The Tiger Orchard by Joyce Sweeney

I began to read this book on reading day. Unfortunately, I didn't get to finish it because a few pages into the book, I became uninterested. Regardless, I'm not saying it's a bad book. I liked the beginning because I made several references to my Psychology class. It starts off with a young boy talking to a psychologist about his dreams; better yet, analyzing them. I didn't know much about this character but the author reveiled that his father had died, or so the boy thinks he did. In his dreams, he talks about a tiger being there. He was a little frightened but the tiger was tamed. He didn't want to attack the boy; in a way, he was His relationship with his mom isn't the greatest. In a way, his brother gets in between them because he gets along better with her. I can't really relate to the main character because I have a really good relationship with my mother.

Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen

Fresh out of high school, Auden West embarks on a summer trip she never expected to have. Her parents have been divorced for a while now. Her older brother,Hollis,is having his own little adventures across the pond in Europe and South America. Auden isn't just the average teenager though. Being raised by college professors for parents wasn't easy, for anyone. She missed out on many things a child normally does, like riding a bike. While most teens would be found drinking at some party, Auden is more likely to be somewhere in her room listening to her mom flirt with graduate students while drinking wine and discussing Shakespearean literature.

She ends up going on vacation to visit her dad, blonde-bimbo stepmother, and her newborn sister. What she learns is more than she expected. She learns about herself, her family, and new relationships. She makes new friends and is more ready for college than she thought she was, and it wasn't by studying in her room. It was actually by going out there and trying all the things she missed out on her childhood. She meets this one guy named Eli. They're a litte different but they have similiarities. He helps her get through all the issues she's going through & they end up falling in love, but they go through a separation first.
It's a great book. I loved it.

Perfect Chemistry Part 4

Taking place in Illinois, I can easily relate to the book already. I think anyone can relate to this book. Every character has its own unique personality. Brittany likes school and wants to get in a good college. She cares deeply about her sibling, and I do too. Sierra, her best friend, is always there for her. I have a friend who I can go to and hang out with. I can even relate to gang-banger Alex because we're both Hispanic and share some similar traditions. This is a really cute book. I definitely reccomend it. It's cheesy but fun. Predictable but surprising.

Perfect Chemistry Part 3

Brittany and Alex learn eachother's secrets and together, they overcome them. In between it all though, there's Colin, Brittany's boyfriend who just wants to get in her pants; and Carmen, Alex's obsessed-chola girlfriend. Then you've got Brittany's friends and parents who want her to keep living this perfect fantasy, and Hector, the leader of the Latino Blood who has Alex and his family threatened if he wants out. I can relate to them because I always consider what my parents think aswell as my older siblings. Being the youngest, they have really high expectations for me and it could get stressful at times. It's a rollercoaster full of events, but in the end, bad guy gets the good girl and everyone gets their wishes granted; the ones that survive anyways. A few characters die. But the book has a good ending to it. No strings are left hanging.

Perfect Chemistry Part 2

So this book is a little cliche, but it grasped my attention because each character has their own problem. Like Brittany hates her parents because they make all the decisions for her and they want to send her older disabled sister, Shelley, away to a facility without anyone's consent. Alex, on the other hand, lost his father when he was six years old. His dad was in the Latino Blood gang and died during a drug deal. So in order to protect his family and continue the legacy, Alex decides to take over his dad's role in the gang so that his little brothers don't have to.Eventually, as much as they despise eachother, Alex and Brittany fall in love and end up learning more with the science project than what they bargained for.