Mini Reviews: Seventeenth Summer, Vamped, Sticky Fingers

Seventeenth Summer by Maureen Daly
Date Released: April 2010 (originally 1942)
Published By: Simon Pulse
Age: Young Adult
Pages: 340
Overall:

A summer to remember…
Angie always thought high school romances were just silly infatuations that come and go. She certainly never thought she would fall in love over one short summer. But when she meets Jack, their connection is beyond any childish crush. Suddenly, Angie and Jack are filling their summer with stolen moments and romantic nights. But as fall grows closer, they must figure out if their love is forever, or just a summer they’ll never forget.
Synopsis via Barnes and Noble

My Thoughts: 
First published in 1942, the difference between writing today and several decades ago is very apparent in this story of two recent high school graduates, Angie and Jack.

To say Angie and Jack had a romantic summer fling could be misleading.  Angie and Jack shared a courtship taking walks, going sailing, sharing picnics, taking drives, and going to daring house parties.  Their personal growth made up most of the story, as they grew into adults and grew together.  Angie's slightly dysfunctional sisters also played a roll in explaining Angie's upbringing.

As slow as the story started it was abruptly ended with what I felt like unresolved feelings.  Though the writing was thorough at times it dragged on with an over abundance of airy observations.

Even with the society that wasn’t our own and a relationship that might not seem fruitful to some, I thought this was a great read to show a small glimpse of what living in the 40’s and 50’s were like.  It gave new light to how times have changed  This is a great summer read.

Vamped by Lucienne Diver
Date Released: May 2009
Published By: Flux
Age: Young Adult
Pages: 240
Overall:

Gina Covello's Perks and Pitfalls
of Vamp Life
1. Hello?! Eternal youth and beauty!
2. Free. Designer. Clothes.
3. My hot new boyfriend Bobby went from chess dud to vamp stud.
4. No reflection! First order of business: turn my own stylist to stop the downward spiral from chic to eek.
5. Vampire vixen Mellisande has taken an interest in my boyfriend, and is now transforming the entire high school into her own personal vampire army. If anyone's going to start their own undead entourage it should be me.
I guess I'll just have to save everyone from fashion disasters and other fates worse than death.
Synopsis via Barnes and Noble

My Thoughts:
No sparkly, brooding vampires here.  Main Character Gina is turned Vampire and with her to the other side she took her good fashion sense, her desire to keep her hair dresser, her same confident (not-quite-but-almost) man-eating attitude.

This is a fun quick read about Gina, the boy who turned her, the boys gifts (which is causing all of the hair tangling ruckus,) and a lair, or in the case house, of vamps being used as a mini-army.  No matter what the situation Gina is as much worried about her inability to dress herself in a mirror as she is about kicking-butt to stay un-dead.

Action, humor, and a girl who isn’t relying on anyone to get her out of a situation.  Gina takes charge and offers a different side to the girl-who-falls-in-love-with-a-vampire then many of the books today.  This is fairly written, using the storyline and characters personalities to hold the humorous story well.

Sticky Fingers by Niki Burnham
Date Released: August 2005
Published By: Simon Pulse
Pages: 288
Overall:

Bulletproof, that's how Jenna Kassarian sees herself. It's all about control: As long as she works hard, nothing can hurt her. So Jenna constantly pushes — for perfect grades, the ideal boyfriend, the best, best friend.
The only problem is, she doesn't know if she can stop. If she relaxes even for a second, she's afraid she'll lose control completely.
Then Jenna decides it's now or never. She goes to a party and has one drink. But one drink is all it takes for her perfect facade to shatter. Suddenly she realizes straight A's can't protect you in the real world.
Synopsis via Barnes and Noble

My Thoughts:

Jenna, the perfect over-achieving main character goes into this book facing much of what young females, and young males, face today. 

Pressure is thrown at Jenna from not only the Harvard acceptance letter in front of her but from her boyfriend, best friend, and the fact that whatever decisions she makes they can’t all be taken back.  That doesn’t only apply to her though.  Other’s actions leave permanent dents in Jenna’s life, changing everything from that moment out.  Relationships and trust are easily trust in this story much how they are in the real world

With a slow start, a emotionally straining middle, and a quick end, Sticky Fingers is a good quick read with a few loops thrown in.