Review: What's Broken Between Us by Alexis Bass

Title: What's Broken Between Us 
Author: Alexis Bass

From Goodreads:
Tragedy struck Amanda Tart’s town a year and a half ago when a sophomore girl was killed in a car accident on graduation night.
Amanda’s brother, Jonathan, was behind the wheel and too drunk to drive. He’s spent the past year in prison and has cut off all ties. But now Jonathan is coming home. Just as Amanda’s trying to figure out what that means for her family and herself, she’s paired up for a school project with Henry Crane—a former crush, and brother of Jonathan’s ex-girlfriend, who survived the crash with horrible injuries.

Everyone is still incredibly damaged by the events of that night. Can Amanda and Henry finally begin to heal what’s broken and find some peace?

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What's broken between us is a novel set in the aftermath of a tragic accident. One that will hopefully instilled in you the message of never drunk driving.
Amanda's brother Jonathan was always the popular one, the liked one, the life of the party; until he drove drunk with his girlfriend Sutton and her best friend Grace, and had an accident where Grace died.

It was really heart breaking to witness how hard everything was for Amanda. She can't grieve for the girl properly because everyone will judge her, but at the same time she can't help but be glad her brother is alive, even if he's not the same as he was before prison. And to complicate things, the feelings she used to have for Sutton's brother Henry have come barreling forward again and everything is turned into a mess of anger and sadness.

I breezed trough this novel so quickly. It was so easy to, because it was intense and gripping, I had to knew what was next. I loved the way all the feelings were so dutifully explained, it made it impossible for me not to be emotionally invested in the fate of all the characters. It was real and truthful. And the ending made perfect sense in a way that was hard to witness but easy to accept. A great read for me.

Review. The Lies About Truth by Courtney C. Stevens

Title. The Lies About Truth
Author. Courtney C. Stevens
Expected publication: November 3rd 2015 by HarperTeen
From Goodreads. 

Sadie Kingston, is a girl living in the aftermath. A year after surviving a car accident that killed her friend Trent and left her body and face scarred, she can’t move forward. The only person who seems to understand her is Trent’s brother, Max.
As Sadie begins to fall for Max, she's unsure if she is truly healed enough to be with him — even if Max is able to look at her scars and not shy away. But when the truth about the accident and subsequent events comes to light, Sadie has to decide if she can embrace the future or if she'll always be trapped in the past.

This is the story of a group of friends who fell apart after a horrible accident that killed one of them and scarred another two. Like you can expect, this is not the sunniest story out there, and that's exactly why I picked it up.

I enjoyed the book; Sadie was a good main character, her journey through accepting her new condition, her scarred face and body, it was all so sad and hard to witness. I liked that she was real, and that her feelings and actions weren't sugar coated and instead portrayed in a realistic way. Or at least the way I thought a previously healthy and beautiful teenager deals with her new scarred appearance.

Sometimes I thought the book went a bit slow. This mainly because the truth about the "secret" gets dragged for most of the book. And when it finally gets revealed I don't think it made a lot of sense. Maybe because we didn't really get to know the character who the secret was about, so I don't think I cared much.

It was a story of acceptance and forgiveness. The accident broke more than Sadie's spirits, it broke a life long friendship and a couple of romantic relationships. It wasn't the smoothest ride over all those bumps, either. At times a bit slow, at times a bit expected, all the time worth reading.

Review: All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

 

Title: All The Bright Places 

Author: Jennifer NivenPublished January 6th 2015 by Knopf ADD ON GOODREADSYA Contemporary, romance, mental illness,Summary:Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him. Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death. When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

 I knew from the start that this was a book that dealt with suicide, which isn't an strange topic in Young Adult Literature and I have had my share amount of reading about it and experiencing it in the hospital. But you know you never really know everything about it, it´s impossible. It's a whole new world behind each case, each person.

At first I wasn't very into it. I liked the main characters enough. Finch seemed all over the place and his recount of things hinted his diagnosis at me right away. But it wasn't until he really began to tell his story that I became attached to him as a character. He wasn't a diagnosis anymore, he was a person and a ticking time bomb.

I feel like I could have liked Violet a lot more. To me she was a little bland and a little too passive. I know she was having a horrible time and I cannot begin to think how I would feel if I lost my sister, but I feel like I was just sitting there witnessing everything go to sh!t and it made me feel helpless and restless.

At the end it happened. And I guess it was inevitable and we all need to learn from it. Although it wasn't my favorite book on the topic, I will applaud and support every book that tackles on mental illness, especially in our youth. I don't have any statistics on where you live but when I did my Psych rotation I´d say around 50% of the people in the ward were teenagers. It literally shredded my heart. 

Talking to them you realize they know exactly the stigma that will follow them for most of their lives after they leave the hospital. These books are doing us all a favor. The more we educate ourselves the less weight we put on the shoulders of these people. So if I could advice you to give this one a try I would, even if it's no your cup of tea, at least it would be a good learning experience. I know it will stick with me. Now I can´t think of the words The Jovian–Plutonian gravitational effect without feeling like I´d burst into tears.

Review: Truest by Jackie Lea Sommers

Title: Truest Author: Jackie Lea SommersPublished September 1st 2015 by Katherine Tegen BooksADD ON GOODREADSYA Contemporary, Romance, Mental Illness

 Truest was deep, and contradictory, and philosophical, and I don't think I have ever read a YA book with as many metaphysical dilemmas. So it´s safe to say I loved it.

I don't know what I was expecting because the summary does not share much, so I dove in practically blind. Turns out it's the story of small town girl, West, and her summer before senior year of high school, when she meets newcomers, the Hart twins.

The Hart twins are not only new to town, they are different, they are attractive and mysterious and West can't help her curiosity. She ends up befriending Silas first, and through her friendship with him she realizes something is not right with his sister, Laurel.

Laurel. She is kind of Don Quixote. Reminds me of a story in the Bible, in Acts 26, when King Festus says to Paul, "Paul, many letters turn thee to madness." Laurel read so much when she was a young kid that know she has a rare syndrome that makes it impossible to differentiate if she is living real life or a dream. And believe me, it is more dangerous and complicated than it sounds.

I really liked the whole philosophical aspect of the book. My heart swelled for Laurel and her confusion and sadness. What I didn't like was the way Silas and West's relationship started. I mean, I didn't like that West stayed with her previous boyfriend, Elliot, even when she started having feelings for Silas. I thought that was low and mean. But I did think Silas and West made a great couple, if only Elliot's feelings could have been spared it would all have been perfect.

And the saddest thing, was Whit's story. It was short, he is not in the book much but oh my, did that poor boy had it bad. I was almost in tears by the end when the unexpected thing happens and I thought it would destroy him.

So anyway. It was a well rounded, interesting story. It stepped away from the cookie cutter romance and introduced me to a world of analytical thinking.

Review. Most Likely To Succeed by Jennifer Echols

Title. Most Likely To Succeed
Author. Jennifer Echols
Published August 4th 2015 by Simon Pulse
From Goodreads. 

As vice president of Student Council, Kaye knows the importance of keeping order. Not only in school, but in her personal life. Which is why she and her boyfriend, Aidan, already have their lives mapped out: attend Columbia University together, pursue banking careers, and eventually get married. Everything Kaye has accomplished in high school—student government, cheerleading, stellar grades—has been in preparation for that future.
To his entire class, Sawyer is an irreverent bad boy. His antics on the field as school mascot and his love of partying have earned him total slacker status. But while he and Kaye appear to be opposites on every level, fate—and their friends—keep conspiring to throw them together. Perhaps the seniors see the simmering attraction Kaye and Sawyer are unwilling to acknowledge to themselves…
As the year unfolds, Kaye begins to realize her ideal life is not what she thought. And Sawyer decides it’s finally time to let down the facade and show everyone who he really is. Is a relationship between them most likely to succeed—or will it be their favorite mistake?

I'm always glad to be reading anything by Jennifer Echols. Even if this time it was bittersweet, the end of her Superlatives Trilogy. Nevertheless I composed myself enough to get trough this without slamming my head down on a hard surface and screaming 'Noooo!'.

I was really into the book from the start. After all this is about Sawyer, who we met in Biggest Flirts as Tia's Friend with Benefits. I loved Sawyer since I met him so of course I was thrilled about reading his story this time.

Turns out he liked Kaye, Student Council Vice President, Head Cheerleader and Overachiever, who would have never thought she'd end up with someone as *gasp* imperfect as Sawyer. At fist I thought she was a little bland but then I started to like her when she opened up about the struggles of being black in a society that still has a ton of misconceptions and traditions. After that I liked her a lot, even if she let her mother be so rude to Sawyer. I kinda hoped she would have tried a little harder to get her point across that Sawyer is a good kid. But you know, moms will be moms, they'd never understand.

Anyway. I loved that we got to see all our previous couples! And that we get to witness them be happy and still together and awesome. Specially Tia, I loved her and she was as wild and careless as ever, that was an extra plus.

I think I am pleased about how the book wrapped up, and the whole trilogy did too. It was fun, sweet, sexy and short. Perfect for the summer. But just like the summer, it ended. So I guess I will be moving on until the time comes when I get another Jennifer Echols book in my hands.

Review. Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Title. Saint Anything
Author. Sarah Dessen
Published May 5th 2015 by Viking Juvenile
From Goodreads.

Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?
Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.
The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans.

First of all, let me get it off my chest,

I love this title!

Before I read it I thought it was a play on words about...

But it wasn't. But the reason why it is called this is even more awesome (if possible).

Anyways.

I've missed Sarah Dessen. 

That's what I first thought as I read the first few chapters. I've forgotten how she always manages to make a story seem easy, relatable. Her main characters are always so easy to like, to root for. Saint Anything was not different.

I can't pinpoint what exactly makes her stories so magical but that's undeniable. Saint Anything trapped me. In a world where Sydney was perfect on the outside (and pretty much on the inside too, I know I would have thrown plenty of fits if I were in her place) yet very vulnerable, it made you instantly love her. 

Then came the Chathams, especially Layla and Mac, who were the most amazing, most welcoming family Dessen has ever written (possibly). I loved them and their chamadery. I loved that they had a pizzeria. I loved everything about them.

I am trying to remember if there Dessen has ever written a boy as shy as Mac. I can't remember (it's been a lot of books and a lot of boys) but I absolutely adored that Mac was the shy one for once. He grew up being overweight his whole life and now with a recent healthier body he is kind of apprehensive of people (no blame). He was absolutely perfect and adorable.

And as much this is 2015, and this is a new, different story, it still felt familiar, like seeing your childhood best friend again and realizing you missed them more than you noticed. I loved to read this, Sarah, my old pal. Thanks for forever bringing me reading pleasure, circa 2007.

Review: Dumplin by Julie Murphy

Title: Dumplin 
Author: Julie Murphy

From Goodreads:
Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.
________________________________________________


I thought I wasn't going to read anything else by Julie Murphy after I read her debut novel, then I read this book synopsis and I just knew I couldn't forgive myself if I missed it. I am so glad I got past my initial reservations because this one pretty much rocks.

Dumplin' is much more than a book about a fat girl entering a pageant. It's about all of us girls (and I'm guessing guys too) having the same insecurities. Like when you're perfectly okay with your body until you start to think what others think of it.

Murphy was eloquent and real, and she doesn't apologize for writing the truth and you and I probably have no idea how much that means for the world, especially the Young Adult world.

I'm trying to make you read it in the hopes you will find it as amazing and enlightening as I did but really, even if you just read it for the heck of it, you're in for a fun-filled day of Dolly Parton and Texas Unconventional but Every-Bit-Deserving beauty Queens.

Review: The One Thing by Marci Lyn Curtis

Title: The One Thing 
Author: Marci Lyn Curtis
Expected publication: September 8th 2015 by Disney-Hyperion
From Goodreads: 

Maggie Sanders might be blind, but she won't invite anyone to her pity party. Ever since losing her sight six months ago, Maggie's rebellious streak has taken on a life of its own, culminating with an elaborate school prank. Maggie called it genius. The judge called it illegal.
Now Maggie has a probation officer. But she isn't interested in rehabilitation, not when she's still mourning the loss of her professional-soccer dreams, and furious at her so-called friends, who lost interest in her as soon as she could no longer lead the team to victory.
Then Maggie's whole world is turned upside down. Somehow, incredibly, she can see again. But only one person: Ben, a precocious ten-year-old unlike anyone she's ever met.Ben's life isn't easy, but he doesn't see limits, only possibilities. After awhile, Maggie starts to realize that losing her sight doesn't have to mean losing everything she dreamed of. Even if what she's currently dreaming of is Mason Milton, the infuriatingly attractive lead singer of Maggie's new favorite band, who just happens to be Ben's brother.
But when she learns the real reason she can see Ben, Maggie must find the courage to face a once-unimaginable future... before she loses everything she has grown to love.

So what's your thing? The One Thing that makes you the happiest?
Mine is easy, it would be reading amazing books. And I am thrilled to inform you that this is one of them.

I had the most magical experience reading this novel. I don't even know what to say about it right now so I don't spoil it for everyone else, just that it was fabulous. I mean is not everyday you find a book that is mainly focused on the relationship between a seventeen year old blind girl and a semi-paralyzed ten year old boy. That alone makes me want to grab the book and read it again, to remind myself of how incredibly beautiful and funny and heartbreaking and uplifting it was.

To me, it is Maggie and Ben's relationship that completely made the book. They were the best pair of mismatched friends I have ever read. But that's not to say I didn't appreciate, and LOVED other aspects of the book. Like Maggie's grandpa, Gramps, who takes her granddaughter to Target and then abandons her at the Feminine Products aisle and talks to her about his swollen prostate. And Ben's mom, who welcomes strangers to her home with bear hugs and saves stray animals. And of course, Ben's brother Mason, lead singer of Maggie's favorite band, reformed bad boy and Ben's biggest cheerleader.

I loved everything about this book that even now writing this makes me want to go back and read it again. If only just for Ben, and his incredibly bright soul, his awkward question and his larger than life personality. He calls Maggie his girlfriend the first time he meets her, he was a ten in my eyes right in that moment. And Maggie, with her dark humor and sarcastic personality that doesn't hide her soft heart and her struggle to cope with her new vulnerability. She went from soccer goddess to a friendless blind kid. My heart swelled for her. That's why my favorite part was the first half, when Ben and Maggie's friendship blossoms.

The second half was harder. If only because of it deals with all the difficult issues that were swept under the rug before. Especially the twist. I found it hard to understand both Maggie and Mason's reactions after that, but I guess I wouldn't know what to make about it either.

In the end I think this was an excellent read. I haven't been so enthralled in a novel in months, and this one awoke me and shook me and practically kicked me out of my reading stupor and reminded me that YA is full of magical surprises.

Review: Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid

Title: Never Always Sometimes

Author: Adi Alsaid
 

From Goodreads:

Best friends Dave and Julia were determined to never be cliché high school kids—the ones who sit at the same lunch table every day, dissecting the drama from homeroom and plotting their campaigns for prom king and queen. They even wrote their own Never List of everything they vowed they'd never, ever do in high school.

Some of the rules have been easy to follow, like #5, never die your hair a color of the rainbow, or #7, never hook up with a teacher. But Dave has a secret: he's broken rule #8, never pine silently after someone for the entirety of high school. It's either that or break rule #10, never date your best friend. Dave has loved Julia for as long as he can remember.

Julia is beautiful, wild and impetuous. So when she suggests they do every Never on the list, Dave is happy to play along. He even dyes his hair an unfortunate shade of green. It starts as a joke, but then a funny thing happens: Dave and Julia discover that by skipping the clichés, they've actually been missing out on high school. And maybe even on love.

__________________________

It's always fun to read about best friends, don't you think? Something about it transports me to my happy place and that's where I like to be when I read.

This is actually my first time reading one of Adi Alsaid's books but he's funny on Facebook and I thought it was time to try one out.

At first I was a little bit put off by it. Something in Julia's excessively trying to be quirky and Dave's complete willingness to go along with everything she said. But then they warmed on me and I understood this odd couple better.

I ended up loving the turns the story took on. I am so glad for them too because it shows that maybe we need time and growth to realize what we really want, especially when we are seventeen.

Perfect ending. I couldn't agree more with the way things turned out. I saw it coming and I wanted it. At the end I knew it was the best for the characters I got to loved through the pages so I'm happy and glad I read this one. Don't pass it.

Review: Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway

Title: Emmy & Oliver 
Author: Robin Benway
Expected publication: June 23rd 2015 by HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary, drama
Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depo

 According to my goodreads account, I have been waiting for this novel for almost two years. Two years of anticipation that built up a lot of expectations. And to be totally honest, this novel did not disappoint.

Emmy & Oliver is about two childhood friends reunited ten years after Oliver was kidnapped by his father. If that isn't enough to catch your attention I don't know what you're doing reading this. It was an emotional roller coaster, there's no other way to describe it.

Robin did an amazing job at capturing what each of the characters went through because of this horrible experience. Which made me connect with everyone in the book and really see the reasoning behind their actions. I absolutely loved that this book doesn't tell you how to feel but instead questions your feelings. It reminds you that the world is not black or white but shades of gray.

Despite you would expect this book to be about Oliver, he is the one who was kidnapped after all, it is so much about Emmy too. Everything she went through and how that shaped who she is now. I loved Emmy, she to me was the strongest character. Apart from Maureen, Oliver's mom, who is reminiscent of Michelle Pfeiffer in The Deep End of the Ocean (this film is a jewel, you should see it ASAP) just as heartbreaking and fierce at the same time.

And I just don't think it is appropriate to continue trying to explain this book because it won't do it justice. Every YA Contemporary fan should experience this one for themselves.

Review: Between The Notes by Sharon Huss Roat

Title: Between The Notes 
Author: Sharon Huss Roat
Expected publication: June 16th 2015 by Harper Teen
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary, Drama, Music
Goodreads | Amazon | The BookDepo

There's something magical about Between the Notes. Something that transported me back to my teenage years, something every YA is supposed to do but it's actually rare nowadays. Because to be honest, I read YA all the time and I didn't know I've missed this so much until I had it again, the thrill of expecting the unexpected, the twist in the story that will make you go 'woah'.

I loved it. I loved this despite of the love triangle. In fact I think I loved it because of the love triangle.

Ivy's family is going through a difficult financial situation. She is been wealthy all of her life but now she's forced to relocate to a modest setting where she has to learn the real value of money, and truth, and friendship and of course, love.

People, Ivy Emerson is likable. Even if she starts off as a snob, you just can't help to like her. And her internal growth throughout the book is off the charts. I enjoyed every step of the way. And let's not even get started on the rest of the  characters, who were all amazing, from Ivy's parents to Kaya and Brady, her little brother and sister, the loyal friends Reesa and Molly, and let's not forget the love interests, James Wickerton with his romantic notes and drawings, and Tim Riggins, I mean Lennie Heart-Of-Gold Lazarski.

I cannot say enough good things about this novel. So I'll settle for: read this! the message behind it alone makes it worth it, but the spectacular way it's written will make you stay for the rest.

Review: Things We Know By Heart by Jessi Kirby

Title: Things We Know By Heart 
Author: Jessi Kirby
Expected publication: April 21st 2015 by HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary, Drama
Goodreads | Amazon | The BookDepo

When I started Things We Know By Heart I wasn't sure of it. I mean I am never really fond of stories that start off with flash backs of a story that is no longer the focus. I mean I get that Quinn was depressed, her boyfriend died, but it was hard to imagine some teenage love that would spark more than four hundred days of a deep depression.

But I read on. I read and then Quinn was making bad choices that were taking her to some good ones. And the book suddenly became a new love story, a second chance story, for both Colton and Quinn, and things started looking up.

I really think this is my favorite Morgan book so far. The second half was a pleasure to read, and it went faster than I expected. It was thrilling and romantic and beautiful. And I thought it ended perfectly. Wrapping the book up in the story I wanted it to be from the beginning.

I really liked that it approached both sides of a transplant, donnor and receiver, and how both stories were blended. And although it was a very cute story, and very well written, I just don't think, at least to me, it is not that memorable, or one of those stories that just take your breath away. It was just another story to add to the pile of good contemporary novels out there.

Review: 99 Days by Katie Cotugno

Title: 99 Days 
Author: Katie Cotugno
Expected publication: April 21st 2015 by Balzer + Bray
YA Contemporary
Goodreads | Amazon

This book is so bad. So, so bad, but so good. So good you need to buy it as soon as humanly possible or else the world will spin off its axis and we will all die. That's how good it is.

You know how sometimes you are caught off guard by a book you expected nothing of? I love contemporary, I always will but this book's plot is a love triangle and I hate love triangles, hate them. So it was contradictory, I never ever thought I'd like it.

But this novel is everything. Everything I missed and everything I craved without knowing it. Every sentence was a pleasure. It was heartbreaking and gut wrenching and it was impossible not to be swept away by the beauty of the writing, the the realness of the story, the very, very flawed characters.

And the most amazing thing was this: Yes there is a huge, emotionally draining and deliciously heartbreaking love triangle but still, the two guys, Gabe and Patrick Donelly, they are both real. They are wrong and bad and real, and still somehow perfect.

But the excellence, the brilliant thing about this love triangle comes from Katie, who lets you choose. She doesn't resort to make one better than the other, she lets you chose. She lets Molly choose.

Molly who was impossible to hate and easy to relate. Molly who you had to cheer on and love. If there is one character who takes the prize on personal' growth and avoidance of mental instability. Even if I didn't approve or agree with her actions, I understood and loved her and her flaws.

The end, I have to admit, was a bit of a disappointment. Mainly because there is so much building up to a final climax but the when we get there it just kind of ends. But I guess it fits the story, and the lesson is learned.

All in all, a gorgeous story that will take you in a roller coaster of emotions.

Review: Solitaire by Alice Oseman

Title: Solitaire
Author: Alice Oseman
Expected publication: March 30th 2015 by HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Goodreads | Amazon | The BookDepo

Everything about this book screamed familiar to me. Not because I've read this before but because I wanted to. I've been waiting for it.

And it was so exciting. From the start I knew I'd love this because the story is set in some charming British school, which is always code for a good time. There's also Victoria Spring, who was an amazing main character. What really set her apart is how troubled she was, yet it was so realistically portrayed, just like you would see it in real life, very subtle, very quietly destructive. To see her struggle was both heartbreaking and eye-opening.

And if our main girl is not your typical YA heroine, our main guy couldn't be cookie-cutter either. There's Michael Holden, who is probably one of the most memorable characters I've ever read. So happy and eccentric on the outside, so broken on the inside. I loved Michael with all my might and my heart suffered for him so much. He was a bright side and a dark side, and I cannot imagine how any story could survive without someone like him.

The whole game of Solitaire was a very cool part too. I really enjoyed creating my theories and trying to figure out the reasoning behind it all. And although it kind of should be the main focus of the story, the thing I liked the most was getting to know the characters, the interactions between them all, and the family dynamics. I wish I could hug everyone. Victoria's friends, her brother, her brother's boyfriend, they all were a great example of how to make the reader care.

I can say enough good things about the story but it will take me a long time so I'll save you the trouble. Just give this one a chance.

Review: My Best Everything by Sarah Tomp

Title: My Best Everything 
Author: Sarah Tomp
Young Adult Contemporary
Published March 3rd 2015 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository
________________________________________________

 

Unexpected. Brilliant. There are quite a few adjectives that come to mind after reading 'My Best Everything' but I don't plan on writing them all and use all my space. Instead I want to tell you how amazing this story will make you feel.

Lulu's idea of selling moonshine to furnish her way to college. She is a smart girl in a small town; we've seen it before, right? Not like this. Never like this. Because Lulu is about to find out she is smart, but not in the way she always thought.

So she enlists the help of her best friend Roni and her boyfriend Bucky, who she has known all her life, and of course the mysterious, older bad boy Mason. And it all goes downhill from here (or uphill, depending on how you see it) because you can't predict the future, just like you can't predict if moonshine is going to turn out to be poison. It's a ride.

I loved this book. So much heart, so poetic and emotional. But funny and charming, too. A thrill ride.

I can't tell you enough good things about this book. Suddenly I couldn't handle all the feels and I was back to that place I love about YA. If I were you I wouldn't worry of where I am going right now, as long as I have this book with me.

Review: I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

Title: I'll Meet You There
Author: Heather Demetrios
Published February 3rd 2015 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary, Drama
Goodreads|Amazon|The Book Depo
  

It is my first time Reading anything by Heather Demetrios but after it I'm sure it won't be the last. I'll Meet You There was much more than the light summer romance I was expecting. It carried a powerful message about the terrible struggle of a life post war. A story about a troubled girl and a wounded Young soldier.

I can go on about how much I loved the characters. About how captivating everything was. How the story grabbed you and didn't let you go. But I'd be missing the point I want to make. About how it is so important to acknowledge what is happening out there with all these young soldiers and how coming home alive is not the hardest part.

Really my heart ached along Skylar and Josh. And Marge. And everything this book stands for. It was a wonderful change of pace in the midst of cookie-cutter "conventional" love stories. Truly recommended to those of us who need a little reality check about how life is not the easiest for most of our young adults.

Review: No Place to Fall by Jaye Robin Brown

Title: No Place to Fall
Author: Jaye Robin Brown
Published December 9th 2014 by Harper Teen
YA Contemporary
Goodreads | Amazon

 No Place To Fall is a fresh take on contemporary young adult, it sets itself apart because it is not afraid of being so uncool it actually becomes cool. I am talking about a novel where hiking, banjos and overalls are the main essence; and it still will make you go whoa I think I can relate.

At first I thought I didn't like the book because I just couldn't figure Amber out, but then I understood: if she can't figure herself out then I probably won't either. That's how I opened my mind and started to get into it. Yes Amber is weird, different and completely lost. She has no idea about anything and I really thought she had no backbone either.

You'd have to read to see what I mean, to discover what happens. All I can tell you is that at the end, I liked this. It took time but it really got me to a place where I wanted to know how everything turned out, and even if I saw it coming, it was still satisfying to witness the ride it took our characters to grow and change.

Review: Beware The Wild by Natalie C. Parker

Title: Beware The Wild 
Author: Natalie C. Parker
Published October 21st 2014 by HarperTeen
YA Paranormal
Goodreads | Amazon

 It was a pleasant surprise to crack this book open and discover one of the best paranormal stories I’ve read this year. The plot-summary was enough to grab my attention, but I never expected this kind of emotional pull.

I liked that the story revolved, most of all, in the relationship between siblings. I really enjoyed reading how much Sterling and her brother Phin cared for each other, it was impossible not to feel a strong pull at your heartstrings every time one of their stories surfaced. I loved Sterling, she was such a strong heroine but fragile enough to be realistic, I loved to see her mature throughout the course of the book.

The whole swamp aspect was mind blowing. I love swamps, my brother and I are obsessed with the wildlife of the Everglades so it hit close to home to see the swamp so vividly come to life before my eyes. Especially having that connection between siblings too. All the extra points go to the autor for creating such a vivid setting. It's exactly like you were there. The stories about the swamp were haunting and creepy and you couldn’t help but be absolutely immersed within the folklore of it all.

Absolutely hit it out of the park. A story like I haven't read before. Completely unputdownable!

Waiting On Wednesday: The Revenge Playbook by Rachael Allen

WoW is weekly meme created by Jill at Breaking The Spine in which bloggers can share books they're excited to get soon :)


The Revenge Playbook  by Rachael Allen

Don’t get mad, get even! In this poignant and hilarious novel, Rachael Allen brilliantly explores the nuances of high school hierarchies, the traumas sustained on the path to finding true love, and the joy of discovering a friend where you least expect.

In the small town of Ranburne, high school football rules and the players are treated like kings. How they treat the girls they go to school with? That’s a completely different story. Liv, Peyton, Melanie Jane, and Ana each have their own reason for wanting to teach the team a lesson—but it’s only when circumstances bring them together that they come up with the plan to steal the one thing the boys hold sacred. All they have to do is beat them at their own game.Brimming with sharp observations and pitch-perfect teen voices, fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Mlynowski are sure to fall head-over-heels for this sharp tale—by the author of 17 First Kisses—about the unexpected roads that can lead you to finding yourself.
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Guys, I loooved Rachael's debut 17 First Kisses. And this? A book about high school football and revenge on boys? YES PLEASE.

 

Waiting On Wednesday: Between The Notes by Sharon Huss Roat

WoW is weekly meme created by Jill at Breaking The Spine in which bloggers can share books they're excited to get soon :)



Between The Notes by Sharon Huss Roat

When Ivy Emerson’s family loses their house—complete with her beloved piano—the fear of what’s to come seizes her like a bad case of stage fright. Only this isn’t one of her single, terrifying performances. It’s her life.

And it isn’t pretty.

Ivy is forced to move with her family out of their affluent neighborhood to Lakeside, also known as “the wrong side of the tracks.” Hiding the truth from her friends—and the cute new guy in school, who may have secrets of his own—seems like a good idea at first. But when a bad boy next door threatens to ruin everything, Ivy’s carefully crafted lies begin to unravel . . . and there is no way to stop them.

As things get to the breaking point, Ivy turns to her music, some unlikely new friends, and the trusting heart of her disabled little brother. She may be surprised that not everyone is who she thought they were . . . including herself.

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I am absolutelly excited about this. Music is always something I love to see featured in books. And piano is my favorite instrument. Now add a crazy setting of 'from riches to rags' and I am sold! 

Blog Tour: Review & Quotes- The Superlatives: Perfect Couple by Jennifer Echols

Series: Superlatives #2
Release date: January 13th 2015
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Purchase: Amazon

In this second book in The Superlatives trilogy from Endless Summer author Jennifer Echols, Harper and Brody think they're an unlikely match, but the senior class says they belong together.

 

As yearbook photographer, Harper is responsible for those candid moments that make high school memorable. But her own life is anything but picture perfect. Her parents' bitter divorce left her wondering what a loving relationship looks like. And ever since the senior class voted her and star quarterback Brody 'Perfect Couple That Never Was', her friends have been pushing her to ask Brody out.

 

Brody doesn't lack female admirers, but Harper can't see herself with him. He's confused about the match too. Yet they find themselves drawn together; first by curiosity about why the class paired them, then by an undeniable bond.

 

The trouble is, though they're attracted to each other, they have a hard time getting along or even communicating well. If they're the perfect couple, this shouldn't be so difficult! Soon it becomes clear their class was wrong, and they throw in the towel. But they feel so changed from making the effort, they can't forget each other. What if this match made in hell is the perfect couple after all?

REVIEW:

So we're already in the second installment of The Superlatives series by Jenn Echols! And as you know, I loved the first one: Biggest Flirts so I was very excited to start Perfect Couple. And as always, Jennifer delivered an awesome story.

It was as fun as you would expect from a story that promises an unlikely, different, "opposite" couple that then realize maybe they aren't as unlikely as it would seem. I liked Brody and Harper, they are both good kids and to me they made sense ince the beggining. I was team Harpy all the way.

I also really liked that Harper grew so much through the story. She starts off as the naive, slightly depressing friend that kinda blends into the background. But she pleasently surprised me by growing a backbone and becoming this sexbomb that exuded confidence. Although she might have taken things too far with the cheating and all that. But still, she was more likable at the end that she was at first.

And her chemistry with Brody was off the charts. I really think I can see why they were named Perfect Couple ;) every scene they were together sparks really flew.

Another awesome thing was that I got to see the characters from the previous novel (and the next one) and it just makes me moe invested in their stories. I just love to check on them and how their lives are going.

So really, if you liked the first you cannot miss the second one. Perfect for fans of fun, light stories with a touch of sexy.


And just because I am generous I will share some of my fave quotes with you:

While playing co-ed flag football on the beach:

"I don't know," I spoke up. "If you manage to get somebody's bathing suit off, I think you should gain a yard, because that would be pretty difficult and you should get a prize."
"Harper," Brody said with laughter, "you're my kind of girl. You're on my team, by the way."

One that involves Tia, who was the MC in Biggest Flirts and who I love:

The image was tiny, but I ran my eyes over hs shinning muscles and his smeared race number, and looked forward to viewing the enlarged versión on my computer.
"Watcha looking at?" Tia asked, peering over my shoulder. "Got a Pullitzer prize winner? You seem very intent even for you." [...]
I handed the camera over to her and watched her look at the camera view herself. "I feel like a pervert." I said.
"You should. That is disguting. Be sure to email me a copy."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Echols was born in Atlanta and grew up in a small town on a beautiful lake in Alabama—a setting that has inspired many of her books. She has written nine romantic novels for young adults, including the comedy MAJOR CRUSH, which won the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the drama GOING TOO FAR, which was a finalist in the RITA, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Book Buyer’s Best, and was nominated by the American Library Association as a Best Book for Young Adults. Simon & Schuster will debut her adult romance novels in 2013, with many more teen novels scheduled for the next few years. She lives in Birmingham with her husband and her son.

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