Review: Along for the Ride

By Sarah Dessen
Read my review of LOCK AND KEY

Sarah Dessen is one of the grand dames of YA literature for a reason. While I don't think this title is as good as my favorite Dessens, it is well worth picking up. (If I weren't doing a full review of it it would be the sixth book on my Books of Summer list.) One of the things that made me instantly empathize with Auden is simply how much she was like me. My parents divorce was far less dramatic and I'm far less socially awkward, but there are similarities. As I love reading books as escapes, it's nice to see something that seems like my life through a fun house mirror.

("But can you ride a bike?" you ask. The answer is kinda. I recently tried to ride for the first time in ten years and . . . let's not talk about it.)

After discovering her mother has a lover, Auden decides she's going to shake things up and live with her father, his new life, and their infant this summer. Upon getting there, she discovers that Heidi is about to snap and her father is just as bad at parenting as her mother always claimed. Surprisingly, she begins to enjoy live in Colby as she carves out a niche for herself. It helps that she's made a connection with Eli, a fellow insomniac, as the roam about the town at night.

I liked the balance between the romance and the other aspects of the book. Auden's family issues are interesting, though I often felt sorry for Thisbe, who can't really control anything going on when a lot of it is going to affect the way she is raised. It's not a happy plotline, but Auden's associations with the local girls give it balance. That is a happy plotline, as Auden discovers how to recognize and navigate social currents. Likewise, her relationship with Eli balances between the light and dark due to his baggage.

And, while it is done in an exceedingly unsubtle manner, I love the message that girls can be into makeup and clothes as well as being incredibly smart. Being feminine - even hyper-feminine - has nothing to do with intelligence. Not to mention that liking to be girly doesn't mean the patriarchy wins. It just means you like to be girly. Nothing wrong with that.

If you haven't read a Sarah Dessen book, this one would be a fine place to start. If you have read one, you know what to expect. She does have a formula, but I don't mind as long as she keeps writing books that are sweet, entertaining, and not dumbed-down. ALONG FOR THE RIDE has romance, drama, and a positive, hopeful message. I can go along with that.

Hottie: Third Time's a Charm?

I told you it was coming, and it showed up in my e-mail inbox today.



I love the expression on the model's face. (Off course, I've always had a thing for photos that look more like a candid than posed smiley.) Her pose causes her neck to be a little lost, but I can live with that. I love that the dress is classier than on the previous cover. I think it would look even better with the background flipped, so that she's highlighted by all that yellow and the part that is unobscured is the interesting pink and orange striation. (I do love the colors - bright, eye-catching, not too girly.) But as we know from experience, it could be worse.

For comparison, here are the ARC and original paperback covers:

Which do you like best? What do you see as the pros and cons of the new cover? Do you believe it will attract teens and bookstore buyers more than the previous two attempts? Or do you think this one is a step *back*? Don't forget to read my interview with Jonathan Bernstein, where he explains his feelings on the original cover change. Or to read my review of the novel, in which I deliver a point-by-point explanation of why I hated the second cover.

Simply Irresistible: Trailer Premiere and Contest

The book isn't available until July 7th, but the trailer for SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE, the third book in Jennifer Banash's Elite series, is hot off the presses.



Did you enjoy it? If you did, here's your chance to win a huge prize pack. One winner will receive:



-the complete Elite series, including THE ELITE, IN TOO DEEP, and SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE
-the eleventh Gossip Girl novel DON'T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME by Cecily von Ziegesar
-the third Luxe novel ENVY by Anna Godbersen
-BONUS! JUST LISTEN by Sarah Dessen (Nice girls represent!)

It's a mean girl bonanza, and all you have to comment with a reason why your life would make a good reality TV show*. Bonus entries will be given to those who repost the trailer (2), make a widget for SI (2), link to the contest (1), subscribe/follow to IBWB (1) or Jennifer's blog (1), and those who say something in reaction to the trailer in their comment (1).



Contest ends in two weeks, on June 28th.

*And it doesn't even have to be something really cool, like your town has been taken over by colorful zombies and you're trying to stay alive by painting yourself to blend in.




For more information about the series, check out my reviews of THE ELITE and IN TOO DEEP, as well as Jennifer's two guest posts and my interview with her.

Books Read in 2009 (Weeks Twenty-Two and Twenty-Three)

Don't take this as a perfect list; I'll edit it when I check my various piles.

Week Twenty-Two



Cathy's Book: If Found Call (650) 266-8233 (Cathy Trilogy, Book One) by Sean Stewart, Jordan Weisman (Review copy)



Cathy's Key: If Found Call 650-266-8202 (Cathy Trilogy, Book Two) by Sean Stewart, Jordan Weisman(Review copy)



The Story of Ryan (Blood Legacy, Book One) by Kerri Hawkins (Bought)



Deathwish (Leandros Brothers, Book Four) by Rob Thurman (Bought, reread)

Week Twenty-Three



Namaah's Kiss (Moirin Trilogy, Book One) by Jacqueline Carey (Review copy, ARC)



Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen (Review copy, ARC)

Pershop of Horrors, vol. 3 by Matsuri Akino (Bought, reread)



Ranma 1/2, vols. 19-20 by Rumiko Takahashi (Bought)



Skin Trade (Anita Blake, Book Seventeen) by Laurell K. Hamilton (Review Copy)



Ms. Taken Identity by Dan Begley (Review copy, ARC)



ghostgirl (Ghostgirl, Book One) by Tonya Hurley (Review copy, hardcover)



Between the Sheets by Robin Wells (Bought, eBook)

Review: Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover

First: I was supposed to be the T2T tours blog stop for TWENTY BOY SUMMER today, but that could not happen for various reasons. If you look to the right, at the sidebar, you will notice a graphic that will link you to the "20 Things in 20 Days" scavenger hunt. IBWB will be part of that activity, so I hope you enjoy it!



By Ally Carter

I enjoyed the first Gallagher Girls book, but did feel there were certain problems with the premise, as explained in my review of I'D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU BUT THEN I'D HAVE TO KILL YOU. CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO SPY was likewise enjoyable but not as awesome as I hoped. But I definitely enjoyed DON'T JUDGE A GIRL BY HER COVER, as I can tell the girls are growing up. (Although Bex and Liz need to get some of their own experiences in with boys or they'll never grow up to be true femme fatales.)

Josh, once more, just gets a cameo. That's fine; he was a first relationship. But Zach's role is increasing (or at least remains steady), and experience with boys could certainly help Cammie figure out what her possible love interest is up to. And she does want to know since he has a tendency to show up in tandem with trouble. It doesn't help that trouble hasn't been far at hand since Macey and Cammie were attacked during Macey's father's campaign. These weren't amateurs either. These were professionals, prepared for them to be Gallagher girls rather than normal teens.

I enjoy the spirit of Cammie, Macey, Bex, and Liz. They clearly enjoy spying and ferreting out secrets. It does seem like Gallagher Academy needs to teach its exceptional young women when to abort a mission. Their tendency, especially Cammie's, to get involved in dangerous situations often crosses over from clever and brave into foolhardy. I do like that Macey got more attention in this one as the "damsel in distress," since the other two focused more on Cammie and her love life. It helped bring out the ensemble, and their chemistry and wit are a greater part of what makes the series fun rather than the almost disposable boys.

That said, I really loved the twist at the end. I didn't expect it, but it makes sense, and it puts things into a very exciting place for the fourth Gallagher Girls novel. Ally Carter ups the ante and I can't wait to see where she goes with the girls' spring semester. Oddly, that reminds me, that Macey – who experienced regular life before she came to the Academy – does get the chance to begin developing her own life. Just as the tough girl would not want, it's really cute. While we don't see much of her guy, none of what we do see in DON'T JUDGE A GIRL BY HER COVER makes him look a jerk. He even sees past her cover and isn't bothered to be with a girl more capable, in certain situations, than him.

While I found the first two slightly disappointing, there's more reason to why Carter's series is popular than the awesome titles. She's got a nice sense of humor and it is fun to read about girls who support each other rather than tear each other down. It doesn't hurt that there's spy hijinks afoot either. Since I'm currently annoyed by the weak-willed protagonist of the book I'm reading as I write this review, I'll also say that it's good to read about teen girls who strive to be as mentally and physically capable as possible. And yes, things really are more exciting now that enemy spies are coming into play.