Joyride (ARC Review)

Joyride
Anna Banks

Hardcover, 288 pages

Expected publication: June 2nd 2015 by Feiwel & Friends

A popular guy and a shy girl with a secret become unlikely accomplices for midnight pranking, and are soon in over their heads—with the law and with each other—in this sparkling standalone from NYT-bestselling author Anna Banks.

It’s been years since Carly Vega’s parents were deported. She lives with her brother, studies hard, and works at a convenience store to contribute to getting her parents back from Mexico.

Arden Moss used to be the star quarterback at school. He dated popular blondes and had fun with his older sister, Amber. But now Amber’s dead, and Arden blames his father, the town sheriff who wouldn’t acknowledge Amber's mental illness. Arden refuses to fulfill whatever his conservative father expects.

All Carly wants is to stay under the radar and do what her family expects. All Arden wants is to NOT do what his family expects. When their paths cross, they each realize they’ve been living according to others. Carly and Arden’s journey toward their true hearts—and one another—is funny, romantic, and sometimes harsh.

Review:
I have conflicted feelings on Joyride. Joyride is definitely a diverse book, the main character Carly is Mexican. Her family is definitely a big plot point in this book. And I loved that part of it.
However, this book also lacked some things that I love to see in my books.

Starting with Carly, I really liked her character. She felt real, she was hard working, and she had a great loyalty to her family.
However, her character didn't go through much character development through the book. By the end of the book, it left me wondering, did Carly really change at all?

Moving to the romance, one word, rushed. I know that there is a plot point that makes Arden notice her. But it felt really sudden. Other than that, their romance is kind of cute. Arden obviously cares for her, and it was a nice romance. Just a bit rushed.

The plot is good, it has a great synopsis and some great things that you don't see in books often. And I really liked how those things were brought up. Tough subjects, but important. However, again, I do have a complain with the plot. And that is, some points are seriously unrealistic. Some things work out in Joyride, that probably wouldn't work out that way in real life.
So, after finishing Joyride, I did have conflicting feelings. In some ways, Joyride is an awesome, diverse book. In other ways, I just couldn't believe it, and it had a serious case of insta-love.
Joyride probably won't go on any favorite contemporary lists, but I would recommend this to someone looking for this kind of book. And I did enjoy reading it. I would probably give it a 3/5.

***I received an Advance Reading Copy of this book in exchange for a review. I was in no way compensated for this review***

Bloodlines (Book Review)

 
 
 
Bloodlines (Bloodlines #1)
Richelle Mead
Hardcover, 421 pages

Published August 23rd 2011 by Razorbill

Blood doesn't lie...

Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning

Review:

 

I enjoyed The Vampire Academy series (especially the last three), so, I was really excited to read Bloodlines. Bloodlines is a spin off and the story about the alchemist Sydney, Bloodlines also features quite a few of the characters from The Vampire Academy series.

 

I really liked Rose's character from TVA, and compared to Rose, Sydney was a huge disappointment. She wasn't nearly as tough, and she felt kind of helpless in a lot of situations (not to mention quite naïve). But, through Bloodlines, Sydney's character did become stronger and less naïve, causing me to like her character more.

 

The plot of Bloodlines was booooorrrrriiiinngggg for the first half (almost causing me to give up on it). But again, the last half of the book was great! As soon as I finished it I wanted to pick up the next one! So, my suggestion if you read this, if you can get through the first half it does get A LOT better. Just stick through it.

 

I have high expectations for the rest of the series, because TVA got a lot better as the series went on. I am hoping Bloodlines does also. I liked Sydney's character by the end of the book, but I still hope that she can grow to get even more tough.

The Orphan Queen (Book Review)

The Orphan Queen (The Orphan Queen #1)
Jodi Meadows

Kindle Edition, 400 pages

Published March 10th 2015 by Katherine Tegen Books

Wilhelmina has a hundred identities.

She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne.

She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone.

She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others



Review:


I don't read too much YA Fantasy, I like it, I just don't read a lot of it. I find too much YA Fantasy to be overwhelming. However, seeing the cover and reading the synopsis for this one, I thought it sounded like something I would love!  (That cover is absolutely gorgeous!)

And that is how it got on my mental list of most anticipated reads of 2015, and how I finished it 2 days after publication. (Even though I tried to read really slow because I had been warned about a cliffhanger and I was dreading it)

I admit, I couldn't get through a single chapter of The Orphan Queen without picturing this:



The Characters:

Wilhelmina. Her character reminded me a lot of Celaena from Throne of Glass. It also helps that they both have names that I have NO idea how to pronounce (sorry Sarah J Maas and Jodi Meadows for butchering your characters names!)I am just going to call Wilhelmina Wil from now on for the sake of my own sanity.

Wil was a pretty awesome character. She doesn't carry those weapons for looks everyone. And she forged documents in this book multiple times. Finally, she is a SPY!

BOOKS ABOUT GIRLS LIKE WIL ARE MY FAVORITES!
Just saying.

And even better than Wil, Black Knife + Wil. They both were awesome characters. Loved every scene.

The characters were all great, I could feel as if every character mentioned had this incredible backstory that just needed to come out (so I will most definitely be reading the novellas that are going to be released!)

The Plot:


In showing my best reaction to the plot in general, I take you back to this:



This GIF pretty much sums up my reaction to the entire plot. I really enjoyed it, it moved fast paced enough for me to stay interested, and I didn't read anything that particularly bugged me. Fantasy is kind of a funny thing for me, it can't be too, too deep in the world building for me to stay interested, and I have to see some strong characters. Usually when I read a Fantasy I go through it really slow and it doesn't keep me on the edge of my seat too much. But The Orphan Queen was a different story entirely. It kept me interested and on the edge of my seat till the very end! LOVED how fast paced it was!

The Orphan Queen was really good. It would definitely be near the top of my list if anyone ever asked for a YA Fantasy recommendation, I really liked the characters, and the plot entertained me.  This happens to be my first Jodi Meadows book, but I am very interested in checking out her other books now that I see how great The Orphan Queen is.

All I can say is, I need The Mirror King now.

Pretty please???

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour (Book Review)

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour
Morgan Matson

Published May 4th 2010 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Amy Curry is not looking forward to her summer. Her mother decided to move across the country and now it's Amy's responsibility to get their car from California to Connecticut. The only problem is, since her father died in a car accident, she isn't ready to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger. An old family friend, he also has to make the cross-country trip - and has plenty of baggage of his own. The road home may be unfamiliar - especially with their friendship venturing into uncharted territory - but together, Amy and Roger will figure out how to map their way.  





Review:

I read Second Chance Summer AND Since You've Been Gone a while before picking up Amy and Roger's Epic Detour.....And can I say....Second Chance Summer and Since You've Been Gone, although they are both great, have NOTHING on Amy and Roger's Epic Detour.

Amy's family is torn, her Dad is dead, and now her Mom decides to move her family across the country, from California to Connecticut.
Amy hasn't driven since her Dad has died, so, her Mom recruits someone Amy once knew to drive them to Connecticut, Roger.
Amy and Roger take off, and they soon decide to not just drive to Connecticut, but to sight see as well.

This sets them off on a incredibly fun journey, full of pictures taken (by I assume the author) which gave a great visual point to the plot.
The plot is light and fun, however there is also grief and sadness. In other words, just the kind of book I LOVE to read.

Amy is an awesome character, full of depth and character. She could have made this book interesting alone (even without Roger!)
However, I loved reading about her and Rogers friendship, it felt real and there are no unrealistic groan worthy points. I LOVED THEM!

A great main character, a plot full of fun points, but with plenty of depth and interesting things to learn and see. This book is great. I enjoyed every single page, and it was impossibly easy to get through the 344 pages.

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour is now one of my favorite contemporary novels.

Falling Kingdoms (Book Review)

Falling Kingdoms

Morgan Rhodes

Published December 11th 2012 by Razorbill

 

In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.

As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

It's the eve of war.... Choose your side.

Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.

Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realise that the heart can be more lethal than the sword....

Review:
I was recommended this book by a friend and fellow book blogger....And I admit. I was reluctant about this one. High fantasy always scares me, it has to have a good balance between world building and characters to make me fall in love with it.
Falling Kingdoms also made me hesitant because of the many characters there are in this book. SO many to keep track of.

Cleo/Magnus/Jonas/Lucia. All of the characters brought a different feel to the story. I felt like Cleo showed the most potential for the sequel in terms of development (she is the one I am most looking forward to read about), but I am also excited to see where the other characters go. I felt like Falling Kingdoms gave a good introduction to the characters. And I believe that later books in the series will make me love the characters even more.
Overall the characters in this book were not my favorite characters I have ever read, but they were pretty good characters.

The plot was great, I liked everything that was going on with the story. And again, I feel like this books plot was a good introduction to what will happen in later books.
I was pleasantly surprised with Falling Kingdoms and I liked it more than I thought I would. I feel like this book is a great introduction to what will be a great series.

Kalahari (ARC Review)

Vitro
Jessica Khoury
Expected publication: February 24th 2015 by Razorbill

When an educational safari goes wrong, five teens find themselves stranded in the Kalahari Desert without a guide. It’s up to Sarah, the daughter of zoologists, to keep them alive and lead them to safety, calling on survival know-how from years of growing up in remote and exotic locales. Battling dehydration, starvation and the pangs of first love, she does her best to hold it together, even as their circumstances grow increasingly desperate.

But soon a terrifying encounter makes Sarah question everything she’s ever known about the natural world. A silver lion, as though made of mercury, makes a vicious, unprovoked attack on the group. After a narrow escape, they uncover the chilling truth behind the lion’s silver sheen: a highly contagious and deadly virus that threatens to ravage the entire area—and eliminate life as they know it.

Review:

I don't like Science Fiction, it's really not my thing. However, when I got my hands on Jessica Khoury's Vitro, I surprisingly really enjoyed it!
When I heard about Kalahari, I was super excited to read it.

Kalahari brings everything that I have come to expect in Jessica's books. Danger, excitement, an awesome unique main character, great secondary characters.....Literally everything.
Kalahari is easily one of the most original books I have ever read. Nothing even comes close to the ideas in Kalahari.

The main character, Sarah, to say the least is awesome. I loved reading about her.
The secondary characters are all unique and interesting to read about, their different backgrounds are explained and I came to connect with them almost as much as Sarah.

But the main thing that shines in Jessica Khoury's writing is her descriptive ability. I could FEEL myself in Africa. Even if the characters were flat, and the plot was dull, the beauty in the describing of Africa alone would make this book worth a read.

If you liked Jessica Khoury's earlier books, then you definitely should read this one. And even if you have not, the awesome thing about these books is that they don't have to be read in order! Read them in any order you want, whether you want to explore the jungle (Origin), an island (Vitro), or Africa. These books are the cheapest ticket there you will get.


***I received this book through the First Reads program for review, I was in no way compensated for this review***

Fairest (Book Review)

Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles 0.5)

Hardcover, 222 pages

Published January 27th 2015 by Feiwel & Friends

In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.
Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.




Review:
I LOVE The Lunar Chronicles series. Cinder was good, Scarlet was great, Cress was amazing. I had high hopes for Fairest.
And then I found out it is only 222 pages. Sad times.

Fairest is Levana's backstory, how she became who she is. Levana is pretty much my favorite villain ever, so finding out who she really is was fascinating. Not to mention that you also get lots of other characters backgrounds along with Levanas.
I loved reading about Levana, I now understand her character much better.

The plot was fast moving, and interesting. Fairest was a nice taste for what Winter is going to be, since Fairest was completely based on Luna.
If anything I really wish that this book had been longer. The mere 222 pages just didn't seem to fulfill my need for more Marissa Meyer's writing. But I guess that it is enough to hold me over until Winter.
You definitely need to read this one before reading Winter, as a matter of fact, I would suggest reading this one and then re-reading the series. (Although if you are new to the series I would probably read Cinder first.)

This Is How It Ends (Book Review)

This Is How It Ends
Jen Nadol

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published October 7th 2014 by Simon Pulse

 If you could see the future, would you want to? After the disturbing visions Riley and his friends see turn out to be more than hallucinations, fate takes a dangerous twist in this dark and suspenseful page-turner.

Riley and his friends are gearing up for their senior year by spending one last night hanging out in the woods, drinking a few beers, and playing Truth or Dare. But what starts out as a good time turns sinister when they find a mysterious pair of binoculars. Those who dare to look through them see strange visions, which they brush off as hallucinations. Why else would Riley see himself in bed with his best friend’s girlfriend—a girl he’s had a secret crush on for years?

In the weeks that follow, the visions begin to come true...including a gruesome murder. One of Riley’s closest friends is now the prime suspect. But who is the murderer? Have Riley and his friends really seen the future through those mysterious binoculars? And what if they are powerless to change the course of events?  


Review:

The synopsis for this book sounds epic...

-Group of friends? Check.
-Murder mystery? Check.
-Paranormal sounding something that can see the future? Check.

Unfortunately, after the first half of the book or so this book lost its charm. It became a mish-mash of genres/elements that in the end, none of them made sense.

Group of friends.
Yes, the group of friends part of this book did work out well. I don't seem to find many YA books where there was a large group of friends that all were interesting and unique. However, I would have liked the friends a lot better if some of the friends did not turn out to be liars and backstabbing snakes.

Murder mystery.
What happened here? When it happened, I thought WOW, this is going to turn out great....But then it went nowhere. There were a few elements to the investigation/mystery but not enough to be a mystery book.

Paranormal sounding something that can see the future.
There are no fantasy/paranormal elements in this book, the author tries to make everything perfectly logical and in the end that part of the plot felt weak and sort of like an afterthought.


Finally, I hate (and I mean hate) an open ended book. Really, really hate. To the best of my knowledge this is a standalone book, however, what about the loose ends? (I am not going to say was not tied up because I would consider it a spoiler). There were a ton of loose ends left by the end of this book and I would have liked closure on at least some of them.

Ignoring my negative review above except for the last paragraph, I did enjoy this book. It is entertaining enough, but it had SO much more potential. I won't be expressly recommending this one, but I wouldn't stop anyone in their tracks if they picked it up either.

Dear Bully: Seventy Authors Tell Their Stories Book Review

Dear Bully: Seventy Authors Tell Their Stories
Edited by Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones
Written by lots of different authors including Lauren Oliver, Lauren Kate, Aprilynne Pike, Alyson Noel, and Jessica Brody.
Published September 6th 2011 by HarperTeen

YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
Discover how Lauren Kate transformed the feeling of that one mean girl getting under her skin into her first novel, how Lauren Oliver learned to celebrate ambiguity in her classmates and in herself, and how R.L. Stine turned being the "funny guy" into the best defense against the bullies in his class.

Today's top authors for teens come together to share their stories about bullying—as silent observers on the sidelines of high school, as victims, and as perpetrators—in a collection at turns moving and self-effacing, but always deeply personal


Review:

There are a lot of different stories/letters in this book, and I am not going to review each and every one of them.

All I am going to say is......

For you who has been bullied, then it is important for you to read this book. It will give you the knowledge on how to handle bullying and give you the knowledge that others have been through the same thing.

For you who have NOT been bullied, this book will shed light on what some people go through while being bullied and why it is so important to stand up to bullies even if you are not the one being bullied.

And for you who are the bully. You also should read this book. This book will give you the knowledge of how much bullying affects people, and will also give you stories and letters from authors that have bullied/watched as someone was bullied that might be good for you to read.

Everyone needs to read this book to UNDERSTAND. Whether you are the bully, the person who is being bullied, or the person who is standing by and watching it all.

Get Even (Book Review)

Get Even (Don't Get Mad #1)
Gretchen McNeil
Published September 16th 2014 by Balzer & Bray

Bree, Olivia, Kitty, and Margot have nothing in common—at least that’s what they’d like the students and administrators of their elite private school to think. The girls have different goals, different friends, and different lives, but they share one very big secret: They’re all members of Don’t Get Mad, a secret society that anonymously takes revenge on the school’s bullies, mean girls, and tyrannical teachers.

When their latest target ends up dead with a blood-soaked “DGM” card in his hands, the girls realize that they’re not as anonymous as they thought—and that someone now wants revenge on them. Soon the clues are piling up, the police are closing in . . . and everyone has something to lose.



First of all, I was expecting to not like this one AT ALL. In the synopsis, Get Even is compared to Pretty Little Liars which I happened to dislike immensely. So, this comparison initially turned me away from reading Get Even.

Even so, I picked it up timidly to find out for myself if it was worth a read....And I am SO GLAD I picked this one up.

The novels mystery is complex, and I don't mean a little complex, I mean that there are so many factors in this novel that I had a hard time sometimes keeping up! High Five to Gretchen McNeil for keeping this all straight....That in itself is quite an achievement!

One thing I did not like. There are four main characters in this book. And they are all supposed to pretend that they don't know each other. So you are following four different girls, with four different lives, which also means four different groups of friends. It took me the first 1/3 of the book or so just to start keeping all of the characters straight (and even after that, I was still confused till the end.)

But again, Gretchen McNeil performed amazingly and made all of these characters totally unique and individualistic.

Yes there were other things that seemed unrealistic and I wish that there was more background on Don't Get Mad.
But Get Even kept me interested till the very end. It was interesting, complex, and had diverse characters. I never felt bored, and I need Get Dirty now. Like, RIGHT NOW.
June cannot come soon enough.

Ignite Me (Book Review)

Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3)

Tahereh Mafi
Published February 4th 2014 by HarperCollins

With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her.






I have a confession to make. I didn't enjoy Shatter Me or Unravel Me.

(Cue shocked gasps/looks)

And I know why. When I read Shatter Me and Unravel Me, I had read a ton of dystopian lately (and when I mean a ton, I mean A TON!)

Shatter Me and Unravel Me just sort of blended in with all of the others.....And I wasn't that impressed. Thankfully, I was gifted Ignite Me recently, which made me actually pick it up to finish the series.

And I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, enjoyed it. No, REALLY!
For one, I actually enjoyed Juliette's character, which was one of my big problems with the first two books.....And I actually LIKED the plot.

Now, I know. The people who read this book are going to be split into two groups....Depending on which guy you liked better (but don't worry! No spoilers here :-)

So, if you have read Shatter Me and Unravel Me, and even if you didn't like them AT ALL.....Give Ignite Me a chance....Just a chance. You might be pleasingly surprised.

And on a side note.....Aren't the covers gorgeous!

Girl With Guitar (Book Review)

Girl with Guitar (Kylie Ryans #1)
Caisey Quinn
Published May 22nd 2013 by Createspace

Summary via Goodreads:
After Kylie’s dad dies in a freak accident, he leaves her with nothing other than her crazy step-mother, Darla, and the ability to play guitar. When Darla kicks Kylie out and she loses her job all in the same day, she hops a bus to Nashville determined to make her late father’s dreams come true. Waitressing and saving her pennies to record a demo, her big break comes when she’s asked to join a tour going down the tubes with once platinum album-selling country music superstar Trace Corbin. But touring with Trace is hardly a dream come true since he’s pretty much drinking his career down the drain. If Kylie can’t pull Trace out of his rut, he’ll pull her and her dreams down with him






Review:

Kylie wants to be a country singer....So after her Dad dies, she ends up moving to the capital of country music....Which is (can you guess?)

Nashville Tennessee. Remember the TV show Nashville? That Nashville.

Just a little while later, Kyle gets very lucky, and ends up getting offered a spot on a very popular country singers tour. (And this particular country singer happens to be a bad boy and happens to have a career that is going down the drain). So Kylie is hired on, and she starts with the whirlwind that is touring.

The concept of Kylie is pretty original, but at the same time....Unoriginal. (Girl is poor, girl meets rich guy, girl and guy fall in love, girl and guy have problems, (etc). But at the same time, the author makes it her own original story by adding the spin of country music.

If you like New Adult, you will probably enjoy this one. It was a fun, quick read that will leave you wanting more (in the terms of wanting a sequel)....And the main character is good. But I found it lacking (like most new adult books I might add) In the likeable guy department. I didn't like Trace. Hopefully I will like him more after reading the sequel.

Blackbird (Book Review)

Blackbird
Anna Carey
Expected publication: September 16th 2014 by HarperTeen


A girl wakes up on the train tracks, a subway car barreling down on her. With only minutes to react, she hunches down and the train speeds over her. She doesn’t remember her name, where she is, or how she got there. She has a tattoo on the inside of her right wrist of a blackbird inside a box, letters and numbers printed just below: FNV02198. There is only one thing she knows for sure: people are trying to kill her.

On the run for her life, she tries to untangle who she is and what happened to the girl she used to be. Nothing and no one are what they appear to be. But the truth is more disturbing than she ever imagined.



Review:

Blackbird is told in 2nd person. And in case you don't know what 2nd person is, I will give you these examples below.

 

1st person - I did this.

2nd person - You did this.

3rd person - She/He did this.

 

2nd person reading is something that only some people will enjoy reading. I liked how you are completely immersed into the story with 2nd person. But I can definitely see why some would find it frustrating and not enjoyable to read.

And the 2nd person thing is going to be a big reason why you are either going to love or hate this book.

 

Some things I liked about this book:

 

- The memory loss thing is done very well. I was confused at some points, but it was more of a "I can't wait till I know what is really going on" confused, rather than a "I have no idea what is happening and this is not fun to read at all" confused.

 

- The 2nd person writing was fun to read. I liked immersing myself completely into the characters shoes. I don't think that 2nd person would work for some stories, but it did work for this one.

 

 

Some things I didn't like about this book:

 

- This book probably could have been done all in one volume....instead of being split into a duology.

 

- It contains a ridiculous cliff-hanger. Which isn't built up at all, the book just ends.

 

- The plot reminds me of the Bourne series too much. (The amnesia, the boy that appears, the people following her, the flashbacks...etc)

 

- The character is too trusting with some people in this. She throws herself into trusting some people completely, while being very careful around others. This didn't make much sense to me.

 

Blackbird was an exciting, wild ride. And I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel. If you enjoy thrillers and if, and only if....You think you would enjoy reading in 2nd person, would I recommend this book.

***HarperTeen provided an e-galley of this book in exchange for a review.  I was in no way compensated for this review, and this did not effect my review in any way.***

My Life Undecided (Book Review)

My Life Undecided
Jessica Brody

Paperback, 336 pages

Published November 13th 2012 by Square Fish

PLEASE READ THIS! MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!

Okay, maybe that was a bit melodramatic, but I’m sorry, I’m feeling a bit melodramatic at the moment.

Here’s the deal. My name is Brooklyn Pierce, I’m fifteen years old, and I am decisionally challenged. Seriously, I can’t remember the last good decision I made. I can remember plenty of crappy ones though. Including that party I threw when my parents were out of town that accidentally burned down a model home. Yeah, not my finest moment, for sure.

But see, that’s why I started a blog. To enlist readers to make my decisions for me. That’s right. I gave up. Threw in the towel. I let someone else decide which book I read for English. And whether or not I accepted an invitation to join the debate team from that cute-in-a-dorky-sort-of-way guy who gave me the Heimlich maneuver in the cafeteria. (Note to self: chew the melon before swallowing it.) I even let them decide who I dated!

Well, it turns out there are some things in life you simply can’t choose or have chosen for you—like who you fall in love with. And now everything’s more screwed up than ever.

Review:

Brooklyn Pierce. High school student, fifteen year old girl, and someone who happens to make a few bad decisions. So what does she do? She creates a blog, that has a poll which she uses to let her blog readers make her decisions for her. From the big things to the small things. She puts her life into her readers hands.

Jessica Brody has some of the most original, fun, and funny, contemporary that I have ever read. Her books are some of my favorites. At least, they are now!
Before this one, I had only read 52 Reasons to Hate My Father of Jessica's contemporary novels, and I really enjoyed it. I was super excited to dig into My Life Undecided and although I didn't like it quite as much as 52 Reasons to Hate My Father, it was still a solid contemporary novel.

At the starting of the book, Brooklyn makes some bad decisions that usually would have bugged me. But, she ends up (at least trying) to do something about it. Of course, her blog readers are not the best at making decisions either.....And Brooklyn still makes some bad decisions afterword's....But I ended up liking Brooklyn's character.
There is a lot of character growth in here, something that I have found Jessica Brody excels in with her contemporary novels.

There are also a bunch of secondary characters that I found myself both rooting for, and groaning for....In this entire book.

Another great contemporary from Jessica Brody. And if you like funny, both light and a bit of heavy contemporary Young Adult then I would definitely recommend this one!

Since You've Been Gone (Book Review)

Since You've Been Gone
Morgan Matson

Hardcover, 449 pages

Published May 6th 2014 by Simon & Schuster

The Pre-Sloane Emily didn't go to parties, she barely talked to guys, she didn't do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend—the one who yanks you out of your shell.But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just... disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There’s just a random to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-selected-definitely-bizarre-tasks that Emily would never try... unless they could lead back to her best friend. Apple Picking at Night? Ok, easy enough.Dance until Dawn? Sure. Why not? Kiss a Stranger? Wait... what?

Getting through Sloane’s list would mean a lot of firsts. But Emily has this whole unexpected summer ahead of her, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected) to check things off. Who knows what she’ll find?

Go Skinny Dipping? Um....


Review:
Since You've Been Gone is a book that I have heard a lot of good about. I have enjoyed reading Morgan Matson's work before (Second Chance Summer) so I was really looking forward to reading this one.
And it didn't completely disappoint.
Something I should say is that part of the reason that I didn't really, really like this book is because I was expecting more. I enjoyed Second Chance Summer so much and I had heard that this was 5 stars all round that I think I was expecting just a little better than I got.

The Characters.
I enjoyed Emily's character. I think that she was realistically portrayed as the quite introvert who wouldn't do much if it weren't for her best friend who is outgoing and always willing to do the more wild things. But then the best friend disappears and leaves Emily a list to do that summer with instructions at the end to find her. And Emily is thrown into doing things that she would never normally do. Especially on her own. Emily grows a lot throughout the course of this book. Definitely a great show of character growth.
Emily made some mistakes in the book that made me groan/want to yell at her. But I think that this also was just something that made her more realistic.

The Plot:
One of the things I liked least about this book were the ridiculously long chapters. I am not a fan of books that continually have chapters longer than 20 pages. And this one had chapters that were 30 pages + almost the entire book. It kind of made me bored.
Almost every chapter is Emily going to complete one of the tasks on the list. I liked reading about her doing all of those things.

I did enjoy this one. I don't think that it would make any of my favorite contemporary lists, but I did like it. Emily's character growth was great. And I enjoyed the concept.
Would recommend this to contemporary lovers if just to try out

The Truth About Alice (Book Review)

The Truth About Alice
Jennifer Mathieu
Published June 3rd 2014 by Roaring Brook Press

Everyone knows Alice slept with two guys at one party. When Healy High star quarterback, Brandon Fitzsimmons, dies in a car crash, it was because he was sexting with Alice. Ask anybody.  Rumor has it Alice Franklin is a slut. It's written all over the "slut stall" in the girls' bathroom: "Alice had sex in exchange for math test answers" and "Alice got an abortion last semester." After Brandon dies, the rumors start to spiral out of control. In this remarkable debut novel, four Healy High students tell all they "know" about Alice--and in doing so reveal their own secrets and motivations, painting a raw look at the realities of teen life. But in this novel from Jennifer Mathieu, exactly what is the truth about Alice? In the end there's only one person to ask: Alice herself.



Review:

For the 200 pages this book is. It packs a huge punch. It delves into how much pain and how far a rumor can reach. And also how badly gossip can hurt someone. The Characters: This book is split into the points of view of Alice's so called "friends" and acquaintances. Until the very last chapter. Where you finally get into Alice's mind. Everyone has their own idea of what happened that night and the following day's. And all of the points of view were very unique and different. The Plot: This book is...more For the 200 pages this book is. It packs a huge punch. It delves into how much pain and how far a rumor can reach. And also how badly gossip can hurt someone. The Characters: This book is split into the points of view of Alice's so called "friends" and acquaintances. Until the very last chapter. Where you finally get into Alice's mind. Everyone has their own idea of what happened that night and the following day's. And all of the points of view were very unique and different. The Plot: This book is not necessarily something that I "enjoyed" reading. But something that I am very glad I did. There is not much to say about this plot. I think that this is something everyone should read. Everyone should read about the consequences of rumors and gossip. Everyone should read about the different peoples ideas and looks about all of this as it is going on. This book doesn't get a rating from me. Because I didn't enjoy it. Or dislike it. I'm just glad I read it.

Open Road Summer (Book Review)

Open Road Summer
Emery Lord
342 Pages
Published April 15th 2014 by Walker

Review:
I had heard that this book was good. But honestly that means little to nothing to me anymore since quite a few books that "everyone" seemed to love I have disliked.

But this one surprised me.

First of all, Open Road Summer's characters are some of the most unique characters I have ever read about in young adult contemporary.
Told in Reagan's point of view, you get the view of a girl with a best friend who happens to be a country music star. I loved reading about it. I think that the way that this friendship was executed was almost perfect. They don't always get along, but they do depend on each other.
Throw in Matt Finch. A guy who has problems of his own. And this book has some of the most awesome characters ever.
I didn't necessarily like them all all of the time, but the character's were portrayed realistically. Best part of the book hands down.

I also enjoyed the country music/ music in general elements. I loved the way that they were traveling around and going to different city's in the US.
One thing about this book I didn't like was that I wish it had been longer. I think that some things were done a little too quickly. But this also could have just been me not wanting it to end. And I also had my usual small problems. But overall the good outweighed the bad by a lot. And I really enjoyed reading this book.

I will definitely be reading anything else Emery Lord comes up with

Take Me On (Book Review)

Take Me On 
(Pushing the Limits #4)
Katie McGarry

Hardcover, 544 pages

Published May 27th 2014 by Harlequin TEEN

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it's his fault his family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for

Review:

If it is any hint to how much I love Katie McGarry's books, I re-read Pushing the Limits, Dare You To, and Crash Into You before diving into the wonderfulness that was Take Me On. First of all, something that disappointed me but did not make me love this book any less. - No Echo/Noah and Beth/Ryan :-( I was pretty disappointed that they didn't show up in this book. But on the bright side, you do get to see a lot of Rachel/Isaiah. One thing that makes Katie McGarry's books so amazing are the flawe...more If it is any hint to how much I love Katie McGarry's books, I re-read Pushing the Limits, Dare You To, and Crash Into You before diving into the wonderfulness that was Take Me On. First of all, something that disappointed me but did not make me love this book any less. - No Echo/Noah and Beth/Ryan :-( I was pretty disappointed that they didn't show up in this book. But on the bright side, you do get to see a lot of Rachel/Isaiah. One thing that makes Katie McGarry's books so amazing are the flawed characters. You get to see a whole lot of the troubles that life throws at you in them. And Haley and West are no exception. I'm not going to go into depth about why I loved Haley, West, and the entire story line. But all I can say is that this story was amazing. And if you loved (or even liked) Pushing the Limits, Dare You To, Crash Into You, Red At Night, or Crossing the Line. Then you will love this. Guaranteed. And the fact that Breaking the Rules (sequel to Pushing the Limits) about Echo and Noah is coming out later this year makes everything much better about them now showing up in Take Me On.

The Sound (Book Review)

Things to know before reading the book: The main character is very annoying. Her love interests are cliché. One of them the "rich boy". The other the troubled "bad boy". Every single other character in this book is cliché. The mystery doesn't get introduced until after the half way point of the book. The love triangle in this book is one of the most annoying I have ever read. Ren doesn't make up her mind about anything. She goes from Jesse to Jeremy to Jesse to Jeremy to Jesse to Jeremy (etc). I did...more  The Sound  Sarah Alderson Kindle Edition, 320 pages Published May 13th 2014 by Simon Pulse   Synopsis via Goodreads: British nanny looking for a low-key summer finds buried secrets, murderous attention, and unexpected romance when she visits the Nantucket Sound. The Nantucket Sound is a beachfront playground for the privileged and elite, where the sunny days are filled with scenic bike rides, backyard picnics, and bonfire parties. But all Ren Kingston - a visiting Brit still reeling from heartbreak - really wants is a quiet summer as a nanny for one of Nantucket's wealthy families. Getting acquainted with handsome Jeremy and his young group of trust fund, private school kids was not part of the plan. Neither was befriending the local bad boy whose reputation is more dangerous than charming. After a dead body is found next to The Sound's postcard-perfect view, Ren starts to wonder where the real threat lies. Because it's becoming clear that her newfound 'friends' are much more than they seem. They're hiding secrets. Secrets that Ren wants no part of. But once The Sound has you in its current, it won't want to let you go. Review: Things to know before reading the book: The main character is very annoying. Her love interests are cliché. One of them the "rich boy". The other the troubled "bad boy". Every single other character in this book is cliché. The mystery doesn't get introduced until after the half way point of the book. The love triangle in this book is one of the most annoying I have ever read. Ren doesn't make up her mind about anything. She goes from Jesse to Jeremy to Jesse to Jeremy to Jesse to Jeremy (etc). I did enjoy Jesse's character. His is probably the only one that I actually enjoyed. And he is also the only reason I finished this book. I wanted to know his past. In all fairness. Lots of other books that I have enjoyed have clichés. So that isn't the huge thing about this book. What is a huge thing for me is that I wasn't expecting a typical contemporary summer romance. I was expecting an edge-of-your-seat mystery. And that is something I didn't get at all. So this was a disappointment. Another thing is that this plot is BORING! In the first 1/2 of the book NOTHING happens. And then the mystery is introduced....And then we go back to NOTHING HAPPENING! If I had changed my expectations. The characters would have still been annoying. But I would have at least been prepared for them. I know I rambled a bit in this review.....But overall, if you are looking for a serious mystery/thriller. This is definitely not for you Have you read The Sound? What did you think? Leave me a link to your blog! I would love to visit!

The Break-Up Artist Book Review

The Break-Up Artist
Philip Siegel

Hardcover, 329 pages

Expected publication: April 29th 2014 by Harlequin Teen

Recommendation Level: Would hesitate before recommending.

Some sixteen-year-olds babysit for extra cash. Some work at the Gap. Becca Williamson breaks up couples. 



After watching her sister get left at the altar, Becca knows the true damage that comes when people utter the dreaded L-word. For just $100 via paypal, she can trick and manipulate any couple into smithereens. With relationship zombies overrunning her school, and treating single girls like second class citizens, business is unfortunately booming. Even her best friend Val has resorted to outright lies to snag a boyfriend.

One night, she receives a mysterious offer to break up the homecoming king and queen, the one zombie couple to rule them all: Steve and Huxley. They are a JFK and Jackie O in training, masters of sweeping faux-mantic gestures, but if Becca can split them up, then school will be safe again for singletons. To succeed, she'll have to plan her most elaborate scheme to date and wiggle her way back into her former BFF Huxley’s life – not to mention start a few rumors, sabotage some cell phones, break into a car, and fend off the inappropriate feelings she’s having about Val’s new boyfriend. All while avoiding a past victim out to expose her true identity.

No one said being the Break-Up Artist was easy

Review:

If I were rating just the first 1/4 of this book and the last 1/8 or so.....Then it would easily get a 4 star rating or higher. Unfortunately there was also the in-between.

Characters:::

Told in the point of view of Becca (AKA The Break Up Artist) you get a very cynical idea of love. After her sister gets jilted at the alter, she becomes a "love is not real" kind of person. The first 1/4 of the book reading in her point of view was great. I was enjoying her different quirks, and getting through different high school troubles. And then it all went downhill.
SPOILER ALERT!!! (You should be able to see the text if you highlight it)

 (view spoiler)[Right around the time Becca kissed her BEST FRIENDS BOYFRIEND. And then proceeds to (almost) convince him to break up with her best friend. And instead go out with her. (Now remember this is someone who doesn't even believe in love. Just lust.) As a matter of fact, the best advice Becca gets the entire book is (I believe from Huxley) that a guy isn't worth breaking up Becca and her best friends relationship. So yes, after this I couldn't stand reading Becca's point of view. (hide spoiler)]

END SPOILER!!!

The end wrapped up well, I think I liked Becca a tiny bit better.


The Plot:::

I think that the idea behind the plot was really cute, and had a lot of originality. It was also set up well.
The very end of the book went by really fast, and I found it to be a bit confusing.

If it weren't for the middle of this book I would give it a high rating. And if it also weren't for Becca.
Would only recommend this book if you think you can stand Becca.

I received this as a digital galley from Harlequin Teen via Netgalley. I am in no way compensated for this review.

Have you read The Break-Up Artist? What did you think about it?