Pint-Sized 'Pinions: Cute Reads Edition

This edition of "Pint-Sized 'Pinions" is chock-full of feel-good and/or not too deep reads.


Wings by Aprilynne Pike
YA Paranormal
HarperTeen (May 5, 2009)
ISBN: 978-0061668036
294 pages

Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful—too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.

In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

My 'pinion: A pretty simple (and not very deep) paranormal romance for teens. I can see this easily appealing to a younger teen crowd. While Laurel's feelings for David made sense given the evolution of their relationship, her supposedly deep connection with Tamani seemed a tad forced. I'll check out the sequel, Spells (due out May 1, 2010), but I'm not waiting on the edge of my seat for it.
Grade: C

Truly, Madly: A Novel by Heather Webber
Chick Lit Mystery
St. Martin's Paperbacks (Feb. 2, 2010)
ISBN: 978-0312946135
305 pages

Lucy Valentine is as smart as can be, as single as you can get, and so not qualified to run a matchmaking service. But when her parents temporarily step down from the family business, Valentine, Inc., it’s Lucy’s turn to step up and help out—in the name of love.

Plus, her rent is due.

Here’s the problem: Lucy doesn’t have the knack for matchmaking. According to family legend, every Valentine has been blessed by Cupid with the ability to read “auras” and pair up perfect couples. But not Lucy. Her skills were zapped away years ago in an electrical surge, and now all she can do is find lost objects. What good is that in the matchmaking world? You’d be surprised. In a city like Boston, everyone’s looking for something. So when Lucy locates a missing wedding ring—on a dead body—she asks the sexy private eye who lives upstairs to help her solve the perfect crime. And who knows? Maybe she’ll find the perfect love while she’s at it…

My 'pinion: I loved this one! Lucy is a great new sluething heroine to root for. Webber's novel was funny, charming and unique. I'm really looking forward to the follow-up, Deeply, Desperately, which is due out August 3, 2010.
Grade: A-



The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg
Young Adult
Point (Dec. 29, 2009)
ISBN: 978-0545140317
320 pages

Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating. So she vows: no more. It's a personal choice. . .and, of course, soon everyone wants to know about it. And a few other girls are inspired. A movement is born: The Lonely Hearts Club (named after the band from Sgt. Pepper). Penny is suddenly known for her nondating ways . . . which is too bad, because there's this certain boy she can't help but like. . . .

My 'pinion: A fun book with great portrayals of friendship, forgiveness, and growth. Penny was an enjoyable  heroine to read about, particularly because she seemed so smart and comfortable in her own skin.
Grade: B


Set Up in SoHo by Dee Davis
Chick Lit
St. Martin's Griffin (Oct. 27, 2009)
ISBN: 978-0312367619
320 pages

When Andrea Sevalas’ long time boyfriend announces he’s seeing someone else, Andi’s thrown for a loop—well, actually, down a cellar. Head throbbing and nose out of joint, she’s rescued by one of New York’s finest – attorneys that is. Ethan McCay is the Upper East Side heir to the kingdom of Manhattan. But Andi isn’t interested in princes. At least not the uptown variety. She’s a downtown girl with no time for Park Avenue royalty.

So what’s a fairy godmother supposed to do? Well, if she’s Andi’s Aunt Althea (the infamous Manhattan matchmaker) a little manipulation is in order. After all, even Cinderella needed a little prodding to go to the ball. And with a little help from her friends, Althea’s plan goes charmingly – until the clock strikes midnight and the truth is revealed. Certain that she’s been betrayed by the people she trusted the most, Andi runs for the safety of Soho. But matchmakers don’t give up that easily, and with Althea at the helm, Andi will discover that love comes in all kinds of packages, and that sometimes, all it takes to recognize the fact is opening your heart to the possibility.

My 'pinion: Just your average chick lit/romance here. The heroine is one of those fun, trouble-prone women typical of the genre. I would have like to have gotten to know Ethan, the love-interest, better. I think that would have made the romance a bit more believable. Overall, it was an enjoyable story if not very memorable. There is a connected, previous novel called A Match Made on Madison that I wasn't aware of prior to reading the book. Some of AMMOM's characters carry over, but I don't think it's necessary to read it first.
Grade: C


After by Kristin Harmel
Young Adult
Delacorte Books for Young Readers (Feb. 9, 2010)
ISBN: 978-0385734769
240 pages

Lacey's world shatters when her dad is killed in a car accident. And secretly? She feels like it’s her fault. If she hadn’t taken her own sweet time getting ready that morning . . . well, it never would have happened. Her mom wouldn’t be a basket case. Her brother Logan wouldn’t drink. And her little brother would still have two parents.

But life goes on even if you don’t want it to. And when Lacey gets the chance to make a difference in the lives of some people at school, she jumps at it. Making lemonade out of lemons is her specialty. Except she didn’t count on meeting a guy like Sam. Or that sometimes? Lemonade can be a pretty bitter drink to swallow.

My 'pinion: While some parts smacked of "after school special" and there was a marked lack of subtlety, I can't deny that I shed a few tears. What can I say? I'm a sucker when it comes to grief stories.
Grade: C

Each synopsis is from Amazon.com. All books were provided for an honest review by the publishers.
_______________________

*I'm an Amazon Associate. Feel free to use my links to purchase items - the commission would be greatly appreciated and help me with paying the shipping costs on future giveaways.*