Book Review for 'Between the Lines'

 BOOK REVIEW FOR 'BETWEEN THE LINES' BY JODI PICOULT AND SAMANTHA VAN LEER

Once upon a time, there was a young boy named Oliver who was born without courage. His love—Seraphima—had been stolen away and locked in a distant castle, and Oliver must go on a quest to save her. After an arduous journey across the kingdom, Oliver finds his true love and rescues her from the evil villain, and they live happily ever after.

If only life were that easy. Oliver lives in a twisted fairytale world, where he can talk to anyone and do anything—unless the book is opened. 

As soon as a reader cracks open Between the Lines, the characters have to act out the story. Day, after day, after day.

Nothing is as it seems. Oliver doesn't really love Seraphima, and Rapscillio—the evil villain—is actually a kind-hearted man who enjoys collecting butterflies.

Oliver is the only one who tires of acting out the story time after time. Everyone else is happy to do it, but all Oliver wants to do is live. He wants to explore the real world. He wants to live his own life, not act out a role that was created for him.

Then one day, the book is opened again, but something is different this time. This Reader notices more than anyone else ever has, and Oliver's enraptured by her. Her name is Delilah and somehow, some way, she and Oliver begin to talk and find solace in one another. 

But Oliver soon tires of just talking to her. He wants to escape the book, live real life, and be a normal teenager. He tries and tries and tries some more to escape out of his life, but nothing works. He’s stuck in his fairytale world, and there’s nothing he can do about it.

Or is there?

Between The Lines, a suspenseful tale of love, adventure, and hope, is sure to have you reading with your hands clenched around the pages. Told from three different points of view, this story is easily one of the best things I have read all year, and is (in my opinion) an essential for everyone’s bookshelf.

Read more here.

BOOK REVIEW FOR LOST ON BRIER ISLAND

Alex is lost inside herself. She has been filled with grief and remorse ever since her twin brother Adam died in a freak accident, and she blames herself for anything and everything. Her family is broken: her mom and dad are at each other’s throats nonstop, and for no apparent reason. To get away from her heartbreaking past, Alex’s parents have shipped her off to her Aunt Sophie’s on a small island called Brier Island. She hates everything about it there; the nosy people that seem to know everything about everybody and especially, the endless questions.
She shuts herself off from the outside world and puts up mental barriers so no one can really get to know her. And so slowly she begins to bond with a baby humpback whale named Daredevil, aptly named for its endeavors away from its mother. Alex finds that Daredevil is a copy of Adam in many ways, and the baby whale becomes her only joy in her island prison. After an accident occurs on a whale watching expedition, Alex slowly begins a friendship with Rachel, a little girl with a mind of her own, and starts to open herself up to her newfound friend. In this wonderfully thrilling tale of self-discovery and friendship by Jo Anne Yhard, Alex learns to come to terms with the death of her brother, and is able to find herself again through a life-or-death situation. This book will leave you feeling warm inside and waiting for more, and is a necessity for everyone’s bookshelf.
By Alex W. 
Originally posted here. 

BOOK REVIEW FOR APPLE'S ANGST

Apple's Angst has what every teenage girl will love: boys (like a secret crush on her best friend's bf), a co-worker with a grudge (who suddenly turns suspiciously nice), and of course, drama.

When Apple finds herself in the spotlight, it changes her into a new more confident Apple. Even though she likes the new Apple, will she realize that her friends don’t agree with her? Will she be able to save herself from all the angst?
Apple is a character that we can relate to; she is intriguing yet still seems very real. She goes through the ups and downs of friendships and relationships, especially when Apple needs a dose of reality.
I found myself envying Apple throughout this book because she seemed to have everything that we all want: a perfect life, popularity, and money. But my envy quickly changed to sympathy when her world came crashing down. 
Rebecca Eckler very intricately weaves the story of Apple, the new fashion magazine intern, throughout her adventures and misadventures in the spotlight. Can’t wait for the next book!
By Alex W. 
Originally posted here.

BOOK REVIEW FOR ROTTEN APPLE
Rotten Apple introduces us to 16-year-old Apple, daughter of the very famous TV personality, psychologist Dr. Bee Bee Berg, the “Queen of Hearts”. Apple seems to have the life we all dream of, wonderful friends, money, and (sigh) a crush on her friend, Zen. Apple is the complete opposite of her mom (her nickname is the “sponge”), because she takes it all in and doesn’t let anyone know how she feels.  Apple doesn’t tell anyone about her crush, especially Happy, her BFF.
In the beginning everything is normal, then her hot crush Zen returns after being away in Australia and things change drastically; he now harbours a crush on Happy – and Apple loses her cool.  She initiates Plan Z to get Zen to like her. When this fails, she turns to more drastic measures - like hacking her mom’s computer and giving out bad advice. Unfortunately, all the lies and manipulation get her into a load of trouble. Happy, upset with Apple and her antics seeks vengeance and goes on “The Queen Of Hearts” to tell the world what Apple has done.
Apple starts to realize she made some bad decisions; she starts to understand why she did it and what she could have done to handle it better.  In the end, she realizes that family and friends are too important to lose. In order to keep what happened from happening again, she needs to open up to people and express her feelings.
By Alex. W.