Monday, June 30, 2008

Frenemies - Alexa Young



Review:
Avalon and Halley have been Havalon, aka, best friends for as long as they can remember. But after Halley comes back from summer art camp in California, and Avalon had stayed home, things are different.

They decide to throw a Friendapalooza – but that was before Havalon got into a fight. The only way their moms will let them throw the party is if they act like they’re still friends, however. They do this in front of their parents, but lead separate lives at school.

The one thing I found wrong with this book is that sometimes Avalon and Halley seemed like they were too old to be their real age. I kept having to remind myself that Halley and Avalon were in the beginning of their eighth grade year. They seemed to be more around the age of fifteen or sixteen at some points in the book.

And a few of my friends that have read the book were saying that there was too much drama in it, but I didn’t think so. I thought there was just the right amount of drama. I know my class last year in the eighth grade year produced that much drama and more!

I liked how the blog posts were in between the chapters. It was a nice break from the story and even at some points kind of summed up the chapter. At the same time, it can even help you brush up on your fashion tips!

While we’re on the topic of fashion, I loved how I could understand what people were wearing. I get reading other books like Gossip Girl and It Girl and the fashion-name-dropping is horrible and I can’t understand it – I’ll be the first to tell you I’m not the greatest expert at fashion. There was some name dropping, but it was also in a way where you can understand it and aren’t looking up what things mean all the time.

Also, I don’t think I found one single swear word in this book! YAY! This is the first young adult book I’ve read in a long time that didn’t have any swearing at all – which is a definite plus!

Alexa Young used just the right amount of drama, friendship trouble, and fashion to write an amazing book, which is why I’m granting it a four and a half hearts.


+1/2




Frenemies or Gossip Girl? -- I’d say if you’re a younger reader (or older, but you don’t like swearing or drug use in books), Frenemies is the book for you. If you are an older reader who doesn’t mind swearing or drug use, then Gossip Girl is the way to go.

Mi favorita citas:

“She didn’t want to stare at the guy, but she didn’t want it to look like she was trying not to stare either.” – Page 22.

“It was like the whole world had just fallen away and she and Wade were in their own little bubble.” – Page 23.

“After all, being on the cutting edge means adapting to change.” – Page 61 (Hope’s note: SOSOSOSOSOSO true.)

“Everyday is a fresh chance to be fabulous.” – Page 62.

hope.

10 comments:

Melissa Walker said...

I love that you posted your favorite quotes from the book--that is a GREAT idea. I have started Frenemies (and like 20 other books I want to finish) and can't wait to get back to it!!

Amee said...

Actually, Steph (Reviewer X) had the great idea to include favorite quotes with her reviews. So the credit goes to her.

Btw, it would be Mis Citas Favoritas. ;)

Steph said...

Ambeen linked me here. Yeah, I've been doing memorable quotes for a while now. At least you changed the name of a feature you took from my site this time, eh, Hope ;P

Oh, and Ambeen is right -- it is "Mis Citas Favoritas".

Steph

Anonymous said...

Ugh, can we stop with the drama? Jeez. Doing favorite quotes is not some idea that only one person can do. Plenty of book reviewing sites have done it before you, Steph. Same with the YA Weekly- the idea of a round-up is also not exactly all that original. Other people have done similar round-ups from before you started your site, Steph (Cynthia Leitich Smith being one of them). It's not something that's so totally original that again, only one person has the right to do. Features on a book reviewing site are limited, and are not exactly something anyone can stake claim or credit to, aside from maybe a title that was created for it (Young Adult Weekly, or my own Fresh New Voice of YA).

The reason I love the YA community is because of how open and loving everyone is, which is why I hate that this drama is going on between Steph and Hope. Just cut it out and move on- it's so childish.

Of course, probably no one is going to see this, but I wanted to put my two cents in.

Anyway, back to the actual review- I had the same problem as you, Hope. It seemed like the characters were much older than 8th grade most of the time, and so I always kept picturing them as older and in high school. But aside from that, I enjoyed the book as well. Great review. :)

Frida said...

Cutting in even if no one invited me to do so...

Book Chic, I sometimes read your blog and I enjoy it and all, but you are just such an intrusive wank. From what I gather, this isn't the first time Reviewer Steph's blog has been copied by this Princess Girl twit. One should realise how annoying it would be if an idea you worked on your own got blatantly stolen on another's site. If I started doing your bloody 'Fresh New Voices' on my blog, you'd be upset, would you not? I presume that is what went on here.

Not to butt in, but butt out. Let the girls handle it on their own.

Anonymous said...

Actually, I wouldn't care at all if you stole it- go ahead and do it. Because all it is, is a glorified, more specific version of an Author Spotlight Week, which many reviewers do. It wasn't something I tried so hard to painstakingly come up with. It took like 2 minutes, and came about through a fluke.

I know exactly what happened here because Steph has told me about it a while back.

And you make it sound like I've done this more than once (i.e. the "such an intrusive wank" comment). I've known about this whole argument for like a couple weeks now and haven't done anything. I saw Steph's comment here, and felt like saying something. That's all.

Also, there's really no need for name-calling and cursing.

Steph said...

Grr, comment section fights suck. I'm emailing Hope about this one. While I understand Frida's intention to an extent, I thought the name-calling was completely uncalled for. Which is why I won't be making any further note here.

Steph

Anna said...

I'm just gonna butt in for a second:

Problem resolved.

Please try to not get into any more fights in the comments section.

And don't call people names. It's not nice.

hope.

Unknown said...

Hey! Wasn't this supposed to be a review of MY BOOK?! :) I'm glad to hear you all resolved whatever issues were afoot...although your level of insanity makes me think you're ALL definitely ready to be published authors (like me, the crazy writer lady over here in the corner. Hi!)--or perhaps tertiary characters in FAKETASTIC. :-O

Moving on...Thank you, Hope, for this lovely review. You make some great points. Now back to my FAKETASTIC revisions...and spreading peace and love throughout the world. ;-)

XO

Anonymous said...

Hi everyone!
I need a favor...
PLEASE!PLEASE!PLEASE!
Could anyone like post Halley's version of "Underneath It All" (by No Doubt) and "Beautiful"(by Christina Aguilera).
PLEASE!!!!!
Its just that I lost the book
and I really liked the versions!
:)