Prada & Prejudice

Prada & Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard

This book was a fun and fast read. It was a good story about a girl who buys a pair of Prada high heels to help her fit in, but she ends up falling and waking up in 1800, in England. It has a Pride and Predudice feel. It's a cute and a good read...very clean.

Carrie Ryan

I just finished reading a book called The Forest Of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. I found this at the library and it looked good, even sounded good...
Little did I know that this book was about zombies.
The whole book is about a girl who is second guessing everything she's been taught. She wonders what is beyond the forest. In the forest lives dead people who, if humans get bit by them, are changed into the undead.
The zombies attack her village and the rest of the book about her trying to escape them. She escapes with her betrothed, his brother (who she is in love with), her brother and his wife (who ends up being bitten and they have to kill her or she'd become a zombie...) and two others. They travel through the woods, and pretty much everyone dies by the end of the book except Mary. It had a lot of interesting thoughts on what real love is and what sacrifice means.

Melody Carlson

I just finished reading the first two books in the Carter House Girls Series by Melody Carlson. Melody is a Christian author. Mixed Bags (#1) introduces six girls that all come to live together at the Carter House. They are all different and all have issues to deal with. There are mature issues delt with in this book and Stealing Bradford (#2). They talk about sex and lesbians, smoking, drinking...teen issues. But at the center is a girl with a relationship with God. She is the prayer warrior and testimony.
They are good, but have a few parts and topics that may be too advanced for girls younger than 16.

a note

I just want to say that this blog is a place to find out about books. This is not a place that tells you whether to let your daughter read a book or not. That is your responsibility as the parent. I just want you to know what is in the books that your daughter may pick up at the library or buy. The rest is up to you.
Any questions feel free to ask.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

So, I found a list at the library of books "if you liked Twilight, then here are other good reads like it!" I have started to read books on this list just to see what they are like.
I picked up Graceling by Kristen Cashore. The back cover intrigued me so I read it.
It starts out with a girl with a Grace (a special ability) for fighting. She can beat anyone. She meets a boy on one of her assignments, and then later meets him at her uncles palace. His Grace is a mind reader (which she doesn't find out until later). They spend time together, fight together (he is her first real challenge), and build a friendship.
I really liked it, and then I hit the halfway part of the book. The main characters leave the kingdom in search of the boys' Grandfather, which leads them to an evil king who has the Grace to make people think what he wants.
They are alone, and one night they talk and realize they love each other. The girl is adament about never getting married and the boy says he will take her anyway he can...So, they have sex just to let each other know they really are in love... The girls cousin, who packed their bags, put in a root that made sure she wouldn't get pregnant. She eats this root every morning because she doesn't want kids, ever.
They face more challenges and the book ends with them still saying they will never marry, but they can sleep together because they are in love.
The action and story-line were good, but it had to be ruined by all the premarital sex.

Princess Diaries and other Meg Cabot books

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
Although the movie was clean and kid friendly the books give a little more detail. For one it is Mia diary so she is free with her thoughts and such. In the books the teacher that falls in love with Mia's mom actually comes to live with them...she sees him one morning in his underware. Also different from the book is that her dad is still alive and suffering from prostrate cancer. Mia talks about all the gross things that go along with that.
I did like the movie, but the books really aren't as clean or for young readers.

I did read a few other books by Meg Cabot and they are all filled with what should be adult content (really shouldn't be in books...) She has a book called Ready or Not? The book is centered around a girl who is debating whether she is ready or not to have sex with her boyfriend. In the end, because of "wise" counsel from her older sister and others, she decides that she is ready and so does.

The only clean book I have read by Meg Cabot is called Airhead. This book is about a normal girl who suffers from a fatal injury which results in her getting her brain put into a super models body. It was an interesting read as the main character adjusted from a normal, plain jane life to that of a models.
I did like this book. I have yet to read the sequel, but this one was clean.

Twilight Series

The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer.
A friend asked me recently to "proofread" these for her 12-year-old daughter.
This is my PERSONAL opinion...I really liked this series. Stephenie Meyer is a talented and creative writter...but I don't think these should be in the kids section.
The Twilight Series consists of Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breakind Dawn
A Quick look: The main character Bella falls in love with a vampire, Edward, who dosen't think he is worth much, and cautions her against falling in love with him. He only wants the best for her...which isn't him, but Bella won't change her mind. The books chronicles their love story, and their challenges on being different. Bella also has a close friendship with Jacob. New Moon begins their friendship which lasts the rest of the books.
The vampire family consists of 3 couples (who are married) plus Edward. They consider themselves vegetarian vampires...they only eat animals.
Bella dreams of becoming a vampire and being with Edward forever. Each book you think he will change her...or that someone else will...
Pluses: It is a sweet love story complete with struggles. I really enjoyed the creativity and the love and friendship that the characters share. I liked how Stephenie portrayed vampires...
A few times in the books someone will ask a question about what comes after death (seeing as vampires are immortal they are curious and each have their thoughts). There are other "searching" questions throughout the books.
Minuses: Edward is a vampire who doesn't sleep...he watches her while she sleeps, and then he ends up sleeping with her every night, seeing as he doesn't sleep. They don't have sex, but that is only because he would proabably kill her (he's super strong...). There are a few intense kissing scenes in each book. There are, of course, lots of vampire things like killings and evil vampires attacking. In Breaking Dawn, the last book, Bella and Edward get married...they have sex (Stepenie Meyer doesn't go into detail but you know what's going on, at least they did wait until they were married...), and Bella gets pregnant. This book chronicles the half-vampire half-human baby. It is gruesome, but a "needed" conclusion (wrap up) for all that has gone on in their lives.
The reader waits the whole series to find out if Bella will become a vampire...in this last book, in order to save her life, Edward finally changes her into a vampire.

Feel free to ask any questions about these books. This is a quick look...

My Credentials & reason for blog.

I am a 25 year old readaholic! I discovered reading in pre-school and haven't stopped.
I am a mother of 2 boys who love to read, and I also work with the youth group at our church...this is one of the reasons why I started this blog. I see the girls in youth group carrying around books and I want to see if the book is as good as they say.
I want this blog to be a place for you, as a parent of girls, to come and check out books, good and bad, that your daughter is reading or is interested in. There is a lot of TRASH out there disguised behind a catchy cover! I know from experience! I have been attracted to a cover in the youth section and get it home only to find it is filled with so many things young girls shouldn't be reading!
So...
If you hate to read...
If your daugther is asking about a book...
If you would like me to read a book your daugther is reading or interested in...
If you are concerned about what your daughter is reading...
...this is the spot for you!