Changig My Reviews (Part 2)

On Friday I asked you guys what you thought about me making some changes to my reviews here. So let's have a look at the results!

First I asked what you thought of my idea of putting a linky at the end of my reviews for you to link to your review if you've reviewed the same book. The response was really positive: Only 4% said they weren't interested in that feature, while 83% said they'd link to their review and 61% said they'd read the other reviews if it's a book they're interested in. I'm going to do add a linky to my next 10 reviews or so and see if anyone actually links their reviews, and then I'll decide whether or not I'll permanently do that feature.

I also asked whether you wanted more general info about the books I review, such as publisher, release date, number of pages, genre/age group and where I got the book. You guys are most interested in release dates (79%), but all types of info got a pretty positive response (nothing less than 40%). I've decided to add all of those, except for why I read the book - I think if it's somehting noteworthy I'll just include it in the main part of my review. Someone also said they were interested in links to author sites, which I hadn't thought of before. That's a great idea, though, so I'll add that, too.

Then I asked what links to bookish sites you'd like me to include in my posts. Goodreads is the site most of you're interested in (88%), followed by Amazon (44%). The other sites just got 6% each, so I'll stick with only including links to Goodreads and Amazon, which is good, since those are the sites I use as well.

I have one more question that I forgot to ask last time. I always include the first sentence of the book in my review. Does anyone actually read/like those?



Thank you for voting/commenting and helping me with this! What do you think of my decisions?

In My Mailbox #17

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where you can talk about the books you bought or received this week.

So this week I got...

Instructions for a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson

(Amazon / Goodreads)

Goodreads description:


Three days before her drama club's trip to Italy, Jessa Gardner discovers her boyfriend in the costume barn with another girl. Jessa is left with a care package from her best friend titled "Top Twenty Reasons He's a Slimy Jerk Bastard," instructing her to do one un-Jessa-like thing each day of the trip. At turns hilarious and heartwrenching, Instructions for a Broken Heart paints a magical Italy in which Jessa learns she must figure out life-and romance-for herself.

I've seen this one around other blogs a few times, and it sounds like a fun read! I love the idea for the title.

All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab

(Amazon / Goodreads)

Goodreads description:

Carly: She was sweet. Smart. Self-destructive. She knew the secrets of Brighton Day School’s most privileged students. Secrets that got her killed.
Neily: Dumped by Carly for a notorious bad boy, Neily didn’t answer the phone call she made before she died. If he had, maybe he could have helped her. Now he can’t get the image of her lifeless body out of his mind.
Audrey: She’s the reason Carly got tangled up with Brighton’s fast crowd in the first place, and now she regrets it—especially since she’s convinced the police have put the wrong person in jail. Audrey thinks the murderer is someone at Brighton, and she wants Neily to help her find out who it is.

As reluctant allies Neily and Audrey dig into their shared past with Carly, her involvement with Brighton’s dark goings-on comes to light. But figuring out how Carly and her killer fit into the twisted drama will force Audrey and Neily to face hard truths about themselves and the girl they couldn’t save.

This one has been on my wishlist for ages, and I have no idea why I've waited so long to buy this. It sounds and looks creepy, in a good way!

Miles from Ordinary by Carol Lynch Williams
(Amazon / Goodreads)

Goodreads description:

Thirteen-year-old Lacey wakes to a beautiful summer morning excited to begin her new job at the library, just as her mother is supposed to start work at the grocery store. Lacey hopes that her mother's ghosts have finally been laid to rest; after all, she seems so much better these days, and they really do need the money. But as the hours tick by and memories come flooding back, a day full of hope spins terrifyingly out of control.... This award-winning YA author brings us a gripping story of a girl who loves her mother, but must face the truth of what life with that mother means for both of them.
 
I got this one from a giveaway Midnight Bloom - thanks, Liz!
 
What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Changing My Reviews

I've been thinking about changing the way I write my reviews. The first idea I have is to add a linky to the end of each review, where you could link to your review if you've reviewed the same book. What do you think? Would anyone link their reviews or read the reviews linked there?



Another thing I've been thinking about is adding more information about the book to my review. Right now I only include the title and author, but some other blogs add things like the publisher, the number of pages, the release date, why I read it, etc. Do you like knowing those kinds of things about books?




Also, I'm wondering if anyone uses the links I include in my reviews (well, not only reviews, but also memes and features). Right now I include links to the book on Amazon and Goodreads. Are these links helpful? Would you like links to any other bookish sites included?



Thanks for helping me with this! If you have something longer to say or have any other ideas for making my reviews better, please leave a comment!

Review: Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins
(Amazon / Goodreads)

Goodreads description:

Aspen Springs Psychiatric Hospital is a place for people who have played the ultimate endgame. The suicide attempt survivors portrayed in this novel tell starkly different stories, but these three embattled teens share a desperate need for a second chance. Ellen Hopkins, the author of Glass and Crank, presents another jarring, ultimately uplifting story about young people crawling back from a precipice.

First sentence:
Sometimes
you're traveling, the only road
you've ever known,
and wham!

My rating: 2 out of 5 stars

I loved the other books I've read by Ellen Hopkins and I'd heard a few people say this is their favorite of her novels, so I had pretty high expectations. And while Impulse isn't a bad book, I was just sort of disappointed.

I'll start with the good stuff, which is mainly the writing. Like in the other books I've read by Ellen Hopkins, the writing is incredible, rich and beautiful. The metaphors are amazing and so many of the statements thought-provoking.

The beginning was confusing for me - it was hard to distinguish Tony's, Conner's and Vanessa's voices. I found myself flipping backwards to see who was speaking several times. It got a little easier after a while, but the voices and characters still seemed too similar. They all attempted suicide and they're all loners, but the rest of their personalities should have been different. The way it is, I never really connected with any of the characters.

Another thing that annoyed me is how little the reader knows about the characters' problems until the end. Of course I understand that Ellen Hopkins couldn't have told us within the first few pages why they attempted suicide because there would have been no suspense, but finding out about some things so late in the book made it impossible for the reader to see how the characters dealt with their problems and how they grew as people. I didn't see all that much of a development.That made it really hard for me to understand the characters or connect to them.

The romance is strange as well. The love triangle and how all of the characters change who they like so quickly but still talk about their deep connection and love just isn't believable.

***This next paragraph contains spoilers about the ending!***
I was pretty bored reading the last 100 pages or so as there is no real plot or development other than descriptions of the Challenge, which I honestly didn't care all that much about. The ending woke me up again, though, going WHAT? I didn't get the ending at all. Because it was hard for me to distuinguish each character, I didn't really get what went wrong with Connor's development that didn't go wrong with Tony and Vanessa, other than that Conner stopped taking his meds. But if that's what the book comes down to - the message being "take your meds if you're depressed" - well, then, that's just too simple a message to make an interesting read.

Overall, a very disappointing read for me. Great writing, but asides from that not enjoyable, at least for me. The characters are not fully developed, making it hard for me to get into the story. If you haven't read anything by Ellen Hopkins, I wouldn't recommend starting with Impulse. Then again, I've heard lots of people say this is their favorite Ellen Hopkins, so what do I know - decide for yourself!

If you disagree with me and liked this book, please leave a comment and let me know what you liked about it - maybe you can change my mind! (Obviously, comments from those who agree with me or haven't read the book are welcome as well.)

New Releases June 2011

New Releases:

Forgotten by Cat Patrick
(Amazon / Goodreads)
 
Release date: June 7th 2011
 
Goodreads description:
 
Each night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her whole world disappears. In the morning, all that's left is a note telling her about a day she can't remember. The whole scenario doesn't exactly make high school or dating that hot guy whose name she can't seem to recall any easier. But when London starts experiencing disturbing visions she can't make sense of, she realizes it's time to learn a little more about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.
Part psychological drama, part romance, and part mystery, this thought-provoking novel will inspire readers to consider the what-if's in their own lives and recognize the power they have to control their destinies.

Don't Stop Now by Julie Halpern

(Amazon / Goodreads)

Release date: June 7th 2011

Goodreads description:


On the first day of Lillian’s summer-before-college, she gets a message on her cell from her sort-of friend, Penny. Not only has Penny faked her own kidnapping, but Lil is the only one who figures it out. She knows that Penny’s home life has been rough, and that her boyfriend may be abusive. Soon, Penny’s family, the local police, and even the FBI are grilling Lil, and she decides to head out to Oregon, where Penny has mentioned an acquaintance. And who better to road-trip across the country with than Lil’s BFF, Josh. But here’s the thing: Lil loves Josh. And Josh doesn’t want to “ruin” their amazing friendship. Josh has a car and his dad’s credit card. Lil has her cellphone and a hunch about where Penny is hiding. There’s something else she needs to find: Are she and Josh meant to be together?

Brother /Sister by Sean Olin
(Amazon / Goodreads)

Release date: June 9th 2011

Goodreads description:

Will and Asheley have a troubled past. Their father left them when they were little, and their mother has just been carted off to an alcohol treatment center. Now, they have the house to themselves, and an endless California summer stretching out before them.
Through alternating perspectives, they tell the story of how and why their lives spun violently out of control - right up to the impossibly shocking conclusion you'll have to read for yourself to believe.

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

(Amazon / Goodreads)

Release date: June 14th 2011

Goodreads description:

Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby. But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

Ordinary Beauty by Laura Wiess
(Amazon / Goodreads)

Release date: June 14th 2011

Goodreads description:

A young woman struggles to escape the shadow of her mother's addiction and neglect in this story from the author of Such a Pretty Girl.

*Sorry for the short description - I coudln't find any more info on this one.*

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

(Amazon / Goodreads)

Release date: June 14th 2011

Goodreads descriptions:

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back. So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past. Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder
(Amazon / Goodreads)

Release date: June 28th 2011

Goodreads description:

Amber's life is spinning out of control. All she wants is to turn up the volume on her iPod until all of the demands of her family and friends fade away. So she sneaks off to the beach to spend a day by herself. Then Amber meets Cade. Their attraction is instant, and Amber can tell that he's also looking for an escape. Together they decide to share a perfect day: no pasts, no fears, no regrets. The more time that Amber spends with Cade, the more she's drawn to him. And the more she's troubled by his darkness. Because Cade's not just living in the now--he's living each moment like it's his last.

Re-releases / Now in Paperback:

Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors

(Amazon / Goodreads)

Release date: June 6th 2011

Goodreads description:


When you're the daughter of the bestselling Queen of Romance, life should be pretty good. But 16-year-old Alice Amorous has been living a lie ever since her mother was secretly hospitalized for mental illness. After putting on a brave front for months, time is running out. The next book is overdue, and the Queen can't write it. Alice needs a story for her mother—and she needs one fast. That's when she meets Errol, a strange boy who claims to be Cupid, who insists that Alice write about the greatest love story in history: his tragic relationship with Psyche. As Alice begins to hear Errol's voice in her head and see things she can't explain, she must face the truth—that she's either inherited her mother's madness, or Errol is for real.

The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
(Amazon / Goodreads)

Release date: June 6th 2011

Goodreads des description:


Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.

These are the June releases I'm looking forward to reading. What releases are you excited about this month?