Raven: Just Listen

A novel by Sarah Dessen

Publication Date: April 6th, 2006
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Pages: 261
Targeted Audience: Teens

Summary: When Annabel, the youngest of three beautiful sisters, has a bitter falling out with her best friend—the popular and exciting Sophie—she suddenly finds herself isolated and friendless. But then she meets Owen—a loner, passionate about music and his weekly radio show, and always determined to tell the truth. And when they develop a friendship, Annabel is not only introduced to new music but is encouraged to listen to her own inner voice. With Owen's help, can Annabel find the courage to speak out about what exactly happened the night her friendship with Sophie came to a screeching halt?

Don't think or judge, just listen... Ah that is so inspiring!

The story starts off with her and when Owen enters the scene it just blasts off to space. I love Owen.

He is obsessed with music and the kind of music that he listens to... speechless (In opera voice). He is always telling the truth and has got anger management issues.

He is completely honest and won't even think of lying to others whereas Annabel would do anything but say they truth. I just love both of them so much. This is another story where two people don't fall in love instantly, but the two loners of the school just happen to come together and then they fall.

Now if I keep going like this I will not stop talking about Owen and his adorably cliché sister, so moving on. We have Annabel, who was once really popular until last summer when something happened and she and the other most popular girl were no longer friends.

But that's not all. She has got problems at home as well. Her anorexic sister, her model obsessed mom and her glass house which so much like her family, showing you only what you need to see.

It may come as a surprise to others but this was my first Sarah Dessen book which I read like two months ago and before Beez shoved it over my face and forced me to take it up from the school library, I had never even heard of the author. So yeah, this concludes the fact that Beez is a bully (Hahah Just kidding... not really)

I rate it a 4.5 since I  loved how everything was put up and the way the flashbacks were portrayed was also great. So yeah, it's a great read.

Lots of love and pasta,

Raven

Note by Beez:
I am not going to deny that i did not force Raven into reading this book, i just did it because it was for the greater good. You can relax Raven, i'm not going to kill you. I just wanted to tell you guys that i too loved this book, especially Owen's bizarre taste in music. 
Go read it people!

Lots of love and lasagna
Beez.

Dream Cast!!

Dianna Argon as Annabel, Matt Lanter as Own, Kirsten as Ashley Tisdale, Whitney as Ashley greene, Sophie as Jenna Leah Green

Raven & Beez: The Distance Between Us 

A novel by Kasie West

Publication date: July 2nd, 2013

Publisher: Harper Teen

Pages: 158

Targeted Audience: Teens/Young Adult

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn't approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn't been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn't a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved Caymen, her witty sarcasm and dry humor and I loved Xander, his oozing richness and effortless charm and hotness. 

First thing first, look at the cover. Look at it. Look. Its so pretty and that did it for me. I just had to read it. How could i resist.?

This book is absolutely fabulous. Caymen has got sarcasm down to an art. She's perfect at it. She's so funny that my stomach was literally aching while I was reading this book. and her cynicism is so amusing and refreshing. I swear if anyone wanted to learn how to speak full on sarcasm, this book is your bible.

Now, I have always wanted to be filthy rich. I hope that in the future I do come in the definition of rich. And Xander is rich, more than rich. Caymen happens to be against the rich. She has grown up with the impression that they are snobs, waste their money on useless thing(exactly what her mom sells) and don't stick around. And she's not wrong, it is further proved when Xander "beckons" her(I was clutching my stomach because I was laughing so hard). I think once I beckoned a teacher(!) before I could stop myself and was so darn embarrassed. 

Now Caymen snarky comment amused and made Xander more interested. Even thought that's exactly the opposite of what Caymen wants she can't help succumbing to his charm and the morning hot chocolate. Both of them have no idea which direction they want their life to go. So Mr-i'm-so-rich-take-my-picture suggests career day and begins the string of fun filled days trying to figure out each others potential. 

So it begins, morning walks with hot chocolate and Xander, ridiculously fun afternoons including one in a private jet with Xander and one digging a grave, rich and funny banter with Xander. Caymen starts warming up to idea of Xander but then the old misunderstanding leads to some do-i-smell-something-burning jealousy and other feeling. We all know they resolve it and spend quite some time down each others throats. 

With the perfect twist in the ending and a shocking discovery and also some more time locking lips, this book is an absolute laugh! Even I(I have an absurd notion that since there are soo many books to read I shall not repeat the ones I already have read) am going to reread it. This book guarantees 101%  silly laughs and rolling eyes. Now, I may have skipped parts about the characters but Raven will gladly fill the spaces.

Read or not to read??
Read, Read, Read!! You have to read this book. Its an amazong book and you will not have a teardrop of regret in you. So just pick it up and read it.

Lots of love and sour punks
Beez.

I don't know what to put up here since Beez has explained every great thing about this book (and those few things that I did not like... Well go down a little and you will see our heated/silly argument)

Caymen and Alexander are two adorable characters. Hats off to the author for making us (Beez and I) fall in love with them. Caymen's sarcastic-ness and Xander's patience towards Caymen is sooo adorable that I am at a loss for words. This book is a great example of 'opposites attract'.

The story sounds cliché but I assure that it is anything but that. It's got a very homey feel to it. Nothing out of the ordinary happens in it. There's Caymen with her problems and Xander with his. They fall for each other and it's definitely not love at first sight..

There are also other characters that you might love. There's Caymen's bestfriend Skye, who is a great friend but you don't really get to connect with her. There is Skye's weird boyfriend Henry (who I keep remembering as Toad, who will know why when you read it) and he is hilarious. Also there is Henry's friend Mason (Also known as Tic) and there is the great Muffin guy who has no role whatsoever in the book but I love him too.

Xander is so prince like that I couldn't stop thinking about him all day after reading the book. I mean come on girls, a guy who has enough patience to let you open up to him on your own time? That's like having a black diamond among pearls (I said that cause black diamonds look pretty to me) and I prefer calling him Alex in my head because that's my favourite name!

And it's not just that characters, it's the whole plot that's awesome. The mystery about Caymen's family, her dad, Xander's family, career days, that feeling of insecurity and not-belonging that everyone has felt at least once in their life, all of this is what makes this book one of a kind and do as Beez suggests (or forces upon you)- Read it!

 It's a great book. It's not all drama, there are twists, heartaches and a huge bottle of laughing gas. The perfect book to read when you are travelling. I rate it a 4 since I just love rating stuff.

Lots of love and pasta,
Raven

Dream Cast!!

Jennifer Garner as Caymen's mom, Saorise Ronan as Skye, Young woody Harrelson as Henry, Samantha Munro as Caymen, Rafi Gavron as Mason, William Moseley as Alexander 

Excerpts (course we're not going to tell you the whole thing cause we'd be dead by embarrassment then) from the convo of RnB on this book. 

Raven: Let's discuss the review for TDBS

Beez: ok
Raven: You begin
Beez: Oh ok. I love TDBS
Raven: Haha you can do better than that.

Beez: My life next door 

Huntley Fitzpatrick

"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.

As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase's family embraces Samantha - even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha's world. She's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A transporting debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.

This is the type of book you can absolutely never not like. Its got its own share of cute(George) and crappy(mom) moments. It's how one summer a girl falls in love with the boy who lives next door but might as well be living in a different world. It's a very sweet story that makes you feel all romantic-y. And the best part is that Sam falls in love in a falling-in-love way. Its not just BAM in your face. It has all those bits of first love- the first kiss, the awkward an silly moments, the small misunderstands after which they make up(and make out), and the heartbreak moment(I got a little teary eyed). 

Jase Garrett is the charming and handsome gentleman that Samantha falls in love with. His family(8 kids + 1 more on the way) reminds me of the family in 'Cheaper by the dozen'. There's always something happening. Its filled with hustle bustle and crashes and screaming and wailing(interesting choice of words Patsy). Its the most fun kind of family who's always lively and bursting with energy. Its also the kind of family that everybody looks with the how-do-you-do-it-? look. But Jase is not ashamed at his family at all. Its a part of him. 

Unlike Sam's family who consist of an all girl team with Mom and 2 daughters(Sam's the youngest). Samantha's mom is a control freak, hence the load amounts of vacuuming. She also does not like the Garrett's if only because their large children population and their messiness due to the former reason. She pisses me off. 

Samantha is quite the character  She has always looked out of her window and seen the Garrett's life. She doesn't admit it but she likes it. Its so different from her own. But that's what she lets it be, the world outside her window. She's a good girl, unlike her older rebel sister, has got a few jobs for the summer and takes SAT classes to accompany her friend. She has sort of a dull life, nothing new or great. Until she meets Jase. Or Jase meets her. From there its all dreamy, their first kiss, falling in love, the process of deflowering(for both). From the girl who watched from the sidelines she was now a part of them. But when something happens(not telling) it rocks her world and she is in the state of dire confusion and despair. When it happens he loses all her hope and became a fictional version of me- lazing everyday and every moment on bed, doing nothing, just moping around. But i shall promise you i has a perfectly happy ending.

This paragraph is devoted to my favorite character George as in cute, 4 year old George brother of Jase.
He is soo adorable and cute and made me laugh like a crazy person. He has so many questions in that mind of his and immediately likes Sam. He calls  her Sailor Supergirl(sorry if i'm ruining this for you). 

V cute parts:

“Um. So ... Are we going to study?"
Jase slides his thumbs behind my ears, rubbing the hollow at their base. He's only inches from my face, still looking into my eyes. "You bet. I'm studying you.” 

“Is Jase already gonna marry you?”
I start coughing again. “Uh, No. No, George. I’m only seventeen.” As if that’s the only reason we’re not engaged.
“I’m this many.” George holds up four, slightly grubby fingers. “But Jase is seventeen and a half. You could. Then you could live in here with him. And have a big family.”
Jase strides back into the room, of course, midway through this proposition. “George. Beat it. Discovery Channel is on.”
George backs out of the room but not before saying, “His bed’s really comfortable. And he never pees in it.” 

Now tell me, do i need to convince you to read it??

Lots of love and jelly beans
Beez.

Dream Cast!!

Dakota Fanning as Sam, Max irons as Jase, Penn Badgley as Tim, jonathan lipnicki as George