Model, a memoir

The modeling industry in New York is an issue that is frequently used in ya fiction.( The interns; Fashionistas, The Violet series by Melissa Walker, for example) But not many times, a real model writes a book about how it really is.

The author of the book Model, a memoir is Cheryl Diamond. When she was 14, she came to New York to become a model. In the book she describes with a good sense of humour the modeling world from inside. You read about how people in the modeling industry treat models, and that it is definately not a glamorous world. And Models is also a story about persistence and surviving in the urban jungle of New York.

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Currently reading:
Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

Gossip girl!

Gossip Girl, the tv series, has started a few weeks ago here in the Netherlands. Every tuesday they broadcast a double episode! How cool is that!
I just learned that there is a tv tie in of the book, in dutch, also a double one, because it is the first two Gossip Girl books in one! I think i will make a change for one time and read it in dutch instead of english!
I also still have to read The sisterhood of the traveling pants..(yes my dear friends, all of the books in this post are a good birthday idea..and yes this is a silent hint..do i sound like spoiled gossip girl now? haha just kidding!) I really like the movie tie ins of this books,this is the newest;

Review: Hotlanta

Hotlanta tells about the Duke Twins: Lauren and Sydney Duke. They live in the posh site of Atlanta, in a world of whealth and luxury with their mom and stepfather and go to a very luxury African-American private school.
One day, their real father contacts the twins. Their real father is just released from prison.
Keisha, the mother of the twins, has forbidden to contact their father...will it come out?
When suddenly a murder is committed, the rumors and gossip begins, its hard to fin out who to trust..

The story is full of rumors and gossip between the twins and friends. And that is most of the pages: gossip, rumors, fashionista talk, namedropping......and at the end finally a littlebit of action, and when you are finally in the action part, the book is suddenly out..

What did I think of this book..well..it was nice. Not good. I think it is too much of the gossip and mean girls thing. And with that you can't fill a whole book. I've read better ones.
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This morning i received Model,a memoir. A book by model and author Cheryl Diamond!
this is her site: www.cheryldiamondmodel.com. Many thanks Cheryl!

Ya in the New York Times

Just a moment ago i was googling Ya fiction and found this interesting article about ya fiction, i think they have a point..

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/12/books/review/12wolf.html?pagewanted=all

And the winner is..

And the winner of the giveaway is...drumroll please....

BOOK ADORER

Congratulations, Book Adorer! Please mail me your mailing adress so i can mail the book to you!

Giveaway!!!

Giveaway, yay!

I will give away one Advanced Reader Copy of The Fold by An Na



How to win: just comment below why YOU should be the winner, you can entry once, and the contest closes on sunday evening 6 pm (GMT time, im writing from Europe)

Good Luck!

Latest review news: i received Audrey, wait! by Robin Benway yesterday!
Soon to be reviewed!!

Suite Scarlett

Scarlett Martin lives with her parents, sisters Lola and Marlene, and older brother Spencer, in a five story high, run down art deco hotel. It sounds chique when you hear someone is living in a hotel in New York City. But the hotel has known better days. There aren't many guests and the only staff is the family. Every member of the family is in charge for one of the suites.

One day, a very excentric guest checks in, Ms Amy Amberson. Through the book we learn more of the excentric past of her... Ms Amberson takes Scarlett under her wing. And she takes also another thing under her wing....when the theatre group of Spencer gets in trouble and has no rehearsal space, Ms Amberson knows what to do..And then Scarlett falls in love with one of her brothers theatre group actors..

Suite Scarlett is an excellent and very artistic piece of ya fiction. I think it was very different if you compare it with most of the ya fiction.

This was not the usual high school/romance/drama story. This was an excellent story of an (in my eyes) lovely hotel in New York City. Combined with real characters and lots of style and a big part for theater. If you love theater and New York,(as I do) this is a perfect original and very interesting read. If there really was a Hotel Martin in New York, I would certainly stay there. This would be also a good plot for a movie!

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Summer reads

In a one and a half week, i am heading off to..Italy!! I am very excited of course! (There will be no posts on my blog from 5 till 15 june)
The books i take with me on my trip are:



Fairest, Gail Carson Levine
















Queen of babble in the big city, Meg Cabot



















Oh, baby!, Randi Reisfeld and H.B. Gilmour
















Girl at sea, Maureen Johnson








Wish you all a great summer!


Currently reading:

Suite Scarlett, by Maureen Johnson

Airhead

As a big fan of Meg Cabot's work, I was very curious for her newest novel: Airhead.

Emerson Watts is just an average girl from New York City. One day her mother insists that she will company her sister Frida. Frida wants to go the Stark Megastore, where celebrities will sign Cd's and will perform. Emerson doesn't want to go, but she has to. When suddenly super model Nikki Howard walks into Stark Megastore..something terribles happen that will change the life of Emerson forever....

Originial. That what i think of this newest novel of Meg Cabot. It is also a bit scary!

In the beginning it reminded me a bit of the movie (and book) 13 going on 30. But Airhead is different from that in many points. One point of critic: At some points the story was a bit slowly, and was it repeating earlier facts of the story. But i think that will not happen in the sequel, titled Being Nikki wich i hope is just as great as Airhead!

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A non-blonde cheerleader in love

What happens when an all-girl cheerleader squad becomes a boys and girls cheerlaeder squad?

That is the story of A non-blonde cheerleader in love by Kieran Scott. The main character in the book is Annisa Gobrowski. The non-blonde cheerleader. The Sand Dune High cheerleader squad has become a coed cheerleader squad. Annisa's boyfriend Daniels also has also signed up!

It becomes a battle between the boys and girls during the story, and Annisa comes to stand between her boyfriend and her squadmates....

This is just a FUN book! Light, sunny and funny !
I give it four cheers!

You review op American Book Center blog

The review that i wrote for the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver is on the blog of the American Book Center!

click here to read it

Leaving Paradise

After reading two books by Simone Elkeles, I was very curious for her third: Leaving Paradise.

Caleb Becker has spent a year in juvenile jail for hitting Maggie Armstrong with his car while he was drunk. After painful months of physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp, and she can say goodbye to her study abroad this summer in Spain, also due to financial problems after her parents divorce and the hospital costs. When Caleb is free after a year, things have changed at home, his family acts different to him and his ex-girlfriend Kendra acts stranger and stranger..

Caleb has to fulfill hours at a community service job. Maggie gets the chance to earn her trip to Spain by helping a elderly lady. One day when she works there, she has to eye the person who whas getting her al her trouble, and then, the truth about the night the accident happened unfolds itself..

This was just another brilliant book by Simone Elkeles. It is a beautiful and also sad story about two outsiders, the characters are so real. This is an outstanding teen novel! Excellent!I hope there will be more books by Simone Elkeles in the future!

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Time for tag!

Yeey, i am tagged by Tina Ferraro!

You're feeling: Good, just came home from my after school care job. Its sunny weather and nothing to worry about! and a big pile of books on my desk haha.

To your left: a very big wooden bookcase with my old childrens books.

On your mind: finishing books i read at the moment, mail, preparations for my trip to Italy

Last meal included: Carrots, baked potato slices, delicious hamburger. Served with ketchup. Yoghurt as dessert

You sometimes find it hard to: understand when people act distant to you, or when you don't hear anything from people at all..

The weather: Very sunny and warm today

Something you have a collection of: nothing in particular beside my books

A smell that cheers you up: Oilily perfume, the smell of freshly baked bread in the morning is also a good one

A smell that can ruin your mood: vomit and other body smells, wet dogs..yikes!

The current state of your hair: well, what can i say..its in need to be highlighted again, its dishwash water blonde, and i am not satisfied with how its cut, but i am never really satisfied with my hair..

The largest item on your desk/workspace (not computer): mm the only thing on this special computer tafel is my computer..does the mouse count?

Your skill with chopsticks: Pretty good! I learned it when i was a child when i ate at a Chinese restaurant.Then i met my friends from Hong Kong when i was in High School, we always ate at their house with chopsticks of course! They where really surprised that i could eat with it!

Which section you head for first in a bookstore: Ya bargains, ya section, bargain section, special orders desk

Something you’re craving: a lovely cup of tea, to drink while reading Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Your general thoughts on the presidential race: Sad that Hillary Clinton had just quit..

How many times have you been hospitalized this year: 0

Favorite place to go for a quiet moment: My room

You’ve always secretly thought you’d be a good: ballet dancer..that was my dream when i was a child/

Something that freaks you out a little: Worrying that certain people are ignoring me on purpose.

Something you’ve eaten too much of lately: eehm..nothing i can think of..well. maybe i have always been a person who eats everyting with tomatoes in it too much(and yes that counts very in particular for the heinz ketchup bottle)

You have never: traveled to the United States. : ( , i really want to go to new york city!

You never want to: miss my family and friends!

Th Frog Prince

The perfect prince: Holly Bishop doesn't believe it exists anymore. What do you do when the fairytale of your marriage ends in a sad way? And when your self-esteem is down the toilet... Small town girl Holly decides to make a new starts and moves to San Francisco. Where she will learn how to date in the big city. Her job at City Events has also its ups and downs.. (that part is really good at the end!)

This was just a good book with everything a chicklit must have, a perfect summer/beach/pool read! I have read Odd mom out from Jane Porter also, and The frog prince didn't dissapoint me at all!
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Girl of my dreams

Reality contests shows on television. Girl of my dreams is about a show equivalent of
Who wants to marry a millionaire? When suddenly one of the contest members has food poisoning, show crew member Jillian fills the empty spot as Veronica. This is officialy not permitted of course, and show producer Blake has his doubts, but falls in love with Jillian. But during the book, the millionaire also falls for Jillian..
What will happen and what will Jillian do?
This was really a fast and good read. In the beginning, its a bit confusing, but then it stays on track!
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Secret confessions of the Applewood PTA

Applewood elementary school, is the perfect location for the recording of a movie, starring George Clooney..announces the Hollywood movie scout.
The stars of the book are Maddie, Ruth and Lisa. The PTA memers In the book, whe switch in the chapter between their lives. They are the three women who hold the movie project together, but do they hold the book together?
It is nice to read about their lives, complete with secret love affairs. But their could be more action in it, and more funny and sharp plot twists. The story stand still on sudden points, and who thinks this is a read with plent George Clooney in it..it isn't.
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coming up next...

Coming up next, reviews of:




I was a teenage popsicle, Bev Katz Rosenbaum

The outside world, Tova Mirvis













A non-blonde cheerleader in love, Kieran Scott













Breaking up is hard to do, Terri Clark












How to be bad, E. Lockhart












Leaving Paradise, Simone Elkeles

(There are more on the coming-up list, but i have not received them yet, the books above are the ones that have arrived the last weeks)

Reviews that i have wrote (two new reviews are coming up soon!) and an article about my bookshelves are on the blog of The American Book Center!

You Review: The Third Angel by Alice Hoffman, look here (coming up soon: review of Tribute by Nora Roberts and review of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver)

Shelf obsession about my bookshelves, look here

Rumors

The second book in The Luxe series by Anna Godbersen is launched!!
It is Rumors..I hope to review this book soon!



I absolutely loved the first book, The Luxe..


for more about the luxe: The Luxe official site

Congrats to Teri Brown!

Congrats to Teri Brown! Her book Read my lips is in stores now!

Watch the trailer of Read my lips

Frenemies

Rivalry between best friends. When you are enemies and still secretly in your heart best friends: then you are Frenemies! The author is Alexa Young

Halley Brandon and Avalon Greene are best friends. For Journalism they have to write a daily for the online school blog. Fashionista's Halley and Brandon choose for a fashion blog, where they critizise the outfits of people in school. Their write under the name of The Style Snarks. (Style Snark B and A) they are also planning a big A-list party named Friendapalooza to celebrate their friendship! and there is the care for their shared puppy Pucci.
Halley just returned from art camp, and has launched her totally new fashion style. Avalon has her question marks with her best friends new style. And then..the battle of style begins when they start to NO each others outfits on the blog...

Frenemies is a brilliant and fresh teen novel, when I started it I had my thougts that this would turn out to be just-another mean fashionista/cheerleader novel. But it was just very good, fresh and very funny! A perfect summer read, and I could not put it down and have read it in one day! A must read for everyone who loves books about fashion!


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For more about this book: Alexa Young and Bestfrenemiesforever