Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Name of Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Published: 2006

Series: Last Survivors (#1)

Age group: 12-14

Number of Pages: 337

Summary

Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when a meteor knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun? As summer turns to Arctic winter, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove.



Told in journal entries, this is the heart-pounding story of Miranda’s struggle to hold on to the most important resource of all--hope--in an increasingly desperate and unfamiliar world.

Review

First of all, I love the cover. It's entrancing and somewhat mysterious, which made me pick up this book and read it. At first, once you open the book, I thought this would just be a normal book about teenage troubles, and nearly put the book down-but I reached the conflict just in time and was shocked by the result.

I love how Miranda, the main character and her family start to realize how much family mean. They find so much happiness in little tiny gifts that they would never have appreciated so much before. So much had changed within a few months, and Miranda's family was surviving, and was better off than most families.

They were...until they started running out of food and Miranda's brothers and Mother all fell deathly ill. Suddenly Miranda's not sure if they're going to make it-and she's afraid she'll be the last one standing. Will Miranda be able to saver her family? Or will she be all alone...forever?

Rating

B+

Aboutmeme-My best trip ever

If anyone asked me directly on the spot to tell them what my best vacation was, I'd say, "Newport Mansions," without hesitation. Newport Mansions is an exquisite place in Rhode Island where you can see several amazing mansions-for example, The Breakers, Rosecliff, The Elms and The Marble House.

What makes Newport Mansions so amazing? At Newport Mansions, I got so much inspiration. It was like taking a look through the window of the past and finding every single little detail of it, then writing it. I just thought that everything there was so intricate and amazingly breathtaking.

What did I do there? My family and I visited several of the most important mansions and dined out at several places, including the exclusive on-ground cafes. We had so much fun touring around in Newport, and my family and I are hoping that, next year, we'll be able to go during Christmas and see Newport decorated in Christmas lights.

Luv,
Bethany Huang <3

Aboutmeme

I've decided to actually start my own meme called Aboutmeme. My meme will be about me, which is why I called it Aboutme with an added me at the end to make it about me and show that it's a meme, too! I hope you'll enjoy learning about a bit more about me. I'd love to know more about all of you, too! If you have anything to share, feel free to comment-I'll definitely reply!

Best Friends for Never by Lisi Harrison

Name of Publisher:Poppy

Published:2004

Age group:12-14

Number of Pages:197

Series: The Clique (Book #2)

Summary

The Clique is back ...

Massie Block - Still gorgeous. Still trendsetting. Still ruling the social scene at school… she hopes. To keep her spot at the top, Massie decides to throw the school’s first boy/girl Halloween party. But her parents are making her invite the entire grade AND share the party with Claire. She’s not sure which is scarier…


Dylan Marvil - Lost the weight. Kept the attitude. Plans to use her new look to snag a cute guy.


Kristen Gregory - Clothes are for sharing. Guys aren’t. Likes the same guy Dylan does. Will do whatever it takes to get him.


Alicia Rivera - With the Clique unravelling faster than last season’s Burberry sweater, is it time for Alicia to stage her takeover?


Claire Lyons: Still out. Wants in. Seriously needs to lose those Keds.

Review
As much as I love "The Clique" series, I have to say that this book was not one of the best. Once you pass the first chapter and go onto the second one, it makes you realize that the time passed by too quickly. It was like this wasn't the second book-more like the fifth.

In this book, I felt like we knew too little about Massie and her clique to feel any ties with them. Also, Lisi Harrison added in and said things that hadn't happened before, which added more confusion to this book. If only those mishaps were gone, this book would be ehma-amazing! (Massie-style)

The plot of this book is ah-mazing! Alicia overhears some girls doubting Massie's power of the Pretty Committee, and they decide to host the first Halloween party of the year. Massie is furious and decides to host her own boy/girl Halloween party...first. But while that happens, Massie makes a bet with Claire...that she can go at least a month without shopping.

But Massie is literally dying without buying new clothing every week. And in a desperate act, Massie and her group wear their dirty devils costume that they are going to wear to Massie's Halloween party that night. The only problem is that Claire tattles them out, and the Pretty Committee is suddenly walking around school in their less than dazzling t-shirts and stained pants. Pretty Committee? Not likely.

Massie's party is a hit until Alicia starts hanging out with Olivia, a LBR and a girl that is in Alicia's dance class- and when Alicia leaves the party early without saying anything. But that's not it. Because the PC violated the school's dress code, they decided to host a contest for the best school uniform, and Massie and the rest of the PC (and Claire) except Alicia, who is teamed up with Olivia, win the contest hands down.

And how do we know that? Because Massie painted her thimble purple and put it in their box. But somehow it ends up in Alicia's...and Massie knows they cheated. Will Massie and Alicia still be friends? Or will they be EFL? (Enemies for life)

Rating
B-

Luv,
Beth

The Clique By Lisi Harrison

Name of Publisher: Poppy

Published: 2004

Age group: 12-14

Number of Pages: 220

Series: The Clique (#1)


Summary

Meet The Clique…

Massie Block: With her glossy brunette bob and laser-whitened smile, Massie is the uncontested ruler of The Clique and the rest of the social scene at Octavian Country Day School, an exclusive private girls’ school in Westchester County, New York. Massie knows you’d give anything to be just like her.

Dylan Marvil: Massie's second in command who divides her time between sucking up to Massie and sucking down Atkins Diet shakes.

Alicia Rivera: As sneaky as she is beautiful, Alicia floats easily under adult radar because she seems so "sweet." Would love to take Massie's throne one day. Just might do it.

Kristen Gregory: She's smart, hardworking, and will insult you to tears faster than you can say "my haircut isn't ugly!"

Enter Claire Lyons, the new girl from Florida in Keds and two-year-old Gap overalls, who is clearly not Clique material. Unfortunately, for her, Claire's family is staying in the guesthouse on Massie's family's huge estate while they look for a new home. Claire's future looks worse than a bad Prada knockoff. But with a little luck and a lot of scheming, Claire might just come up smelling like Chanel No. 19....

The Clique... the only thing harder than getting in is staying in.

Review
I've heard alot about Lisi Harrison's #1 New York Bestselling series The Clique before. I've even seen some of my fellow classmates carrying the books and reading them. Every single girl who has read it has said that they loved it. And I am inclined to agree. First of all, the cover is somewhat vague, but it gives the book a mysterious touch. The small rectangular picture with plaid print surrounding it makes it sort of stylish, or Ah-dorable, as Massie would say.

But even better...is the book. The moment you open the cover, you're sucked out of time and space and into this book. Most reviews I've seen says that, quote, "Massie Block is a girl you'll love to hate," quote end quote. But honestly, I don't think any of us will hate her...I think we'll wish we're her...with her undivided Clique of exclusive girls. A new school year starts off, and Massie just can't wait to kick it off with a day of beauty with her BFFLS. But the only thing that can mess it up is one of her Dad's oldest friends, who is called Jay Lyons.

Massie's mother refuses to let her go because Massie has a duty...as her parent's daughter, she has to be there at the welcoming brunch. As much as Massie begs, she can't. Then Claire Lyons, Jay's daughter, meets Massie. Massie's furious when Claire starts following around and rumors start ciriclinga round Massie-that she's accepted someone new. Massie, Kristen, Alicia and Dylan scheme viciously to get Claire off their tail. And they almost do...until the bidding event that Massie hosts every single year on her family's massive estate.

But Claire and Massie have a truce for a temporary moment...where Massie finally admits the truth about her actions and they become semi-friends. The Clique...the only thing harder then getting in...is staying in. :)

Rating
A

Au revoir,
Bethany

Welcome back, everyone!

I haven't been posting lately on bookablog since I've been taking a break from book blogging since I'm already so booked with my first debut novel, THE EIFFEL TOWER'S DAUGHTER. If you'd like to buy my book, you can go on bethanyhuang.com and find out where you can buy my book from YOUR local bookstore. I'm definitely going to be back on book blogging, so I hope you'll enjoy reading my posts!

Bethany Huang