Showing posts with label Contemporary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Contemporary. Show all posts

Impulse - Ellen Hopkins


Date Released:  January 23rd 2007
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Pages: 666 pages
Date Read: December 31st 2011
Format:  Hardcover
Source: Amazon
Summary:

Sometimes you don't wake up. But if you happen to, you know things will never be the same.

Three lives, three different paths to the same destination: Aspen Springs, a psychiatric hospital for those who have attempted the ultimate act -- suicide.

Vanessa is beautiful and smart, but her secrets keep her answering the call of the blade.

Tony, after suffering a painful childhood, can only find peace through pills.

And Conner, outwardly, has the perfect life. But dig a little deeper and find a boy who is in constant battle with his parents, his life, himself.

In one instant each of these young people decided enough was enough. They grabbed the blade, the bottle, the gun -- and tried to end it all. Now they have a second chance, and just maybe, with each other's help, they can find their way to a better life -- but only if they're strong and can fight the demons that brought them here in the first place.


My Review:

It’s hard to review this book, it really is. Suicide is not something to be taken lightly, and it is also something very hard to grasp. Something that we usually tiptoe around, nobody wants to be that close to death. Ever. What makes it so shocking is to wonder: What can drive a person to such ending? Why is it that they couldn’t see beyond their current situations, and why they had nothing left to loose.

It was especially hard for me to read this because I’ve been in this sort of situation, think of me as Vanessa [If you have read the book] if not, well, you need to read it, you really do. Everything was so real, and I actually thought I was going to have trouble keeping up with the writing style, but no, it was really easy to follow and to get into it.

Impulse shows the life of mainly three teens, though there are more people interned in Aspen Springs, and you get to catch a glimpse of them. Impulse really shows this: Some people will make it. Others won’t. In school, in a marathon, in life, in anything you can think about. Some people aren’t strong enough. Some people don’t want to fight anymore. They all act on their Impulse.

A strong story that comes with stronger decisions. If you’ve read titles such as Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma or Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Impulse is a must-be in your shelf


“Love means holding on to someone just as hard as you can because if you don't, one blink and they might disappear...forever.”


dancergirl - Carol m. Tazman


Date Released: November 15th 2011
Publisher: Harlequin
Pages: 248 pages
Date Read: December 17 2011
Format:  ARC
Source: Netgalley
Summary:

Ever feel like someone's watching you? Me, too. But lately it's been happening in my room.


When I'm alone.

A friend posted a video of me dancing online, and now I'm no longer Alicia Ruffino. I'm dancergirl. And suddenly it's like me against the world—everyone's got opinions.

My admirers want more, the haters hate, my best friend Jacy—even he's acting weird. And some stalker isn't content to just watch anymore.
 
Ali. Dancergirl. Whatever you know me as, however you've seen me online, I've trained my whole life to be the best dancer I can be. But if someone watching has their way, I could lose way more than just my love of dancing. I could lose my life.



My Review:

Stalkers happen to be one of the things that scare the bejeezus outta me. That, and the end of the world. And Ghosts. And The Dark. And a lot of other things.




No kidding. So when I saw that dancergirl was about a stalker I was like: YAY! lol, I Love a good scare :3 But dancergirl was just... Okay.

Don't get me wrong, dancergirl wasn't half bad, but I remember when I read Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolar, I would go to bed all freaked out!





With dancergirl I found it very predictable who the stalker was, maybe it's because I have experience with this genre or something but, when they finally revealed who the stalker was, I was just like: I knew it! 

It was entertaining, I really liked Ali's passion for dance and in general it was a good read. I'd suggest you read it on your way to Palms Spring. or San Fransisco. or on a plain. I don't know why but I just think It would be something good to read on the road. Just my opinion :)


“I remember what he was wearing. A navy-blue coat and that Harry Potter scarf."
"What the heck's a Harry Potter scarf?" Jacy snorts, "Low-rent Invisibility Cloak? Only your neck disappears.”