Review: Prompossible Plans by Laura Pauling

Title: Prompossible Plans

Author: Laura Pauling

Series: Prom Impossible #1.5

My Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genres: YA, Contemporary

Publication: August 2014 by Redpoint Press

Format Read: eARC provided by the Author

Goodreads

Description from Goodreads

Prompossible Plans: the guys have their say.

Follow Cassidy’s senior year from the perspective of Zeke, Jasper, and Michael as they fight their own battles, make mistakes, and fall in love with the same girl. 

Look for Covert Kissing in the fall of 2014!

My Thoughts

After reading Prom Impossible (read my review here) I wanted to know more about the three guys who got involved with the cute, rambling and delusional Cassidy. And when the author asked me to review Prompossible Plans, a companion novella told from the guys' perspective, I was more than happy to read it!

Zeke, Jasper and Michael have their say in this novella; it was nice to learn about their background, and without any doubts Zeke was my favorite of the trio. He was the only one who truly wanted to get to know Cassidy, and even though he was afraid to end up in jail like his dad, I don't think that will be his fate. As for Jasper, he surprised me with his big brother role. I didn't expect him to have that sweet and tender side, and I think that he could have been a great, great guy if he wasn't too proud and full of himself. Lastly there was Michael, who was my least favorite of the three. He ignored Cassidy the whole year, and suddenly the day of prom he saw the light and realized that she was the one? Nope. Just no. He was so annoying and foolish, and I truly didn't like him.

I also had an issue with the story; I didn't like how it was divided into three parts, each one told by a different character. I think I would have enjoyed Prompossible Plans more if the narrator varied from chapter to chapter.

From the way the story is going, it seems like Jasper and Michael will do anything to win Cassidy's heart, but I truly hope Cassidy doesn't mess up her relationship with Zeke! Now I'm both curious and anxious to read what will happen in Covert Kissing!

I received a copy of Prompossible Plans from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Other books from the series

Review: Marionette by T.B. Markinson

Title: Marionette
Author: T.B. Markinson
My Rating: ★★★★★
Genres: YA, LGBT, Contemporary
Published November 7th 2013
Format: Ebook, 255 pages
Copy provided by Author

Description from Goodreads

Paige Alexander is seventeen and has her whole life in front of her. One day her girlfriend comes home to discover that Paige has slit her wrists. Paige isn't insane, but she acts like she is. Why? 

After the incident, Paige agrees to go to therapy to appease her girlfriend, Jess. However, Paige doesn't believe that therapy will help her. She believes she’s beyond help. Paige doesn't want to find herself and she doesn't want to relive her painful past in order to come to terms with it. What Paige wants is control over her life, which she hasn't had since her birth. 

During her childhood, Paige is blamed for a family tragedy, when in fact, her twin sister, Abbie was responsible. Abbie doesn't come forward and Paige becomes the pariah of the family. 

To add to Paige’s woes, while attending a college in a small town in Colorado, the residents are in the midst of debating whether or not gays and lesbians should have equal rights. Tension is high and there’s a threat of violence. She isn't out of the closet and pretends to be straight at school since she fears what will happen if her parents find out she’s a lesbian. Will she end up dead like her best friend, Alex?

My Review

Marionette is not type of book I usually pick up. To be honest, I've never been interested in LGBT books, and must confess that this is the first one I've ever read. The author requested to review it, and I happily accepted since I haven't read any book that discusses homosexuality. However, it took me some time to get in the mood to read it.

Marionette tells the story of Paige Alexander, a young college student, who has always hidden the fact that she's gay; not because she's ashamed of it, but because she fears that her parents will find out. She has a hard time dealing with her childhood trauma; her controlling father and evil mother see her as a possession, a thing they can bend to their own will. Furthermore, her twin sister doesn't seem to care about her at all. The story is told from Paige's point of view, and gets us involved as we follow her around, and see how she deals with with all the issues in her life.

Paige is a very pleasant narrator. She is sarcastic, and has a great sense of humor. She isn't very open with people, and doesn't make much conversation with those who are out of her inner circle of friends. So, it was really entertaining to read whatever was going on in that little brain of hers. She is a very complex and interesting character which is why I enjoyed Marionette so much! Initially, I didn't understand why she attempted suicide, but as I learned more about her past, everything brilliantly clicked into place!

Although she has grown neglected by her parents, Paige does have Jess and some friends who truly care about her. Jess is Paige's girlfriend, and is a very lively and loving person. Unlike Paige, she doesn't hide the fact that she's gay; on the contrary, she passionately fights for gay rights. I love their relationship! The author beautifully conveys their feelings for each other without focusing on the physical aspect. Aside from Paige and Jess, the other characters are notable and I feel that their vitality is what made this book really fun to read!

Overall, I really loved this book! It discussed a lot of deep topics, but still managed to make me laugh. It wasn't too serious, and had tons of hilarious parts that kept me from being bored. The main character had so many issues, but I've grown to care for her. If you're looking for an issue book that doesn't take things too seriously then you should read it!

Thank you to the author for providing me with an ecopy in exchange for an honest review.

DNF Review: Bentwhistle the Dragon in a Threat from the Past by Paul Cude

Title: Bentwhistle the Dragon in a Threat from the Past
Author: Paul Cude
My Rating: ★☆☆☆☆
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Published: October 1st 2011
Format: Ebook, 360 pages
Copy provided by Author

Description from Goodreads

An adventure story children and adults alike will love, about the present dat world in which dragons disguised as humans have infiltrated the human race at almost every level, to guide and protect them.


My Review:

When the author contacted me to review his book, I was a bit skeptical to read it because truth be told, the cover isn't very attractive. However, I realized I wasn't being fair so I decided to put my first impression aside and give this book a chance.

There are several things that I didn't like about this book. The first was the slow pacing. I kept putting this book down because I had a really hard time getting into the story. I didn't like how flashbacks were used for the world building and to tell the background story. I think it made the tale really slow and boring. There were also a lot of information to take in, and I felt that some things could have been omitted as they weren't relevant. Another reason why I didn't enjoy this book, was that I didn't click with the characters. After reading more than 200 pages I still didn't feel for them. I even tried to take a break from reading, so I could have a fresh start but when that didn't work, I eventually gave up. I feel that the main character, Peter, is very shallow which didn't make him interesting to read. He isn't a brave person, he allows others to walk over him and always relies on his two friends, Tank and Richie. Although I think he probably may have changed by the end of the book, I didn't think he was an enjoyable character to read. This book has also a mystery aspect to it, but it unfolds really slowly and I didn't find it very intriguing.

However, the fascinating thing about Bentwhistle the Dragon in a Threat from the Past was that it focuses a lot on sport. It's something I have never encountered in other novels before, and I think it's what differentiates this book from other similar-sounding books. I also like the idea it's based upon. It's set in the present where dragons live secretly amongst humans. Since they were born, the dragons have been training to assume human forms and learning about human lifestyle, so they could easily blend in. I liked how there's a whole "dragon community" that lives underground, and how all the training doesn't happen in secret academies and schools. 

To summarize, I think this could have been a really great book. I liked the setup, but didn't like the execution. Sadly, this is neither a plot-driven nor a character-driven book.

Thank you to the author for providing me with an ecopy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Diego's Dragon: Spirits of the Sun by Kevin Gerard

Title: Spirits of the Sun (Diego's Dragon #1)

Author: Kevin Gerard
Rating: ★ ★ ★★ ☆

Genres: MG, Fantasy, Adventure
Format Read: Smashwords, 43,950 words
Copy provided by Author

Description from Goodreads
An eleven-year-old Latino boy wins a district-wide writing contest for sixth graders. When an author visits his school to award his prize, Diego Ramirez has no idea how much his life is about to change.Nathan Sullivan hands Diego his statue, a handsome, glistening black dragon. He shakes his hand and leaves him to his friends. The students crowd around Diego, asking for permission to hold it.After hearing the name Magnifico spoken aloud by family and friends, Diego awards it to his new dragon. If he only knew how fitting the name was, he might have known what lay ahead. Magnifico is the leader of the Sol Dragones, dragons that live within the magical fires of the sun. Nathan Sullivan is the earth's connection to the mysterious creatures. It is his task to find Magnifico's guide.As Magnifico comes to life he becomes quite mischievous, playing tricks on Diego to embarrass him. As he discovers his bloodline, however, Diego assumes greater control over his dragon and his destiny. In the climactic journey, he frees his people and suffers a terrible loss by guiding Magnifico to their goal.

My Review:

I've been seeing this book on lots of blogs lately. The cover was so eye catching and I was instantly intrigued. Needless to say that I was super excited to read about Diego's journey. 

Diego is a sixth grader, who is smarter than the other kids of his age. When an author gives him a statue of a dragon, for winning a contest, his entire life turns upside down. All sort of crazy stuff starts happening: his dragon, Magnifico, comes to life and plays tricks on him, the girl he has a crush on starts talking to him and the mysterious author tells him about a grand journey.

I really like the idea that's inspired Mr. Gerard to write this book. I think it's unique, and that Diego makes a really great hero. He is charming, intelligent and an adorable little kid who loves his family. I like how he follows what his instinct tells him; he immediately feels that there is something wrong with the dragon and when he realizes that it might harm his beloved ones, he doesn't think twice before getting rid of it.
Magnifico, on the other hand is a really mischievous and unpredictable creature. He has a temper and tends to cause trouble, and it takes a while for Diego to learn how to control and deal with his new dragon.
This book reminds me a little of Hiccup and Toothless from How To Train Your Dragon. The two stories are nothing alike, but whenever I read about Diego and Mangnifico dashing through the sky, I feel the same feelings of lightheartedness and joy that I felt when I watched How To Train Your Dragon. But maybe that's just because of my weird obsession with that movie.

The hispanic culture is beautifully portrayed in this book. I really love learning and reading about different values and traditions, and I think it's a pity how most YA books lack of those themes. However, this book also deals with issues that are very common in teen books like alcohol and rebellious teenagers. 

Although I really enjoyed reading this book, I confess that I was a bit confused about Racquel's mysterious part in Diego's journey. But later on I noticed that I woudn't have been that confused, if I read the last part of the book description attentively. Aside from that issue, the ending was really satisfying. 

Overall I really enjoyed reading Diego's Dragon. It's a great fantasy and adventure book with lots of amazing characters. I highly recommend it to those who are fans of How To Train Your Dragon.


Thank you to the author for providing me with an ecopy in exchange for an honest review.