Carlos is a fifteen year old virgin who feels the pressure to get laid after his three best friends score. He wants to hook up with Roxy the prettiest girl in school, but bombs every-time they meet. After watching Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Carlos asks Sal a gay guy at his school to make him over and give him girl lessons. Sal agrees to help Carlos on two conditions 1.) Carlos pays him. 2.) Carlos helps him start a Gay Straight Alliance. Carlos agrees to the terms not realizing that Sal will change more than his appearance, but his whole outlook on life. Sanchez does a great of job of teaching acceptance through humor and developing characters that are believable.
The SpellBook of Listen Taylor by Jaclyn Moriarty
First of all I was confused as to whether this book should’ve been an Adult novel rather than YA. Then I found out my suspicions were right after reading a NY times review of the book. Most of the story revolves around the adult characters in the book, and there is only one main teen character Listen Taylor. Also the intertwining plot-lines revolve mainly around the infidelity between the adults. At first I was intrigued with the plotline which started off with Listen finding a spell book containing quirky spells, like how to make someone take a taxi or eat chocolate cake. However, I often found myself lost and bored with the senseless meandering between the 4 main characters. I thought the story would get more interesting, but for me it didn’t, and so I stopped midway through the book.
Vegan with a Vengeanceby Isa Chandra Moskowitz
I think most non-vegetarians have a preconceived notion that vegetarian cuisine mainly consists of granola and grass, but this is not the case when it comes to Vegan with a Vengeance. This book transforms everyday foods like pancakes, eggs, and bacon into vegalicious delights. Moskowitz who hosts a cooking show via the internet has a knack for making vegan cooking simple, cheap, and accessible. I am no domestic goddess so this book was perfect for me, and some of the recipes were so easy that even kids could do it. In addition, the ingredients were easy to find and I could find them in any supermarket. I highly recommend this book if you’re considering becoming a vegetarian or just want to eat more healthy. Some of my favorite recipes included the Lemon Cupcakes, Faux Hostess Cupcakes, and Corn Chowder. (Pictured below the tasty cupcakes I made!)
