Young Adult Genre

"If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor" by Barbara Ehrentreu

This is the story of a size 12 teenager, Carolyn Samuels, who wishes to be popular and to become a cheerleader.  Unfortunately, Carolyn hyperventilates when under stress.  Carolyn wants to be Jennifer Taylor who wears a size 2, has straight her and has Brad as her boyfriend.  Brad is a junior and is a quarterback and the object of Carolyn's crush.  The girl's are paired for a math project.

When Carolyn falls in gym class, Jennifer covers for her.  Jen agrees to keep quiet in exchange for having her math homework done.  Since, Jennifer cannot be seen with someone in jeans and sweatshirts she remakes Carolyn.  After, spending the night at Jennifer's house, Carolyn learns Jennifer's secret.

I admit I decided to read this book because the author is a facebook friend.  I do know what it is like being in advanced classes in high school as I took mainly advanced classes.  I don't know if I could have or would have kept the secret as long as it seems Carolyn does, I might have told someone. The book is well written and it kept my interest.  It is a book that all teenage girls and their parents should read.

Eclectic Reader Challenge

Genres

1. Literary Fiction: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
2. Crime/Mystery Fiction  Along Came A Spider by James Patterson
3. Romantic Fiction:  Rocky Road to Romance by Janet Evanovich
4. Historical Fiction: Trumpet by Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes
5. Young Adult:  If I Could be Like Jennifer Taylor by Barbara Ehrentreu
6. Fantasy:  The Ugly Princess by Elizabeth K. Burton
7. Science Fiction:  The 5 Moons of Tiiana/The Chronicles of Rez Cantor....by Paul Harry
8. Non Fiction  Unorthodox The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots A Memoir by Deborah Feldman
9. Horror Coraline by Neil Gaiman
10. Thriller /Suspense Digital Fortress by Dan Brown
11. Classic  Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
12. Your favourite genre (Crime/Mystery)  Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich

Alphabet Book Challenge

 
A Along Came A Spider by James Patterson

B  Buried by Linda Joy Singleton

C (The) Chocolate Bear Burglary by Joanna Carl

D  Down A Sunny Dirt Road An Autobiography by Stan & Jan Berenstain

E  Eggsecutive Orders (A White House Chef Mystery #3) by Julie Hyzy

F  (Fifty Percent)  50% Off Murder by Josie Belle

G  Getting Old Is Tres Dangereux  by Rita Lakin

H (The) Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club by Wanda Brunstetter

I  If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor by Barbara Ehrentreu reviewed in January under Young Genre

J  Junior Intern by Alan E.. Nourse

K  (The) Kumquat Challenge by Randal Koster

L   Like Sands Through the Hourglass by Bill Hayes & Susan Seaforth Hayes

M  (The) Matzo Ball Heiress by Laurie Gwen Shapiro

N   Nightshade on Elm Street by Kate Collins

O Operation XOXO by Elle James

P (The) Pink House by Louise Platt Hauck

Q "Q" Clearance by Peter Benchley

R  (The) Rocky Road to Romance by Janet Evanovich

S  Snow Place to Die by Mary Daheim

T  (The) Tightrope Walker by Dorothy Gilman

U  Unorthodox The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman

V  Vital Signs by Barbara Wood

W  Wedding Bell Blues by Alice Sharpe  (review at www.goodreads.com/topic/show/716893-rachelle)

X  X-Dames by J.J. Henderson

Y  Y is for Yellowhammer An Alabama Alphabet by Carol Crane, Illustrated by Ted Burn

Z  Zero Mostel a biography by Jared Brown

The Chocolate Bear Burglary

The Chocolate Bear Burglary is by JoAnna Carl.
    Lee McKinney left Texas to be the bookkeeper for her Aunt Nettie at TenHuis Chocolade in Warner Pier, Michigan.   The Chamber of Commerce decides to use "A Teddy Bear Getaway" as a theme for a mid-winter promotion.   Gail Hess, an antique dealer (and their neighbor)  gaves them some Teddy Bear molds to display which were from Timothy VanHorn.  Olivia Hart VanHorn comes to the shop to see them and almost faints.

    Jeff Godfred, Lee's former stepson runs away from Southern Methodist University in Dallas and comes to Michigan.  Lee and Nettie ask him to stay at their home and he is given a job packing chocolates for them.  Lee sees Jeff leave late at night and follows him, he winds up seeing TenHuis being broken into.  The only thing missing is one of the molds they had on display.

     Before long, Jeff is found with bloody hands, standing over Gail's body.  He is arrested and Lee spends time trying to get him out of jail.  Lee tries to reach Jeff's parents, so they can help him.  She finds herself in danger before the end of the story.


      Between some of the chapters one finds choolate trivia.  While reading I found myself wishing I could taste the chocolates that are described within this book, they sound like they would be wonderful to eat.

Cozy Mystery Challenge

I love cozy mysteries so I think this will be an easy challenge.

A-Z Mini Challenge-Resolution

The mini challenge is to read a book with a title that has to do with a New Year's Resolution. I hope to walk more in 2112 and read "The Tightrope Walker" by Dorothy Gilman who is better known for her Mrs. Pollifax books. The main character in the book finds a note and is determined to find out more about who wrote the note and if the person was murdered or not. The title is not referred to until the end of the book, when the main character alludes to walking on a tightrope. Though walking is mentioned in the book, the end is the only time a tightrope is mentioned. Looking at the title makes you think of the Flying Wallendas and I was lucky enough to meet some of the family.

Just for Fun Challenge

This is one of the challenges I have entered. I finished "The Tightrope Walker" by Dorothy Gilman as my Just for fun January book.

The Kumquat Legacy

The Kumquat Legacy is an free e-book by Randal Koster which I downloaded from Smashwords.  This e-book was meant for young readers (age 10 and up).  I am much older than age ten but as someone who substitutes sometimes and a collector of children's series books, I do like reading books meant for different ages.

Dave, a 13 year old, is chosen by a rich man to possibly get the Kumquat Legacy.  The legacy will be his or the man's nephew, Cyril, depending on who can solve all the puzzles and get the combination to a safe first.  The reader is given an opportunity to try to solve the puzzles before reading the answers.
I would certainly recommend this e-book to anyone who enjoys mysteries.