Review: Girl Out Loud by Emily Gale

Girl Out Loud by Emily Gale
Release Date: June 1, 2012
Publisher: Scholastic
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher *in exchange for an honest review*
Pages: 288

*Silent Scream!*
Kass Kennedy is nobody's idol. She does forget the lyrics. She's not a gleek. The x factor? Not her! Read her lips: She has the right to remain silent.
Just try telling that to her dad.
Because he's totally lost it this time, demanding Kass audition for a TV talent show. Which would be slightly less than death-by-embarrassment if Kass could (duh!) actually sing. And if even the smallest part of her craved the spotlight. Stardom is her dad's dream, not hers. But he's so fragile, she's afraid he just might crack if she doesn't go through with his latest, craziest plan.
Not helping: Her hopelessly MIA mom. The budding criminal mastermind also known as her kid brother. And amateur shrink Izzy and used-to-be-sweet Char, who've gone all frenemies over a boy in brown boots. (Don't ask.)
It's only rock n' roll? If only! Inside, Kass is screaming, but no one is listening. How loud does a girl have to shout to be heard? 

 Whoa! If you want to start reading a amazing novel, Girl Out Loud is the book for you!

The characters: Kassidy or Kass as she is usually called, is a fun girl. She is about 15 or 16 but thinks that she's 24. She was very mature and handled a lot of tough situations really good. She was always there if her friends needed her but in this book they get into a few little fights and that kind of breaks up their terrific trio. I felt that sometimes she could be kind of childish and I wanted to slap her and tell her to get her head in the game.

The plot and writing style: We follow Kass Kennedy. Your average every day girl. Except, her dad is kinda messed up. He wants her to be the star and do everything that he can't and that is really hard on Kass. One day, well everything changes when her dad says that he wants her to audition for the X Factor and that this would be really really good. The writing style was so awesome and fast paced and omg!

Overall, well I don't think I need to say anymore. I know I say 'Go get this book now!' a lot. Ok maybe more than a lot but this is definitely one to go check out or pre-order or whatever it is that you guys do.


                                                                     5/5

Weekly Round-Up

So, this week I didn't get anything in the mail. But I decided I would do a wrap up of everything that I posted this week.

Reviews: 

Anna & the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins

Flygirl - Sherri E. Smith

Wow:

Fingerprints of You - Kristen-Paige Madonia

Interview: 

This or That with Naya Nikki

And I also changed up the blog style this week. How do you like it?

This or That with Naya Nikki!

Naya Nikki is a student author who spends her time writing short stories and novels in between doing an English with Creative Writing degree at Nottingham Trent University. When not at a university she lives at home with her parents in London and spends time with her family and friends. Her hobbies include reading and shopping.

WHEN WRITING

Pen & and Paper or Computer?

Pen and Paper, it is always easier to get a hold of in the middle of a lecture..haha

During the day or through the night?

Through the night..... I'm nocturnal

With or Without music?

With music, especially Angels and Airwaves, I concentrate better with their music

BOOKS

Paperback or hardback?

Hardback, because I love to get them as soon as they're released

Physical copy or e-readers?

Physical copy, you feel like you have achieved something after reading them

RANDOM

Rain or sunshine?

Sunshine, always puts a smile on my face

Lipstick or Lipgloss?

Lipgloss, it tastes better :)

Coffee or tea?

Tea, it's a family thing

                                                 Thanks so much Naya for stopping by!

                                          Make sure you check out her upcoming novel, Familiar Ties!

Review: Flygirl by Sherri E. Smith

Flygirl by Sherri. E Smith
Release Date: September 16, 2012
Publisher: Scholastic
Format: Paperback
Pages: 269
Source: borrowed

Ida Mae Jones dreams of flight. Her daddy was a pilot and being black didn't stop him from fulfilling his dreams. But her daddy's gone now, and being a woman, and being black, are two strikes against her.
When America enters the war with Germany and Japan, the Army creates the WASP, the Women's Airforce Service Pilots - and Ida suddenly sees a way to fly as well as do something significant to help her brother stationed in the Pacific. But even the WASP won't accept her as a black woman, forcing Ida Mae to make a difficult choice of "passing," of pretending to be white to be accepted into the program. Hiding one's racial heritage, denying one's family, denying one's self is a heavy burden. And while Ida Mae chases her dream, she must also decide who it is she really wants to be.

My Review: I am not a huge historical fiction fan. If I do read historical fiction, it's a Dear America book. Which takes like an hour to read. This was definitely very different from a Dear America novel and I'm here to tell you why I liked that.
   First, the characters. Ida or "Jonesy" as called by Patsy is an african american woman. She was very strong willed and never wanted to stop flying. She was very opinionated and always stuck to her opinion, which was usually right. Jolene was only there for a short time but I really didn't like her. I think she was just way too jealous for my taste. She was also always rude to Ida Mae. Sometimes I wanted to jump in there and slap her. (Ha). Patsy and Lily were just so sweet and they were just like Ida. Patsy was a little more spunky though.
   Next, the plot. We follow Ida Mae Jones. She was born in raised in Louisiana. Her daddy's family has always married whites so that they're children can become lighter and lighter and lighter. Ida Mae's daddy married her dark mom which made his mom very mad. Ida's dad passed away a few years ago in a farming accident. Ever since then she has always wanted to fly and be a pilot. She knew she could since she looked like a white woman and could fly. She goes off to train to become a WASP and there she meets Patsy and Lily. They go on lots of fun adventures together and are just fun.
   Overall. Flygirl was a terrific book. I felt that it did get slow in some important parts and that some of the twang was hard to understand. I would still pick it up and give it a shot though. I recommend this for anyone who wants a great, quick read.
                                                                      4/5

Waiting on Wednesday (9)

 Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine!

  

Fingerprints of You by Kristen-Paige Madonia

Expected Publication Date: August 7, 2012

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Lemon grew up with Stella, a single mom who wasn’t exactly maternal. Stella always had a drink in her hand and a new boyfriend every few months, and when things got out of hand, she would whisk Lemon off to a new town for a fresh beginning. Now, just as they are moving yet again, Lemon discovers that she is pregnant from a reckless encounter—with a guy Stella had been flirting with.

On the verge of revisiting her mother’s mistakes, Lemon struggles to cope with the idea of herself as a young unmarried mother, as well as the fact that she’s never met her own father. Determined to have at least one big adventure before she has the baby, Lemon sets off on a cross-country road trip, intending not only to meet her father, but to figure out who she wants to be.

Why I can't wait:  This book sounds like a great book! I love the cover and the concept sounds really cool too. It just sounds like something I would sit down and devour very quickly. August needs to hurry up and get here before I seriously go crazy waiting for the book!

Review: Anna & The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Published: December 2, 2012

Publisher: Speak

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Pages: 372

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home. As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

My Review: I don't know why I waited for so long to read this novel... WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME? Well anyway, I knew it would be pretty good just because of all of the great and positive reviews I had seen about it. I didn't know it would be this good though.

   First, the characters. Anna is our main protagonist. She was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia and for her senior year, her dad forces her to move to Paris for her senior year. She is the kind of friend I would want to be with, fun, funny, and polite. Now, if it was me, I think I would be so happy you could hear me in Paris screaming "Oh Yea, that's what I'm talking about!" but Anna didn't want to go to Paris. St. Clair is the sidekick and I loved him... okay maybe more than loved.

   Next, the plot. We follow Anna after she is forced to go to Paris for her senior year of high school. She meets St. Clair and well I don't want to give away the rest but you probably already know.

   Anna and the French Kiss was a roller-coaster ride I didn't want to get off of. I really enjoyed the writing style and characters fun personalities. I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of Lola and the Boy Next Door.
                                                                                                5/5

Bout of Books 4.0

This is my first time participating in Bout of Books. I just really need to get ahead in my reading in case something comes up. 


I usually read 2 or three books a week. On a bad week it will be 1. On a good week it's close to 3.
Each day I will update this post. Wednesday and Friday will be my main reading days.


GOAL: 

• Read 4 books

Books to Read:

• Flygirl by Sherri E. Smith
• Nightspell by Leah Cypess
• Elemental by Emily White
• Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

So that's it. I am a part of the Black Satin tour in June so if I receive the copy I will try to work it in but I am not going to stress about it.


Updates:


5/14
Started : Flygirl by Sherri E. Smith
Number of Pages read: 46


5/15
Kept reading Flygirl
Number of pages read: 95


5/16
Finished Flygirl by Sherri E. Smith
# of pages read: 121


5/17
Started Xor: The Shape of Darkness by Moshe Sipper
# of pages read : 12


5/18
Started Nightspell by Leah Cypess
Started Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday
# of pages read: 29

5/19
NOTHING!


5/20
Finished Nightspell 
# of pages read 310


So, no I didn't get to everything but I had a very very busy week.