Friday, November 20, 2009

Review: I Heart Bloomberg by Melody Carlson

I Heart Bloomberg I Heart Bloomberg by Melody Carlson




My rating: 4.25/5.0

A fun look at what it's like for four girls who are complete strangers from different backgrounds and with different personalities to move in together.

I was captured from the first page by the girls in this book. Though I must confess Kendall did not grow on me until the end of the book, but the other three girls all touched at a part of me. There is the striking beauty from Hawaii who was a premed student but has dropped out and headed to the mainland leaving a secret behind. There is Anna, the mexican girl who is used to being pampered and taken care of, she is spoiled but she also works. There is also Megan who has just graduated college and lost her father. She is just rying to find her place in this world and get out of a bad living situation without having to move back home. And finally there is Kendall, the spoiled rich girl who brings them all together since she has received her grandmother's house free and clear and she figures she can make an easy living from rent money.

All the girls quickly learn that life is not easy, but Megan, Lelani and Anna all learn to lean on and trust each other and friendship blossoms between them. Megan is the only one strong in the faith, though Lelani and Anna both have strong moral convictions and know right and wrong. Kendall on the other hand is just learning. And as this series progresses I think she will learn more as will all the girls.

I didn't find the girls whiny or annoying. I think you had to take Kendall in her context and that she is the foil to the other girls in the book. I found each of them strong in their own way and all of them just trying to find their way. I think this is a great example of Christian chicklit (there are plenty of designer names thrown around and Lelani works at Nordstrom's).

I thought the storyline moved well and it never lost my interest. In fact I read most of it in one sitting and wished I had Let them Eat Fruitcake to pick up after I finished.

Ms. Carlson writes other fiction in the YA genre and I don't think moving to chicklit is much of a stretch for her at all. It is well written and the characters are wonderful.

About the Book:


Kendall’s managed to wrangle her grandmother’s house—free and clear—except for the rules. No male roommates. But that’s ok, with the right ad she’ll pull in some girls, their rent and if she’s lucky, she won’t have to go to work any time soon.

For their part, Anna, Lelani, and Megan all have their reasons for wanting to move in: Anna has got to get out from under her overprotective parents; Lelani can’t take another day in her aunt’s tiny crackerbox house overflowing with toddlers and Megan needs a place free of her current roommate from Hades. Though they come with assorted extra baggage filled with broken hearts and dreams, they will discover they also have a vast array of hidden strengths.

As they struggle to become the women they want to be, they’ll find new hope and maybe even Kendall will learn a thing or two about life, love and the true meaning of friendship.

Challenges:
100+ Book Challenge
Support Your Local Library Challenge
Fall Into Reading Challenge 2009
Countdown Challenge 2010 




2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge


I'm joining in on this challenge hosted by J. Kaye at J. Kay's Book Blog.  I love challenges and in the last year I have developed a love for young adult novels.  I tell myself I am keeping up-to-date for a world my son's will face in a few years, but the truth is I love the stories.  There is so much more out there than when I was a teenager over 20 years ago (ugh - where did time go).

So I am going all out for this on and doing the Super Size Me YA Reading Challenge and will be shooting for reading 75 YA books in 2010!


Rules for the challenge can be found at J. Kaye's book blog and you can sign up there with Mr. Linky and see the other people joining the challenge.


I will keep my list on this post and hopefully add reviews quickly too.  There is a post on J. Kaye's book blog to see the reviews and that is here.


That's it - I look forward to starting on January 1, 2010!


Books Read:

  1. Sydney's D.C. Discovery by Jean Fischer
  2. Good Ghoul's Guide to Getting Even by Julie Kenner
  3. L is for Loser by Lisi Harrison
  4. It's Not Easy Being Mean by Lisi Harrison
  5. Sealed with a Diss by Lisi Harrison
  6. Private by Kate Brian
  7. Don't You Forget About Me by Cecily von Ziegesar
  8. Shadow by Jenny Moss
  9. Nailed by Jennifer Laurens
  10. Poseur by Rachel Maude
  11. Invitation Only by Kate Brian
  12. Freaksville by Kitty Keswick
  13. Island Sting by Bonnie Doerr
  14. Spring Breakdown by Melody Carlson
  15. Katy's New World by Kim Vogel Sawyer
  16. Dear Big V by Ellen W Leroe
  17. Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt
  18. Oracle of Dating by Allison van Diepen
  19. The Mark by Jen Nadol
  20. Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens
  21. The Naughty List by Suzanne Young
  22. Anything But Normal by Melody Carlson
  23. The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams by Rhonda Hayter
  24. Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood by Eileen Cook
  25. Out with the In Crowd by  Stephanie Morrill
  26. Never Blame the Umpire by Gene Fehler
  27. Magic Hands by Jennifer Laurens
  28. Leaving Gee's Bend by Irene Latham
  29. The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard
  30. A Golden Web by Barbara Quick
  31. The Exile of Gigi Lane by Adrienne Maria Vrettos
  32. ttyl by Lauren Myracle
  33. Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus
  34. Asking for Trouble by Sandra Byrd
  35. A Most Improper Magick
  36. White Cat by Holly Black
  37. Double Love by Francine Pascal
  38. Love Will Keep Us Together by Ann Dayton and May Vanderbilt
  39. Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
  40. Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard
  41. Prom by Laurie Halse Anderson
  42. Fever, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
  43. When Lightning Strikes by Meg Cabot
  44. Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon
  45. Wayfarer by R.J. Anderson
  46. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
  47. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham
  48. Untouchable by Kate Brian
  49. Confessions by Kate Brian
  50. The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell
  51. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
  52. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
  53. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
  54. Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
  55. Plan B by Steven Verrier
  56. The Everafter by Amy Huntley
  57. Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel
  58. The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride
  59. This is Me From Now On by Barbara Dee
  60. The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz
  61. Losing Faith by Denise Jarden
  62. Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill
  63. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
  64. Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken
  65. Wings by Aprilynne Pike
  66. The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
  67. The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells
  68. Virals by Kathy Reichs
  69. A Change of Heart by Shari Mauer
  70. Katy's Debate by Kim Vogel Sawyer
  71. Final Touch by Brandilyn and Amberly Collins
  72. Monster High by Lisi Harrison
  73. Premiere by Melody Carlson
  74. The Deadly Sister by Eliot Schrefer
  75. Freefall by Mindi Scott
  76. Matched by Ally Condie
  77. Evermore by Alyson Noel
  78. Spells by Aprilynne Pike
  79. Catwalk by Melody Carlson
  80. Firelight by Sophie Jordan
  81. The Candidates by Inara Scott
  82. Inner Circle by Kate Brian
  83. The Phantom Diaries by Kailin Gow
  84. Legacy by Kate Brian
  85. What I Learned from Being a Cheerleader by Adrianne Ambrose
  86. Elffolk and the Crystal Caves of Atlantis by Tina McFadden
  87. Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder
  88. Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standiford
  89. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
  90. Manifest by Artist Arthur
  91. Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler
  92. Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers
  93. The Absolute Value of -1 by Steve Brezenoff
  94. God is in the Pancakes by Robin Epstein
  95. Candor by Pam Bachorz
  96. Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales
  97. The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
  98. Three Quarters Dead by Richard Peck
  99. Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin
  100. Bitter Frost by Kailin Gow