I’m really a lazy person, I'm not sure how my hobby turned out to be reading which requires a lot of brain juice, but somehow it did and I’m not a lazy reader however this isn't the case my reading material is a synopsis.Yes I know most synopsis’ are only a couple of paragraphs long but my eyes start skimming and then they roll up and I’m out.

There is no background music, no slicing sound effects or popping images to get me excited. Of course most of the time the words are more than enough but periodically I’m in the mood for more. 

Enter book trailers. I do think that books have gotten the shorter end of the trailer budget but this isn’t a fact that extends to all books. There are some golden book trailers what got me reading or at least wanting to read.

The Clockwork Angel

This one obviously had one of the bigger budgets because of the popularity of the series and Cassandra Clare. I personally adore this trailer. Book trailer actors are not my favourite but this cast actually looked like Tessa, Will and Jem. I’m glad to see that they went through the the trouble of even colouring Jem’s hair grey. The music is fantastic, it’s exciting, gripping and goes really well with the words being spoken.

The 5th Wave

This one left me breathless in the end. Well made, great acting, awesome camera angles. It was like getting a real peak into the books pages.

Perfect Chemistry

This is one of the book trailers I’ve watched repeatedly over the last few years. It’s just hilarious. It’s funny, addicting and kind of an inside joke if you’ve read the book. This one drives the point that books aren’t movies, they don’t necessarily have to be presented the same way. This awesome music video idea is memorable and fun.

The Winners Curse

Of course not all books have the same budget and so there are many trailers without actors and scripts. I personally don’t feel that those are necessary; The Winner’s Curse has a fantastic trailer. It made me excited and desiring to read the book, which is the ultimate goal.

Where She Went

I had given up on If I Stay until I watched this trailer. BEWARE: this is a trailer of the second book in a series and it has SPOILERS.

I love Adam’s voice and lines; well said and written. It pulls at my heart strings and the images in the background do a great job at filling up the background and relating to the book.

What do you think about book trailers? Which is your favourite?

-MARI

Author: Simone Elkeles

Date of Publication:  October 1, 2013

Pages: 342

Source: Library

After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

Review:

I’m going to start this review by stating that I’m a huge Simone Elkeles fan. I've been one since I read Perfect Chemistry for the first time in 2009 and that respect and absolute devotion has never wavered, even now.

From the title of this review, you can tell that I wasn't impressed by Wild Cards. The book is introduced to the reader as YA contemporary fiction romance based around a football team. The female protagonist is a tomboy captain of the boys' varsity football team, Ashtyn. That’s pretty kickass if you ask me, but Ashtyn was anything but. 

The downfall of this story stared with its premise and football playing Ashtyn. Immediately, I envisioned something like Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally. What I got was a lot of telling that Ashtyn was a state level football player but I didn't see any football. 

I didn't much care for any of the characters. They were all very stereotypical: jocks, cheerleaders, 20 year old bimbo step-moms. Add some angst, instalove, family drama and there you have it.

The story felt very awkward which was probably a result of Ashtyn and Derek's awkward relationship. Step-aunt and Step-nephew. That wasn't really the awkward part though; this could've made for a few funny situations. It was mostly the characters themselves. All Ashtyn did was brood about her bad family situations, her gloomy boyfriend and how Derek should stop looking at her because she hates him but she can't stop herself from wanting to be held by him.

As for "bad boy" Derek; expelled from private school, Derek: all he did was rake the leaves, wear cowboy boots, have an estranged relationship with his grandma and oh, paint the outhouse. 

From the first meeting, there was something wrong with the two of them. They never actually sit down and talk to each other. All their conversations result in a brawl, where they are plain mean to each other. Then somehow they fall in love, but she already has a boyfriend and he doesn't want a relationship. Oh boy.

It did have some positives and that goes to Ms. Elkeles’ skill of keeping the reader engaged. Despite not caring much for the characters or plot, I still felt driven enough to continue reading for as long as I did. The writing was great, clear and vivid, as one would expect. 

Wild Cards isn't a bad book at all, but it fell flat to my skyscraper expectations and that's okay. Many others have enjoyed it and maybe I will too if I ever come back to it. I’m still looking for that great YA sports novel and this one missed that mark. 

-MARI

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Wild Cards

Simone Elkeles
September 24, 2013 

After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

Goodreads

I've read all of Simone's book with the exception of her How To Ruin series and I love them all. Therefore, I have really high expectations and excitement level for this one. Can't wait to get more of Simone's stories. Also, I really love the synopsis, it reminds me of Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally, another favourite.

What Are You Waiting On?

-MARI