Review - Reality Check by Peter Abrahams

Readin'
Reality Check
Peter Abrahams
Harper Teen
330 pgs.
5 hrs.

Writin'
Cody and Clea are opposites. She's smart and rich. He isn't. He decides that he is holding her back from everything she could be, so he breaks it off with her. But he still loves her. Clea's dad never liked Cody and has decided to send her away to boarding school to finish her high school education. Clea moves across the country to Vermont to attend Dover. Then she disappears. It's in all the papers. And Cody knows that something must be going on so he packs up and heads to Vermont. Hoping that he's not too late.

'Rithmetic
May I just say I loved this book. I fell in love with Cody myself. His self-deprecating manner, his determination and persistence. It was hard to tell who was on his side and who was against him.

"It's hard to know who to trust sometimes." (91)

This theme runs throughout the book and just when you think you've figured out the good guys, Abrahams gives you a little more rope. I thought the story moved quickly and kept me involved and guessing.

"Meaning, you think whoever we're looking for is close by?" (242)

Abrahams did a great job of giving Cody a voice. I knew what he sounded like and his going to Vermont made sensee with the way the story had been setup.

Great mystery! I give it 4 copies and will be recommending it for the 7th grade mystery series!

It's Monday, What Are You Reading - 6/29

It's Monday, What Are You Reading is the place I try to decide how I'm going to spend my week and is hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog. Lately, I haven't been meeting my goals. So during What Are You Reading 6/22, I decided to stop looking at the number of books I read and focus instead on how many pages I've read. Let's see how I did:

Finished
Reality Check by Peter Abrahams (330) - read it in two sittings!
Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog (248) - loved this one!
The Vanishing Sculptor by Donita K. Paul (180/390) - I reviewed The Vanishing Sculptor and have a copy to giveaway.
The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand (111/359)- blog tour July 9th and Contest Monday July 13th.
ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley (328) - Contest Monday giveaway - tomorrow!
Game On! Diet Challenge by Krista Vernoff and AZ Ferguson - I reviewed Game On! and talked about how I'm going to try and incorporate this with some other bloggers.

How did I do? I read 1,295 pgs and 3 of 4 books I wanted to finish plus 2 other books! I'm predicting a comeback!

Abandoned
Being Nikki by Meg Cabot - I just didn't want to put any more time into reading this. I feel so much better!

Started
Emma by Jane Austen (12/438)
The Heights by Brian James (17/246)
The Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiana (26/269)
Wings by Aprilynne Pike (43/290)

Upcoming
This week I want to start my Shakespearean Summer Challenge, Everything Jane Austen Challenge, and read some of my library books. I have 32 books checked out!!!!!! Luckily, I only work 2 days this week (yeah!) although I do have homework (boo!). Ok, here's what I'm thinking:

Emma by Jane Austen (426/438) - love Austen!
The Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiana (243/269)- Library book (lb)
Wings by Aprilynne Pike (247/290)- lb
Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson (100) - lb and I can finally read
Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson (134) -lb and Are You My Newbery?
The Great Call of China by Cynthea Liu (246) -lb and homework
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (287) - No Fear Shakespeare version with complete text and side by side translation!

Ok, that's 1,683 pgs - 667 more than last week. I should be able to do it though! Right?

What Are You Reading?