"Shadowland: The Mediator #1" by Meg Cabot

Suze is a mediator—a liaison between the living and the dead. In other words, she sees dead people. And they won't leave her alone until she helps them resolve their unfinished business with the living.

But Jesse, the hot ghost haunting her bedroom, doesn't seem to need her help. Which is a relief, because Suze has just moved to sunny California and plans to start fresh, with trips to the mall instead of the cemetery, and surfing instead of spectral visitations. But the very first day at her new school, Suze realizes it's not that easy.

There's a ghost with revenge on her mind...and Suze happens to be in the way.

We are deep in the era of the remake and reboot. It seems like the majority of movies and television shows are either a continuation of another plot or just a new version of the same story. I have a love/hate relationship with this. It really seems to depend on the brand if I am bothered or not. For instance, I am all over the new Star Wars movies but could do without the new Ghostbusters. More often than not, I'm left wishing that the original material had been left alone. However, I am never consistent in knowing what I will or will not like, but I tend to have a softer spot when it comes to more books in a series. Therefore am very excited to read the final book in The Mediator series (yes, I know I am several years behind, but I'm getting there). Since it's been awhile since I read the series, and I only read it once, I am getting ready by starting over with the first book, Shadowland.

Suze has just moved to California to live with her mom and new step family. She's not overly thrilled by this, but is going to give it her best try. Things would be a lot better if there wasn't a ghost living in her bedroom. Suze can see dead people. It's not always the worst. She still sees her deceased father on a regular basis because of it. But she also gets stuck with the responsibility of helping ghosts move on to the other side and sometimes that is easier said than done. When she starts at her new school, she immediately discovers that her newest assignment is a ghost set on revenge- and it looks like Suze is going to be her victim.

I was never the biggest fan of The Mediator series. Not because anything is wrong with them, ghosts and the paranormal just aren't my thing. For this reason, I only read the series once and unlike the rest of Cabot's books, I didn't devour them one after the other. Despite this, I found the series to be solid the first time through, and am enjoying them a second time around (probable more so). Suze has a lot of self confidence and is pretty much a badass. Unlike many of her books published under Meg Cabot (this first few books in this series came out under the name Jenny Carroll), this series isn't very girly. Suze isn't too worried about fashion or falling in love and this is probably my favorite part of the series. If you get in the way of her goal, Suze is going to make sure you move. I love her for this. This series is good for those who enjoy the paranormal and the mysterious. It's also a good choice for those that enjoy mysteries. If you've read some of Cabot's books, but found they weren't for you, give this one a chance. It's just different enough, you may enjoy it!

Happy Reading!

-Melly

"Royal Crown: From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess" by Meg Cabot

*Note: There are spoilers in this review. If you haven't read the first three books in the series or Royal Wedding, read at your own risk.

Olivia Grace Clarisse Mignonette Harrison should be having fun. Her best friend is visiting from America, her sister’s royal coronation is only three days away (the first coronation of a female ruler in two centuries), and she’s even got a new boyfriend who is actually a very smart and charming prince!

But it’s hard to celebrate when her royal cousins are scheming to take over the throne. And with everyone running around, Olivia and her friends have been saddled with royal babysitting duties. Then, to make matters worse, Olivia's snobby cousin Luisa insists on gossiping about her, especially about things that should be personal . . . it's none of her business whether Prince Khalil and Olivia have kissed or not!

When did growing up royal get so complicated?!?

I would have to say that my obsession with books by Meg Cabot runs deep. I am not certain just how many times I have re-read The Princess Diaries series (it's September and I have read Royal Wedding twice this year, but we're not going to talk about that). I've reached a point in my life where shelf space is becoming precious and as I don't have as much time to re-read books like I used to, I don't buy nearly as many physical books as I once did, but Cabot's books tend to find room within that limited shelf space. So of course I had to read Royal Crown as soon as it came out.

To get you caught up, Olivia Grace Clarisse Mignonette Harrison Renaldi is Princess Mia's recently discovered sister. Olivia grew up with her aunt after her mother passed away and like Mia, she didn't know that she was a princess. To get the whole story, you'll naturally have to begin at the beginning with From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess. In this particular volume, we meet up with Olivia in the days before Princess Mia's coronation. A lot has been going between the new royal twins, Prince René contesting Mia's right to rule, and Olivia's guests; her best friend and her cousin Luisa. On top of that, Olivia is dealing with having her first "boy that's a friend" and the fun that comes with being a teenage girl.

If I'm being honest, I'm not the biggest fan of this series. There's nothing wrong with it, it just doesn't appeal to me the same way as the original series. I also find that I am more interested in what is going on in Mia and Michael's lives instead of Olivia's. As a character, she is fine and I think she's a great role model for young girls, I just don't find her plots as compelling. I get the impression that Cabot's strength is in writing for teens and adults and her crossover to children's literature is somewhat out of the comfort zone. I didn't really get into the Allie Finkle series either. However, I am glad that this series offers a starting place for younger readers and that it provides them with their own princess to look up to.

Happy Reading!

-Melly

In My Mailbox

I had a REALLY good coupon! And a gift card!

Happy Reading!

-Melly

"Every Boy's Got One" by Meg Cabot

My favorite part of this book was the afterword by Meg that lists all of the aspects of the novel that she based on her own elopement in Italy (and the few things that she made up). This book felt very authentic and upon reading that I understood why- Meg couldn't have made this stuff up!

In Every Boy's Got One, Jane Harris is over the moon to go on her first overseas trip to help her best friend, Holly elope with Mark. Too bad Cal (the best man) doesn't believe in marriage, and that he is incredibly hot if incredibly annoying and it seems like everything may fall apart. Add on top of that, Italy's strict laws for marriage, the three hour lunch breaks where everything is closed therefore messing up Jane's plans and a teenage boy that is obsessed with Wondercat, Jane's cartoon (and therefore he's obsessed with her) and you are in for an interesting novel. Told through journal and PDA entries and emails, this story is hilarious and over the top, but I wouldn't expect (or want) anything else from Meg.

I am really picky about the romance novels that I like. I hate when the characters instantly fall in love without knowing anything about each other. I hate when the entire novel is made up of unrealistic passion and "love." I hate it when there is no character development just two idiots that think they were made for each other. Thankfully, this book does none of those things. Jane and Cal are very real and have issues like actual people. Though you can probably guess the general ending of this book, the journey to get there is so much fun. I see this book appealing to fans of Sophie Kinsella (and vice versa) and those who are just in need of a good laugh.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Twilight (The Mediator, #6)" by Meg Cabot

Oh what an ending (no spoilers, I promise)! I am not nearly as attached to Suze like I am to some of Meg Cabot's other characters, but I could not stop reading Twilight. In the final installment of The Mediator series, Suze is still dealing with Paul, still in love with Jesse but soon nothing will ever be the same. Turns out Paul has a plan that would stop Suze from ever meeting Jesse. Can she stop him or will she loose the love of her life forever?

I was never into The Mediator books like I have been with the rest of Cabot's books. I think it's because the paranormal just don't interest me as much. However, this series is still quite good. It has many of the same elements that Cabot's other books for teens include; bad ass main character, romance, something that stands in front of said romance (this time around it's the face that Suze's love interest is a ghost) and at least one character that will drive you nuts. Thankfully Cabot is a talented writer so it doesn't feel like I am always re-reading the same book just with different characters. I also love that she almost always throws in a Star Wars reference somewhere in her many series (seriously I want to be friends with Meg Cabot. She comes across as girly but she makes multiple Star Wars references). I haven't read much like this series (again, the not being a fan of the paranormal comes into play here) but there is so much about this series to enjoy that I highly suggest that fans of Cabot;s other work should check these out as well as those that like non-scary ghost stories.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"All-American Girl" and "Ready or Not" by Meg Cabot

Eep!  My week got away from me!  Okay, pretend I published this review last week!

 

All-American Girl is possibly one of the least out there book in the Cabot-verse. Sam: Average girl, failing German because she spends class drawing instead of studying, is sent to drawing lessons as an "outlet" for her creativity, skips class and because of it is there to save the life of the president. Whew!  On top of that, she is love with her older sister's boyfriend but begins to develop a relationship with the president's son.  And as with many of Cabot's booka, suddenly the media can't get enough of her.  I love this book.  Sam obsesses with Top 10 lists that are sprinkled throughout the book- from why she wishes she were her hero Gwen Stefani, to why she suffers the most being the middle child.  She is so real, I could easily picture her moving in down the street.  The majority of the book focuses on her love life (or lack of it) but also includes how her life changes in that moment of saving the life of another.  Such a good book!

Ready or Not takes Sam's story to a much more mature level.  I would have no problem letting a young teen read All-American Girl.  The same isn't quite so true for Ready or Not (parents I completely leave this decision up to you).  Sam is trying to decide if she is ready to take her and David's relationship to the "next level."  At the same time, she is part of the president's campaign to restore strength in families.  Oh yeah, and it may or may not infringe on some teen rights.  While this book could be considered more political, I think it is one that an even larger group of teens (especially girls) could very much relate to.  Though I do recommend it to older teens, it is still a must read.

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Airhead" Trilogy by Meg Cabot

Continuing my Meg Cabot week is the Airhead trilogy.  Once again we meet a character who's life is about to be turned upside down.  Though, technically, Em's life is about to be gone.  Within the first few chapters we are introduced to Em, a girl who doesn't care about fashion but does care about Journeyquest (there isn't a whole lot of description, but I take it to be this universe's version of World of Warcraft) and her best friend Christopher (actually, she cares about him quite   bit, in the more than friends variety).  Em's mom makes her take her younger sister, Frida to the opening of the new Stark supercenter.  While there, a TV falls on Em.  The next thing she knows she is waking up in the hospital and nothing is quite right.  It isn't until she finally sees her reflection and realizes that she is no longer Emmerson Watts but her brain has been moved into the body of supermodel Nikki Howard.  Now she is no longer an average teen, but instead has to learn how to fulfill Nikki's modeling obligations and keep the big switch a secret. 

This is the sort of book that I would expect would start to get old really fast.  Average girl become supermodel, must adjust to new life while still trying to get the attention of her crush.  Thankfully, Cabot is talented enough to keep readers on the edge of their seat with this one.  There is the perfect mix of suspense, drama, fashion and yes, another explosion (I love this about Cabot.  She always includes that right amount of girly with the right amount of blowing stuff up to please me).  I liked that this series wasn't quite what I expected.  I bought it solely because it said MEG CABOT in big letters on the cover, but was worried that it would focus too much on the fashion industry for my tastes.  Thankfully, that is not the case.  I think this series is one that will have a larger audience appeal.  Unlike The Princess Diaries, these books aren't quite as girly or filled with pop culture and I think the dialogue will appeal to more readers. 

Happy Reading!

-Melly

"The Princess Diaries" by Meg Cabot

I just re-read The Princess Diaries series for the umpteenth time.  I never get sick of these books!  They are very high on my list of favorite series.   

Mia Thermopolis is a really tall, really flat-chested freshmen.  She is barely scraping by in Algebra, her mom has an upcoming date with said Algebra teacher, she is not very popular.  Oh yeah, she just found out that she is a princess. A princess. Of an entire country.  Okay, a small county, but still a country!  Now on top of everything else, she has to learn how to someday rule said country under the watchful eye of her Grandmère.  And you thought your life was stressful.  Throughout the series, we follow Mia all the way to her high school graduation, through romances and break-ups, from the school newspaper to her first novel and through many diary entries that are written in women's restrooms.  Mia is funny, obsessed with all things pop-culture, and might just be my all time favorite heroine.  

Because the books are written like actual diaries, they also contain notes from Mia's classes, notes passed in class between her and her friends, newspaper articles and the like.  It really reads like someone's diary.  They are certainly a book that will appeal more to girls (I have yet to meet a guy that has read these books) and probably only to a certain set of girls.  There is a lot of girly talk and gossip, a decent about of fashion, and only one explosion.  I don't recommend these books to just anyone but if you like girly books and haven't read this series yet, you are so missing out!

Read them all!

The Princess Diaries
The Princess Diaries, Volume II: Princess in the Spotligh
The Princess Diaries, Volume III: Princess in Love
The Princess Diaries, Volume IV: Princess in Waiting

The Princess Diaries, Volume IV and 1/4: Valentine Princess
The Princess Diaries, Volume IV and 1/2: Project Princess
The Princess Diaries, Volume V: Princess in Pink
The Princess Diaries, Volume VI: Princess in Training
The Princess Diaries, Volume VI and 1/2: The Princess Present
The Princess Diaries, Volume VII: Party Princess
The Princess Diaries, Volume VII and 1/2: Sweet Sixteen Princess
The Princess Diaries, Volume VIII: Princess on the Brink
The Princess Diaries, Volume IX: Princess Mia
The Princess Diaries, Volume X: Forever Princess

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"1-800-Where-R-You" series by Meg Cabot

It's Meg Cabot week here at Beauty and the Armageddon.  Basically, I have been doing some major re-reading of my favorite Cabot novels.  If you know anything about me, you know that I love her stuff.  I'm going to do my best to not ramble on like a crazy person about how much I love her books. Here we go!

First up is the 1-800-Where-R-You series.  Meg more or less has one kind of teenage lead; she's never very girly, she's usually some sort of a social outcast, and something major is about to change her life forever.  The main difference is whether or not said lead can kick butt.  Jess, the lead of this series, can do some major butt kicking.  She does so within the first few paragraphs of When Lightning Strikes.  And that's where her troubles begin.  When Jeff Day calls her best friend fat, Jess is left with no choice but to walk home from school with Ruth who is now determined to exercise off her baby fat.  Unfortunately the girls get caught in a terrible storm and Jess is struck by lightning.  This defining moment gives her the ability to find the location of any missing person, dead or alive, anywhere in the world.  Suddenly, average girl Jess Mastriani is involved with the feds, a pissed off stepfather and some not-so-nice folks that would rather see their town rid of those different then them (think the Nazis, but with hillbillies)- not all at the same time of course, this is a five book series after all!  Throw in the hunk Rob Wilkins and you have one of the best book series of all time!

I first came across this series as I was waiting like a crazy person for Princess in Pink to be released.  I found the first book while perusing the book section at Safeway.  I was trying to figure out how I had missed the release of a new Cabot book.  Then I realized that it wasn't technically new but a reprint.  So I bought that one then quickly went and bought the next three online (Missing You wasn't out yet).  Pretty much every time I read these books, I devour them in just a few days.  These are the books that go with me while I am cooking, walking, and the like.  It's books like these that are going to get me in trouble because I'm not paying enough attention to the real world while reading, but they are just that good!

I can't recommend these books enough!  This series is probably the least girly of Meg's books.  Jess describes how she prefers movies with explosions while Ruth prefers those with makeovers.  This book definetly focuses more on the explosions that on makeup or fashion (which may be part of why I like it so much).  Give this series a shot!

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"Haunted" by Meg Cabot (The Mediator #5)

I have read just about all of Meg Cabot's YA stuff.  The Princess Diaries are among the books that I have bought on the day they came out and many of her books fill my list of favorite books of all time.  However, it took me a very long time for me to read The Mediator series.  I realize the reason for that now.  I had read everything of hers I could get my hands on (so not all she had written, just all the the library had and what I had bought [and as my town is seriously lacking in bookstores, a good chunk of my book buying takes place out of town, with the exception of the used bookstore of course]) when my school library got a copy of Haunted.  I had no clue that it was part 5 of a series.  So I didn't fully know what was going on or why.  It wasn't until I reached a scene about 2/3 of the way through (this time reading it, not the first time which was somewhere around 8 years ago) that I remembered that I had mostly read this book before.  So now that I am making my way through the series in order I am enjoying it quite a bit.

Suze can see and communicate with the dead (turn Odd Thomas into a teenage girl who is far more feisty and ready to kick ass at a moment's notice) only no one really knows this about her.  She lives in California with her mom, stepfather, stepbrothers and the ghost that just happens to haunt her bedroom (and who she happens to be in love with).  In this particular volume, Suze has to deal with Paul, a "shifter" that is a little too interested in Suze, horribly blistered feet, and the fact that her stepbrother is planning a major party while their parents are out of town.  Needless to say, Suze's life is pretty stressful.

These books are relatively different from most of Cabot's other teen books (well, those written at that time). This series isn't as girly as some of her other books and of course focuses more on the paranormal.  I don't like it nearly as much as I like The Princess Diaries or 1-800-Where-R-U series.  I think that readers who enjoyed Abandon will be into this series (and vice versa).  I do really like that Cabot covers a range of topics and genres in her books and doesn't just re-tell the same story over and over again.

The Complete Series
Shadowland 
Ninth Key 

Reunion 
Darkest Hour 

Haunted 
Twilight 

*so in getting all the links I needed for this post, I saw where The Mediator has been optioned for a movie. Not sure how I feel about this.  I have been rather disappointed by the adaptations of Cabot's other novels.  The Princess Diaries was alright, but the sequel really was a head shaker.  Missing was really good, if you forgot that it was based on a book.  Otherwise it just made no sense (and no Rob?  Really?).  And don't get me started on Avalon High was beyond disappointing for me.  I am totally willing to give a movie of The Mediator a shot, but I have extremely low expectations. What do you think?*

Happy Reading!

-Melly

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Can Read Over and Over Again

Topic from The Broke and the Bookish!

There is no set theme for this week's Top Ten Tuesday from The Broke and the Bookish so I decided to list the books that I basically cannot live without.  These are the books I have read time and time again and will likely be reading again in the near future.

Click Clack Moo, Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin

Confessions of a Shopaholicby Sophie Kinsella

Harry Potter by JK Rowling

How to Ruin series bySimone Elkeles

Pop Princess by Rachel Cohn

The Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot

Ryan White: My Own Storyby Ryan White andAnn Marie Cunningham

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares

Sweep series by Cate Tiernan

The Giver by Lois Lowry

I want to hear from you, what book or books do you re-read?  Does anyone else had a book that they tend to read around the same time each year?  Let me know!

Happy Reading!

-Melly

Top Ten Books We Are Excited To Read in 2012

Topic from The Broke and the Bookish!

Books that I am looking forward to reading in 2012 (Books in Blue are books I have read so far)

1. Amanda Hocking's Trylle Trilogy
I have read the first book, Switched and absolutely loved it!  Looking forward to completing the series as it is being released as a hard copy book this year.

2. Ally Condie's Matched #3
Must.....be....patient....

3. Rachel Hawkins Spell Bound
I should probably re-read Hex Hall and Demonglass before March....

4. Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games (I read this one!)

Yes, I am the only person on the planet that hasn't read these yet.  But I checked them out at the library today!

5.  Lauren Oliver's Delirium and then Pandemonium 
I have started Delirium and love it!

6. Alex Scarrow's TimeRiders series
I have only read the first one, anxious to read more in the series

7. Meg Cabot's The Mediator series
I have checked Book 5, Haunted three times!  I just need to stop checking it out with a ton of other books so I can actually read it all the way through!

8. Meg Cabot's Abandon
I have it on hold at the library.  Just have to be patient

9. Something by Dean Koontz (I read *almost* four.  I'm still in the middle of one as 2012 comes to an end)
I read The Eyes of Darkness last year and enjoyed it.  Since the bf has a ton of Koontz's books, then I should put them to good use.

10.  J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series
Because one cannot go an entire year without reading it!

Happy Reading! 
-Melly

In Honor of "One Day" with Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess, Based on the Book by David Nicholls

One Day

So I saw the movie based on David Nicholls' book last night with the crew of The Void Zone Podcast (will post a link to the review soon!) and really enjoyed it. I plan on reading the book as soon as a copy is available at my library again (I'm second in line to check-it out, so hopefully soon) and will attempt to do a movie/book comparison review. However, in the mean time, I highly recommend the movie!

In honor of One Day, here are some Anne Hathaway movie recommendations (and of course, these movies are based on books).

The Princess Diaries

Even though this movie is very loosely based on Meg Cabot's AMAZING series, I still enjoyed the movie. And can you blame me? Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews? Of course I liked it. Despite some major changes (for instance, Mia's father is still alive in the books) and some rather minor ones (it doesn't matter too much plot wise that the location changed from New York City to San Francisco, at least in my opinion. Though, that's what this blog is, my opinion) I feel like it's a fun movie that is easy to watch either alone or with friends, and it's not the type of movie you have to pay attention every second to remember what is going on with the plot.

On the other hand, I am not a huge fan of the sequel. I did see it twice in theaters (a rarity for me) and own the DVD, but overall it's low on my list of likes. I didn't care much for the repeat of jokes from the first movie, “thank you culinary people” and my favorite line from the trailer was cut as well (“Grandma said shut-up? Shut-up!”). Plus, I was always the one holding out for Mia and Michael to get back together. Overall, that was one book deviation I really wasn't okay with. But I will still occasionally pop it in the DVD on a lazy afternoon of watching movies.

As a whole, I enjoy these movies quite a bit. I have a tendency to like movies based on books far more if I see the movie before I read the book. If I have already read the book, I tend to be more attached to the characters and plot and be unhappy when things are changed. Thankfully at the time of the first movie's release, I did not realize it was based on a book and I'm sure this is part of why I enjoy it so much. If you haven't seen it yet and are in need of a fun chick flick, grab both movies and set your self up for a fun marathon.

Check out the amazing Meg Cabot on Facebook and Twitter!

The Devil Wears Prada

I guess I am a bit of an Anne Hathaway fan. I don't make it point to see all of her movies, but I've seen many and enjoyed most. (How did Jane Austen fans feel about Becoming Jane? I'm sad to say I was bored during it, though I am willing to give it another try.). I immediately wanted to see The Devil Wears Prada the first time I saw the trailer. I loved it then (though I was the one in the theater overly upset that Meryl Streep's daughters now had copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and I did not) and it is still in heavy rotation in my DVD player (how I love unintentional puns). I didn't realize immediately that this movie was based on a book. That happens to me often with adult fiction (I have a habit of heading directly to the Young Adult books, checking out of the kids fiction and picture books, making a stop in the biography section, then discovering that I am about to buy more books than I should and leave without ever making it to the rest of the bookstore-or library) so I often miss out on those sort of things. But I found Lauren Weisberger's book (I believe on display at WalMart), immediately bought it and began to read.

I am fairly certain that had I read this book without seeing the movie I would have enjoyed it. But reading it after the movie, I felt a little let down (another case of liking a movie better if I see the movie first). I was especially disappointed with the book's ending. Good for book-Andy to take financial responsibility and get rid of clothes she didn't need to pay off her loans. But I prefer that movie version of Andy giving the clothes she received in Paris to Emily. I liked seeing this character I already loved, doing the selfless thing to benefit someone who was never really nice, but who deep down I think wanted to be.

The book has fun characters that were sadly cut from the movie, but for time and such, these cuts made sense. Overall, I absolutely love the movie and the book will always have a spot on my shelves. It's likely that the book will receive several re-reads from me as well. This is another fun movie for a group of women to watch together (and for a marathon, team it with Confessions of a Shopaholic, and I recommend both Sophie Kinsella's book and the movie in this case!).

I hope I've given you some useful movie ideas.  As always, read the books and make your own opinion.  If you like books I didn't that's fine.  And if you disagree with my opinion, that's okay too.  

Happy Reading!

-Melly