Showing posts with label Light and Fluffy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Light and Fluffy. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Top Ten Books When You Need Something Light & Fun

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. The topic this week is Top Ten Books When You Need Something Light and Fun. I had a little difficulty with this simply because I've read so much Light and Fun over the last few years that listing only ten seemed hard. They've also become a necessity, and believe it or not, these books comprise half of my Goodreads challenge.  While many of them were a meh, a bunch has made it to my favorites-list. Here are some of them in no particular order.

The Truth About ForeverLove at First Click (First Kisses, #6)The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat FriendPride & Popularity (The Jane Austen Diaries, #1)Awkward
Anna and the French Kiss (Anna and the French Kiss, #1)Take a BowVanished: When Lightning Strikes & Code Name CassandraMy Unfair Godmother (My Fair Godmother, #2)I've Got Your Number

This is my first and favorite Sarah Dessen book.  The plot is a combination of light and deep, with a sweet story and not-so-much drama. It's one of my go-to reads when I need something for a long ride or when the mood strikes and I want to SAWOON over Wes Baker.
Love at First Click is a cutesy YA contemporary that I inhaled in a few hours. I remember loving Hayley, the main character, and relating to her. Not because I like my sister's boyfriend (I don't even have a sister) but because I can see myself in her character. I also hate stories of cheating and stealing, and this book is not at all about those.
"Wesley Rush doesn’t chase girls, but I’m chasing you" This. Line. Never. Fails. The DUFF is addicting, entertaining and sexy. The interaction between our sarcastic, bold and manwhore-hating heroine, Bianca and the HOTT Wesley Rush is something I go back to every once in a while. I've reread this one thrice. so  far.
Pride and Popularity is my favorite P&P retelling. I've always enjoyed reading adaptations of Jane Austen's novels, but there's something about the way Jenni James writes her books that make them stand out among others. Yes, they're predictable but they're also a lot of fun. 
"I killed him with my awkwardness"
This book is funny and cute! Awkward is about a girl who became an overnight YouTube sensation after knocking out a jock and attempting to 'revive' him by doing CPR. After reading the synopsis, I immediately got my copy and was glad I did.
What's more fun than strolling along the streets of Paris and falling inlove with Etienne St. Claire? Anna and the French Kiss is one of my all-time favorites and it's flawless in my opinion. This book is goofy-smile-on-your-face-after kind of good.
This is not only an enjoyable read, but very inspiring as well. It has music, art, drama and romance to name a few. All of them combined and you get this heartwarming and entertaining novel.
This series introduced me to Meg Cabot's writing and has been my favorite work of hers ever since. It has no dull moment, given the adorable heroine and exciting albeit a bit quirky plot to every installment.
I guess I'm cheating a little by this but I don't care. Every single one of her books are delightful to read and full of charm. I particularly loved My Fair Godmother series, in which Ms. Rallison mixed fairy-tales with contemporary teenage MC's. 
 I didn't realize how much I'm missing out on some good Chick-Lit until I read my first Sophie Kinsella book last year. I absolutely loved and enjoyed I've Got Your Number and my coke-through-the-nose-funny shelf on Goodreads was born out of reading it.


What are your top Light & Fun reads? Feel free to share them in the comments or post the link to your own top ten list!

Friday, May 3, 2013

Mini Reviews: Life in Outer Space and Smart Girls Get What They Want


Life in Outer Space
Genre: YA Contemporary
ARC: 308 pages
Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont
Release Date: February 1st, 2013
Rating: 4 stars
‘Full of energy, wit and tenderness; this is one big-hearted and unique book.’ - Leanne Hall 

Sam Kinnison is a geek, and he’s totally fine with that. He has his horror movies, his nerdy friends, World of Warcraft – and until Princess Leia turns up in his bedroom, he doesn’t have to worry about girls. 

Then Sam meets Camilla. She’s beautiful, friendly and completely irrelevant to his life. Sam is determined to ignore her, except that Camilla has a life of her own – and she’s decided that he’s going to be part of it. 

Sam believes that everything he needs to know he can learn from the movies ... but now it looks like he’s been watching the wrong ones. 

‘Hilarious and heartfelt.’ - Sally Rippin
Review
Ever since Cindy Bennett introduced me to adorable geeks in her novel Geek Girl, I've been eagerly in search for books that feature smart, geeky and endearing heroes to get a breather from mysterious and angst-y ones. From the moment I saw  the cover and read the blurb to Life in Outer Space, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy.

Being inside Sam's head proved to be not only enjoyable, but also refreshing. He's a witty narrator whose voice connected to me, despite the movie and other nerdy and pop-culture references I mostly didn't get.  Enter the set of pleasant and varied minor characters that made this book an even more fun read. For obvious reasons, I liked Camilla the most . Camilla is the cool new girl in town who seem to blend among the Vessels (popular kids) and Sam's group. She helped Sam and went out of her way to do things he hasn't done before, like learning how to play guitar and watching rom-coms, or as Camilla say, feel-good movies. 

I inhaled this in just a few hours, and while the book didn't blow my mind or change my life, the added subplots deliver further substance and heart to the story. Overall,  Life in Outer Space is a wonderful debut novel by Melissa Klein. It was a light and sweet read that will tug at your heartstrings and appeal to everyone's inner geek. I highly recommend this if you're looking for something to give you good vibes in one sitting.

I would like to thank Dianne of Oops! I Read a Book Again for lending me her ARC!

Smart Girls Get What They Want
Genre: YA Contemporary
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Balzer +  Bray
Release Date: June 26th, 2012
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository
Rating: 3.5 stars
Gigi, Bea, and Neerja are best friends and total overachievers. Even if they aren't the most popular girls in school, they aren't too worried. They know their real lives will begin once they get to their Ivy League colleges. There will be ivy, and there will be cute guys in the libraries (hopefully with English accents)! But when an unexpected event shows them they're missing out on the full high school experience, it's time to come out of the honors lounge and into the spotlight. They make a pact: They will each take on their greatest challenge—and they will totally rock it. 

Gigi decides to run for student rep, but she'll have to get over her fear of public speaking—and go head-to-head with gorgeous California Will. Bea used to be one of the best skiers around, until she was derailed. It could be time for her to take the plunge again. And Neerja loves the drama club but has always stayed behind the scenes—until now. 


These friends are determined to show the world that smart girls really can get what they want—but that could mean getting way more attention than they ever bargained for. . . .
Review
Smart Girls Get What They Want is the kind of book that will leave you smiling and feeling fuzzy inside. It's funny, cute, and a little romantic, with its charming and overachieving characters I couldn't help but adore. And despite it being an easy and short read, the plot leaves plenty of room for character growth. We witness how Gia, Bea, and Neerja step out of their comfort zones and grow their potentials outside academics. Ultimately, it touches on how strong their friendship is, which I think is the highlight of the story.

However, I couldn't overlook the fact that it's predictable, cliché, and it uses tropes I usually encounter in YA Contemporary. It wouldn't stay with me for a long time, and it will probably be forgotten by the end of summer. That being said, I still consider this a highly entertaining story to read in-between heavier books. 



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