Review: A Midsummer's Nightmare

Title A Midsummer's Nightmare
By Kody Keplinger
Genre YA contemporary
Pages 304
Recommended by My love of The DUFF

First sentence Hangovers are a bitch.

Synopsis
Whitley is tired of her mom's depression and disinterest. Spending the summer after graduation with her dad seems like the perfect idea...that is until her dad surprises her with his fiance and her two kids...one of which she had a one night stand with. Things are about to get a complicated.


What it has going for it
I told myself I wasn't going to read this one in one sitting like I did with The DUFF, Keplinger's other book. I was going to enjoy it slowly. Ha! No such luck. I devoured it in one sitting. There's just something so gripping and entertaining about Keplinger's writing and stories. I love that there's always a purpose to each of the characters actions. Sure, the MC in this one was just as pessimistic and angsty as Bianca from The DUFF, but I love that there's a reason for their attitudes and I like watching them learn how to pull out of themselves as the story progresses. There's this gritty real feeling element to this book that blew me away. Especially considering I can't relate. My teen years were nothing like Whitley's but there's just something in the writing that makes you relate. I can't explain it but it's there. Mostly, I just love watching the characters mature and change. Oh, and Keplinger can write some steamy kisses! Just sayin'.

What's lacking
Is this book without faults? No, of course not. There's a tidiness at the end that comes off as fake and unrealistic and I'm not sure why Keplinger goes with those "happier" endings. I also had a hard time with the parents in this one. They just don't feel as real as the other characters. I also hate that I can't recommend these books to everyone. There's so much swearing (as you can tell from the very first sentence I posted) and sensuality I know some people just can't handle. I'm not saying I wish the books were cleaner, though, they shouldn't be. That's not the point. I just wish I could recommend them to anyone. You know?

Favorite moment
Which one to choose? I LOVED Harrison and when he rescues Whitley I was pumping my fist and cheering.

Would I recommend it?
Once again, I can't recommend this to anyone who likes to keep their reads squeaky clean, but I wish I could. There's always such a great message.

In The Mood

Here comes some rambling thoughts. See, the other day...or week. I was reading a post over at Must Love Books. It was a review of a Girl of Nightmares which unfortunately didn't quite do it for her. Not because it was a bad book but because she thought her setting just didn't mesh well with what was happening in the book. You can check out her post if you'd like. You should because it's what inspired this post.

She mentioned that the first book in the series, Anna Dressed in Blood, was read during a thunderstorm on a dark night. The perfect setting for the book. It got me thinking about our settings and if it could effect our like or dislike of a book.  I'm fairly certain it can. I read the book Stolen by Lucy Christopher on a crowded, noisy plane that I couldn't quite get into because I was too distracted. I like the book but a different setting and I might have loved it.

Another experience has convinced me once and for all. Let me explain.I don't get scared easily. I actually go to horror movies not to be scared but to have a good laugh. Scary books just aren't scary, and that strange noise in the other room doesn't evoke fear but annoyance that something is probably broken. So when I tell you that the only book or movie that has ever actually scared me was Stephen King's Salem's Lot, you would think, "wow, that must be one scary book." But the truth is, it wasn't THAT scary, it was the setting  I was reading it in. Let me elaborate. I was reading at night in my basement room with only a single bedside lamp on. The house was empty except for me and I was at a very intense part in the book where the characters are hiding in a house from the evil vampires. They think they're alone when they hear the floor boards creek from the upstairs. Right at that moment, in my own room, my bed side lamp's bulb burned out without a sound and I was left in darkness. Not two seconds later the front door above me opened and someone stepped inside the house and the floor boards creaked. You can imagine my fear then. Perfect setting for that book right? What might have been only an intense book became freaky as hell! All because of setting.

I also find it fascinating how books can actually effect our emotions. A happy book with a happy ending leaves us elated and a bad book with a disappointing ending can have us snapping at everyone.


But books also effect us physically. I've read books about freezing conditions, snow storms, and frost bite that had me shivering on a hot summer day and books about hot deserts, dry heat, and dehydrated characters that had me baking on a icy day. Similarly, I've read books that describe food so well that I'm suddenly quite hungry.

Yep, books are funny that way, agreed? What say you? Have you ever read a book in the perfect setting or vice versa? Do books effect you physically and emotionally too?

You Know It's Bad When A Gatorade Commercial Excites You

I miss soccer sooooooo bad! Thank goodness I came home today to see the little red message light on my cable box informing me I had a message. And thank goodness it was the message I'd been waiting for. Comcast FINALLY has beIN Sports! I get to watch my soccer games again! *happy dance*

It couldn't have come soon enough. I'm having such bad soccer withdrawals that I was watching TV and a Gatorade commercial came on and I just sat there staring at the athlete sweating in slow motion with a glazed look on my face. It wasn't even a soccer player, people! Pathetic. Anywho, thank goodness I get to watch my boys again! I might have gotten desperate and began trolling You Tube with the search words, soccer/gatorade. ;)

Hot player alert!

Divergent Winner!

Random.Org has spoken and the winner is...Ariell from My Best Friends Are Books!  Congrats, Arielle!

The winner will be notified by email and has two days to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Thanks for playing. Look for more giveaways soon.

August Wrapup 2012

Well, August was Utah Book Month and I had a blast following everything. The party was a blast and I'm glad I could commit to some Utah author books. Unfortunately I was only able to read 4, yes 4 books. :( Ah well, here they are.








Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Boring, mind numbing dribble.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Good story but I expected better writing for a NYT bestseller.

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
Sweet story but the ending was awfully tidy.

Seers by Heather Frost
Holy detailed details, Batman! Where's the story?!

Yep, that's it. That's all I managed to read this month. Sigh! My favorite was How To Save a Life. Least favorite was Ender's Game.  Maybe next month will go better...doubt it, though.