Challenge Uncompleted- What's In a Name 3? Challenge

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge

So here's how it works: Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:
1. A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
2. A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House
3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know
~Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
~Books may overlap other challenges.
~Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
~Creativity for matching the categories is allowed.
~You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
~You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.
~There will be a single prize at the end of the challenge. Readers who complete the challenge and write up a wrap-up post (or wrap-up comment) are eligible. I'll figure out a way to make it international.

Food-
Body of Water- Across the Pond by Storyheart
Title- Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
Plant- Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax
Place Name- Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts
Music Term- Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge- December Update

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge

So here's how it works: Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:
1. A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
2. A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House
3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know
~Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
~Books may overlap other challenges.
~Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
~Creativity for matching the categories is allowed.
~You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
~You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.
~There will be a single prize at the end of the challenge. Readers who complete the challenge and write up a wrap-up post (or wrap-up comment) are eligible. I'll figure out a way to make it international.

Food-
Body of Water- Across the Pond by Storyheart
Title- Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
Plant- Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax
Place Name- Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts
Music Term- Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge- November Update

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge

So here's how it works: Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:
1. A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
2. A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House
3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know
~Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
~Books may overlap other challenges.
~Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
~Creativity for matching the categories is allowed.
~You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
~You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.
~There will be a single prize at the end of the challenge. Readers who complete the challenge and write up a wrap-up post (or wrap-up comment) are eligible. I'll figure out a way to make it international.

Food-
Body of Water- Across the Pond by Storyheart
Title- Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
Plant- Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax
Place Name- Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts
Music Term- Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge- October Update

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge

So here's how it works: Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:
1. A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
2. A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House
3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know
~Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
~Books may overlap other challenges.
~Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
~Creativity for matching the categories is allowed.
~You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
~You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.
~There will be a single prize at the end of the challenge. Readers who complete the challenge and write up a wrap-up post (or wrap-up comment) are eligible. I'll figure out a way to make it international.

Food-
Body of Water- Across the Pond by Storyheart
Title- Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
Plant- Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax
Place Name- Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts
Music Term- Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge- September Update

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge

So here's how it works: Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:
1. A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
2. A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House
3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know
~Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
~Books may overlap other challenges.
~Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
~Creativity for matching the categories is allowed.
~You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
~You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.
~There will be a single prize at the end of the challenge. Readers who complete the challenge and write up a wrap-up post (or wrap-up comment) are eligible. I'll figure out a way to make it international.

Food-
Body of Water- Across the Pond by Storyheart
Title- Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
Plant- Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax
Place Name- Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts
Music Term- Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison

Book Review- Across the Pond

I got Across the Pond by Storyheart last year to review and I just now got around to reading it.

From Amazon:

When almost fifteen-year-old, English born Fred Squire’s parents win a trip to Australia, Fred finds himself packed off to visit family friends in the United States. Even worse, he’s given a boring language project to complete.

But then he meets Brittany.

Fred soon finds himself struggling, not only with his growing feelings for Brit, but also with the language differences. A state confusion, that increases when he meets Brit’s flirtatious friend, Angel.

Escaping from a confrontation with Steve Harris, the neighborhood bully, Brit tells Fred her dark secret about Harris, and Fred´s world is turned upside down.

Life continues to throw Fred a curveball when he catches a ball worth thousands of dollars at a baseball game. Further angry run-ins with Harris, a crazy family BBQ, and being chased through a Boston mall all add to the thrill of Fred´s American adventure.

A final fight between Fred and Harris, leads Brit to at last reveal her painful secret to her parents.

Brit and her "Brit", know that their young love will be followed by heartache when Fred has to return back "Across the Pond" to England.

However, not before some final twists in the tale.
 
Yeah, this book just didn't do it for me.  It was way too shallow.  I don't feel that the characters, nor the story was really developed.  And the book was only 118 pages so there was plenty of room to add depth.
 
Fred and Brit fell in love way too quickly and without really knowing each other.  It was just too weird.  There needed to be more growth.  I didn't care about any of the characters or what was happening.  I don't know.  Without sounding too harsh, it just seemed too amateurish compared to other books out there.
 
I gave this book a rating of 1.5/5.
 
This book fulfilled an item in the following challenges:
2010 100+ Reading Challenge:113
2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 82
What's In A Name? 3 Challenge: Body of Water
ARC Reading Challenge 2010: 79

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free by the author for an honest review.

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge- August Update

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge

So here's how it works: Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:
1. A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
2. A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House
3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know
~Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
~Books may overlap other challenges.
~Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
~Creativity for matching the categories is allowed.
~You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
~You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.
~There will be a single prize at the end of the challenge. Readers who complete the challenge and write up a wrap-up post (or wrap-up comment) are eligible. I'll figure out a way to make it international.

Food-
Body of Water-
Title- Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
Plant- Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax
Place Name- Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts
Music Term- Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge- July Update

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge

So here's how it works: Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:
1. A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
2. A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House
3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know
~Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
~Books may overlap other challenges.
~Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
~Creativity for matching the categories is allowed.
~You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
~You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.
~There will be a single prize at the end of the challenge. Readers who complete the challenge and write up a wrap-up post (or wrap-up comment) are eligible. I'll figure out a way to make it international.

Food-
Body of Water-
Title- Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
Plant- Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax
Place Name- Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts
Music Term- Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge- June Update

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge

So here's how it works: Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:
1. A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
2. A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House
3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know
~Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
~Books may overlap other challenges.
~Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
~Creativity for matching the categories is allowed.
~You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
~You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.
~There will be a single prize at the end of the challenge. Readers who complete the challenge and write up a wrap-up post (or wrap-up comment) are eligible. I'll figure out a way to make it international.

Food-
Body of Water-
Title- Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
Plant- Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax
Place Name- Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts
Music Term- Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge- May Update

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge

So here's how it works: Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:
1. A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
2. A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House
3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know
~Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
~Books may overlap other challenges.
~Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
~Creativity for matching the categories is allowed.
~You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
~You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.
~There will be a single prize at the end of the challenge. Readers who complete the challenge and write up a wrap-up post (or wrap-up comment) are eligible. I'll figure out a way to make it international.

Food-
Body of Water-
Title- Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
Plant- Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax
Place Name- Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts
Music Term- Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge- April Update

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge

So here's how it works: Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:
1. A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
2. A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House
3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know
~Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
~Books may overlap other challenges.
~Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
~Creativity for matching the categories is allowed.
~You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
~You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.
~There will be a single prize at the end of the challenge. Readers who complete the challenge and write up a wrap-up post (or wrap-up comment) are eligible. I'll figure out a way to make it international.

Food-
Body of Water-
Title- Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
Plant- Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax
Place Name- Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts
Music Term- Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison

Book Review- Sing Me To Sleep

I finished reading Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison last night for an Around the World Tour.

From Goodreads:

THE TRANSFORMATION

Beth has always been “The Beast”—that’s what everyone at school calls her because of her awkward height, facial scars, and thick glasses. Beth’s only friend is geeky, golden-haired Scott. That is, until she’s selected to be her choir’s soprano soloist, and receives the makeover that will change her life forever.

THE LOVE AFFAIR

When Beth’s choir travels to Switzerland, she meets Derek: pale, brooding, totally dreamy. Derek’s untethered passion—for music, and for Beth—leaves her breathless. Because in Derek’s eyes? She’s not The Beast, she’s The Beauty.

THE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE

When Beth comes home, Scott, her best friend in the world, makes a confession that leaves her completely torn. Should she stand by sweet, steady Scott or follow the dangerous, intense new feelings she has for Derek?

THE HEARTBREAK

The closer Beth gets to Derek, the further away he seems. Then Beth discovers that Derek’s been hiding a dark secret from her …one that could shatter everything.

This book was a roller coaster ride for me.  There are some parts that I am going to talk about that are spoilers for the book.  To read these parts (which I will surround with stars), highlight over the words and you can see them.

At first, the book was just okay for me.  I didn't really like Beth.  She just wasn't a character that I could connect to.  And when she had her makeover, I kind of had a problem with that.  I feel like some of the makeover went a little too far and sends the wrong message to teens.  Yes, I know teens want to present the best image of themselves possible, but I don't feel you should completely change yourself to make others happy.

Then the story got a little better for me when Beth met Derek.  I felt that their relationship was a little too weird.  Derek would go missing for weeks and months at a time (which there was a good reason for), but Beth didn't know that.  I don't think a normal teen would just sit through that and take it.  I liked that Derek was a good guy.  I kept waiting for some "jerky" thing to come up with him, but I'm glad it didn't.

But then it went back down for me with Scott and Beth's relationship.  Scott just seemed too pushy and wouldn't back off when Beth told him she had a boyfriend.  It was uncomfortable to me.

Then almost all of the end went way uphill for me.  Before I go into spoiler mode, I will say that I got choked up.  I had no idea that this was going to be such a sad book.  Get the tissues ready!  But unfortunately the story ended on a bad note for me.  I listed why in the spoiler below.

***
I knew pretty much from the beginning of Derek and Beth's relationship that he was sick and not a druggie.  Maybe it was from reading all those Lurlene McDaniel books awhile ago, but I picked up on it right away.  But I didn't know that the end would be just that sad.  Gah....I can't imagine going through that with a boyfriend.  I did like Beth here.  I felt warmth from her and her love for Derek was real.  So I had just decided that I really liked this book, when BAM!  It went downhill bigtime for me---on just the last two pages!  I really did not like that on the day of Derek's memorial CF-benefit concert, she goes home and kisses Scott and suddenly decides she can love him.  If she was so in love with Derek, how can she go to loving another guy so quickly, even one that she was maybe having feelings for before she met Derek???  I just don't get it and I was sad the book ended this way.  I think it would have been much better without the last two pages.  Oh well, just my opinion.

***

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

Sing Me To Sleep was released today.

This book fullfills items for the following challenges:
2010 100+ Reading Challenge: 30
2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 21
What's In A Name? 3 Challenge: Music Term
ARC Reading Challenge 2010: 21

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge- March Update

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge

So here's how it works: Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:
1. A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
2. A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House
3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know
~Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
~Books may overlap other challenges.
~Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
~Creativity for matching the categories is allowed.
~You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
~You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.
~There will be a single prize at the end of the challenge. Readers who complete the challenge and write up a wrap-up post (or wrap-up comment) are eligible. I'll figure out a way to make it international.

Here is the link to my original post: What's In A Name? 3 Challenge

Food-
Body of Water-
Title- Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
Plant- Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax
Place Name- Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts
Music Term-

Book Review- Magnolia Wednesday

I just finished reading Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax.

From Wendy Wax's website:

Sometimes life comes at you in full swing...

At forty-one, Vivien Armstrong Gray spent most of her life fighting to make it in investigative journalism, only to have it crumble after a bullet lodges in her backside during an exposé. As if the humiliation of being the butt of everyone’s jokes isn’t enough, Vivi learns that she’s pregnant, jobless, and very hormonal. Maybe that explains why she actually says ‘yes’ to a dreadful job covering suburban living back home in Georgia, a column she can only bear to write incognito.

Leaving her tiny apartment in New York, she unwillingly heads south to experience the suburban soccer mom existence through her widowed sister’s eyes. Surrounded by mini-vans and bake sales, she has lots of material for the column. Her sister’s ballroom dance studio becomes her undercover spot where she learns about the local life while posing as an ‘extra’ dance partner. But Vivi’s little stint starts throwing her for a loop as friendships develop, and a real relationship with her sister blossoms. As she digs up her long buried roots, and begins to secretly investigate her brother-in-law’s death, she starts to wonder if life inside the picket fence is so bad after all…

Since my undergrad was in broadcast journalism, I am always excited to read a good story about a journalist.  If it has a chick-lit theme with a good plot and good characters, that's even better.  And Magnolia Wednesdays was just that.

While I didn't completely connect with the main character, Vivi (although I love the teaching job that I have now, it's not my life), I definitely remember how intense broadcast journalism can be and how life-consuming it can be.  I loved how Vivi grew into a warm, loving sister and mother.  She had setbacks, but in the end she had grown so much.

The other cast of characters were great as well.  From Melanie, Vivi's sister and the all-around great single mom, to Ruth, the elderly lady who spent her days in the dance studio and wanted her marriage back to the way it used to be, to Amanda, the bride-to-be who can't get over her formerly obese days, to Shelby and Trip, Melanie's children.

 And there was a twist with Vivi's brother-in-law's death that I didn't see coming at all.  I had my own theories about what would come out about the death but I was so far off! 

This was a heart-warming story and one that I truly enjoyed.

I gave this book a rating of 4.5/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2010 100+ Reading Challenge: 28
What's In A Name? 3 Challenge: Plant
2010 Chick Lit Challenge: 3

*FTC Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book by Joan Schulhafer Publishing & Media Consulting for an honest review.

Book Review- Made in the U.S.A.

I just finished reading Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts.

From Goodreads:

Lutie McFee's history has taught her to avoid attachments...to people, to places, and to almost everything. With her mother long dead and her father long gone to find his fortune in Las Vegas, 15-year-old Lutie lives in the god-forsaken town of Spearfish, South Dakota with her twelve-year-old brother, Fate, and Floy Satterfield, the 300-pound ex-girlfriend of her father. While Lutie shoplifts for kicks, Fate spends most of his time reading, watching weird TV shows and worrying about global warming and the endangerment of pandas. As if their life is not dismal enough, one day, while shopping in their local Wal-Mart, Floy keels over and the two motherless kids are suddenly faced with the choice of becoming wards of the state or hightailing it out of town in Floy's old Pontiac. Choosing the latter, they head off to Las Vegas in search of a father who has no known address, no phone number and, clearly, no interest in the kids he left behind.

MADE IN THE U.S.A. is the alternately heartbreaking and life-affirming story of two gutsy children who must discover how cruel, unfair and frightening the world is before they come to a place they can finally call home.
 
This book was just okay for me.  I have read the other books by Billie Letts and enjoyed them a lot more than I did this one.  The two main characters, Lutie and Fate, just didn't do it for me.  I liked Fate some of the times--I mean, I felt poorly for the young boy and his situation.  But I didn't feel any warmth from Lutie and at times I thought her moves were stupid and selfish.  In most stories where teenagers and young children lose their families, you want to root for them.  But I just couldn't root for Lutie.  She was just unlikeable.  I grew more interested in the end of the story when the siblings are welcomed into the family of circus owners.  But other than that, the story dragged for me.
 
I gave this book a rating of 2.5/5.
 
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2010 100+ Reading Challenge: 25
What's In A Name? 3 Challenge: Place Name
 
*FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Hachette Book Group for an honest review.

Book Review- Princess For Hire

I just finished reading Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt for an Around The World Tour.

From Goodreads:

When a well-dressed woman steps out of a bubble and wants to know if you'd like to become a substitute princess, do you
A) run
B) faint
C) say yes?

For Desi Bascomb, who's been longing for some glamour in her Idaho life, the choice is a definite C). Desi has a rare ability: with the help of "Royal Rouge," she can temporarily transform into the exact look-alike of any princess who needs her subbing services. Dream come true, right?

Well, Desi soon discovers that subbing involves a lot more than wearing a tiara and waving at cameras.... In this winning debut, one girl's dream of glamour transforms into the desire to make a positive impact. And an impact Desi makes, one royal fiasco at a time.
 
Let me start off by saying that I am totally one of those girls (okay, women) who always wanted to be a princess and had daydreams about it.  So when I read the summary of Princess For Hire, I knew I wanted to read it.
 
While I was reading this book, I kept thinking that I could totally see this being turned into a movie.  And since it is published by Disney Hyperion, I could see that happening.  I think that this is definitely more of pre-teen book that the books I normally read, but it was a nice escape from some of the darker books I had been reading lately.
 
Desi seems like a normal teenager.  And like most girls, she jumped at the chance to be a princess, even if it was just subbing.  While I liked the characters that Desi had to sub for, I feel that there could have been more depth in the plot. I feel like it just skims the surface of the princesses that Desi is subbing for and that more could be added to that part of the story. 
 
Overall, a quick, cute read and I will be reading the next book in the series when it comes out.
 
I gave this book a rating of 3/5.
 
Princess For Hire will be released on March 16, 2010.
 
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
A to Z Challenge: L
2010 100+ Reading Challenge: 24
2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 18
2010 Debut Author Challenge: 8
What's In A Name? 3 Challenge: Title
ARC Reading Challenge 2010: 18
 
*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge- February Update

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge

So here's how it works: Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:
1. A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
2. A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House
3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know
~Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
~Books may overlap other challenges.
~Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
~Creativity for matching the categories is allowed.
~You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
~You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.
~There will be a single prize at the end of the challenge. Readers who complete the challenge and write up a wrap-up post (or wrap-up comment) are eligible. I'll figure out a way to make it international.

Here is the link to  my original post: What's In  A Name? 3 Challenge

Food-
Body of Water-
Title-
Plant-
Place Name-
Music Term-

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge

What's In A Name? 3 Challenge

So here's how it works: Between January 1 and December 31, 2010, read one book in each of the following categories:
1. A book with a food in the title: Clockwork Orange, Grapes of Wrath, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
2. A book with a body of water in the title: A River Runs through It, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, The Lake House
3. A book with a title (queen, president) in the title: The Murder of King Tut, The Count of Monte Cristo, Lady Susan
4. A book with a plant in the title: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Wind in the Willows, The Name of the Rose
5. A book with a place name (city, country) in the title: Out of Africa; London; Between, Georgia
6. A book with a music term in the title: Song of Solomon, Ragtime, The Piano Teacher

The book titles are just suggestions, you can read whatever book you want to fit the category.

Other Things to Know
~Books may be any form (audio, print, e-book).
~Books may overlap other challenges.
~Books may not overlap categories; you need a different book for each category.
~Creativity for matching the categories is allowed.
~You do not have to make a list of books before hand.
~You do not have to read through the categories in any particular order.
~There will be a single prize at the end of the challenge. Readers who complete the challenge and write up a wrap-up post (or wrap-up comment) are eligible. I'll figure out a way to make it international.

Food-
Body of Water- Across the Pond by Storyheart
Title- Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
Plant- Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax
Place Name- Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts
Music Term- Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison