BookSmuggler's reading history

Cover imageSpanking Shakespeare

by Jake Wizner
Finished on September 3rd 2008
Rated by BookSmuggler: 5 out of 5

Awesome, hilarious, well-written, engaging and fun. Definitely the best of the "loser boy in high school finds his way" books I've read recently. (See: Goth Girl vs. Fan Boy, I Love You Beth Cooper, etc.) So good. I can't say enough about it.

Cover imageShow, Don't Tell (Drama!)

by Paul Ruditis
Finished on September 2nd 2008
Rated by BookSmuggler: 4 out of 5

I have enjoyed all of the books in this series so far - they are smart and funny and a bit inside jokey, but not so much that those not obsessed with musical theatre wouldn't be able to enjoy it. My favorite part? "I can't take them as chums." "Start hoisting, wench." I also enjoyed that this particular book in the series focused a bit more on Bryan's development as a person than on the group moving toward one huge theatrical goal (which is also part of the story, but not the main part). A really great series for any YA collection.

Cover imageHow to Be Bad

by Lauren Myracle, E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski
Finished on September 1st 2008
Rated by BookSmuggler: 4 out of 5

Good book, great characters, good stories. A really good female friendship story, complete with road trip and fun exploits and landmarks. Great for 9th grade and up.

Cover imageTrue Love, the Sphinx, and Other Unsolvable Riddles: A Comedy in Four Voices

by Tyne O'Connell
Finished on August 31st 2008
Rated by BookSmuggler: 3 out of 5

At first I really liked this books. The individual voices were strong and the characters were interesting. But as the characters intertwined they lost some of what made them so interesting in the first place, and the voices were quite muddled. Sometimes I wouldn't remember who's chapter was what until I checked back at the beginning. Good premise, but it lost its steam about a quarter in.

Cover imageGirl at Sea

by Maureen Johnson
Finished on August 30th 2008
Rated by BookSmuggler: 4 out of 5

I liked it. I think. It got a bit jumbled in the end, and I think so much was going on that not all of the story lines fully came together, but it was well written and fun and YAs will like it a lot.

Cover image13: A Novel

by Jason Robert Brown, Dan Elish
Finished on August 29th 2008
Rated by BookSmuggler: 5 out of 5

A great story with an interesting main character that should appeal to both boys and girls. I can't wait to see the musical.

Cover imageZombie Blondes

by Brian James
Finished on August 27th 2008
Rated by BookSmuggler: 2 out of 5

I thought I would like this book better than "Generation Dead" but I didn't really. I'm only comparing them because the initial concept of the Undead is similar. This book didn't really handle it much better - it was way too much are they or aren't they and without a satisfying conclusion.

Cover imageWhat My Girlfriend Doesn't Know

by Sonya Sones
Finished on August 27th 2008
Rated by BookSmuggler: 5 out of 5

I enjoyed ths book as much as the first, and it again opened my eyes to how much I could enjoy a book written in prose.

Cover imageThe Juliet Club

by Suzanne Harper
Finished on August 25th 2008
Rated by BookSmuggler: 4 out of 5

Smart, interesting, and perhaps most importantly for some of us, a CLEAN romance for teens. Teens who liked Shulman's Enthusiasm will love this one, and those with a love of Romeo and Juliet will find the Verona setting a plus.

Cover imageVampire Kisses

by Ellen Schreiber
Finished on August 23rd 2008
Rated by BookSmuggler: 2 out of 5

Oh man, was this book bad. I really can't believe it was published in 2003, it reads like it's from the '80s. The characterizations are awful, the characters don't make logical decisions and the dialogue is just so badly written. Unfortunately though, I don't think I'll be able to stop myself from reading the next one in the series. Hence the two stars, instead of the one I initially gave it.