Just click here!)

Review: "Harry Potter (#1)" by: J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by: J.K. Rowling
Released: October 1st, 1997
Publisher: Scholastic
Age: Middle-Grade
Pages: 309
Overall:
Recommend Level: High
Summary: "Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility. All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son. Dudley--a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years. But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry--and anyone who reads about him--will find unforgettable. For it's there that he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him... if Harry can survive the encounter." - From book jacket.

Review: "The Summer of Skinny Dipping" by: Amanda Howells

The Summer of Skinny Dipping by: Amanda Howells
Released: June 1st, 2010
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Age: Young Adult
Pages: 324
Overall:
Recommend Level: Low
Challenge: 2010 Debut Author (The Story Siren)
Summary: "Sometimes I still wake up shivering in the early hours of the morning, drowning in dreams of being out there in the ocean that summer, of looking up at the moon and feeling as invisible and free as a fish. But I'm jumping ahead, and to tell the story right I have to go back to the very beginning. To a place called Indigo Beach. To a boy with pale skin that glowed against the dark waves. To the start of something neither of us could have predicted, and which would mark us forever, making everything that came after and before seem like it belonged to another life.
My name is Mia Gordon: I was sixteen years old, and I remember everything...."
After getting dumped by her boyfriend, Mia is looking forward to spending a relaxing summer in the Hamptons with her glamorous cousins. But when she arrives she find her cousins distant, moody, and caught up with a fast crowd. Mia finds herself lonelier than ever, until she meets her next-door-neighbor, Simon Ross. And from the very first time he encourages her to go skinny dipping, she's caught in a current impossible to resist.
Timeless in feel, The Summer of Skinny-Dipping is a poignant, literary coming-of-age romance that will live on long after summer has ended.


Review: I was so excited for this book. I was hoping for a light summer romance. (i.e. Sarah Dessen). Well, I turned to the wrong book.
Mia is a 16 year old girl who goes on vacation with her family to see her aunt, uncle and cousins: Corinne and Beth. When she realizes her cousin, Corinne--and used to be best friend--has become more like her older sister Beth, Mia begins trying to fit in...which doesn't work out so well when she's constantly putting herself down for not having "the perfect" body, being rich or just not as care-free as the girls.
At the first house party of the summer Simon comes in and Mia, at that moment doesn't want much to do with him. But when she begins taking night strolls along the beach and sees Simon out there too, that's when their friendship begins to build. Late night trips to Indigo Beach and their love of art.
Simon trying to dodge his father's fist. And Mia trying to dodge her mother.
Of course it takes forever to get there and I have to say it's not a fun journey.
There is too much narrative. And no matter how good the writing is--in this book it's decent--I don't want to continue reading if the protagonist is constantly whining or describing in way too much detail every little inane thing.
The only good parts about this book were the nights with Simon. I actually dreaded it when they said 'goodnight'. But the bad thing is there wasn't much actual conversation to read, just what Mia said happened.
Of course with a summer romance comes loss. But did there have to be a loss? No. No there didn't!
I feel as if Amanda Howells was trying to mix Sarah Dessen and Nicholas Sparks and failed...failed.
Most people's first books aren't amazing, so I will keep her in mind. But I don't have Amanda Howells on my "authors to look for" list.

In My Mailbox (010)

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and it explores the contents of my mailbox or shopping bag on a weekly basis. Here's what I acquired over the past two weeks:


Here's Everything: (all from the library)

• Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone by: J.K. Rowling
• Whisper by: Phoebe Kitanidis
• The Sky is Everywhere by: Jandy Nelson

Surpringly, I have never read any of the Harry Potter books...and I've known about them since I was in 5th grade. (And I'm 21 now.) I am a huge fan of the movies. I just never bothered reading the books. I am hoping to read them all except Deathly Hallows by November. I don't want to read the book before I see the movie. It used to be vice versa for me, but now I think I'm going to watch the show or movie before reading the book. (Of course, unless the movie comes out after I've read it.)

P.S. Have you seen the epicness of the Deathly Hallows trailer!? If not you must, click here to watch. The only other Harry Potter movie I saw in theaters was Sorcerer's Stone so I kind of, pretty much, have to see Deathly Hallows. :)

Whisper and The Sky is Everywhere are both debut novels. 

That's pretty much my boring IMM for this week!!