Blast from the Past by Meg Cabot

In the sixth book of the Allie Finkle series, Allie is excited about an upcoming field trip with her class even though her class is matched up with the class from her old school. Even worse, Allie is partnered up with her ex-best friend, who betrayed her on the 3rd grade field trip a year ago. Can the two groups work together and overcome their differences?


When I first read the inside cover of the book, I wondered how a whole book could have been about a field trip, but I shouldn’t have underestimated Meg Cabot. This book was my favorite Allie Finkle book yet. Allie learns to stand up for people who are being bullied and how she has to work together with those she doesn’t like. As always, the book is full of Meg Cabot’s unique voice, making the characters come alive.

My favorite part was Allie discovering that George Washington kept a rule book just like she does with important life rules. :)

Insatiable by Meg Cabot

Summary: Meena Harper has always been able to tell when someone is going to die….until she meets Lucien Antonescu. She can't see his death because he's been dead for centuries. Their whirlwind romance is cut short when a Palatine Guard comes in town with the sole purpose of tracking down vampires like Lucien. Meena becomes wrapped up in a battle between dueling vampires. Will she choose the man she loves or life?

My thoughts: Meg Cabot is one of my favorite YA authors. Her voice is unique and fun, but I felt her voice didn’t translate as well into this adult book. The dialogue didn’t seem to flow as her books normally do. The minor characters did little to develop the plot. (The best friend is a random character until the final battle of the book.) Several characters were found to be vampires by the end of the book, which didn’t seem realistic (as realistic as a vampire writing soap operas can be). I am tired of the vampire phase, so this could be the reason for my low rating since the book does have some great qualities. For one, Meena is a strong female character. She’s independent and doesn’t follow blindly after a man. Second, Meg Cabot is able to weave humor into a tale of a murderer, a vampire feud, and a boyfriend who turns into a dragon when provoked. Both of these redeeming qualities aren't enough to make me want to buy the book to reread it.

Overall, the book is an average read for an adult or high school (11th up) girl who wants more of the vampire craze.

Chick Lit

I love chick lit. I am not ashamed to say it!

Here are some YA chick lit authors I enjoy.

1. Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot has a unique writing voice; it never gets old. I have read all of her YA books except the Mediator series, and I have enjoyed them all. Her protagonists range from average girls to princesses, yet each character is someone with whom the reader can relate.

Note for parents: some of Meg's books talk about sex (NOT graphic), so that is something parents may want to know. (The Princess Diaries series is the first series by Meg that I would suggest for cautious parents.)

2. Jen Calonita

Jen Calonia's character in the Secrets of my Hollywood Life series is down-to-earth yet fun. She's a nice girl who lives a glamorous life. I like that combination because many of today's girls believe you have to be mean to get ahead or to be popular. This series shows that niceness does win in the end.

3. Melody Carlson: Christian fiction author

Melody Carlson's one of the few Christian fiction writers for teens. (Kristin Billerbeck is coming out with a YA book, and I can't wait!) The TrueColors series can seem a little preachy. In each book, a girl deals with a problem (alcohol, bad boyfriend, tough home life), and she eventually finds her way to Christ. The Carter House series is about several girls, each with her own set of unique problems, living in a boarding house. The Diary of a Teenage Girl series is written in journal form, recording the thoughts of a girl as she goes through high school.

That's all for now.

Some of my Favorites for Intermediate Grades

Here are some books that I highly recommend. I have not read a lot of books for this age group, so I am sure that there are plenty of other excellent authors who write for this age group. If you know of any good authors, let me know!

Intermediate Grades (4-6)

*Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse (This is listed as 4-8, but it is an excellent novel.)

*Ramona series by Beverly Cleary (It's old, but since there's a movie coming out, a lot of kids will want to read them.)

*Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (ages 9-12) All of Lois Lowry's books are great.

*Allie Finkle series by Meg Cabot (note that other Meg Cabot books are not appropriate for this age)

*On the Run series by Gordon Kormon

*39 Clues series by various authors

*Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney

*Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper (note that most of Sharon Draper's other books are for older readers)

*Main Street Series by Ann M. Martin (who is the author of the Babysitters Club books)

*Mandie Series by Lois Gladys Leppard (Christian)

*Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket