Middle Grade Review: Better You Than Me

Ruby doesn't want the life she has; it's all fake. She longs to be normal instead of a TV star

Skylar wishes to be cool. She's tired of being boring. Life would be so much better if she was Ruby. Ditching a terrible day at school, Skylar takes a tour of the TV studio. Knowing it's her one chance to meet Ruby, she sneaks away from the tour.

Ruby's not interested in meeting another super fan. But the two of them have a moment - where they share a snippet of truth.

And they change bodies....

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this Freaky Friday inspired book. I liked how both girls struggled with each other's lives and learned about each other's insecurities. I like how they tried to help each other become better versions of themselves. Of course I liked the ending and how everything worked out. I really liked Skylar's mother and how she was interested in getting her daughter to read. I loved the books they talked about, especially one of the author's previous books. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute
Source: My Library
Library Recommendation: Grab it for your school and public libraries.

Review: Everyday Magic

Maggie's father is a big shot Hollywood director - and yet he terrorizes her family. This summer the whole family's staying in Scotland while he shoots a movie. Maggie's scared to tell him about her good news. She's been accepted to a fashion design school in England. She isn't going to UCLA to become an entertainment lawyer like he thinks. She knows that she's going to have to tell him the truth about her future and suffer the consequences.

When she finally shares her news, he reacts the way everyone imagined. But her mother shocks her by leaving him. Now that Maggie's eighteen, there's nothing holding her back. But her father isn't done playing all his cards. He has an ace up his sleeve that's going to wreck havoc on Maggie's romantic life.

My Thoughts: I confess it took me a bit to get into this one. I hated Maggie's father. He was so cruel, but I need to see how Maggie made it through. Once I was invested, I couldn't put this book down. 

I loved Maggie - she didn't always make the best choices, but she had a Huge heart and she tried to make the best of a very bad situation. I love that she took control of her own life and applied to fashion school instead of going to UCLA. I loved her relationship with Preston and how that grew. I love how she met Evie and Edmund from the previous book (I loved seeing more of them.) I loved Andrew and Daisy and their moments together at school.

I love how Maggie grew up and found her independence. I can't imagine living afraid of someone who's supposed to protect you, but I'm glad that she made it through and started living her dream.

I can't wait to see what Emily Albright writes next!

Cover Thoughts: Charming
Source: My Library
Companion novel to The Heir and the Spare

Library Recommendation: Both books are fantastic to have in your library! Get them.

Challenge:

Tween Tuesday Review: Lost in Hollywood

Ginger feels like the only normal person in her family. She's happy to have a BFF with her same goals - become a doctor and move to a big city to open a practice together. They're even getting started with this year's  Science Olympics.

But when her great aunt is having trouble, the whole family plus Payton flies to Hollywood to help out. Aunt Betty used to be a Hollywood actress, but now she sits at home waiting for the phone to ring.

Something happened to all her money and her Oscar statue. She asks Ginger to help her recover the missing money, giving her a map (of sorts) to help her out. Betty swears she hid the money from the bank. If Ginger can't find it, the bank will foreclose on her house.

My Thoughts: A really cute book. I love how the author explores cities in her novels. I loved trekking all over Hollywood with Ginger and Payton and Margot. I enjoyed the stunts the trio pulled trying to get a behind the scenes look at some of the places where they thought the money might be hidden. (I guessed the location very early on, but I realize I'm not the target audience for this book). Plus I loved the journey the girls took to get to their realization of the true potential location.  I loved Leo and his crazy burrito taxi. I loved Ginger's brother and how he thought he was an alien. He added some humor to the story. I loved the walkie talkies, I loved ABJ. Another fun novel from Cindy Callaghan. Can't wait to see where we get lost next!

Cover Thoughts: Adorable
Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Recommended purchase for public and school libraries

Review: My Unscripted Life

Dee thinks her summer will be super boring after her rejection from a summer fine arts program and her BFF attending her own dream program. But then a movie production company comes to town. Before she knows it, Dee is working behind the scenes of a movie - a movie starting a famous pop star.

When she first meets him, she's disappointed. She never really thought they would be best friends, but she expected someone a little...less rude.

The more time she spends on location, the more she realizes that Miles as a LOT of stuff going on and maybe nursing a broken heart. Plus he did laugh at her joke. Could friendship (or something more) be in the works?

My Thoughts: I adored this book. I really love Lauren Morrill. She's quickly becoming a must read author for me. And an auto buy for the library. I loved the Hollywood angle in this novel, how a movie set comes to town. I love that Dee took a chance and found herself working on the set. I loved reading about her on set and what happens during a movie shoot. I loved the banter between her and Miles. I loved Dee finding herself back in her art again, I love how she let herself be. I especially loved how she found the courage to chase her dreams. 

Cover Thoughts: Perfect
 Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Highly Recommended for all public and school libraries