Rating: 
Summary: Do You Believe in Angels?
Review: Just what IS Lani Garver? that's what everyone wants to know when Lani shows up on Hackett, an island full of tough fish-frat guys and girls who have "convienent recollections". Claire, a cheerleader who thinks she's a cow and hangs with some of the "coolest" kids in Hackett, is in remission from cancer, but thinks that she may be having a relapse. Her friends are no help; they always avoid talking about the fact that she even had cancer. When Lani shows up, Claire is the only person in Hackett who befriends him. As Lani and Claire grow closer, her and her other friends grow further apart. When Lani gets nasty phone calls from a closet gay who eventually threatens Lani's life, no one wants to believe him except for Claire. In this book, Claire discovers that Lani has two sides to him, and is determined to make ppl hear the entire truth, even if they think that she's crazy. This book had something interesting on every page, and toward the end of the book, when Claire unleashes her inner anger and tries to get everyone to understand the truth, you might just feel like punching someone yourself. A lot of ppl might relate to Claire's problem's, and others may not fully get the message that this book is sending out. I loved this book; the ending got so exciting and powerful, that i did't stop reading until around 1 a.m. every night that i was reading it. So...Do you believe in Angels???
Rating:
Summary: Wow, this is an amazing book
Review: Lani Garver is a mystery to everyone on the small island. No one knows anything about him; not even if he is a boy or a girl. Claire, the main character, becomes friends with him, much to the horror of her other friends. Soon Claire begins to realize that things aren't always as they seem. Does Lani just enjoy being different? Is he gay? Or is he a floating angel?
This was one of the best books I've read in a while. It explores the danger of 'sticking out' and also gay bashing. The ending made me cry because the book was very emotional and written so well.
Rating:
Summary: The best book I ever read
Review: oh. my. gosh. this book was so amazing i ended the book sobbing and shaking. literally. its absolutely amazing, i became so emotionally involved. i absolutely COMMAND you to read this book. there are no words to discribe it.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful.
Review: There are some books that you'll pick up and just don't know what to expect: those book will either touch you or just plan bore you, 'What Happend to Lani Garver' will not only touch you, but open your eyes. Carol Ucci-Plum burst into the YA scene with 'The Body Of Christopher Creed' but it in no way, compares to this book. In fact, this could possibly be the best book Carol Ucci-Plum will write and in my opinion, it is most defenately one of the most important she has and will write. She touches a subject most will not dare to ever touch: the conquences of hatred, more specifically bigotry. Ucci-Plum narrates the story in the voice of Claire, the main character who at times seems to be really superficial and shallow, but as the story progresses, Claire revels her true self while she fights with the impending thought of a cancer relapse. The tale takes a turn when mysterious boy-girl-angel Lani Garver shows up. No one can figure if Lani is a he or a she, but Claire is immediately drawn to him/her. Lani takes Claire through a maze of emotions and situations she maybe otherwise would not have been prepair to handle, but as she grows closer to Lani, the more dangerous is becomes for him to stay on Hackett Island because of the constant bashing and bigotry from the close-minded islanders. Claire learns first hand never to judge a man until you walk a mile in his shoes. But even so, it isn't enough to change the viewpoints of her so-called friends. In the end, Lani has to face the choice of saving Claire or losing his life to change things and Claire has to decided weither she truly is strong enough to overcome all the challenges to has to face. This book isn't one you rush through, it isn't one you take with a grain of salt. 'What Happend to Lani Garver' is somewhat of a testament, a glimpse into the lives of everyday people struggling to be themselves in a ignorant, unforgiving world. And if you're looking for something different, something real; 'What Happend to Lani Garver' is just what you've been looking for.
Rating:
Summary: What really did happen to Lani Garver?
Review: This book is amazing, it touch's on so many bases that have never been explored by teens. Anyone would be lucky to read such a great book that was eloquently written. By the end of the story you are so fascinated by Lani Garver that you don't want the book to end. So what was Lani? No one will ever know. Hopefully this author writes many more books and puts their talents to use to entertain the world and make people wonder about their life. If I were you I would definetly read this book, it has everything a reader could hope for. But after reading it be prepared to feel touched by how these characters portray what life can be like. If you do decide to read it, I hope you like it as much as I did!
Rating: 
Summary: What happend to Lani Garver By: Carol Plum - Ucci
Review: This book is very exciting to read. But it gives away what happens and the very beggining but it keeps Anticipating more and more as you go through the whole book to keep it exciting. This book also covers over things like eatting disorders, angles, homosexuality, and lot's of stress.Both Lani and Claire, the protagonist, are very likeable characters. Claire has a very endearing naivety and it is easy to relate to her feelings about her family, friends and Lani.
How much horrible things people have to go throug in life. Figuring people out somtimes can be one of the hardest things to do, people like Lani.Claire was a cheerleader and she trusted to tell Lani things that she could not tell other people. And yet she is still trying to figure out what he is, and try to understand what he is about.People like to hide who they really are inside because they are just afraid of being rejected, and then criticize others who know more.Lani Garver has his opinions about life and everything, and knows who and what he is about.But because he is different and refuses to let himself be categorised by anyone, he is picked on and treated cruelly. He gets criticized because of his beliefs and looks. But als o it is a small island, and then all of a suddan a
new person out of no where shows up and doesn't have any information or I.D. which I guess can be very strange. It kind of makes you want to stop and just think about where you are in life and how you should think about yourself.Both Lani and Claire, the protagonist, are very nice/likeable people. Claire has a naivety and it is easy to relate to her feelings about her family, friends and Lani.
I would say this is a great book for anyone homophobic to read as it really makes you question about your feelings or assumptions. Lani is a very enigmatic character, just like Christopher was. If there was one thing I didnt like about the book, it was thge part in the first chapter which kind of summed up the story. Even so, it still manages to keep you in suspense through-out the book.
Rating:
Summary: original spin on old tale
Review: This book uses issues like gay bashing, eating disorders and peer pressure to explore what is essentially a tale of sin and redemption. The teens in this book speak like they do in Hollywood movies, all self-consciously "hip" and snide. It seems like the author tries to shanghai an example of "teenspeak" such as "wild and happy parade of the teeth going" or "rule the cule" onto every page, and this makes it an awkward read. Most of the time, today's teens speak like everyone else, at least the ones I know, though of course they have their own catch-phrases.
The characters also seem strangely young at times. I doubt kids who are partying hard every week night insult people by remarking on their imaginary "boogers." That insult belongs in elementary school, at least when I was young. Adolescent girls are a little more sophisticated in their barbs by high school.
This was an original take on bullying, though, with several characters who were strikingly well-developed and did not fit into any "box" to quote one. I wish, however, the author hadn't tried to tie everything up in the final chapter. It reminded me of those movies where we get explanations of what happened to every character at the end, even the minor ones we could care less about (Like "Loser") I think a little come-uppance is great, but when cosmic justice is too neat (like this book) it erodes some of the believability that the author has worked so hard to create...
Rating:
Summary: Read the Greatest Book
Review: This book was evry interesting because it helps people understand how it feels to go to a new school, move to a new town, and a new house, and try to fin some new friends. Lani had just gotten over cancer. So when she chemo, she had lost all of her hair.When it all grew back Lani didn't cut it.
When Lani trys to find friends people don't know if Lani was a girl or a boy? So everyone kind of left Lani alown because guys didn't want to become friends if Lani was a girl, and if the popular girls would go over to become friends with Lani, what is Lani was a guy they wouldn't know.
So things that I didn't like about the book was that they kept on draging the story on and on until Lani would find a friend or someone to even atempt to go and talk to Lani.
Over all I liked the book that is why I gave the book ****. The book kind of kept my interest at the end of the book, because you found out who Lani Garver really was.
Rating:
Summary: There are no words...
Review: This is a book like no other. Many times it has been said that "What Happened to Lani Garver" is not just the average teen book, and that is more than true.
When Claire, the typical first-person problem-teenager dishes out her problems to you in the first chapter, it seems like it is just that, however. But the way she tells them also piques your interest with her mention of the indian summer and the way she narrates with elegance while also convincingly filling the role of a once-cheerleader highschool beauty queen. It may seem hard to fathom to some that a book could possibly start by telling you of the death of a main character and summarizing the book for you, right in the prolouge, without ruining the impact the book has. But having read this masterpiece, you will understand. In fact, there are many, many things you will understand, even things you thought you were sure about, especially hate crimes and homophobia.
As I often do, I found that this book had great characters. Claire is ironic in her narrative, something I find fascinating, but the real star of the show was Lani himself. Now, I am in no way a religious person, so some of my friends thought I was crazy when I started to rave about a book that involved the concept of angels. But Lani is not a subject of God, or a God-fearing purist. Lani is just---Lani. Charismatic, intelligent, kind, but also definitly masculine Lani. He is the sort of character that you can't stand to think isn't real.
When you finish this book (because you must buy it, there is no question on that front), though, you will realize just how much hits home, and you yourself will wonder not just what happened to Lani Garver, but what is happening to our world. This is the sort of book that has the power to change a generation, if only people would read and accept it. So when you read this book, tell everyone you know to read it too. It's not just entertainment. It's truth.
Rating:
Summary: There are no words...
Review: This is a book like no other. Many times it has been said that "What Happened to Lani Garver" is not just the average teen book, and that is more than true.
When Claire, the typical first-person problem-teenager dishes out her problems to you in the first chapter, it seems like it is just that, however. But the way she tells them also piques your interest with her mention of the indian summer and the way she narrates with elegance while also convincingly filling the role of a once-cheerleader highschool beauty queen. It may seem hard to fathom to some that a book could possibly start by telling you of the death of a main character and summarizing the book for you, right in the prolouge, without ruining the impact the book has. But having read this masterpiece, you will understand. In fact, there are many, many things you will understand, even things you thought you were sure about, especially hate crimes and homophobia.
As I often do, I found that this book had great characters. Claire is ironic in her narrative, something I find fascinating, but the real star of the show was Lani himself. Now, I am in no way a religious person, so some of my friends thought I was crazy when I started to rave about a book that involved the concept of angels. But Lani is not a subject of God, or a God-fearing purist. Lani is just---Lani. Charismatic, intelligent, kind, but also definitly masculine Lani. He is the sort of character that you can't stand to think isn't real.
When you finish this book (because you must buy it, there is no question on that front), though, you will realize just how much hits home, and you yourself will wonder not just what happened to Lani Garver, but what is happening to our world. This is the sort of book that has the power to change a generation, if only people would read and accept it. So when you read this book, tell everyone you know to read it too. It's not just entertainment. It's truth.
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