Book Review: Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy by Bil Wright

goodreads summary: Carlos Duarte knows that he’s fabulous. He’s got a better sense of style than half the fashionistas in New York City, and he can definitely apply makeup like nobody’s business. He may only be in high school, but when he lands the job of his dreams—makeup artist at the FeatureFace counter in Macy’s—he’s sure that he’s finally on his way to great things.

But the makeup artist world is competitive and cutthroat, and for Carlos to reach his dreams, he’ll have to believe in himself more than ever.

my review: The title and subject matter immediately caught my attention. I haven’t read a book from the perspective of a LGBT protagonist before, and I thought this would be a good start in the Young Adult world. I liked the subject matter as well because every time I wander through Macy’s I always see makeup artists at work and I often wonder how they get to be so good at makeup. Plus, I’m so bad at putting on crooked eyeliner that I needed to beg some makeup artists to help me. Good times.

Even though I didn’t understand the significance of adding a second ‘r’ in Carlos’s name, I did appreciate his ambition to being what he wanted: a makeup artist at FeatureFace. Everything seemed to be handed to him and his only stumbles (stealing a pair of designer boots and later makeup, being sent to a Macy’s in New Jersey) seemed rather trivial to the overall story. I would’ve liked something more personal and something that would’ve had a bigger impact onto Carlos’s life. The fact that his sister had an abusive boyfriend, seemed out of place in the story, and it culminated in an abrupt end to the book. Why hadn’t there been more focus on the fact that Rosalia (Carlos’s sister) seek help from a therapist or something? It seemed like it could work but not in this story. Maybe the fact that gay guys are typecasted as not being masculine and that’s why Carlos had to fight the abusive boyfriend?

I thought the love interest, Gleason, seemed silly. It was cute at first, the idea of the photographer and Carlos working together, but after a while the fantasies and dreams seemed to be a little far-fetched. I would’ve liked a different male character in the story since he lives in New York and there is a big LGBT community located in New York.

As far as setting, plot and character development are concerned, I thought that it was appropriate for this book. Good transition into feeling like I live in money-conscious New York with a particular yearn for designer clothing, good progression of plot and subtle character development. Carlos Duarte was a strong character to begin with, and I think throughout the book he changed for the better.

Rating: 4/5

Book Review: Theodora Twist by Melissa Senate

goodreads review: “I’m going to have to come up with something really good to get you back into the public’s good graces. I have no idea what, but trust me. I’ll think of something.”

Well that’s what Theodora pays her agent $100,000 a year for, isn’t it? Theodora Twist is the girl everyone wants to be. She’s Hollywood’s hottest young actress. Producers court her, fans mob her, and the tabloids cover everything.

Emilys life is Boring with a capital B. She’s a 16-year-old nobody to everyone, including her own mother. The only thing remotely interesting about Emily? She lives in Theodora Twist’s former house. But she’s about to get Twisted.

How? On a reality show meant to clean up Theodora’s party girl rep—with Emily’s family as host. It’s just another role for Theodora. Emily is in panic mode. This isn’t just a part . . . it’s her life.

my review: At first, I thought this book was the typical cliche: snobbish celebrity teen turns normal and unknown girl rises to fame and popularity and doesn't know who she is anymore. I was half right.

Theodora's point of view at first was at first almost unbearable, but then it grew on me. I enjoyed reading Emily's point of view throughout and was glad that she remained sensible from beginning to end.

It's a quick, enjoyable read and I was happy with it. It touches on the deaths of both Theodora's and Emily's parents, issues teen face when dealing with prom dates, and how to handle fame. I think readers are able to relate to Emily's character. She's the nobody in the school, and even people in her on class don't know who she is. She only has two best friends, a one-year-old younger stepsister and a new stepfather she's not too crazy about.

Overall, for what it is as a quick read, Young Adult novel, I give it a 5/5.

Book Reviews and Happy Holidays!

Just finished reading Theodora Twist by Melissa Senate. Book Review to come shortly! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and Hanukkah! Happy Holidays!

Book Review: Bumped by Megan McCafferty

goodreads summary: When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

From New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty comes a strikingly original look at friendship, love, and sisterhood—in a future that is eerily believable.

My Review: I think the concept is great. To me, it’s a mix between The Girl who owned a City and Children of Men. I preferred reading Melody’s point of view, as Harmony’s was over-the-top preachy and I’ll be happy never hearing her say ‘Oh my Grace’ ever again. Everything about Harmony really irritated me, from her mannerisms to clothing to her thoughts that maybe, just maybe, she could convince Jondoe that procreating for money is morally wrong, and that she could come back and live with her in Goodside.

The writing was painful to get through, and having terms like “neggy,” “fertilicious,” “MiNet,” and “breedy” that didn’t make sense added to my annoyance. McCafferty made Melody and Harmony, as well as every other teenager in Otherside, completely obsessed with sex, pregnancy, and either being am/pro (amateur or professional).

My favorite character is Zen, and he is the one who makes me like this book. I understand that the book is a satirical dystopian YA novel, and she does convey the world very well, but because of the new words and the clever displacement of information, it was a bit challenging to get through. I’m really sold on the concept but even though I’m curious about what’ll happen in the sequel (THUMPED, 4/24/12) I’m not sure if I’ll read it or not.

Rating: 3.5/5.

Book Review: The Summer I Learned to Fly by Dana Reinhardt

goodreads summary: Drew’s a bit of a loner. She has a pet rat, her dead dad’s Book of Lists, an encyclopedic knowledge of cheese from working at her mom’s cheese shop, and a crush on Nick, the surf bum who works behind the counter. It’s the summer before eighth grade and Drew’s days seem like business as usual, until one night after closing time, when she meets a strange boy in the alley named Emmett Crane. Who he is, why he’s there, where the cut on his cheek came from, and his bottomless knowledge of rats are all mysteries Drew will untangle as they are drawn closer together, and Drew enters into the first true friendship, and adventure, of her life.

my review: A well-written coming-of-age story, Dana Reinhardt crafts a vivid first-person point of view story that delves into the interworks of friendships between mother and daughter and boy and girl. I liked her offbeat personality, accentuated by her pet rat, Hum, her clothing choices, and the family cheese shop.

What I was most looking forward to while reading the book was the deceased father’s Book of Lists. It’s an unusual way to learn about Drew’s father while creating an interesting plot point, but I was a bit irked that there wasn’t any conclusion to it at the end of the book. I think a confrontation between Birdie and her mother about the Book would’ve worked made the ending much more powerful.

I was immediately captured with the writing style. It wasn’t until toward the end when she and Emmett sneak away to the legendary spring that it became less believable to me. The fact that Swoozie (her mother’s friend) wouldn’t have noticed her missing while she was babysitting and the fact that Emmett was a runaway child placing so much emphasis on a legendary spring was a bit much for me. Emmett’s backstory was great, but the fact that his mother wouldn’t have looked for him and the fact that it seemed too good to be true took me out of the story.

Then, the epilogue really killed it for me. How could Drew not want to talk to Emmett after the incident at the spring? Why hadn’t Emmett contacted her after that point?

Overall, I give the book a 3/5. The writing is what saved it for me, but there needed to be a stronger ending.