Scenarios for Girls – Book reviews
Thanks for stopping by again! I look forward to reading your thoughts. Did you know that I also tweet?
I love to read… always have, always will. I remember spending summers (way back when!!) devouring one book after the next… going to the library and taking out 5 books at a time… reading has always been a passion, but one that has recently taken a back seat to a rambunctious toddler and a husband. I still read, but not nearly as much or as fast as I used to.
Recently though you would have been able to find me with a book to my nose… even when it shouldn’t have been (like when the thank you cards needed to be written – sigh). Why? Because I was reading the recently released books from one of my favorite bloggers – Nicole O’dell – Truth Or Dare
Truth or Dare is the first book in the series, so naturally that was read first. I think any girl who has survived the teen years has also survived a game or two (or more) of Truth or Dare… as well as peer pressure and the sometimes overwhelming desire to want to fit in. The main character in this book, Lindsey Martin is an eighth grader who comes from a family with strong Christian beliefs and morals. Lindsey and her friends decide it would be fun to have weekly sleepovers with movies, pop, snacks and games… specifically a game most of the girls had never heard of before… Truth or Dare (now I do have to admit I found it a little hard to believe that 3 of the 4 girls had never heard of this game by this age, since I’m pretty sure I was playing it before then). The game gets out of hand and Lindsey is faced with a hard decision… does she follow through with the dare or does she follow her heart and her beliefs and risk breaking up their tight knit group?
I loved being able to chose which path Lindsey would walk down! I read through both endings and I think they were both written perfectly, showcasing what can happen when you chose what you did and why those things happen. The point of the book came across clearly without feeling like you were being lectured to by a parent. The only thing that got to me (and this may be because I am not very religious and, although I attended CCD through the 8th grade, never really was religious) is that there was a lot of talk about youth group and some sermons in the book making it seem at times a bit too WWJD (what would Jesus do?). Being a Christian fiction book I expected it to some extent, it was just more than I thought would be in there. It wasn’t anything that distracted me from the book though or that would keep me from having my niece read it when she is old enough.
All That Glitters is the second book in the series. In it Dani and Drew Daniels are twin sisters who are just entering high school. Drew has decided that she no longer wants to be seen as just “one of the twins” and starts doing things that set her apart from her sister… including buying clothes that are only hers, trying out for the cheer leading squad and wearing make-up (which incidentally is forbidden by her parents). Dani has a problem with Drew’s independence and lets Drew know it, but still she just silently steps back and lets her sister be in the spotlight that she so desperately wants to be in. Drew ends up falling for the star Quarterback and soon they are an “item”… the problem is that he is a Junior and she’s just a Freshman. Despite the warnings, Drew gets in over her head and must decide – does she break the rules to please her crush or does she do what she knows in her heart is right?
I found this book to be a quicker read than the first… maybe it’s because I was a cheerleader in high school – or maybe it’s because I found the teen romance to be more enticing. What ever the case it was a great read. In reading it, I also found that while God and faith played a role in the book, it wasn’t “in your face” about it as it was in the first book, which was nice.
While I really liked the book, there were 2 things that got to me… the first was that the JV cheer leading squad cheered and performed during the Varsity games. I realize that it adds to the storyline, since the love interest is the Varsity Quarterback, but very seldom does the JV squad have anything to do at a Varsity football game (at least that was the case when I was in high school in the mid 90’s) besides sit in the bleachers. The other thing that got to me was that Dani made a big deal when her sister held Trevor’s hand for the first time… to me that made the twins seem younger than the freshmen they’re supposed to be.
Overall… I liked both books and especially liked the idea that they are there to help young girls think about what they would do in a given situation, before having to make that decision in real life. These books should be a must read for all tween and teen girls.
Giveaway
Here’s your chance to win a signed copy of each of the books! To enter just leave me a comment letting me know who you would give these books to – that’s all! You must do this in order to get the extra entries. The contest will end Thursday August 27, 2009 at 11:59pm CST.
For additional chances to enter you can :
- Show your love and follow my blog
- Follow me on Twitter (@MamaMichie) and tweet about this giveaway, including a link to this post. Please leave the URL to your tweet in the comments (you must do both to get this entry). You can do this once a day for an extra entry a day… just let me know with a comment each time.
- Blog about this giveaway (including a link to this post) then come back and leave a comment with a link to your post.
- Snag my blog button and put it on your site.
Please make sure that you leave me a separate comment for each entry. I will be using random.org to pick the winner and will post the name by noon Friday 8/28/09. The winner will have 48 hours to get back to me otherwise a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!!
{If you have ever been to my home, are related to me in any way shape or form or have ever worked with me, then sorry you’ll have to try to win this somewhere else =) }
I would love to win these books; I would give them to my 13 year-old next door neighbor who shovels off my steps for me in the winter, without my asking. She’s a really nice girl and it would be nice to give her something other than a few bucks for her kindness.
just dropping by from SITS to say hi; hope you’ll do the same.
I’m a booklover from way back too and I read quite a few choose your own adventure books when I was younger. I think the Goosebumps series had some choose your own adventure type books.
If you are sending the books internationally I’d love the chance to win them. I would give them to my yougner cousins and ask that they be passed on so that other young girls can read them.
Alicia
http://onemumsmusings.blogspot.com
Thanks so much for the review! I really appreciate all of your thoughts and support. I’ll look forward to finding out who the winner is.
Well, my luck usually doesnt work in these things but what the heck! I would LOOOOVE to get a signed copy of this! It’ll be the first ever author signed copy of any book in my life!! And yeah I am a teen as well! I sooo wanna win!!
These books would be PERFECT for my 13 year old daughter!
I already follow you, but here’s my tweet!
http://twitter.com/KandJplus5/status/3386114186
I already follow your blog!
Annnndd….your button is on my blog as well!
Happy Blogoversary!!!
Here’s my blog linke!
http://www.hishersandours05.com/2009/08/giveaways.html
I don’t need the extra entry (LOL) but thought I’d come say Happy Blogiversary!
I have a 9 year old that loves to read that would probably love these books… or my 16 year old who will read anything!
Happy Blogoversary!
I have your button on my blog
http://www.tobethode.com
Tweet!
http://twitter.com/ToBeThode/statuses/3398170223
I would love to give these books to my eleven year old cousin.
this would be a great book to give to my tween daughters. my oldest daughter is 12 and constantly reads. it would be great to see what direction she would have them go in.
i’m following in the google friends connect
i would give these to my dd.mavans@scottsboro.org
I would like to win the books for my boyfriend’s granddaughter, Anna. Her 14th birthday is Sept. 13th, what a nice gift they’d make.
I’m already a follower
To be honest, I would like to receive these books for myself. I can share it with my siblings but they aren’t into reading like I am, lol.
Rainbow Brite CD (5 winners) (3/15)
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