Review: Anatomy of a Single Girl

Bookish Details:
Pages: 227
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: 8th January 2013
Source: Book provided for review by author
Buy it From: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:
With Judy Blume-like honesty and insight, this sequel to Anatomy of a Boyfriend is about life after first love--romance, sex, friendship, family, and the ups and downs of life as a single girl.

After everything that happened—my first boyfriend, my first time, my first breakup—jumping back into the dating game seemed like the least healthy thing I could do. It’s not that I didn’t want to fall in love again, since that’s about the best feeling ever. But as a busy college premed still raw from heartbreak, which is the worst feeling ever, I figured I’d lie low for a while. Of course, as soon as I stopped looking for someone, an impossibly amazing—and devastatingly cute—guy came along, and I learned that having a new boyfriend is the quickest way to recover from losing your old one.

The moment we got together, all my preconceptions about romance and sex were turned upside down. I discovered physical and emotional firsts I never knew existed. I learned to let go of my past by living in the present. It was thrilling. It was hot. It was just what the doctor ordered.
But I couldn’t avoid my future forever.

In Daria Snadowsky’s daring follow-up to Anatomy of a Boyfriend, eighteen-year-old Dominique explores the relationship between love and lust, and the friendships that see us through.

My Review:

After liking Anatomy of Boyfriend, I was so excited to get the chance to review the sequel. With that being said, it is pretty easy to read the sequel if you haven’t already read the first book!

The story follows Dominique during summer, after completing her first year of college. This is when she meets Guy. At first, she has a relationship on her mind, but Guy doesn’t want that. In his mind, the time then spend together has an expiry date at the end of summer. Dom wanted commitment, but after a bit thinking, she decides to take the chance of a no-strings-attached relationship, hoping it’ll help her to finally get over her ex-boyfriend.

First thing I love about Dom – she is the most relatable character to read about. Her situations, what she feels, it’s all so realistic! I love that about this story, so many girls of that age range will be able to relate to it in some way or another.

I also adore her friendship with Amy. I love that it’s tested in this book, like every friendship. But, of course, they come out stronger. Their friendship is one of the things I loved most throughout the story.

One of the main themes in this book though, is her relationship with Guy. I loved Guy. I think every girl needs a guy like Guy! It was great to see Dom finally take charge of her body and figure things out. The book realistically captures how sex isn’t something that’s perfect from the start. It’s different for everyone and finding what’s right for you can be frustrating!

There are plenty of laughs along the way, and some sweet moments too. Dom’s narration of the story is fantastic and I love how much she develops throughout the story. You feel so proud of her in the last few chapters!

I loved the ending of this story and I found the last few pages to be quite empowering. If you want Hollywood-style endings, you’re not going to find it here. But what you will get is a story with amazing characters that you won’t forget and a relatable plot that you can love and learn from. 

Royal Rating:

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Review: Vixen by Jillian Larkin

Bookish Details:
Series: Flappers #1
Pages: 386 (Paperback)
Publisher: Random House
Release Date: 10th December 2010 (UK) 1st March 2012 (UK)
Source: Sent for review from publisher
Buy it From: Amazon US - Amazon UK

Synopsis:
Jazz . . . Booze . . . Boys . . . It’s a dangerous combination.

 Every girl wants what she can’t have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle—and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she’s engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago’s most powerful families, Gloria’s party days are over before they’ve even begun . . . or are they?

 Clara Knowles, Gloria’s goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch—but Clara isn’t as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she’ll do anything to keep hidden. . . .

 Lorraine Dyer, Gloria’s social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria’s shadow. When Lorraine’s envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone’s going to be very sorry. . . .

 From debut author Jillian Larkin, VIXEN is the first novel in the sexy, dangerous, and ridiculously romantic new series set in the Roaring Twenties . . . when anything goes.

My Review:

You have no idea how much this book made me want to build a time machine, go back to the 1920s, and be a flapper girl.

I’ll start by saying what a refreshing change this book made. I’m so used to being surrounded by fantasy and paranormal books; it was great to read something completely different! I’m a great lover of historical fiction and I hope that this series encourages more historical YA authors to get their stories out there!

Vixen is set during the time of the roaring 20s in Chicago and follows the stories of three young girls’ right at the centre of the Flapper era. Gloria and her best friend, Lorraine, are high society rich girls who aspire to be part of the flapper world rather than the worlds of dinner parties and gossip columns that they’re already a part of. Gloria’s cousin Clara is a girl with a hidden past who comes to Chicago faking innocence and pretending to know nothing of the world of flappers and speakeasies.

Gloria is engaged to be married to one of the most wanted men in Chicago, Sebastian Grey, but she wants her chance to experience some final freedom before she starts her new life as a bride. So Gloria and her friend Marcus end up making their way inside the Green Mill, the biggest speakeasy in Chicago.

That is when she first claps eyes on musician, Jerome Johnson. Desperate to catch his attention and fit in with the flappers around her, Gloria starts to transform herself, much to the annoyance of her fiancé and her mother, and also to the surprise of Lorraine.

The story follows each girl in third person, which makes getting to know the characters a lot easier. You are able to empathise more with each of the girls, even when one of them makes mistakes, because you know and understand their reasoning behind it. Each character is realistic and relatable.

I have to say, out of all of the fabulous characters in this book, I loved Clara the most. I was rooting for her from the start and I adored her relationship with Marcus (who is another amazing character.) I think that all good stories need a character like Marcus, the loyal and funny guy friend.

I love Jillian’s style of writing. Her descriptions of the settings are perfect, I felt as if I was sitting at the bar in the Green Mill. The story really draws you in to the flapper lifestyle.

There were some pretty amazing plot twists at the end! There are some real tense moments were you have no idea which direction the story will go in those last few chapters. The epilogue made for a brilliant cliff-hanger. I’m really excited to start reading the next book in the series!

*I’ll be reviewing the other books in this series soon.*

Royal Rating:

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Waiting on Wednesday: United We Spy!

This is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine. "Waiting on Wednesday" spotlights upcoming releases that i'm eagerly anticipating.

United We Spy by Ally Carter (Gallagher Girls #6)
Release Date: September 5th 2013

Cammie Morgan has lost her father and her memory, but in the heart-pounding conclusion to the best-selling Gallagher Girls series, she finds her greatest mission yet. Cammie and her friends finally know why the terrorist organization called the Circle of Cavan has been hunting her. Now the spy girls and Zach must track down the Circle’s elite members to stop them before they implement a master plan that will change Cammie—and her country—forever.

The last Gallagher Girl book! Oh how I will probably cry when I have to say goodbye to Cammie, Zach and the girls! Eagerly awaiting the release of this book.

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Summer Is Here!

Hey everyone!

So, summer is here, even though the weather isn’t really showing it that much in the UK. I hope you all have some fantastic plans for the summer months! I also hope you have a summer reading list, because no day on the beach is complete without an awesome book.

Here is my summer pick to settle down with on the beach.

Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.

Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo's sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby.

Emaline's mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he's convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby?
Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she's going?

Sarah Dessen's devoted fans will welcome this story of romance, yearning, and, finally, empowerment. It could only happen in the summer.

What are your summer reads? Are you reading something new or having a reread? Let me know!

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An Evening With Cassandra Clare!

Hey guys!

So this week I was lucky enough to attend an evening with Cassandra Clare in London with special guests Sarah Rees Brennan and Jamie Campbell Bower! (Who is, of course, Jace in the City of Bones movie.)

Since I live miles away from London, it took me a good three hours to get there. When I arrived at about 3pm, the queue was already huge! There were shadowhunters with runes all over their arms lining up outside St James's Church.

This was the other side of the church, where the line was already spreading to by the time I got there!

When we were finally allowed inside, we had to buy the movie edition of City of Bones to be signed. I love the cover!

Inside the church was beautiful! It was a perfect place to hold the Q&A because it all looked very Institute like.

I ended up on the second to last row in the church, but I had a good view of Cassie. Unfortunately, there was a cameraman blocking my view of Jamie! I did, however, mange lift my camera up to get this adorable picture!

The Q&A was awesome. Jamie and Cassie are so funny! We were shown the trailer for the film, and even though I've seen it a million times before, it was so much more exciting to watch it in a church full of fans.

Jamie revealed that he had decided on a tattoo for TMI. He told us that he was going to get the quote, "I am, after all, what you made me" on his back! He said he loved the "To love is to destroy" quote, but it was a bit dark, so he decided against it.

At the end of the session, Jamie said he had a surprise for us. He said he wanted to sing a couple of songs to thank us for being there! I was so happy because I used to adore Jamie's band from back before he was cast as Jace!

A couple of girls got near the front of the church when he sat down with his guitar so I joined them to get a better view. I managed to film some of his signing and got a couple of great pics!

I also filmed a short video clip as well!

The we were taken row by row to meet Cassie and Jamie and get our books signed. Jamie was so lovely and I noticed he was wearing that famous Morgenstern ring! I chatted to Cassie about London and she said how nice everyone always was to her whenever she came here. I also got my beloved copy of Clockwork Princess signed!

                       
It was a fantastic day and I certainly won't be forgetting it in a hurry! 100% worth all of the travelling and rushing to find a hotel for the night!

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Hello Everyone!

Just thought I'd give you a couple of updates: 

Number 1: I am now the proud owner of a Bachelor of Arts with Honors Degree in Media! Yep! I got my results this week and I aced my Journalism and Film projects! *happy dance*

Number 2: I'm going to be participating in Camp NaNoWriMo this July, so there might not be as many posts during that month. But never fear! I have quite a few reviews lined up that will still be posted in July so be sure to keep checking back. 

Number 3: If you haven't already, be sure to go and like the new Facebook page for The Queen of Teen Fiction here! 

That's all really, class dismissed!  

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Review: Frostbite by Richelle Mead

Bookish Details:
Series: Vampire Academy #2
Pages: 327
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: April 10th 2008

Goodreads Synopsis:Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose...

It’s winter break at St. Vladimir’s, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy’s crawling with Guardians—including Rose’s hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn’t bad enough, Rose’s tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason’s got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks... This year, St. Vlad’s annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price...

My Review:

So I’m doing a reread of the Vampire Academy series, and as I didn’t post reviews when I read them the first time around, I thought I’d take the time to review them now.

Frostbite follows on from where things left off in book one. Rose and Lissa are trying to get back to normal. But, of course, when is it ever that simple? Rose is still hung up on Dimitri, the man she can never have a romantic future with. Oh, and a massacre occurs.

Everyone is left shaken up after Strigoi murder a Royal family. In order to stay safe over the festive season, VA students end up at a ski resort so that they can be with family members. This is where Rose first meets Adrian, arrogant, flirty Royal.

Although the resort is supposed to provide safety for the students, after another attack, Mason and friends decide to go hunting after the Strigoi and Rose attempts to reach them before it’s too late.

I have to admit, I did not see the events at the end of this book coming a mile off. I knew there was going to be danger, that’s part of the deal, but I was sitting there wide eyed as I read the last few chapters. There is definitely more action in this book.

I loved getting to see a little more of Christian in this book. He teams up with Rose in the last few chapters and I loved how, even though they don’t get along, they’re willing to help each other.

I really enjoyed reading more about Rose’s mother when she turns up at the academy. It’s interesting to see the straining relationship between them and it makes you curious to find out how that may change in future books.

Frostbite is an awesome sequel and gets you excited for book three! 

Royal Rating:

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Two New 'City of Bones' Posters!

Hey everyone!

Two new character posters have been revealed for The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones! This time it's Izzy and Alec's turn:

What do you think of the new posters? Are you excited for the film? I know I am!

The film opens on August 21st in the US and August 23rd in the UK.

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The Queen of Teen Fiction is now on Facebook!

Hey everyone!

I've created a Facebook page for The Queen of Teen Fiction! Why not drop by and tell me what books you're currently reading? Click here to visit the page.

Happy Reading!

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Review: Geek Girl by Holly Smale

Bookish Details:
Series: Geek Girl #1
Pages: 378
Publisher: Harper Collins
Release Date: 28th February 2013

Synopsis:Harriet Manners knows a lot of things.

She knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a "jiffy" lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. What she isn't quite so sure about is why nobody at school seems to like her very much. So when she's spotted by a top model agent, Harriet grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her Best Friend's dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of the impossibly handsome supermodel Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves.

As Harriet veers from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, she begins to realise that the world of fashion doesn't seem to like her any more than the real world did.

And as her old life starts to fall apart, the question is: will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?

My Review:

I’ve got to say, it’s been a while since I’ve read a chick lit comedy story! I’ve been so stuck in fantasy and paranormal novels that I’d forgotten my original love for a good, girly read!

Geek Girl tells the story of school ‘geek’, Harriet, who is accidentally discovered by a modelling agent during a school trip. The story follows her hilarious journey to transform herself by becoming the face of a famous fashion line.

I really liked Harriet. As someone who can relate to being a ‘geek’ in school, I could sympathise with her and understand why she wanted to try and change. I enjoyed the fact that she wasn’t a flawless character, she made mistakes and she learnt how to fix them.

I really loved Harriet’s dad! He was a great comedy element to the story. But I have to say, I think Wilbur is one of the funniest characters I’ve found in a long time. I loved his crazy sayings and his first meeting with Harriet’s dad and stepmother is such a hilarious scene!

“And if it isn’t Mr and Mrs Baby-baby Panda! Just right there in front of me, like two little matching pots of strawberry fromage frais! Ooh, I could just eat you both up. But I won’t because that would be terribly antisocial.”

The characters are really quirky and unique - you just can’t help but adore them. I liked getting an insight into the world of modelling and how harsh it can be sometimes. I also loved how Harriet eventually stood up for herself at the end of the story.

I think anyone who is a fan of Louise Rennison’s Georgia Nicholson books will adore Geek Girl! I can’t wait for the next installment in the series! 

Royal Rating:

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