THE LIPSTICK LAWS
By: Amy Holder
Publisher: Graphia
Format: Paperback
(Available in Electronic Format)
Pages: 240
Genre: Contemporary
Age Group: Young Adult +
Source: Publisher
Follow Amy Holder on: Twitter | Website | goodreads
Purchase THE LIPSTICK LAWS at: Amazon | TBD | IB | B&N
Publisher’s Synopsis: At Penford High School, Britney Taylor is the queen bee. She dates whomever she likes, rules over her inner circle of friends like Genghis Khan, and can ruin anyone’s life with a snap of perfectly manicured fingers. Just ask the unfortunate few who have crossed her.
For April Bowers, Britney is also the answer to her prayers. April is so unpopular, kids don’t even know she exists. But one lunch spent at Britney’s table, and April is basking in the glow of popularity. But Britney’s friendship comes with a high price tag. How much is April willing to pay?
I read this book for:
Review:
“What is the use of a book, without pictures or conversations?” I would first like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for sending the ARC of THE LIPSTICK LAWS via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
THE LIPSTICK LAWS by debut author Amy Holder is a hilarious book! While reading it I became giddy with laughter. I loved the charming and contagious voice of April Bowers, a tissue bra-stuffing high school student who is lonely at school since her best friend, Haley, has moved away. April wants so badly to be liked and be popular that she becomes friends with Queen Bee mean girl, Britney.
At first, April likes how Britney and her snobby friends bask in the glow of high school superiority and welcome her into their elite circle. But soon they become annoying and grating. April even starts rolling her eyes at their antics and cruelness. However, April still hangs on to their every word. When she tells Haley how she is now friends with them, Haley becomes concerned. She also warns her about red lipstick.
April soon discovers the meaning behind the red lipstick, along with a long list of rules Britney has laid out for her small group of friends. If April wants to continue being popular, she must follow the Lipstick Laws of Britney-land, or she must carve her own true path not be a follower, but a leader.
“We’re all mad here.” Though I wish there had been more romance in THE LIPSTICK LAWS, I was satisfied with the story and characters — especially when the tables turn on Britney and April seeks revenge with former Lipstick Laws members after April is humiliated. Like April, I got to the point where I could no longer tolerate Britney.
However, sometimes April’s revenge-seeking ideas are a little childish. I often wanted to yell at April and say,” Forget about Britney! She’s so not important!” But when we are in high school, we think everything is very important. And it really isn’t. April, who is so concerned with Britney, often seemed like she was in middle school rather than in high school. Despite this, I couldn’t help but like her and cheer her on.
The one thing I really like about the book is toward the end where there is a subtle role-reversal of April and Britney. From this experience, April learns what it means to have true friends and how being popular is not the end-all. I love the super cute and simple cover!
If you are looking for a fun and a cute read, then definitely check out THE LIPSTICK LAWS. Amy Holder adds is a fresh, humorous voice to the contemporary YA scene.
“I’m late, I’m late, I’m late for a very important date!” THE LIPSTICK LAWS will be released on April 4, 2011.
“Sentence first — verdict afterwards.” I’m giving THE LIPSTICK LAWS 3 “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Characters” for being a fun, light read with heart!
Publisher: Razorbill
Pub Date: January 11, 2011
Format: Paperback
Pub. Format: Hardcover
(Also Available in Electronic and Audio Formats)
Pages: 398
Age Group: Young Adult +
Source: Publisher
Review: I would first like to thank Razorbill and Beth Revis for sending me the ARC of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE in exchange for a fair and honest review.
It’s hard to walk away from ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by debut author Beth Revis without feeling something — remorse, relief, sadness, even a sparkle of hope. ACROSS THE UNIVERSE is set in a dystopian world not on a futuristic Earth, but in outer space. ACROSS THE UNIVERSE is filled with heart-pounding suspense and weak-in-the-knees romance. It will leave you breathless for more.
The main characters of the novel, Amy and Elder are exact opposites and fighting for a place in the universe. They are bound together by trust and fear on a spaceship bound to a new Earth light-years away. But Amy is not supposed to be awake on Godspeed. 300 years ago, she was cryogenically frozen along with her parents. They signed up to go to Centurai-Earth to help on the new planet, but it would take 350 years to get there. However, things don’t go as planned for Amy. Someone unplugs her from her frozen state which almost kills her. Why, she doesn’t know. Distraught and confused, Amy wants to be refrozen, to be her parents when they wake up. She’s not supposed to be awaken 50 years early.
Amy is now alone on this strange and vast ship that has seen countless changes within its make-up, technology and people for over 300 years. Amy first meets Elder, the second in command of Godspeed, along with its tyrannical leader, Eldest. Amy soon learns that people aboard the ship follow the leader’s commands like sheep and seem to be under a strange influence, not to mention they all look alike and show no signs of emotion or tolerance. Yet, how can they? They don’t know anything different. And Eldest wants to keep it that way. With the help of Elder, Amy is determined to find the answer to why she was unfrozen so it doesn’t happen to anyone else, including her beloved parents, and maybe they won’t wake up.
ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, is a fantastic story and unlike any science-fiction books I’ve read. I like the unique take on the dystopian genre. It’s a refreshing change from the usual dystopian books featuring a world ravaged by war and destruction with main characters living in one place and enclosed by a wall to keep them all in. Except as we come to learn – that is Godspeed. The main characters are trapped within the metal walls and are kept under control of a strange leader who is afraid of discord aboard his ship. As a reader, you feel trapped with them. From the moment I started reading ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, I was sucked in and immersed into their world. Everything was logical, plausible and real.
The opening is so powerful it had me gasping for air, along with Amy as she’s frozen. ACROSS THE UNIVERSE builds in momentum until the exciting conclusion. The story is told, from both Amy and Elder’s viewpoints, in alternating chapters. I usually don’t care for books that are written this way, but it works in ACROSS THE UNIVERSE.
Amy is curious and frightened of her new surroundings which are just as foreign as being on another planet. Elder is curious of Amy and frightened for her well-being because she’s so different — her red hair, her blue eyes, her pale skin. Eldest wants nothing to do with Amy. She’s a liability. Once people find out about Amy, Eldest is fearful things will never be the same on Godspeed. He would rather thrown her out into space than deal with her
The world of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE is intriguing and also unsettling. Like Amy, I had a feeling of stepping into the unknown. According to Revis, the idea for the story came from the twist at the end of the novel. The entire story uses a ticking clock plot device – a fantastic literary technique which has the characters racing against time before disaster strikes.
ACROSS THE UNIVERSE will have you turning the page late into the night and gazing up into the stars. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series. I loved this book so much that I would love to own a copy for myself.
I’m giving ACROSS THE UNIVERSE 5 “Relaxing with a Good Book” retro pictures for being brilly!
Follow Beth Revis on: Twitter | Website | goodreads
Purchase ACROSS THE UNIVERSE at:
Amazon | The Book Depository | Indiebound | Powell’s | Barnes & Noble
