Book Review: A Tale of Two Proms by Cara Lockwood

Warning: this review might contain spoilers about the first three books of the Bard Academy Series

At First Sight: It's Miranda Tate's senior year and with prom looming at the horizon, she has to face the fact that her time at Bard Academy is coming to an end...which means her time with Heathcliff is also coming to an end as he's supposed to return to the pages of Wuthering Heights were he belongs. 

Only that he's not quite ready to go quietly, and soon Miranda is torn between the boy she loves and her future away from Shipwreck Island. And things get even more complicated when Heathcliff's first love - Cathy from Wuthering Heights - shows up, determined to take the choices away from them.

Second Glance: I realize that my summary of A Tale of Two Proms is shockingly short, but I really don't want to spoil things for anyone. But let me just say that I ADORED this book. Granted, I come from a place of love for this series and this author, but still, this is the book I have been waiting for, for years and years, and it answered all the lingering questions I had about this series. 

Do I still wish there was more? Sure, but at least now I've gotten some closure. 

The story itself is full of adventures and as I was reading it I kept developing theories about what was going on and it turned out I was always a little right but not entirely, which I loved because things still took me by surprise - though I gotta said I did see one of the final twists coming but I didn't care. 

Everything I've always loved about Bard Academy was still there: the literary references, the funny dialog and slightly over-the-top situations. I loved reading about Samir and Blade and Hanna and Ryan and even Miranda's sister Lyndsay (I even liked her a little).

Bottom Line: A Tale of Two Proms is possibly the last book of the Bard Academy Series and I think that it did it justice, over all. I'm not sure I'm quite ready to part with this series but as things stand, I love it. And I'm so happy I got to read this book.

Favorite Quote: "This was Bard, where the impossible wasn't just possible, it was probable."

Book Review: Every Demon Has His Day by Cara Lockwood

At First Sight: Constance Plyd was about to divorce her husband when he turns up dead in the garage of their house. The circumstances are fairly irregular, even though Jimmy was a well known klutz the screwdriver stuck to his back seems to indicate there was some foul play... and Constance might be the prime suspect. 

Constance doesn't think anyone would believe her story of what happen - which involves a mysterious man who disappeared leaving behind a card that turned to ash when she finished reading it - let alone the town's new sheriff Nathan Garrett, with whom Constance once had a one-night stand some 10 years ago.

Now Nathan is back in town and surprisingly inclined to believe Constance unbelievable explanation. 

But that's only the beginning, as there is something seriously fishy going on in town. Constance suddenly can see the ghost of her dead husband, and she's talking to a dog. Oh, and the future mother of the Antichrist might be in town, too. And it's up to Chelsea to make sense of it all.

Second Glance: Every Demon Has His Daywas not at all like I expected, it was very different from the other books by Cara Lockwood that I've read so far. 

It took me a little longer to get into it, I don't know why but I liked Constance and Nathan quickly, and I seriously liked Yamal and Shadow - a Pride and Glutton demon respectively - they were so funny! I loved reading their sections. 

But I found the story a bit convoluted, though the pacing was good. I just felt it was a little too much.

Bottom Line: This is a different type of paranormal book, a good read though not my favorite by this author. 

Retro Friday (18) - I Did (But I Wouldn't Now) by Cara Lockwood

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted at Angieville and focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc. Everyone is welcome to join in at any time! 

For this week I chose I Did (But I Wouldn't Now) by Cara Lockwood, which was first published in 2006 and is the spin off I Do (But I Don't).

At First Sight: Lily has always been the unreliable, flaky sister - particularly when compared to her older sister Lauren who is a successful wedding planner - so no one is surprised when she up and marries Ted Dayton, an up and coming musician, after only a few weeks of knowing him. And people are even less surprised when, a couple of years later, she finds herself in the middle of a nasty divorce.

With assault chargers pending over her head, forty thousand dollars in debt and tabloids running pictures of Ted (who is now a rock star) and his new gorgeous actress girlfriend 24/7; Lily decides to visit her best friend and former boyfriend, Carter, in London.

There she gets a momentary reprieve from the tabloids - though her lawyer isn't letting her forget her court date- and she's happy to let her fate up to a set of tarot cards - since she figures they can't be any wore than she is at making decisions.

But when Carter convinces her to volunteer at the hospital he works at, Lily soon has more to occupy her mind with, like Brigid - Carter's psycho girlfriend - and the fact that she's not being linked to UK football start Sean Gates.

Second Glance: I so had been looking forward to reading Lily's story, though I was a little worried about it too. In I do (But I don't), Lily came off as the type of person who always got away with stuff; she jumped into things without a second though, expecting others to pick up her messes.

But in I did (But I wouldn't now), life has finally caught up with Lily: she's broke, her husband doesn't want her anymore, and the only one willing to take her in is Carter.

In some ways, Carter is the one who got away, but he's also her best friend.  Carter is far from perfect, in fact, he tends to check out the rational part of his brain whenever he's at the beginning of a relationship (basically, sex makes him stupid), plus he's a womanizer, a coward and has a very low threshold of pain.

Still, he is a surprisingly good friend - and it sort of threw me off whenever Lily called him toxic, because aside from the "sex makes him stupid" thing, he was supportive and kind to Lily. I had a bit of trouble buying him as a romantic interest, because he is very cowardly - though, to his credit, he gets what a "Big Gesture" is supposed to be like, and acts accordingly when the occasion arises.

There is also a large cast of supporting characters - among them Carter's roommate Ian,  Sean and Tanya Gates, Arnold the overweight pup, and even Lauren and her son Tyler and husband Nick making surprise visits - who keep things interesting.

Bottom Line: I did (but I wouldn't now) it's funny, engaging and witty. Lily turned out to be a great narrator, as she tells her story with Ted and with Carter and how she's handling things now. I wouldn't call it a romance novel, this is definitely more of a chick-lit story, but I still recommend it.


Favorite Quote: "People think they know the difference between hate and love, but most of the time you just can't tell." - Fran.
2/3

Retro Friday (17): Moby Clique by Cara Lockwood

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted at Angieville and focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc. Everyone is welcome to join in at any time! 

This week I chose Moby Clique by Cara Lockwood. You can read my original review here. 

At First Sight: It's time for Miranda to return to Bard Academy and, after a summer working at her Stepmother's all pink boutique - in the midst of pink stationary and pink edible underwear - she's actually looking forward to going back to Bard.

Until her little sister Lindsay crashes their Dad's new car into the store and gets send to Bard alongside Miranda.

From the start, Lindsay is determined to get Miranda in trouble, mostly because that's Lindsay's favorite past time. Soon Miranda is in trouble with her new dorm mother Mrs. P, Lindsay keeps babbling Miranda's secrets to Heathcliff and running after Miranda's ex, Ryan Kent. She's also at the beck and call of Miranda's nemesis and resident queen bee Parker.

On top of that, and because Bard wouldn't be Bard if something freaky but literary wasn't underfoot, there are rumors of strange men in the woods surrounding the school... strange men dressed as pirates who are kidnapping students.

And, of course, it's up to Miranda and the LITs - a.k.a. Miranda's friends Samir, Blade and Hana, and Heathcliff - to figure out what's going on.


Second Glance: In someways, I think Moby Clique it's my favorite book of the series. Maybe because it's the book with the most Heathcliff in it.

I love that there is always a touch of mystery about every book - there is always a plot going on that needs to be figured out, and I like that because, rather than being distracting, it keeps the story moving.

Also, in this book I grew to like Miranda the most and felt for her as Lindsay's presence shows more of her family life and how little they appreciate Miranda and how much they spoil Lindsay. I really hated Lindsay, she's the type of little sister that gives us little sisters of the world a sucky rep. She's spoiled and bratty and doesn't listen to reason and then acts all innocent and gets away with stuff - I hate people who get away with stuff.

Lindsay does come through, in the end, but I still don't like her, or Miranda's parents.

I do love Hanna, Samir and Blade, they are so funny. And also loved seeing glimpses of Heathcliff's softer side.

Bottom Line: I truly love Moby Clique, like I said I think it's my favorite Bard book. There is more romance, a hint of danger and lots of fun. And I can't wait for the next book, titled A Tale of Two Proms, which is coming out next year. FINALLY. *does happy dance*


Favorite Quote: "So how long have you been waiting for me?" I ask, teasing.
"All summer," he says, completely serious. He reaches up and gently tucks a stray piece of hair behind my ear. His touch makes all the words in my head simply dry up and disappear. But Heathcliff doesn't seem to mind the lack of conversation. He is, after all, the strong and silent type.  - Miranda & Heathcliff

Retro Friday (15): The Scarlet Letterman by Cara Lockwood

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted at Angieville and focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc. Everyone is welcome to join in at any time! 

This week I chose The Scarlet Letterman by Cara Lockwood, you can check out my original review here.

At First Sight: Miranda Tate is back at Bard Academy for her second semester of sophomore year. Things should be good this time around, as she is now the official girlfriend of one Ryan Kent - the star of the basketball team, and one of the most popular guys at Bard. Miranda even has Ryan's jacket to prove it. 


But Bard wouldn't be Bard if things were easy. First, people are speculating about how far Miranda went (or let Ryan go) to get  the jacket. Miranda's nemesis Parker is trying to get her in trouble. And she hasn't heard from Heathcliff in weeks, but that isn't stopping her from constantly thinking about him, even with Ryan as her boyfriend. 


Then, to top it all off, there is a man stalking the woods surrounding Bard and attacking people... a man that could very well be Heathcliff.


Second Glance: The Scarlet Letterman picks up a few weeks after the ending of Wuthering High and, by now, the cat is out of the bag and Miranda knows who the teachers really are. 


But that is only one of the many secrets being kept at Bard Academy, and there is a new mystery at school and the gang - Miranda, Blade, Hanna and Samir -get together to solve it and save the day. 


The structure of the book is quite similar to that of the first one, but I still liked it. I find the characters so engaging and fun, like they are my friends, so I had a great time hanging out with them once again. I love how the books are so literary and cleaver. And I confess that the first time I read i, I had now clue who the baddie was, and that was awesome.


I just wished there was more Heathcliff.



Bottom Line: Funny and fresh, I love the Scarlet Letterman, perhaps not as much as I love Wuthering High, but I still raced through it, excited to get to the end. And I think Cara Lockwood does a great job balancing the fun, the mundane aspects of school and the mystery.


Favorite Quote: They are all too spoilery!

1/2

Retro Friday (10) - Wuthering High by Cara Lockwood

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted at Angieville and focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc. Everyone is welcome to join in at any time! 

This week I chose Wuthering High by Cara Lockwood. This is the kick off of one of my favorite series ever, the Bard Academy Books, and they are amazing, but very few people seem to know about them, so here we go. 

Here's my Original Review of Wuthering High

At First Sight: Miranda Tate didn't deserve being sent to Bard Academy, at least, she didn't think so. Sure, she had taken her stepmom's credit card for a shopping spree, and she did destroy her father's new car. But still, being shipped off to Shipwreck Island, off the coast of Maine, seems like a bit much - not that she has a choice in the matter.

Once at Bard Academy, Miranda quickly realizes that there is something off at the Academy: the teachers are a bit strange, and never seem to sleep; Miranda's roomate is a Wiccan who claims there is a vampire lose on campus, she has made an enemy out of the school's Queen Bee; there is this guy called Heathcliff who's always showing up when Miranda needs him and who claims comes from a place called "Wuthering Heights"; and she keeps dreaming about a girl who might be Kate Shaw, a former Bard student who disappeared 15 years ago. 

On the other hand, there are a few nice things about Bard, like her new friends Hana and Samir and even her roommate Blade, sometimes. And Ryan Kent, the hottest guy on campus whom used to go to Miranda's old school and is now noticing her. And she has to admit that Heathcliff is nice too - at least to her, even if he insist on calling her Cathy from time to time. 

Yes, there is something odd about Bard, and when the life of her friends and fellow classmates starts to resemble famous literary works of fiction, Miranda starts to find the clues to uncover one of Bard's best kept secrets.

Second Glance: I'm always saying how much I love Wuthering High, and I'm so glad I picked it for a re-read. It's such a smart, funny paranormal book with a fresh take on the 'haunted boarding school' setting. Cara Lockwood's writing flows in such a way that I was amazed at how quickly I was going through the pages - the story has such great rhythm and pace and the 'mystery' plot of the book is well crafted. 

Plus, I really do like Miranda, she's fun and a bit cynic but sweet and smart too. She's not exactly an angel but she's not a bad kid either, even if she is at 'reform school'.

This is one of those books I vividly remember reading for the first time, I couldn't put it down and I was ordering the next two books in the series minutes after I finished this one, it's just that good. And just this week Cara Lockwood announced the BEST News Ever!!!, and said that there will be a Bard Academy 4, for which I SO can't wait.

Bottom Line: Without a doubt Wuthering High (and the Bard Academy in general) is one of my favorite reads ever. I get instantly sucked in each time I read it and I definitely think that more people should read this awesome book.

Favorite Quote: 

 Looking for one that doesn't spoil1

Book Gossip 27 - Best News EVER!!!

Okay, so I'm completely obsessed with the Bard Academy books. I love them, I rave about it, I rage against MTV books for pulling the plug on the most awesome series ever - or I used to.

Just today, Cara Lockwood announced that there will be a fourth (YAY!) and likely last (AW!) Bard Academy book, called A Tale of Two Proms. In her blog she says that:

It's Miranda's senior year and she's about to graduate. But leaving Bard means leaving Heathcliff, possibly forever. Will Miranda find a way to keep Heathcliff in this world? Or will the sudden appearance of his old flame, Catherine, change everything?

I know I'm a fan girl, but it sounds wonderful to me. And it's sort of fateful since I'm spotlighting the first book in the series, Wuthering High for Retro Friday this week.

Anyway, I'm so happy at these news, and I know I'm not the only one.

The Bard Academy Series by Cara Lockwood

The Bard Academy Series by Cara Lockwood

After crashing her father's car and putting a few chargers into her step-mother's credit card, Miranda Tate gets sent to the Bard Academy, settled in a small island off the coast of Maine. Beyond the natural annoyance Miranda feels at being sent to what she sees as 'reform school' when the whole thing wasn't even really her fault, there is something very strange about Shipwreck Island, the Bard Academy and it's teachers, not to mention Heathcliff, a guy she meets there and who's Wuthering Heights' Heathcliff come to life.

See, one of the best kept secrets of Bard Academy is that, in reality, it's faculty is made out of famous authors who died untimely deaths (like Virginia Woof, Sylvia Platt, Hemingway, etc.), but now Miranda, her friends Hannah and Samir and her roommate Blade, know the secret and they also find out that Miranda is partially fictional, related to Heathcliff's beloved Cathy in Wuthering Heights.

Okay, I spoiled a little right there. Sorry.

Anyway, as the books progress we find out more about the fictional realm and what the ghostly faculty is capable of for good and bad.

I've been pimping this series ever since I discovered it last year - shortly after the last book, Moby Clique was published - and I absolutely love it. Miranda is a great protagonist funny and smart. And Heathcliff makes one heck of a hero/love interest.

When I picked up the first book I couldn't put it down and less than a day later I was already ordering the other too. And I'm still crazy mad at MTV Books for not putting out more of them even though there is still a ton of story to tell.

So, I'm going to cut it here before I go into one of my MTV Books hate fests.

But before that allow me to completely recommend this series, specially if you're looking for some paranormal/teen book with romantic elements and WITHOUT vampires.

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