BOOKS, Pick of the Month: April

"Ten Things I Hate About Me" by Randa Abdel-Fattah  

 Namelia-J's Pick of the Month

At school I'm Aussia-blonde Jamie- one of the crowd.

At home I'm Muslim Jamilah - driven mad by my Stone Age dad.

I should win an Oscar for my acting skills. But I can't keep it up for much longer...

We Think: This is a very well written story about self acceptance and the way teenagers feel that they need to do anything possible to get accepted by their peers. I was touched when I read this book. I find that I can relate with Jamilah a lot - but I have not gone to the extremes she has; leading a double life. Another plus is that this book is pretty funny as well. A must read.



"Big Mouth & Ugly Girl" by Joyce Carol Oates

Matt Donaghy has always been a big mouth. But it's never got him into trouble - until one day when two detectives escort him out of class for questioning. The charge? Matt has been accused of threatening to blow up Rocky River High School.

Ursula Riggs has always been an ugly girl. She has no time for petty high-school stuff like friends and dating. Ursula is content with minding her own business. And she doesn't even really know Matt Donaghy.

But Ursula knows injustice when she sees it. And she's not afraid to speak out.

We Think: This book has received a lot of critical praise and we agree wholeheartedly with all of them! One example of the reviews that this book has received was by Publishers Weekly where they said, "Believable, full-blooded characters. Convincing high-school back-drop." Not only that, this book has received quite a few awards. What more can you ask for?

"Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys" by Kate Brian

Megan is used to moving from place to place - it's typical for an army brat. But she drew the line at South Korea. She insisted on staying in the States to finish her last two years of high school. So her parents made arrangements for Megan to live with thei friends, the McGowans... and the McGowans' 7 sons.

Turns out, living with 7 boys might as well be a foreign country! The boys are messy. They are cliquey (who knew?). And worst of all, two of the oldest boys are H-O-T. (A problem considering that they are supposed to be Megan's "brothers.") Megan is definitely in enemy territory. She needs to win over the boys' hearts without totally crushing her own.

And when Megan starts falling for one of them, sibling rivalry takes on a whole new meaning...

What is a girl to do?

We Think: For girls who have always had a fantasy of being surrounded by hot guys, this is a must read! This is a very light and easy read - I finished it within a matter of hours. It was really fun reading this book and I can't help but feel a twinge of envy for Megan. Come on, what girl in her right mind does not want a hot guy after her? ;)

"Pop Princess" by Rachel Cohn

When fifteen-year-old Wonder Blake is plucked from her job at the Dairy Queen and given the chance to become a teen idol, it seems like a dream come true - even if it wasn't her dream, but her older sister Lucky's. Lucky was on her way to becoming a pop star when she died, and Wonder and her family are still trying to recover from their loss. Offered a recording contract, Wonder jumps at the chance to escape from a dead-end town, her fractured family, and worst of all, high school. Suddenly she has it all: a hot new look, a chart-busting hit single, a tour opening for the superstar Kayla. But stardom isn't all glamour - it's also lots of work. And maybe what Wonder really wants is as simple as a guy who likes her for herself.

With spark and humour Rachel Cohn captures the stuggles and glories of an ordinary teenage girl's climb to celebrity. As Wonder rises through the pop-princess star-making machine, she also learns the price - and that maybe being an ordinary teenage girl isn't so bad after all.


We Think: I found this book very boring at the beginning. It was really slow and it dragged alot. But after awhile, it gets interesting. Really interesting. What with the problems that Wonder has to face, competition, people that hate her and bitch fights. This pretty much made up for its boring beginning. Give this book a try and you will find yourself liking it.