The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott

The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott

Published: March 16, 2010 by Simon Pulse

(224 pages, hardcover)

Summary: He's looking at me like--well, like he wants to look at me. 

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Like he likes what he sees, and he's smiling and his eyes are so blue, even in the faint flow of the porch light they shine, and I nod dumbly, blindly, and then grope for the door handle, telling myself to look away and yet not able to do it. 

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"Sara," he says, softly, almost hesitantly, and my heart slam-bangs, beating hard, and this is what it's like to want someone you can't have. To want someone you shouldn't even be looking at.

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My thoughts: I really don't know what it is with Elizabeth Scott books; something about them just draws me in, makes me want to live in their worlds forever. The Unwritten Rule was no exception to this, of course. I completely feel in love with the characters, writing, and plot.

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At first glance, The Unwritten Rule looks like your typical YA romance: girl falls for boy, boy falls for girl, neither of them realize it, girl's best friend falls for boy, snags boy, and eventually something happens between the girl and boy, causing all sorts of angst and shudder-inducing cliches followed by a moment where you just know they're totally meant for each other. Been told a million times before, right? Well, it may be a worn-out story, but Scott somehow manages to work her magic and make it into a gripping, emotional novel that caught me from the first page and didn't let go until I'd finished it a couple of hours later.

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Sara was likeable. I'm not going to lie, she didn't have a ton of personality, and I didn't feel like she was my spirit animal or anything. She was sweet and nice and, quite obviously and helplessly, in love with her best friend's boyfriend. I sympathized with her, not so much for the falling in love part, because, while I can appreciate misplaced affection just as much as the next reader, but because of the having-a-best-friend-who-kind-of-completely-sucks. Brianna, Sara's best friend, isn't a mean girl. Well, not really. Okay, so she's a total jerk, but Sara has been her best friend for forever (meaning since kindergarten) and when you've been friends for that long of a time it's impossible to even consider not being friends anymore. And this is what I loved about the book: it was more than just a boy-meets-girls-and-accidentally-falls-for-the-wrong-one, it was about a complex friendship that I really related to.

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I'm going to try hard not to gush at this point. Ryan, to be plain, is amazing. Ryan, who is torn between being with the girl he's falling for and the girl he somehow ended up with; Ryan who was sensitive and sweet and impossible to not like and feel bad for. He was my favorite character, to be honest, because while I could easily relate to Sara, Ryan cared about Sara, and even Brianna so much. One of the things I really loved was the way Scott executed the plot: she didn't make the characters seem like jerks because they weren't falling into the roles Brianna had carved for them. And while I wish Ryan had a bit more of a backbone, he was still a great guy and character.

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The writing was predictably realistic and heart-wrenching. I don't know how with so few pages Scott manages to make such three-dimensional, personal characters and plot lines that are simple in theory but complex like in real life, but she does it in The Unwritten Rule flawlessly. It was poignant and I loved how not all of the characters went by untouched by the effects of the novel. It wasn't the happily-ever-after you might expect, or the horrible falling-out you could expect, but it was simple and honest and (kind of sort of spoiler-ish) happy. I loved the book, and while it wasn't my absolute favorite of hers, I'd definitely re-read it and recommend it to any reader in a heartbeat.

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Covering the Cover: I like it. Simple and cute.

Characters: 5/5

Plot: 4.5/5

Writing: 5/5

Overall Rating: 4.9 stars

Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott

Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott

Publication: March 25, 2008 by Simon Pulse

(282 pages, paperback)

Summary: Kate Brown's life has gone downhill fast. 

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Her father has quit his job to sell vitamins at the mall, and Kate is forced to work with him. Her best friend has become popular, and now she acts like Kate's invisible. And then there's Will. Gorgeous, unattainable Will, whom Kate acts like she can't stand even though she can't stop thinking about him. When Will starts acting interested, Kate hates herself for wanting him when she's sure she's just his latest conquest. Kate figures that the only way things will ever stop hurting so much is if she keeps to herself and stops caring about anyone or anything. What she doesn't realize is that while life may not always be perfect, good things can happen -- but only if she lets them....

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My thoughts: I've come to expect a lot from Elizabeth Scott books, and Perfect You did not disappoint one bit. If anything, it exceeded my expectations. Kate's just lost her best friend, her father has gone crazy, and she likes (more than she'd like to) a guy who can't possible like her back. So, basically, her life sucks. Or at least that's how things seem to Kate. One of my favorite things about Scott's books are how easily relatable and honest they are. I completely felt Kate's pain, and yet I also knew that things weren't as bad as Kate thought.

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To begin with, Kate was your average girl; prettier than she believes herself to be, desperate for the guy she likes to notice her, and completely blind to the fact that he has. And her life just happens to be falling apart. I think every teenager (at least, teenage girl) has felt like everything is changing and for the worse. I found Kate really nice, sarcastic (which, hey, happens to be my favorite quality in book characters), and realistic. Her thoughts were honest, and, okay, I'm sounding like a broken record, but she was really relatable.

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The writing, while not amazingly fantastic, was good, and fitting. It sounded like a teenage girl, which is all you can ask for in a YA contemporary novel. I really liked the story too. Kate's life is pretty bad, and I felt all of her emotions. The characters were realistic and well-written too, fleshed-out without revealing their entire stories. One of the onl ythings I didn't like (and I won't hold it against the book, since the point was for the reader to not like it) was Kate's grandma. She was obnoxious, superficial, and I couldn't bring myself to agree with her even when she was right. Other than her, I really liked the entire premise and writing style.

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Not to sound like a totally unprofessional girly-girl here, but my favorite part of the book was Will. He was cute, hilarious, three-dimensional, and perfect for Kate. Well, not perfect, but just what she needed. He was probably the reason I liked Perfect You best of all Scott's books. My favorite thing about him was how insecure he was. It's not realistic to find a boy who is into you, great-looking, and totally unafraid of going out on a limb. Will was sensitive and vulnerable in a way most YA boys usually aren't, which made me love him even more.

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Overall, Perfect You was kind of perfect. It had honest characters, a good story, nice writing, and a POV character I really connected with. It's my favorite Scott book, which is saying a lot. Sorry for the slightly rushed review, but, to summarize, go out and read Perfect You right now.

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Covering the Cover: It's cute and the colors fit really well.

Characters: 5/5

Plot: 4.5/5

Writing: 5/5

Overall Rating: 5 stars 

Waiting on Wednesday (19): As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine to showcase unreleased novels that we're waiting for anxiously. This week I'm picking:

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As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott

Pub. Date: September 15, 2011

Summary: What if you woke up and didn't know where you were? 

What if you didn't know who you were? 

And what if, when your memories started to come back--what if they didn't match the you that you're supposed to be? 

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Ava is welcomed home from the hospital by a doting mother, lively friends, and a crush finally beginning to show interest. There's only one problem: Ava can't remember any of them--and can't shake the eerie feeling that she's not who they say she is. 

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Ava struggles to break through her amnesiac haze as she goes through the motions of high-school life, but the memories that surface take place in a very different world, where Ava and familiar-faced friends are under constant scrutiny and no one can be trusted. Ava doesn't know what to make of these visions, or of the boy who is at the center of them all, until he reappears in her life and offers answers . . . but only in exchange for her trust.

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Why I chose As I Wake: Well, not only is Elizabeth Scott one of my favorite authors ever, but the cover is gorgeous! Okay, and the summary sounds really, really good. I love books that involve memory loss. I'm waiting anxiously for September to roll around. Happy reading, y'all!

Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott

Title: Something, Maybe
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Published: March 24, 2009 by Simon Pulse
(217 pages, hardcover)
Summary: Everyone thinks their parents are embarrassing, but Hannah knows she's got them all beat. 
Her dad made a fortune showcasing photos of pretty girls and his party lifestyle all over the Internet, and her mom was once one of her dad's 'girlfriends' and is now the star of her own website.
After getting the wrong kind of attention for way too long, Hannah has mastered the art of staying under the radar . . . and that's just how she likes it. Of course, that doesn't help her get noticed by her crush. Hannah's sure that gorgeous, sensitive Josh is her soul mate. But trying to get him to notice her; wondering why she suddenly can't stop thinking about another guy, Finn; and dealing with her parents make Hannah feel like she's going crazy. Yet she's determined to make things work out the way she wants only what she wants may not be what she needs. . . .
Once again, Elizabeth Scott has created a world so painfully funny and a cast of characters so heartbreakingly real that you'll love being a part of it from unexpected start to triumphant finish.

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My thoughts: Oh, Elizabeth Scott, how many of your characters is it possible for me to fall in love with? Something, Maybe was cute, quick, and meaningful. Scott writes so much like a teenager that her characters are painfully real and her story lines are unique and truthful. Hannah was sweet, quiet, and she was a great protagonist, because even though she wasn't especially strong or brave, she was your typical teenager with a little more heart.

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Something, Maybe was a quick read, but Scott manages to include a lot of story into it. I was cringing at how overtly embarrassing Hannah's infamous parents were, and it was heartbreakingly true to life how she responded to her father's actions. I have to admit, I was just as gullible as Hannah when it came to her father, and while I always love a smart, snarky protagonist, it was refreshing to see a normal girl put into a horrible situation. Hannah's  backstory that was given was interesting and sad, and while I was somewhat sympathetic to her situation, what really got to me was how, after everything, she still trusted in her parents. Candy, Hannah's mom, was a great character in a lot of ways, because she wasn't the perfect mom (far from, in fact) but she also wasn't a bad parent. It was sad how she ended up the way she did, but I understood why Scott wrote her like she did.

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I absolutely adored Finn. He was sweet, sensitive, hilarious, and cute. I was right alongside Teagan, mentally screaming for Hannah to realize he had a thing for her. It was cute to see her slowly realize she had feelings for them, and the romance wasn't bad at all. I liked Josh at first, and, in order to not spoil anything, I'll just say that I totally agreed with Finn's feelings for him. I liked the idea of her working with them, and I especially liked how involved Hannah's out-of-school relationships were. I was totally fooled by Scott's well-written twists, and they were well-planned and executed. Not much really happened in the story line area, but the novel didn't really require much of anything to happen, and I was still hooked on it.

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Teagan was the best friend I so wish I had, because not only was she a bit of a smart-ass, but she was also a great friend to Hannah. Again, I won't spoil anything, but I liked the way Scott left things with Teagan; overall, the story had 'sometimes life isn't a fairy tale, but it'll still keep going on' feel, and it worked easily with the story. Overall, Something, Maybe was a somewhat light, cute, realistic read that stays with you a little after it's over. Also, I loved the named; Hannah has spent her whole life unsure of herself, and she was constantly in a state of thinking of things as something, maybe.

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Cover: 4/5

Characters: 5/5

Plot: 3/5

Writing: 4/5

Overall rating: 4 stars

Bloom by Elizabeth Scott

Title: Bloom
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Published: April 24, 2007 by Simon Pulse
(231 pages, paperback)
Summary: There's a difference between falling and letting go. 
Lauren has a good life: decent grades, great friends, and a boyfriend every girl lusts after. So why is she so unhappy?
It takes the arrival of Evan Kirkland for Lauren to figure out the answer: She's been holding back. She's been denying herself a bunch of things (like sex) because staying with her loyal and gorgeous boyfriend, Dave, is the "right" thing to do. After all, who would give up the perfect boyfriend?
But as Dave starts talking more and more about their life together, planning a future Lauren simply can't see herself in -- and as Lauren's craving for Evan, and moreover, who she is with Evan becomes all the more fierce -- Lauren realizes she needs to make a choice...before one is made for her.

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My thoughts: Having now read three Elizabeth Scott novels, I feel I've learned really only one main thing: Scott never disappoints. Bloom looks like your typical YA romance novel--let me tell you, it's not. Lauren has the perfect boyfriend; and yes, literally, Dave is perfect. He's sweet, kind, in-tune to her feelings (or so he thinks), and to boot, he's religious, and has never pushed her into anything. While Lauren is left wanting more than Dave is willing to give her when it comes to physical stuff, she gets nada. The farthest they've gone is making out, and even then he's always the first one to pull away. Now, while, I'm all for remaining abstinent if that's what you want, I totally understood why it hurts Lauren than Dave doesn't want to go farther than kissing. She's left unfullfilled, and can't help but feeling like maybe he doesn't want her, not just sex. Okay, to stop the summarization going on here, I'll just say that while the conflict Lauren has with Dave wasn't as deep as some problems may be, it was genuine, and definitely not one addressed much, at least in the novels I've read. And I thought it was great how Scott managed to make Lauren still seem intelligent and held her dignity while writing about something that can be, to put it plainly, nasty.

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In the midst of Lauren's problematic relationship, enters Evan, the boy she used to live with (their parents dated). Evan is quiet, shy, and everything Dave isn't; well, except when it comes to having feelings for Lauren. He was mysterious and sweet in unexpected ways, and totally drool-worthy. He had a sort of bad-boy air without really being all that bad. I loved his relationship with Lauren; Scott was brilliant in making them meet again so that it doesn't really seem like they instantly fall in love. I also liked how they had rough spots, and Lauren didn't just magically wake up one morning and decide she loved him, or even had feelings for him. Their relationship does move sort of fast, but it made sense and I loved every page that Evan was on.

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To make matters worse for Lauren, her father is absent throughout her life; he's always working, and his past isn't the most brag-worthy; he used to have women lined up by the dozen, and invited each of them to live with him. I really liked how Scott dealt with her absent father, and how she wrapped things up in that regard; Lauren didn't solve all of her problems or patch-up her relationship with her dad necessarily, but she had closure in the best sense of the word. Lauren's dad was complex even though he wasn't actually present in the novel. Scott tackled a bit of a broad subject with grace and honesty and I loved that aspect of the novel.
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One of the best parts of this novel was the conflict of Lauren having to decide on keeping the safe, predictable, and boring relationship she has with the perfect (and perfectly plain) Dave, or whether to go for her jumbled feelings for Evan. I loved how Scott had it all planned, and let Lauren go on worrying about being her mother, who was completely reckless and eventually loveless, even while she was slowly turning into her cheating father. Evan's reaction to her outbursts were natural and yet still caring, and Dave's responses were, well, boring, but I still understood why she would want to stay with him for as long as she had.

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The overall feel of this book was surprisingly complex. The romance view was fantastic; it was steamy without being graphic, it was sweet without being overtly so, it was understandable while being slightly incredible. Evan was a great character, as was Dave and pretty much all of the characters. I loved her relationship with her 'best friend' who really was there for Lauren even if she was blind to it for most of the novel. Gail, while not mentioned a lot until the latter part of the novel, was another great character, and she helped to move the story on well. Overall, Bloom was sweet, romantic, honest, and serious without being heavy.

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Cover: 3/5

Characters: 5/5

Plot: 4/5

Writing: 5/5

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Overall Rating: 4.9 stars

Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott

Title: Stealing Heaven
Author: Elizabeth Scott
Published: June 1, 2008 by HarperTeen
(320 pages, hardcover)
Summary: My name is Danielle. I'm eighteen. I've been stealing things for as long as I can remember.
Dani has been trained as a thief by the best--her mother. Together, they move from town to town, targeting wealthy homes and making a living by stealing antique silver. They never stay in one place long enough to make real connections, real friends--a real life
In the beach town of Heaven, though, everything changes. For the first time, Dani starts to feel at home. She's making friends and has even met a guy. But these people can never know the real Dani--because of who she is. When it turns out that her new friend lives in the house they've targeted for their next job and the cute guy is a cop, Dani must question where her loyalties lie: with the life she's always known--or the one she's always wanted.
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My thoughts: Danielle has only known one thing her life: stealing. Her father disappeared from her life shortly after getting arrested, and all she has left is her mother, and the silver she steals. The premise for this novel sounds really interesting, and I had high expectations since practically every reader I know loves Scott's writing. Having only read Living Dead Girl up to this point, I was expecting a lighter story with characters not quite as memorable. What I got was a poignant story line with characters that were emotional and definitely not forgettable. Dani is a mature teen who is faced with a problem she can't really solve. Even though her mother loves stealing (she does it even when she doesn't need to) Dani is worried by the fact that she's never felt the passion for silver that her mother always has.
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My favorite part of this book (other than Greg; more on him later) was the way Dani has a strong draw towards what is right, but also how she's loyal to her mother. It was nice to see a genuine conflict with a teenager as its focal point. Dani was mature and intelligent. Her problems were real and serious and I loved how Scott let her deal with them. I also really liked her relationship with her mother, and how complex it got as Dani slowly realized she might be able to live the life she truly wanted to.
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As proven in her other novels, Scott's uncanny ability to write like she's in her own character's heads was amazing. It really felt like Scott had lived through Dani's experiences and that she was feeling what Dani felt. The details were present enough to make me feel like I was there with the characters while also not cluttering out the story or Dani's emotions.
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Lastly, I totally and completely loved Greg, the sweet cop, who honestly cares for Dani even as she pushes him away. I liked the conflicting emotions Dani felt toward him, and how they instantly connected. Greg was funny and smart and figured Dani out and still didn't judge her. Their romance was cute and sweet and I really enjoyed reading about it. Plus, Greg was drool-worthy, even with his crazy-looking hair. Scott did a great job in not over-doing the romance part, and keeping it still a main plot line.
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I would've liked a little more resolution, or to have seen Dani's mom have a little bit more closure, but the ending was great anyways. It had an uplifting tone and a serious undertone that left me satisfied, but still wishing there was more. Just not in a bad way like sometimes novels can leave you. Stealing Heaven was a great read that was satisfying, uplifting, intelligent, and sweet. Like any good novel, it was intriguing from the start and through to the end.
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Cover: 5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Plot: 4/5
Writing: 4.5/5
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Overall Rating: 4.5 stars

Teaser Tuesdays (8): Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Just grab the book you're currently reading, flip open to a random page, find a random excerpt, and voila, you're participating in it. My quote this week is from Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott.

 "I met a girl worth three-quarters of a billion dollars at a party once. She had the saddest eyes of anyone I'd ever met and a row of white lines on her wrists, scars so thick her skin was just a faint tinge under them."

o

  

I'm really loving this book so far, and Scott's writing is amazing. I'm excited that I have a few more Scott books just waiting to be read in that ever-growing pile by my bed. Don't forget to leave links to your teasers in the comments.

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

Once upon a time, I was a little girl who disappeared.
Once upon a time, my name was not Alice.
Once upon a time, I didn’t know how lucky I was.

When Alice was ten, Ray took her away from her family, her friends her life. She learned to give up all power, to endure all pain. She waited for the nightmare to be over.
Now Alice is fifteen and Ray still has her, but he speaks more and more of her death. He does not know it is what she longs for. She does not know he has something more terrifying than death in mind for her. 
This is Alice’s story. It is one you have never heard, and one you will never, ever forget.

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Wow. Well, I started this novel trying to stay unemotional, knowing it wasn't going to work. And I was right. By the time I reached page 170 (the last page of this small, incredibly impacting novel) I was clutching the book, holding back sobs. This is the story of fifteen-year-old Alice, who was once someone else, leading a normal little girl life, instead of trapped with Ray, the twenty-something pedophile who says he's there to take care of her, while repeatedly raping and abusing her. I knew the subject matter of this book, and despite Scott's other, lighter books, was prepared for a serious, heavy read. But I was still shocked by how real and gritty this novel got. Not one detail was left out, and all the way to the heart-wrenching ending, my heart was beating faster and faster. Ray was despicable and disgusting in every imaginable way, and while I didn't connect with Alice that much, I sympathized for her, and the pain she endures every day was enough to bring tears to my eyes. All I'm left thinking as I stare at the cover is wow. What an amazing, heart-breaking, realistic, depressing tale. Bravo, Scott, for creating such a great story, and for doing it so artfully. This book is going on my Best Books I've Ever Read shelf. The back sure got it right when they said you would never, ever forget it.

5 stars, and well, I'm not even sure what recommendation to give. Read the back and if it seems like something you could handle, read it by all means.