Title: Gossip Girl
Author: Cecily von Ziegesar
Copyright date: 2002
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
How many pages: 201
How long it took me to read: 3 days

Category: Teen Fiction
I learned about this book from: I really don't remember lol
This book was purchased at: dunno, it's Laura's :)
Other books by this author: A bunch of other GG books

Main characters: Blair and Serena, and I guess Nate?
Favorite characters: Guh I didn't like ANYBODY til almost the end lol, but I like Serena, Dan, Jenny, and maybe Vanessa and her sister Ruby
Least favorite Characters: Pretty much everybody else lol
When and Where the story takes place: NYC, present day
Plot in a nutshell: Serena is back in town after getting kicked out of boarding school... here, the back of the book says "Welcome to NYC's Upper East Side, where my friends and I live, go to school, play, and sleep -- sometimes with each other..... S is back from boarding school, and if we aren't careful, she's going to win over our teachers, wear that dress we couldn't fit into, steal our boyfriends' hearts, and basically ruin our lives in a major way. I'll be watching closely.... You know you love me, gossip girl"

What I liked best: I really like the Gossip Girl blogs. It's a unique angle, and I like how it seems as if she's narrating the whole thing. After reading this, I realize how awesome Kristen Bell does on the show :)
What I liked least: It was interesting, but it took me a long time to like a character, and if I don't like any of the characters, I pretty much don't care. But I like it now lol

What parts could you relate to: I guess getting caught up in gossip. Done that before.
Did you learn anything from this book: Just confirmed that guys suck ahaha.
Would you read it again, or give it away: Probably wouldn't read it again.
Would this book make a good movie?: It's a tv show, I think that's waaaaayyyy better since it's all gossipy.
Quote from the book that sums it up: n/a


Overall Rating: Publishers Weekly said it best: "A nasty, guilty pleasure. The book has the effect of gossip itself -- once you enter, it's hard to extract yourself."

Title: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You
Author: Ally Carter
Copyright date: 2006
Publisher: Hyperion
How many pages: 284
How long it took me to read: 2 days

Category: Teen Fiction
I learned about this book from: Barnes & Noble
This book was purchased at: B & N :)
Other books by this author: Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy

Main characters: Cammie, and her friends Liz and Bex
Favorite characters: I liked almost all the characters, so idk
Least favorite Characters: Dillon, he's a DICK
When and Where the story takes place: Present day, at an all girls school
Plot in a nutshell: Teenage genius girls training to be spies, but then one meets a boy, and she can't tell him the truth about her..

What I liked best: I've always liked the whole "spy" angle. When I was little I acted like Harriet the Spy all the time, and my cousin and I had "agent" names. Oh...I also like how the author keeps referencing Gilmore Girls and Buffy :)
What I liked least: It was a little TOO easy of a read, not much depth there.

What parts could you relate to: Unfortunately I'm not cool enough to be a sweet spy or anything..
Did you learn anything from this book: No lol
Would you read it again, or give it away: Ehhh idk maybe
Would this book make a good movie?: It could either be a very clever, fun movie or a bad Spy Kids rip-off starring Jamie Lynn Spears.... I suppose it depends on how they go about it.
Quote from the book that sums it up: n/a


Overall Rating: A little simple, but entertaining nonetheless. And I love the spy angle. I plan on getting book two for sure :)

Title: Black Widow
Author: Marion Collins
Copyright date: 2007
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
How many pages: 250
How long it took me to read: About a week

Category: True Crime
I learned about this book from: Browsing at Meijer
This book was purchased at: Meijer
Other books by this author: While She Slept, The Palm Beach Murder, Without a Trace

Main characters: I don't know that you can call them characters, but Lynn, Glenn, and Randy
Favorite characters: n/a
Least favorite Characters: Lynn... stupid biotch
When and Where the story takes place: Georgia?
Plot in a nutshell: Lynn is a stupid person who seduced and married her first husband just to prove that she could. She would cheat on him while he worked 2-3 jobs to pay off her bills and even though she'd only had sex with him twice after getting married, he refused to cheat on her. She ended up poisoning him, and another man soon after.

What I liked best: I don't know.... I guess the format, how it was written.
What I liked least: Lynn, cuz she's stupid stupid stupid ass... ugh I hate her.

What parts could you relate to: Mostly the writing, because it was done in a journalistic style, and I was a journalism major at one point... it took me back to those days.
Did you learn anything from this book: Yes I did.
Would you read it again, or give it away: Once was enough lol
Would this book make a good movie?: Yep probably.
Quote from the book that sums it up: There was a part where they were talking about stray animals that I thought was pretty ironic. It went like this:

"Berry asked how Lynn reacted to Gilleland's advice about catching the strays.

'She thought it was kind of cruel to trap them only to put them down.'" --pg 214


Overall Rating: A bit slow at times, but interesting nonetheless.

Title: Stray
Author: Rachel Vincent
Copyright date: 2007
Publisher: Mira
How many pages: 618
How long it took me to read: Hahaha like 3 weeks. It took me a while to get into it, and I was also reading a bunch of comics... so there :P

Category: Young Adult fiction?
I learned about this book from: Perusing the shelves of Meijer one night
This book was purchased at: Meijer, that same night
Other books by this author: n/a

Main characters: Faythe
Favorite characters: Faythe and her brothers, Abby, Marc sometimes lol
Least favorite Characters: Miguel... ewww.
When and Where the story takes place: Down South I think... around Mississippi.
Plot in a nutshell: Faythe is a shapeshifter... she and her family can turn into very big kitties. She is also very independent and kind of left her Pride to go to school, but then tabbies (the single females) start getting kidnapped so she returns home (not by choice, mind you). Things start unfolding from there...

What I liked best: I liked how independent and self-sufficient Faythe was. She really kicks ass.
What I liked least: See above. She was a little too hard-headed at times lol. But also, I disliked how long it took me to get into this book. But near the middle it started to pick up for me.

What parts could you relate to: Wanting to be treated with respect. I also want to be that independent.
Did you learn anything from this book: Kind of, but it's hard to put into words.
Would you read it again, or give it away: I'll probably end up giving it to the library, but I would read a sequel.
Would this book make a good movie?: Yeah, it could.
Quote from the book that sums it up: "Fortunately, my new responsibility came with one awesome perk: all the ass I could kick. What self-respecting girl could say no to that?" --Faythe, pg 618


Overall Rating: Unique, entertaining, though a bit slow at first... this book takes girl power to a whole new level :)

Title: Cathy's Book
Author: Stewart/Weisman/Brigg
Copyright date: 2006
Publisher: Running Press
How many pages: 143
How long it took me to read: 4 days

Category: Teen fiction
I learned about this book from: Looking around at Target.
This book was purchased at: Borders.
Other books by this author: Cathy's Key

Main characters: Cathy
Favorite characters: Cathy, Victor, Tsao
Least favorite Characters: Ummm... Jun. And those cops.
When and Where the story takes place: California
Plot in a nutshell: Cathy is dating this guy, when he suddenly disappears. Being kinda crazy (she set a previous ex's car on fire lol) she goes to his house and discovers this huge mystery, and it's all documented in her journal.

What I liked best:I really like the journal format, and the mystery. Oh and that Veronica Mars was mentioned in a review, and I did NOT know that until I actually bought the book. I know what you're thinking :P
What I liked least: Some of the acronyms I didn't know :P

What parts could you relate to: I didn't so much relate to this, as I wish I could be way more forward like Cathy is. Minus the setting cars on fire lol. She barfs in the car intentionally so that her DNA is left behind incase these copper dudes mean to kill her.
Did you learn anything from this book: Not really, but it was fun.
Would you read it again, or give it away: I would probably read it again, but actually call the phone numbers and check the websites and stuff, because I think it's set up so that they actually work.
Would this book make a good movie?: Yeah, it could.
Quote from the book that sums it up: "Without us, the world is just things, Cathy. It's our seeing that fills them with meaning." --Cathy's dad, pg 128.


Overall Rating: Fun, interactive.. cool journal format. I liked it! Candace, you might wanna read it :)

Title: Cell
Author: Stephen King
Copyright date: 2006
Publisher: Pocket Books
How many pages: 449
How long it took me to read: 11 days

Category: Horror/Fiction
I learned about this book from: The bookstore.
This book was purchased at: Costco
Other books by this author: I don't find it necessary to list them lol

Main characters: Clay, Tom, Alice, Jordan
Favorite characters: Clay, Tom, and Jordan
Least favorite Characters: That ass hole Gunnar or however you spell his stupid name
When and Where the story takes place: On the east coast; Maine, New Hampshire, etc.
Plot in a nutshell: Some sort of transmission is sent via-cell phones. Anyone who is on a cell at the time, or uses it after is infected with it and basically turns into a zombie, or as they are called in the book, "phone crazies". The main characters are fighting to survive, and Clay, the mainest of the main characters if you will (lol) is trying to make it back home to his wife and son.

What I liked best: Clay is a graphic artist so you sometimes see people or scenes as if they were comic book characters/settings. I also like how the zombies are telepathic. VERY cool.
What I liked least: How Stephen King is on a kick of not tying things up and letting you know what happens.

What parts could you relate to: Uhh... lol.. I've often had a dislike of cell phones. I guess that lol.
Did you learn anything from this book: I wouldn't say I learned anything, but it was nice to see a new twist on the whole zombie thing.
Would you read it again, or give it away: I probably wouldn't read it again, but I might.
Would this book make a good movie?: Yes, it could be an amazing movie.
Quote from the book that sums it up: I found 2-
"Christ, it's zombie heaven." --Tom, pg 124

"At bottom, you see, we are not Homo sapiens at all. Our core is madness. The prime directive is murder. What Darwin was too polite to say, my friends, is that we came to rule the earth not because we were the smartest, or even the meanest, but because we have always been the craziest, most murderous motherfuckers in the jungle. And that is what the Pulse exposed five days ago." --The Head, pg 206


Overall Rating: Very entertaing, very effing CREEPY. Great characters, a unique twist on zombies. The only problem I have is the ending, it could have tied some loose ends more than it did.