Hilarious book!

Stupid and Contagious
by Caprice Crane

This has got to be one of the funniest books I have read in a long time (thanks, Krista!).  Recently fired from a top PR firm, Heaven is now waitressing at a trendy restaurant in NYC.  She is a major fan of music and is convinced she will die at the age of 27 if not married.  This fear is based on the fact that several of music's greats (Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin) died at 27.  Brady, wannabe inventor and non-successful musical producer, just moved in to Heaven's apartment complex after breaking up with his psycho girlfriend and leaving HIS rent-controlled place.  The two become friends and end up trekking across the country to find Brady a new band and help him market his unique invention, Cinnamilk. Told in alternating points of view, this book will keep readers in stitches with tales of Heaven's antics and Brady's inability to stay away from her.  This is an adult romantic comedy and some of the situations are mature, but the author, in my opinion, doesn't "push the envelope" too much.  Recommended for those who can handle mature situations and want to laugh.

Back from Spring Break!

Wow!  I can't believe it is already 4th quarter!  I had a relaxing Spring Break with my family and I feel refreshed and ready to tackle many projects for the next few months.  Believe it or not, we had sunny weather last Friday and ....snow on Saturday!  It was crazy.  I did get some interesting reading done over the week.  The first book I read was  Hate List by Jennifer Brown.

This is the story of Valerie Leftman, the girlfriend of Nick, a deceased school shooter.  Often the victim of school bullies and the "popular" crowd, Valerie and Nick creat a "hate list" to document all of the people they dislike.  To Valerie, the list is a way to "vent"--it is an outlet to help her handle high school, but...Nick takes the list seriously.  The novel is told in alternating chapters of before, during, and after the shooting.  This book is very similar to Nineteen Minutes, by Jodi Picoult, but, in my opinion, easier to read.  Readers will identify with Valerie's feelings of guilt in creating the hate list, but also with the love she still has for the "old" Nick. 




The second book I read last week was You Don't Even Know Me: Stories and Poems about Boys by Sharon G. Flake.

This collection of short stories and poems about African-American teen boys was quite interesting.  Subjects range from a young man facing his dead brother's terrible secret to one trying to stay out of the gang lifestyle.  This is a quick read and highly recommended for teen boys.







The third, and final, book I tackled over the break was The Espressologist by Kristina Springer.

Pure chick-lit!  The Espressologist tells the story of Jane Turner, local barista turned matchmaker.  This was a quick read and it made me want some creative coffee drinks!  This would make a great beach read!



In other news, I just got several boxes of books from Amazon and I can't wait to dive in to some of these books, including Readicide, Purge, and Lockdown: Escape from Furnace.

Followers requested....prize in store!

Hey guys!  I have a "drawing" in store for you.  Become a follower of the Book Bites blog and your name will be entered in a drawing for a prize!  This will run through Friday.  I will randomly choose a follower and will then request an address to the prize winner.  Good luck! 
In other news, I finished Dork in Disguise last night and will post a short review later.

Riker's High by Paul Volponi

Teenager Martin Stokes is locked up for a  petty crime he didn't even mean to commit.  Through a series of miscommunications, his stay in jail has lasted much longer than was intended.  After another upsetting court date, Martin is sent back to jail and is caught in the middle of an inmate fight.  His face is slashed, marking him as either a brawler or a weakling, neither of which will help his cause.  Martin is moved out of the main "house" into a smaller unit.  Because his stay has been extended for a couple of weeks, he must attend a GED class while incarcerated.  The teachers are a unique mixture and Martin must learn to fit-in with the other students, all while thinking of vengeance for his new scars.  Readers are left to wonder if Martin will stay strong and make it to his release date or if he will give in to the jail games and get his revenge, prolonging his sentence. 

This book was interesting and even angered me at times.  It reminded me a little of Boot Camp by Todd Strasser and could also be paired with No Choirboy, a new HS Sequoyah nominee.  Recommended for teen boys.

Witch and Wizard

Witch and Wizard by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet

Let me begin by saying that I really enjoy James Patterson's adult novels.  They are fast-paced and exciting.  I am not a fan of the Maximum Ride series.  I know, I know...teenagers love them, but I can't commit to a series that I don't love, especially one about kids with wings.  I was truly excited about starting this novel.  It has a great beginning, but I was left hanging at the end.  It actually says TO BE CONTINUED!  This might not have bothered me so much if the second book was out.  ARGHHHH!  Anyway....here goes.

CRASH!  BOOM!  What is that noise?  Mysterious men have broken into the Allgood home and accused siblings Whit and Wisteria of some awful deeds.  They take the kids to a secret prison where they are questioned and treated cruelly.  Whit and Wisteria discover that they have special powers and as they are beginning to learn how to control them, they end up in a strange land.  They embark on a journey to find their parents and rescue the other imprisoned kids.  This novel leaves you with many questions that will hopefully be answered in book two.....