BOOK REPORT for Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett
Cover Story: On the Waterfront
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 9
Talky Talk: Some Like It Hot
Bonus Factors: Santa Cruz, Classic Movies, Vintage Fashion
Relationship Status: From Here To Eternity
Cover Story: On the Waterfront
Much like Jenn Bennett’s first YA book, The Anatomical Shape of a Heart, I find the US cover okay, and the UK cover to be fantastic. The US cover evokes summertime, movies, and romance—which is good ...
BOOK REPORT for Defy the Stars (Defy the Stars #1) by Claudia Gray
Cover Story: Trippy ‘Splosion
BFF Charm: Heck Yes
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Talky Talk: Boy (Robot) Meets Girl
Bonus Factors: Space Colonies, Unlikely Team
Relationship Status: Stowaway
Cover Story: Trippy ‘Splosion
I feel like this book should have come with special 3D-like glasses that make the title and the various parts of the circular structure behind it float in that semi-magical way that 3D images do.
(Also ...
BOOK REPORT for Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer #1) (ISBN13: 978-0-316-34168-4) by Laini Taylor
Cover Story: Sparklemoth Split
BFF Charm: Yay x2
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Talky Talk: Dreams of Libraries and Godspawn
Bonus Factors: Librarians, Tasty Business
Relationship Status: Missing My Other Half
Cover Story: Sparklemoth Split
Although I’m not crazy about the font, this is such a pretty cover in person—it’s very shiny and metallic. It’s not quite as gorgeous as the UK covers, but the simplicity and ...
BOOK REPORT for Freya by Matthew Laurence
Cover Story: Photo Op
BFF Charm: Natalie Imbruglia
Swoonworthy Scale: 3
Talky Talk: Modern Theology
Bonus Factor: Gods and Goddesses (+ Diversity)
Factor: Open-Ended
Relationship Status: Agnostic
Cover Story: Photo Op
Although the wings on this cover are more colorful than the DeLand Wings, everything about the image reminds me of the photos I’ve seen taken in front of artist Erica Group’s mural in DeLand, Florida.
The Deal:
Sara Vanadi’s not crazy. She’s just ...
BOOK REPORT for Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner
Cover Story: After School Special
BFF Charm: Big Sister
Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Talky Talk: Heartbreak and Hope
Bonus Factors: Therapy, Kickass Gram, Diversity
Anti-Bonus Factors: Violent Death, Awful Parents
Relationship Status: Here For You
Cover Story: After School Special
This cover doesn’t give much away about the story within, but it certainly implies that there’s a story to tell. The pending text message, the cracked glass, the title itself—this book isn’t going ...
BOOK REPORT for The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Cover Story: Statementastic
BFF Charm: Platinum Edition
Swoonworthy Scale: 6
Talky Talk: A Star(r) Is Born
Bonus Factors: Political Activism, Awesome Family, Community
Relationship Status: Head Over Heels
Cover Story: Statementastic
Simple and perfect. Although I'll give it the benefit of the doubt that Starr is, indeed, in a pair of her trademark Jordans.
The Deal:
Starr Carter belongs to two worlds – her poor black neighborhood ...
BOOK REPORT for Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham
Cover Story: Big Face Split Screen
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 1
Talky Talk: She Said, He Said
Bonus Factors: Awesome Grownups
Relationship Status: So This Is Love
Cover Story: Big Face Split Screen
As a rule, I generally don’t like Big Face covers, and as with all rules, there are exceptions. I think this one is elegantly done, especially because it features a WOC on the cover, alongside her 1920s counterpart ...
