What Makes It Work?

Because of two books I've read recently and because of a post on my friend Kara's Blog I've been thinking about the ingredients in books.

Ingredients? There's ingredients in books? Why yes, yes there are. If you were to look at the perfect book for me the recipe would look a little something like this.

4 cups of unsifted plot (unsifted meaning no skimping on plot)
3 cups suspense (I don't mean murder mystery, just something that hooks me and makes me keep reading)
1 cup relatable, fleshed out characters
2 table spoons of romance ( not too much)
1 tsp humor
2 tsp wow factor
a pinch of unpredictability.
Stir well, add a lovely cover and serve

That's how I like my books...but what happens when you read a book that has all the necessary ingredients you enjoy and somehow it falls flat? Tastes sour? Doesn't satisfy? The book Storm Siren was such a book for me. It had everything I enjoy but...it just didn't work for me. Maybe it was my mood or maybe there was an ingredient that got overlooked or maybe the author substituted artificial sugar for real...I don't know. It just didn't work.

So, what would your perfect book's recipe look like? Do you ever read a book that has everything you normally love and it just doesn't work?

Book Banter #4 High School Love

It's time for another Book Banter! Aren't you excited?! Today's Topic that Suey and I shall be discussing is High School Love: Is it possible? If you read as much YA as I do, you know what I'm talking about. Girl meets boy. Boy suddenly is the love of her life and she could't live with out him if she tried, she just couldn't and if you tell her that she has to, she'll run away with him, they'll elope. She knew she loved him from the moment she saw him and parents and family and friends be dammed, she'll be with him forever and ever! Ahem, I guess you can tell what side I'm taking today. ;)

Suey: I lived it.
Yes, I’m one of those people. I started dating my husband in January of our senior high school in year. Probably three months later (I can’t really remember the exact moment!) I was pretty sure he would be in my life forever. We had ups and downs of course. And we still waited a long time before we got married (three years) but it all began in high school and it was real and true and all that! I always like to say that I enjoyed being 17 because when I was 18 suddenly things were serious and real. Not to say that was a bad thing, but it definitely felt like something changed that year. So having lived it, I can say for certain that it CAN happen in high school.

Me
Ah, but wouldn't you say you love your husband much more now then what you thought you did back then? I think love comes in levels. When you first meet someone you like them and then comes infatuation. I love infatuation. It's the only reason sane people would ever get married! No, I tease but it does help. Marriage with all it's ups and downs and boring times and stressful times is what brings people past infatuation and into a deeper level of love.

Suey: I’ve seen it. 
The example that always stands out to me is my grandma’s sister, my great aunt, someone who I knew (know actually, as she is still alive) fairly well. She got married at age 15. And not during a time when this was normal. (I think I remember my grandma saying that she, her older sister, was pretty freaked out by this!) I’m not sure the year they got married but I’d guess it to be late 50’s. So 15 even at that time, was pretty shocking. (And no they were not pregnant… at least I don’t think they were!) And anyway, they had a long and happy (I assume) marriage which only ended when my uncle died a year or so ago. I’ve always been impressed with her story and I’m sure there are many more examples like hers out there.

Me
Wow! 15? Crazy. See, this example is great but it does go against the norm. Getting married at 15 and not being pregnant is nearly unheard of nowadays. If a teenager was, for what ever reason, to get out of the house and get married and start all the responsibilities of adulthood with her husband then, yes, I'd imagine love would become a real thing for her while she was still a teenager. But maybe not so strong a love as would come in adulthood. Teenagers are still babies themselves. They are still growing up and need to figure out who they are and what life is all about before they are really capable of love. And that goes for adults too. Some adults who are still incredibly immature, probably aren't capable of love either.

Suey: Anything is possible! 
I can’t really think of another reason, except for the the fact that anything can happen really. And teenagers can most certainly find their soul mates at a young age. I do agree that they shouldn’t make major life decisions (like my aunt did!) when they are so freaking young, but by 18 or 19 (even though that is still so freaking young!) they can pretty much know what their gut and hearts are telling them. (I’ve had sisters and sisters in law get married this young and all is well… so far!) I think that high school love stories in the YA books we read are so much fun because it does touch that romantic place in all of us and gives us the satisfaction of a great storybook happily ever after.

Me
Now here we could get into a discussion about maturity levels. Some people are incredibly mature. They have old souls. So, yes, maybe they could fall in love at a younger age but I still stand by my convictions. Teenagers are too young to fully  know what they want out of life let alone fall in love. I'm perfectly fine with romance in YA books. I'm a strong believer in infatuation. I just don't believe in one true loves in YA books. *cough* *cough* Twilgiht *cough* *cough*.

So where do you stand? Is True Love possible in your teen years? Or, like me, do you believe it's impossible and what teenagers think is love, is simply infatuation?

Don't forget to check out Suey's post for my thoughts and her rebuttal.

Review: The Fill-In Boyfriend

Title The Fill-In Boyfriend
By Kasie West
Genre YA Contemporary Romance
Pages 352

Synopsis
Gia is in the IN crowd and she wants to keep it that way. But when her College boyfriend dumps her in the parking lot at prom she's devastated. Her friends have been hanging with a new girl who has it out for her. If her friends think she made her boyfriend up she'll never hear the end of it. Enter the poor sap she sees in the parking lot and convinces to pretend to be her boyfriend for the night. Things are about to get complicated.


First Sentence
In some part of my brain, probably the logical part that seemed to be missing at the moment, I knew I should let go and walk away, maintain some of my dignity.

What it has going for it
I love, love, LOVE the fake boyfriend troupe. I really do. I know it's always the same but I just can't help myself. If I hear mention of a fake boyfriend in a synopsis the book might as well say, "free slice of cake with purchase". Done and done! So...yeah, this one had one of my favorite troupes in it and it had all the things that go along with that troupe that I enjoy.

What's lacking
Sadly, besides my enjoyment of the fake boyfriend scenario, this one kind of fell flat for me. Gia was the biggest beotch at the beginning of this one. Yeah, yeah, I know! That was kind of the point. We're supposed to watch her change, come clean and become a better person but, I don't know, it was just so so for me. See, if you're going to write a story with a been there done that plot it needs to pop! Either with humor or amazing characters or a fun twist. Something! I was just underwhelmed. I really wanted to like it. Sigh!

Yea or Nay
Uh, sure. Give it a read. Just don't expect it to stand out or stay in your memory for long.

In My Thoughts This Fine Day #10

I just read this book for book club. I thought it might take awhile so I go an early start. I was wrong. It didn't take me long. I flew through it. If you haven't read this one yet you haven't let it drop despondently from your hands as it ends and flung yourself on the floor in despair! I seriously need to discuss this book!!!! Sigh! Here's my question: Should I read the sequel After You? It just came out but I've heard really negative things. See, I figured either Moyes' wrote the sequel to give her poor readers some closure or she just wrote it because she knew she'd make bank. From what I can gather from people's reviews it's the latter. Ugh! Maybe just discussing it would be enough. If only I had someone to discuss it with!

I have five books to review...I'll attempt to write up some reviews after posting this but all I want to do is read! Considering my dismal reading numbers lately, I guess at least I'm reading, right? But when I keep flying though books I need to review them before I forget all about them and I don't wanna!!!!  I just want to read...I blame it on the season. When fall comes with its colder temperatures, I want hot chocolate, hot baths and books!!!

Hey look! A movie review shoved into my random post! Let me just admit right now that (sorry Jenni and Suey) I just don't get the obsession with Tom Hiddleston. I do, however, enjoy a good horror movie so I went to see Crimson Peak this past week. I seriously want those two hours of my life back!!! First off, ALL the scary scenes are shown in the previews! It wasn't even a horror movie. It was a disgusting drama involving a pathetically naive and weak heroine, incest and dubious plot. If you wanted to see it for the horror, don't! Just watch the previews. If you wanted to see it for Tom, don't! He's kind of a jerk in it and not in a Loki kinda way.

Dewy's 24 Hour Read-a-thon Fall 2015

Let's get this party started!  I've got my snacks my books and my kitties.


3rd And Final Update
I finished my second book, Ruby Oliver #4. I serisouly loved these books. I couldn't have asked for a better ending! I at pizza for dinner and put all the snacks away. I'm thinking I need ice cream though. After that I'll probably dig into another book and read till I fall asleep! It's been great as usual. Good luck to those who are sticking with it for the 24 hrs! You guys rock!

Update 2 5:10pm
I finished a book! YAY! Last time 'round, I didn't even finish one book. Anywho, I finished The Fill In Boyfriend. Meh. It was OK and a good read-a-thon read as it was fast and easy but it just didn't do it for me. I read a chapter in The Happiness Project. That's about all this pessimist can handle at a time. Now I'm going to start in on Ruby Oliver #4 Real Live Boyfriends. Very bittersweet finishing this series! I finished off my bag of Gummy Bears but haven't really eaten too much else. My husband has gone to get pizza for dinner, though. How's things going in your neck of the woods?

Update 1 1:45pm

It's been about five hours and I've only read about 200 pages. Sigh! I'm such a slow reader! I've broken into my Gummy Bears and Chex mix and feel delightfully sick! I've been posting on Instagram. My kitties have both passed out. I've been reading The Fill In Boyfriend. It's OK but I'm not blown away by it. I think  I'll take a break and take a shower, stretch and finish The Fill In Boyfriend and start on Ruby Oliver #4. Happy Reading!


I'll be honest,  in my neck of the woods the read-a-thon starts at 6am. I never get going that early and I usually pass out at midnight.  I'm not as awesome as you hardcore read-a-thoners. My hats off to you.

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

Orem UT USA.

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

Definitely the final book in the Ruby Oliver series.

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

All of them! I tried to get a nice selection of salty and sweet.

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

My name's Jenny. I'm married to the hottest guy ever and have two kitties. I may or may not be considering the crazy cat lady life! Obviously I love to read and am in the middle of building a library for all my books!

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

I try to participate every read-a-thon and I usually do the same old thing. Maybe this time I'll actually participate in a mini challenge or two.




I'll be posting my updates here throughout the day. Happy reading!