Forget Me (Book Review)

Forget Me
K. A. Harrington

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published August 7th 2014 by Putnam Juvenile

An edge-of-your seat psychological thriller with a romantic twist

On the three-month anniversary of her boyfriend Flynn’s death, Morgan uploads her only photo of him to FriendShare to get some closure—but she’s shocked when the facial recognition software suggests she tag him as "Evan Murphy." She’s never heard of Evan, but a quick search tells her that he lives in a nearby town and looks exactly like Flynn. Only this boy is very much alive.

Digging through layers of secrets and lies, Morgan is left questioning everything she thought she knew about her boyfriend, her town, and even her parents' involvement in this massive web of lies.




Review:


The synopsis of this book sounds fantastic. The tag line "An edge-of-your seat psychological thriller with a romantic twist" sounds like just something I would LOVE.....But still, I was pretty unsure about it.

Morgan's character felt a bit undeveloped throughout Forget Me, her character is definitely not the strong point of the book. However, she is still a believable character with interesting characteristics (such as being a photographer). The romance in this book didn't feel too rushed like I worried it might be, I think that the build up to it was great.

The beginning of Forget Me moves very quickly (almost too quickly) but still enjoyable and with enough information to build a believable and interesting plot for the rest of the book. The writing in Forget Me reminded me of what I would find in a Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys book, simple, easy to understand, not too much "blah, blah, blah, that I tend to find in a lot of thrillers. So, if you like Nancy Drew books, I would definitely recommend Forget Me.

Top Ten Clues You're Clueless (Book Review)

Top Ten Clues You're Clueless

by Liz Czukas

Published December 9th 2014 by Harper Teen
Synopsis via Goodreads:
Top Five Things That Are Ruining Chloe’s Day

5) Working the 6:30 a.m. shift at GoodFoods Market

4) Crashing a cart into a customer’s car right in front of her snarky coworker Sammi

3) Trying to rock the “drowned rat” look after being caught in a snowstorm

2) Making zero progress with her crush, Tyson (see #3)

1) Being accused—along with her fellow teenage employees—of stealing upwards of $10,000

Chloe would rather be anywhere than locked in work jail (aka the break room) with five of her coworkers . . . even if one of them is Tyson. But if they can band together to clear their names, what looks like a total disaster might just make Chloe’s list of Top Ten Best Moments


Review:

This reminded me of the movie (I haven't read the book) Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Reasons?
This is pretty much the story of a girl (Chloe) having an awful day. EVERYTHING goes wrong.

The Characters:
I can't actually comment much on the characters, as you only get to spend a day with them. But I will say that that one day packed a big punch! I liked watching everything happen through Chloe's eyes, and honestly wish I had had more time with her. However, Chloe makes a pretty stupid decision (as a matter of fact more than one), but I do think that this was pretty realistic in terms of how old she was. Just be prepared to yell at Chloe at a few points in this book.
Also, if you are looking for a book with diverse characters, this is definitely one for you!

The Plot:
As I said above, the entire plot is just one very bad day. One very bad CHRISTMAS EVE day. Chloe has to work early, early in the morning Christmas Eve at a grocery store. Her day starts off terrible because she sleeps through her alarm, it continues being terrible through different incidents at work, and to top it all of, her and the other "minor" people who work at the grocery store are accused of stealing $10,000 (or about that).
I would call that a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
Also, the whole thing about the boss making Chloe and her friends stay at work even though it is CHRISTMAS EVE and even though there is no legal reason to make them stay there (they let the adult employees go home) REALLY bugged me. I mean COME ON. This is not OK to make the minor employees stay around and let all of the adult employees go home. And then something happens (sort of an emergency!!!) and they don't call an ambulance??? I just don't get it.
So, don't go into this expecting a realistic plot.
However, I was very entertained the entire book. At no point was I ever bored, and I definitely wanted to know what happened to that money (which made me read the entire book in one sitting).

Although this book was completely unrealistic, and I kept on yelling in my head at Chloe. Top Ten Clues You're Clueless was actually really entertaining. So, if you just want to be entertained, and are not looking for a realistic book, I would definitely recommend this one!

Lola and the Boy Next Door (Book Review)

Lola and the Boy Next Door
Stephanie Perkins
Published July 9th 2013 by Speak (first published September 28th 2011)

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her life (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. When Cricket, a gifted inventor, steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door






Review:
First of all, I am SO glad that they changed the covers on these books (I included the original cover at the bottom of this review). The girl on the original cover is something similar to how I imagined Lola, but the guy doesn't remind me of Cricket at all!
Second, I didn't like Anna and the French Kiss. At all. I had some major issues with the main characters and the plot in general, but thankfully I didn't completely write off the possibility of continuing the series. I actually ended up leaving it to my blog readers, and Lola and the Boy Next Door won by popular vote.

The Characters:
Lola was an awesome main character. I loved how unique she was and how she wasn't afraid to wear her own designs as eccentric as they were. But at the same time, Lola felt completely real.  She had problems, she had insecurities, and she made some bad decisions.
At one point in this book I was actually screaming in my head at Lola because of something one of the characters said to Lola's best friend, (and if you have read the book you probably remember the scene) I WAS FURIOUS WITH THAT PERSON THAT WAS SAYING THOSE THINGS!
And Cricket? Who knew that I would like a character named CRICKET so much. I have absolutely no idea how Stephanie Perkins came up with that name, but honestly it worked with the novel. Cricket Bell and Lola have a long backstory that involved Lola at one point getting emotionally hurt by him. So when he pops back into her life, of course she doesn't immediately trust him. <b>he had to earn her trust</b>. I loved it! I loved watching Cricket and Lola fix their broken relationship and turn it into something beautiful.
I loved how unique and quirky all the characters were. From Lola to Cricket and down to the minor characters they were all completely unique people!

The Plot:
The plot in this one didn't stand out to me as much as the characters. I liked how Calliope was a figure skater (I would love to read a book about her!) The romance between the different characters all felt real and it went at a believable pace. And I could not put this one down (although I had to at some points.)

From beginning to end, Lola and the Boy Next Door captivated me with its unique characters and its fun plot. You don't need to read Anna and the French Kiss to read this one, and I still would not recommend Anna and the French Kiss. But I am really glad that I decided to give Lola and the Boy Next Door a try and I would recommend this one to anyone looking for a cute contemporary read.

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???

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.

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.

Rites Of Passage (Book Review)

Rites Of Passage
Joy N. Hensley
Expected publication: September 9th 2014 by Harper Teen

Sam McKenna’s never turned down a dare. And she's not going to start with the last one her brother gave her before he died.

So Sam joins the first-ever class of girls at the prestigious Denmark Military Academy. She’s expecting push-ups and long runs, rope climbing and mud-crawling. As a military brat, she can handle an obstacle course just as well as the boys. She's even expecting the hostility she gets from some of the cadets who don’t think girls belong there. What she’s not expecting is her fiery attraction to her drill sergeant. But dating is strictly forbidden and Sam won't risk her future, or the dare, on something so petty...no matter how much she wants him.

As Sam struggles to prove herself, she discovers that some of the boys don’t just want her gone—they will stop at nothing to drive her out. When their petty threats turn to brutal hazing, bleeding into every corner of her life, she realizes they are not acting alone. A decades-old secret society is alive and active… and determined to force her out.
At any cost.

Now time's running short. Sam must decide who she can trust...and choosing the wrong person could have deadly consequences

Review:

When I first heard of Rites of Passage I was intrigued. Mostly because the synopsis was like nothing I have ever read before. A female at a military school previously for boys? YES Please! A secret society? YES Please! A forbidden romance? This is sounding better and better!

Pretty much, Sam never declines a dare. And definitely not a dare that happened right before her brother died. The dare? To go to a military school.
After she gets to military school, she finds out that things are going to be VERY tough for her.

The Characters:
Sam was pretty much the ultimate main character. Tough, loyal, sympathetic, and hard working. There were some points where I was a bit disappointed with the choices her character made, but overall she was a great main character.
There were a lot of secondary characters in this one. All of which were very complex and diverse. I loved reading about the secondary characters just as much as reading about Sam.

The Plot:
The plot went by a little slow at times. And then too fast at other times. Be prepared for this book to have just a little romance, and a lot of military school and secret society stuff. The secret society stuff was also confusing. I found myself wondering what was going on quite  bit during the length of this book, and I felt like some things were way too convenient. The romance part was (as I said above) a very small part of this book. So if you are looking for a book with just a little romance, then this will be most likely for you.

And THAT ENDING! I really, really, really hope that there is a sequel to this book. I need a sequel. This book needs a sequel. Plus, I wouldn't mind some more page-time for the couple in this book. As a matter of fact, I would love it!
If this book sounds interesting to you. I suggest you read it! I really enjoyed it and I think that this is one of the more unique books I have read this year.

***This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated and this did not effect my review in any way.***

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.

What I Thought Was True (Book Review)

What I Thought Was True Huntley Fitzpatrick Hardcover, 416 pages Published April 15th 2014 by Dial Books for Young Readers Gwen Castle's Biggest Mistake Ever, Cassidy Somers, is slumming it as a yard boy on her Nantucket-esque island this summer. He's a rich kid from across the bridge in Stony Bay, and she hails from a family of fishermen and housecleaners who keep the island's summer people happy. Gwen worries a life of cleaning houses will be her fate too, but just when it looks like she'll never escape her past—or the island—Gwen's dad gives her some shocking advice. Sparks fly and secret histories unspool as Gwen spends a gorgeous, restless summer struggling to resolve what she thought was true—about the place she lives, the people she loves, and even herself—with what really is.I enjoyed My Life Next Door....One of the things I remember most about it was the beautiful writing. And Huntley Fitzpatrick definitely brings that back with What I Thought Was True. The Characters: CASSIDY's CHARACTER! Yes, Cassidy was my favorite part of this book. He was sweet, caring, and so loving the entire book (a nice refreshing "good boy" after reading so many romances with "bad boys"). But at the same time, he does have problems throughout the book. And he isn't perfect. Gwen was a great ch...more Review: I enjoyed My Life Next Door....One of the things I remember most about it was the beautiful writing. And Huntley Fitzpatrick definitely brings that back with What I Thought Was True. The Characters: CASSIDY's CHARACTER! Yes, Cassidy was my favorite part of this book. He was sweet, caring, and so loving the entire book (a nice refreshing "good boy" after reading so many romances with "bad boys"). But at the same time, he does have problems throughout the book. And he isn't perfect. Gwen was a great character to read about, she struggles with wanting to "get off" of the island, and not wanting to "get stuck" doing her mothers cleaning service and her fathers ice cream place her entire life. All of the secondary characters are very deep (for lack of a better word). Gwen's parents are divorced, her father isn't a huge part of the book....But the part he is in he gives Gwen some very bad advice. He mother loves reading romance novels, but at the same time is trying hard to keep her family afloat.....Her grandfather is doing his fair share by fishing....And her brother is the sweetest. One of the biggest things I didn't like in this is that it sometimes gets confusing....With Gwen thinking back and then jumping back to the present. This wasn't enough for me to not like the plot, but it was a negative element. There were some other things with the plot (and characters) that I wasn't too crazy about, but the confusion is the biggest thing. This book is written in Huntley Fitzpatrick's (now) trademark beautiful writing....There are some wonderful quotes in here. The characters are done great. And I really enjoyed this. Will definitely be reading everything else by this author!

We Were Liars (Book Review)

We Were Liars
E. Lockhart

Kindle Edition, 240 pages

Published May 13th 2014 by Delacorte Press

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.




Review:
Things to know before you read this review/the book....

1. The main character has amnesia. So the narration is unreliable and confusing.
2. This book is pretty short. So if you are wondering whether to read this or not, it doesn't require a big investment of your time.
3. I guessed the end surprise really early on.
4. Even if you are not enjoying this, you will probably keep on reading it just because you want to know what the end surprise is.
5. Be aware the word I am going to use the most in this review is confusing.

The Characters:
The main character Cadence annoyed me. And her narration is extremely confusing. But I did feel sympathetic about her character.
The Plot/Writing:
The plot is (again) confusing. Half the time I didn't know what was going on, because it seemed to me that the character was sometimes in the present and sometimes looking back. And I sometimes had a hard time distinguishing which was which.
The writing in We Were Liars is very poetic....At points I actually felt like I was reading poetry.
I wasn't crazy about how the plot turned out. I think I was expecting something a little less like dramatic Pretty Little Liars and a little more suspenseful.

Altogether there was a lot of positive hype going around about this book. And I think that I was expecting something better.
It is pretty short, and I know a lot of people loved it.
I wish that there had been more to the plot.

The Impossible Knife Of Memory (Book Review)

The Impossible Knife Of Memory
Laurie Halse Anderson
Published January 7th 2014 by Viking Juvenile

For the past five years, Hayley Kincaid and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her but is hiding secrets of his own.






Review:

First of all, this is DEFINITELY NOT a happy-everything is perfect-romance story. Second of all, I haven't read a Laurie Halse Anderson book in years. So I had completely forgotten about her unique writing style. And I went into this read pretty blind.

This is so much more.

Hayley's Dad has PTSD......Which in itself make for a sincerely heartbreaking story. Hayley makes a great main character. In some ways she is just a normal girl trying to get through high school without too much drama. But in other ways she is dealing with a very hard home life, and the many people that have abandoned her over the years. Finn is another great character. He is so sweet to Hayley and for once, he is a guy character that doesn't really know anything about cars (Hayley knows from necessity more than him).
Unfortunately some parts of Hayley I also couldn't stand.

Like this-----
“Everyone is born a freak," notes Hayley. "Every newborn baby, wet and hungry and screaming, is a fresh-hatched freak who wants to have a good time and make the world a better place. . . . Most teenagers wind up in high school. And high school is where the zombification process becomes deadly.”

Which just left me thinking "wait.......what?"

Laurie has her own writing style, in the way of describing and building her characters. There are really no words that I could use to describe the way that she does it. Except that I can't remember a single book being anything like hers.
I personally have no idea how realistically Laurie has described PTSD. So I won't go into that.......But I wasn't crazy about that part. I couldn't get into it. Even though it was heartbreaking....



Overall this book is in a class all of it's own. I wish that I had liked Hayley more......I think that the idea was good. Although a bit too abstract for my taste. But stars to Laurie Halse Anderson for creating a book that didn't really remind me of anything else I have ever read (and I have read a LOT of books).

Opal (Lux #3) (Book Review)

Opal (Lux #3)
Jennifer L Armentrout

No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

Review:

I really liked Obsidian and I enjoyed the romance in Onyx.
I found Daemon to be annoying in Obsidian but he turned into a really nice gentleman in Onyx.
But unfortunately the feelings that I felt for Daemon in Obsidian returned. He morphed back into the Daemon that I had hoped was left behind long ago. I continued to feel this way until the very last pages of the book where you left us with a ginormous cliff hanger.

The plot in this one also followed her now trademark setting....
The first 1/3 or so of the book was just Daemon and Katy fighting/making up/making out/arguing/making up/making out/repeat.
The next 1/3 or so was the actual story....Which involved more of Daemon and Katy fighting/making up/making out/arguing/making up/making out/repeat. But added on a plot twist and added on some things that were important to the next section.
And lastly the ending 1/3 of the book involved more of Daemon and Katy fighting/making up/making out/arguing/making up/making out/repeat. But added on a final fight.

I enjoy the romance of Daemon and Katy....But I always wonder where Katy's Mom is in all of this. She works, but is she honestly gone that much? Overlooking that however, I find the romance to be cute and enjoyable even though Daemon returned to his trademark characteristics that were found in Obsidian.
The plot of this was good. But I would have loved to see more things about Daemons kind in the first 2/3s of the book. And I would have loved to have more fight scenes.

Altogether the cliff hanger that Jennifer left us all with at the very end was torture. And I will be picking up Origin to see what happens. I also want to see what Daemon and Katy's relationship grows into as they grow older and hopefully more mature.

 

Do you like Jennifer L Armentrout? Have you enjoyed this series yet? Or is it still stuck on your to-read list?

And We Stay (Book Review)

And We Stay
Jenny Hubbard
Source - Library
Published January 28th 2014 by Delacorte Press

When high school senior Paul Wagoner walks into his school library with a stolen gun, he threatens his girlfriend Emily Beam, then takes his own life. In the wake of the tragedy, an angry and guilt-ridden Emily is shipped off to boarding school in Amherst, Massachusetts, where she encounters a ghostly presence who shares her name. The spirit of Emily Dickinson and two quirky girls offer helping hands, but it is up to Emily to heal her own damaged self.

This inventive story, told in verse and in prose, paints the aftermath of tragedy as a landscape where there is good behind the bad, hope inside the despair, and springtime under the snow.



Review:

And We Stay is not a book for everyone. If you are like me, you should probably not read this book. But if you like poetry (Emily Dickinson in particular) then you will probably like this one.

One of my biggest problems with this book was that it is written in third person. And reading it that way left me feeling completely out of the story. I didn't feel as if I was inside the story watching these characters make their good and their bad choices.

The Plot:
I love boarding school books. I have read a lot of great ones. But this one wasn't all that great......The boarding school is not a HUGE part of the story line, and it was more of an underlining.
Emily Dickinson played a big part in this book. And I don't like poetry. (At all). There is also a little poetry between the chapters which I didn't like.

The Characters:
Again, because of the third person.....I never connected to the main character Emily Beam. Emily goes through so much in the course of the book that I would have loved to be able to connect to her more.
The other characters are written well, I enjoyed reading about Emily's roommate.

There is a huge plot twist in this book. And it makes the book even sadder.


Overall I think that this book is something that you either love or hate. It isn't bad, it just is not my thing.
If you like reading third person and poetry then you will probably love this. But I don't.
(1/5)


Do you like poetry? If you have read this book, did you like it? If you haven't, does this sound like something that you would like?

The Summer I Found You (Book Review)

The Summer I Found You
Jolene Perry
Source - E-arc from Albert Whitman Teen via Netgalley
Expected publication: March 1st 2014 by Albert Whitman Teen

All they have in common is that they're less than perfect. And all they're looking for is the perfect distraction.

Kate's dream boyfriend has just broken up with her and she's still reeling from her diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Aidan planned on being a lifer in the army and went to Afghanistan straight out of high school. Now he's a disabled young veteran struggling to embrace his new life. When Kate and Aidan find each other neither one wants to get attached. But could they be right for each other after all?



Review:

First of all I am going to let you know three things.

1. The cover doesn't really have much to do with the book.
2. Both of the characters in this book have some serious issues going on in their lives. They do have a reason to complain a little.
3. Yes Kate does complain and handle her problem worse than Aidan, even though her problem is not as big. But she is also two years younger than him, and I didn't think that her complaining was excessive.The book switches between Aidan and Kate's points of view. The switching was done well, and I enjoyed both of their takes on life.
Yes, Kate is immature with her diabetes problem. But she is in high school and having to deal with a huge life changing medical problem. Having to stick yourself with a needle and having to watch what you eat CONSTANTLY is no fun at all. Also, a while after finding out this problem. Kate's wonderful (do you sense my sarcasm?) boyfriend breaks up with her. With no warning at all. Claiming it was because of them going to different colleges in the fall. But then goes on to date a high school girl a year younger than him.

A little after the break up. Kate is introduced to her best friends cousin Aidan. There was some "love at first sight" in this book. But it wasn't a big enough issue to bug me.

Aidan's life changing problem is that he lost his dominant arm while stationed overseas in the military.
He seems to handle his problem better than Kate is handling hers, but it is also pretty obvious that Aidan is struggling.

I liked the chemistry between Aidan and Kate. I think that their romance was cute, but also heartbreaking.

Overall if you like contemporary. And if you can deal with some hard life problems with the characters. And if you can deal with a little complaining and cluelessness on Kate's part. Then I think that you will like this one.
(3.5/5)

Better Off Friends (Book Review)

Better Off Friends
Elizabeth Eulberg
Expected publication: February 25th 2014 by Point

For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way.

Eventually they realize they’re best friends — which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won’t ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can’t help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated?






Review:

This book was absolutely adorable. The story starts when Macallan and Levi are still in middle school. So this is definitely a story that younger readers can enjoy.
The book switches between Macallan and Levi's point of views......Also, at the end of ever chapter you had these adorable comments between the two of them.
Both Macallan and Levi's characters were great. Macallan wasn't a whiny character. I though that here character was sweet and realistic. She handled the different things that were thrown at her with ease, but she still didn't act too old (she is younger than the average YA character). I really liked Levi's character for most of the book. He was a pretty typical boy. Although, sometimes I think he acted a bit older than his age.

The entire story line has just the right amount of sadness and comedy. The plot and characters were(for the most part) realistic.
Not going to go into the plot too much, because it would ruin the entire story line. But I will say that I was very pleased.
I would call this one an older middle grade book. It is definitely clean enough for pre-teens to enjoy also.

Will Levi and Macallan become more than friends? Or will they just stay best friends?
You are going to have to read it to find out!

This book was great. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, innocent contemporary. Much cleaner than the average YA book of today.


**Point via Netgalley provided an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

Do you like books with best friends? Have you read this one? What did you think?

February Challenges Wrap Up

 

I only read and reviewed one book for this challenge this month...

Being Sloane Jacobs (review posted) 

 

Adding this one to the others that means that I have read and reviewed 3/15 2014 YA Contemporary's for my goal.

 

 

 

For the "Real" Book Challenge this month I did good. But not as well as January.

 

February:

17. The Offering
18. Vitro
19. Juliet's Moon
20. The Impossible Knife Of Memory
21. Dairy Queen
22. The Off Season
 23. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
24. Unremembered
25. Annie Between the States
26. You Be the Jury 

 27. Front and Center
28. Tuck Everlasting
29. Resistance
30. Forget You

Onyx (Lux #2) (Book Review)

Onyx (Lux #2)
Jennifer L Armentrout

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies...

Review:

I liked Obsidian. And starting this one I had high expectations.
It almost met them.

In the second book of the Lux series Daemon and Katy continue with their relationship and I found myself liking Daemon a lot more in this one than in Obsidian.

He was a gentleman:
"You ready?" Daemon called, holding the passenger door.

He was turning into a much nicer guy around Katy:
Daemon was changing. I was used to the sarcastic and rude Daemon. In an odd way, that version was easier to deal with. We could trade insults all day. But this Daemon... This one who wouldn't give up was kind and gentle.

But I did have some problems with Katy in this one that were non existent in Obsidian. Katy didn't seem as strong in this one. She seemed to be much more dependent on Daemon than she was in Obsidian which was one of my favorite traits of hers.
The other characters continue to be good.

For the first 1/3 or so of the plot it was purely Daemon and Katy's relationship....Which bugged me a little. But the last 2/3 of the book were fast paced and enjoyable.

Altogether I wish that this had more action and less Daemon and Katy swooning over one another. As much as I enjoy the romance and as much as I like Daemon I wish that this book had something more. Still enjoyed it though! And I would still recommend it for a romance, just not necessarily an alien story.

Do you like Jennifer L Armentrout? Did you think that this was a good sequel?

Thousand Words (Book Review)

Thousand Words
Jennifer Brown

Ashleigh's boyfriend, Kaleb, is about to leave for college, and Ashleigh is worried that he'll forget about her while he's away. So at a legendary end-of-summer pool party, Ashleigh's friends suggest she text him a picture of herself -- sans swimsuit -- to take with him. Before she can talk herself out of it, Ashleigh strides off to the bathroom, snaps a photo in the full-length mirror, and hits "send."

But when Kaleb and Ashleigh go through a bad breakup, Kaleb takes revenge by forwarding the text to his baseball team. Soon the photo has gone viral, attracting the attention of the school board, the local police, and the media. As her friends and family try to distance themselves from the scandal, Ashleigh feels completely alone -- until she meets Mack while serving her court-ordered community service. Not only does Mack offer a fresh chance at friendship, but he's the one person in town who received the text of Ashleigh's photo -- and didn't look.

Acclaimed author Jennifer Brown brings readers a gripping novel about honesty and betrayal, redemption and friendship, attraction and integrity, as Ashleigh finds that while a picture may be worth a thousand words . . . it doesn't always tell the whole story


Review:

When I started Thousand Words I had no idea that it would be such a serious story.
Thousand Words is about a girl who makes a big mistake, and pays for it in so many different ways. But this girl is also the victim. The girls name is Ashleigh. The villain is her (ex)boyfriend Kaleb.

First of all, I think that the author has a thing for common names spelled differently. Ashleigh/Kaleb.

Characters:
Ashleigh made a mistake. And the way she handles it is understandable. Through the bullying of the kids at school, to her best friends betrayal, to her going to community service. All of these things contribute to a much more mature Ashleigh by the end of the book.
Kaleb is another story. WHAT A JERK! Ashleigh made a mistake sure that's true a bad mistake. But Kaleb is what made this entire mess blow up in everyone's faces. (By the way I couldn't stand his character).
And then there is Mack. Mack is a quiet guy at Ashleigh's community service. I really liked his character, although it doesn't come up very often. And in my opinion should have been a bigger part of the story.

Plot:
One of the problems I had with the plot is it moved very quickly, barely stopping for a breath. At the very start there is a bit to much dialog, but after that it moves quickly. The way that things happened seemed realistic.
Other than that, I had some small problems with the plot but not big enough to not read it because of that.

Overall, I liked this one. I would recommend this to you if you enjoyed This Song Will Save Your Life and/or if you enjoy REALLY realistic fiction. If you can't handle a ton of serious things in a story then I would skip this one.
A (3/5) for this one.


Have you read Thousand Words? Do you like books with serious topics?

Being Sloane Jacobs (Book Review)

Being Sloane Jacobs
Lauren Morrill

Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure skater who choked during junior nationals and isn't sure she's ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she'd give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life.

Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player who's been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she's playing the worst she's ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over.

When the two Sloanes meet by chance and decide to trade places for the summer, each girl thinks she's the lucky one. But it didn't occur to Sloane E. that while avoiding sequins and axels she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It's not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you're someone else might be more difficult than being yourself.
Review:


Lauren Morrill writes such cute romances....Being Sloane Jacobs is about two girls who look a little alike. And they happen to have the same name. Which is completely unrealistic, but still makes for a really cute story.

Sloane Emily is the daughter of a senator and she is a figure skater. Sloane Devon is a hockey player.
With alternating points of view, you watch as Emily and Devon decide to switch places, with one of them going to a figure skating camp and another going to hockey camp.
Personally I liked reading Emily's point of view better. I felt as though I connected with her more. But this changed about half way through the book and I found myself connecting with both Emily and Devon. As you learn the different struggles that the two of them have had to face.

The two love interests in the story you don't see that much of. Which was extremely unfortunate, because I think that I would have liked the two of them a lot more if I had gotten to know them more.

The plot was a really cute and fun romance, with some serious things also. I never got bored with this one. It really did captivate you until the end. Lauren does a great job with immersing you into the story until you are in the very middle of it. Imagining Emily the figure skater play hockey for the first time....and imagining Devon the hockey player try to learn all of the ins and outs of figure skating.
The one problem I had with this book is I didn't get to know the other characters enough. Because this is an alternating point of view book, the focus is given to make sure that you can learn all of the aspects of Emily and Devon's life instead of learning more about the other characters.

I am so glad that I picked this one up. I really enjoyed the story and the characters were fun......In my opinion this was better than Lauren's debut Meant to Be.

 

 

Have you read any Lauren Morrill books? Have you read this one? What did you think?

Motocross Me (Book Review)

Motocross Me
Cheyanne Young


When Hana Fisher moves to the small town of Mixon, Texas to live with her dad, she dreads having to work at the boring pile of dirt he fondly calls a motocross track. But when she gets there, she finds the rinky-dink dirt bike track from her childhood has grown into the most respected racing track in the state.

Now popular by association, Hana endures the pain and sweat of working in the summer heat in order to fit in with a sport she’s growing to love. She gets a real family, a best friend and not just one, but two of the fastest racers trying to win her heart.

When Hana abuses her status as the track owner’s daughter to help the gorgeous Ryan Russo cheat in the biggest race of the year, she risks more than just losing her job. Every good thing in her life is at stake now- her friends, her dad’s trust, and Ash Carter- the kind-hearted racer who may not be as alluring as Ryan, but is proof that nice guys don’t always finish last.



Review:

I was hesitant starting this one.....It sounded cute, but I was unsure about it.

And I ended up reading it in one sitting.
The plot is a fresh take on contemporary, with Motocross being a big element. You don't read many books these days that have that as an big element, let alone an element at all.
The story follows a girl who has a fight with her Mom, so she decides to drive down to stay with her Dad, Stepmom, and their son for a while.
Her Dad owns one of the most successful and popular Motocross tracks around....When she gets there, her Dad offers her a job....Which she accepts right away. And soon finds herself thrown into the world of Motocross.
As original as the plot was, and as enjoyable it was to read...I had a big problem with the main character. Hana. Most of the book she was an annoying immature brat, who doesn't think about anyone but herself. She flirts with every guy that comes around. I think that the author meant to make her out to be unlikable at first, and Hana did get better within the last few pages of the book.
But there are two guys in this picture, one who is an arrogant jerk...and one who is a sincerely nice guy. Somehow the nice guy  (Ash) is attracted to Hana.....Even though Hana is a brat. This didn't add up to me.
And if you read the summary, the part about the cheating doesn't happen till near the end of the book and is actually not a big part of the story line.
The writing was good, good enough for me to look at what else Cheyanne Young has written.
I had a few problems with the plot and some big problems with the characters, but overall I though that this was a pretty good book. But I'll admit it, I enjoyed this twice as much because there was such a sweet guy in it. (3/5)