Steph Su Reads is holding a contest to celebrate her Blogoversary!! And talk about a giveaway!! Head on over to check out the great books and prizes she's offering. Contest is open International and closes on Feb. 28th, 2010.

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Good Luck to everyone who enters!!

Title: Jerk, California
Author: Jonathan Friesen
Publisher: Puffin/Speak, 352 Pages (September 4th 2008)
From: Crownbook Outlet

Synopsis: Twitch, Jerk, Freak, Sam Carrier has been called them all. Because of his Tourette's syndrome, Sam is in near constant motion with tics and twitches and verbal outbursts. So, of course, high school is nothing but torment. Forget friends; forget even hoping that beautiful, perfect Naomi will look his way. And home isn't much better with his domineering stepfather reminding him that the only person who was more useless than Sam was his dead father, Jack.

But then an unexpected turn of events unearths the truth about his father. And suddenly Sam doesn't know who he is, or even where he'll go next. What he does know is that the only girl in the world who can make him happy and nervous at the same time is everywhere he turns . . . and he'd give anything just to be still.

Review: 4 Stars - Jerk, California took us on a journey of Sam, a teenager with Tourett’s syndrome. The beginning of the book shows us just how hard Sam had things at home and just how misunderstood the condition was during the time. His step father is the worst of all. Treated Sam as badly as anyone could be treated, tourrets or not. Sam enjoys going on long runs because it’s one of the only things he can do and count on where he’s in full control of his body.

As soon as he graduates he’s left more or less to fend for himself and chooses to leave home. His mother is helpless and pretty scared of her new husband that she doesn’t do or say anything to help Sam out when it comes to his stepfather. He finds solace in the town hermit and takes a job and moves in with him. This hermit, who turns out to know more about Sam – or Jack then he can even believe. He also knows quiet a bit about his father and his death. It’s a great twist to the story as we see and follow Sam’s changes in and about life, as he learns more and finds out some truths that turn out to be exactly the opposite he’s been told growing up his whole life.

Sam does have a crush throughout the book, Naomi and with yet again another turn of events finds himself on a journey, with Naomi - which his father left for him to take. A trip that will take him to see his dad’s work in the windmills he’s built all over the country and the people who knew who his dad really was.

It was great to see how freeing the truth is and just how much all this was needed to fit the pieces of Sam’s, or rather Jack’s life together. At times the story was bitter sweet however it all worked perfectly with the flow of things. In the end it’s really all about the mental and emotional journey we see Sam/Jack go through. The ending fit perfectly. I could see how this ending would bother some people, but I really liked this - where you could see just how okay Sam/Jack was going to be, showing just how far he had come through everything. I would suggest just about anyone to read this… from mid to late teens on up. For me it had some great messages to it, I’m sure others would get as well.

FTC Disclaimer: I DID pay for this book and have NOT been compensated at all in any way or means for reading and writing this review.

Title: Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me? Confessions of Georgia Nicholson - Book 10
Author: Louise Rennison
Publisher: HarperTeen, 320 Pages (October 6th 2009)
From: Amazon

Synopsis: A bit early to get swoony knickers but I have got them on.

For Georgia, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Just when she thought she was the official one-and-only girlfriend of Masimo, he's walked off into the night with the full hump, leaving Georgia all aloney on her owney—again. All because Dave the Laugh tried to do fisticuffs at dawn with him!

Two boys fighting over Georgia? It's almost as romantic as Romeo and Juliet . . . though perhaps a touch less tragic.

It's time for Georgia to get to the bottom (oo-er) of this Dave the Laugh spontaneous puckering business once and for all. It's like they always say: If you snog a mate in the forest of red bottomosity and no one is around to see it, is he still a mate? Or is he something more?

Review: 4 Stars - Sadly, Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me? Is the 10th and last installment of the Georgia Nicholson diaries. I remember reading the first one and couldn't wait to get the next. Each book was extremely funny that I often had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard.

The characters all work great together and if you took one away you'd feel like one was missing. Lousie Renninson writes some great comedy with a funky teenage voice that makes Georgia an extremely quirky girl from start to finish. She's a Loon with a capital "L".

The various things that Georgia goes through throughout the whole series are crazy and wacky but somehow all fit together nicely. Her family, friends (The Ace Gang & Dave the Laugh) and various boyfriends (Robbie & Masimo) somehow understand her when she's at her nuttiest, and trust me it's pretty much all the time. Rennison has worked some magic to create such layers of crazy that there's not a chance each reader wont find not only something to love but find it laughing out loud along ride there.

With the end of this book and series I was happy where things left off. I was grinning with which boy she finally picked, and no I'm not giving anything away. Go read the books to find out! I just wish that it wasn't the end. Here's hoping that maybe we'll get some Georgia stories from when she's older to see where her life ended up? I for one would love that idea.

If you haven't read this series... start it soon. It's one that I think everyone should read. Especially if you fancy a good laugh and who want to take a visit to the Cake Shop of Luuuurve! Happy reading if it's the first or third time you've read this series. I for one will be reading this again sometime soon, enjoy.

FTC Disclaimer: I DID pay for this book and have NOT been compensated at all in any way or means for reading and writing this review.

It looks like it's that time again! Another HUGE MEGA contest from Teens Read & Write!

The more people who enter, the more winners and books added to the pot to give away. This contest is open to everyone! So head over and enter now!! Good luck to all who enter.

Contest Link

Title: Shrinking Violet
Author: Danielle Joseph
Publisher: MTV Books, 320 Pages (May 5th, 2009)
From: The Book Depository

Synopsis: High school senior Teresa Adams is so painfully shy that she
dreads speaking to anyone in the hallways or getting called on in class.

But in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks out - doing mock broadcasts for Miami's hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather. When a slot opens up at The SLAM, Tere surprises herself by blossoming behind the mike into confident, sexy Sweet T - and to everyone's shock, she's a hit!

Even Gavin, the only guy in school who she dares to talk to, raves about the mysterious DJ's awesome taste in music. But when The SLAM announces a songwriting contest -- and a prom date with Sweet T is the grand prize - Sweet T's dream could turn into Tere's worst nightmare...

Review: 3.5 Stars - Shrinking Violet was a cute read. I was a shy person growing up, still am in many aspects of my life, so Tere was very likeable and I could really relate to what she faced on a day to day basis. She’s painfully shy to the point that she has only one friend and sticks to herself as much as she can. She tries to make herself invisible in the classroom for fear of being called on by a teacher.

Her mother has newly re-married. Her step father is the owner of one of the more popular radio stations in Miami. She wants nothing more then to be a radio DJ and is given the chance at an internship at SLAM 92.7. Having done her own mock radio shows in the comfort of her own bedroom perfecting her radio personality ‘Sweet T’, she more then jumps on the chance at the internship.

She’s given the chance to co-host a show each night at the station. Using the name ‘Sweet T’ no one knows who she is. The various characters at the station are all funky personalities of their own. With the help of these quirky characters she’s able to come further out of her shell. Even with how shy she was she worked through each night much to the help of the staff at the station. With her love of music, dream to be a DJ and the help from some new found friends she does more then find a voice. She finds the strength to take a chance and to stand out without being actually seen.

Gavin is the cute boy from school who she gets partnered with and turns out has more then music in common with her. He likes her because when she has something to say it’s usually more then worth listening to.

Srinking Violet is a great story about understanding what you want and finding a way to make it through even if you have to struggle. To let people in because they just might be able to help you along the way and learning that it’s okay to have a voice.

The storyline and characters were entertaining and likeable. The plot lines were all tied up nicely… from the crazy mother, body image, confidence and extreme shyness - were all portrayed nicely and covered many different ways how to deal with these and various other issues we face from time to time throughout life.

I enjoyed Danielle Joseph’s writing style and will be on the look out for further books from this author. If you’re a lover of music and are shy yourself, or just like a quirky and fun… yet light read be sure to check it out!

FTC Disclaimer: I DID pay for this book and have NOT been compensated at all in any way or means for reading and writing this review.