Review: You'd Be Mine by Erin Hahn

Title: You'd Be Mine 
Author: Erin Hahn
Expected publication: April 2nd 2019 by Wednesday Books
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I was so ready to love You'd Be Mine. So ready. Like you can't understand how pumped I was to start this book. I mean country teenaged singers falling in love while on tour? Sign me the heck up.

The story unites Annie and Clay on tour. Clay is country music's bad boy who drinks his sorrows away. Annie is the love child of country music's most tragic love story. These two were practically destined to be drawn to each other, they both are dragging a huge weight on their shoulders at a very young age, they were desperate to share the burden with someone. 

But it is also their tragic pasts that seems to get in the way and keep them apart.  

While I was 100% percent invested right away, I can honestly say I devoured the first third of the book, but I feel like the story dragged a little in the middle. And I understand, conflict is a must, and I know that; but the reasons and excuses that kept my guys apart were such BS! it made it feel like it took forever to resolve.

Thankfully, things picked back up in the last part and I was thrilled! I tell you! I glowed. The song that gives the book the title most certainly broke me and revived me. By the end I could truthfully tell you this book was worth it. Perfect for all those country music fans out there.

Review: Fame, Fate and First Kiss by Kasie West

Title: Fame, Fate and First Kiss 
Author: Kasie West
Expected publication: February 5th 2019 by HarperTeen
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Although it pains me to say it, it's been a while since I last read a Kassie West book that I throughly and truthfully enjoyed. Yes, shocking, since I consider myself a fan and have read every single book she's put out. And don't get me wrong, I still think she is one of my favorite authors, but lately I felt like maybe there was a little spunk lacking.

Thankfully the spunk was plenty in FFaFK. 

I will start with how much I loved our heroine, Lacey Barnes, who is literally the main character in both the book and the biggest (hopefully) zombie movie of the year . Lacey is an aspiring actress that just landed her first big movie role and has to fight her way to the top against people who don't believe in her, and maybe even someone who is trying to sabotage her movie role. I liked Lacey, she was sassy and funny and her quick-wit made her moves unexpected, which added to a fun ride along the story.

Along the way Lacey finds help in unexpected people, like her surprisingly friendly co-stars and her school tutor, Donavan. Honestly, Donavan's whole personality spoke to my soul, I like people who are simple and quiet, the opposite of the hero-complex. I loved this guy.

Lacey and Donavan had perfect chemistry and they were the reason this book works out so well. Sparks were flying everytime they were together. I ate it up. 

Overall I think this one won't be winning any awards soon, but it is very cute and witty and amounts to a fun time. 

Review: Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

Title: Starry Eyes 
Author: Jenn Bennett
Published April 3rd 2018 by Simon Pulse
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I found this book browsing the nominees for the Goodreads Choice Awards. Normally, the awards tend to be just a popularity contest, but with this book I have no doubt that the majority of its readers actually voted for it because they loved it.

Because I loved it too. So much. It embodies every single thing I used to love about Young Adult literature. Smart characters who grow into awesome people, fun new experiences, the drama of becoming their ownselves. I enjoyed every minute of this book and it filled me with hope that not everything is lost for Contemporary YA.

The story is about a couple of best friends who go through bad circumstances (a failed Great Experiment) and end up becoming sort of "enemies". Zorie is a young girl obsessed with planets and stars, and Lennon is a reptile lover, punk rocker, Bear Grylls-extraordinaire. I love them to bits. They both reminded me so much of myself when I was a teenager, stressed and confused but also always trying to move forward. The author got it so right.

I also appreciated how quick and intense the book was, filled with awesome scenes both in the city and the wilderness that had me on the edge of my seat. And don't even get me started on all the amazing side characters and their own nail-biting stories, like Joy's marriage  or Mac's teenaged homelessness. I thought everything added an extra depth to an already brilliant story.

I can't recommend this enough. This book is already on a straight path into my favorites. Even now writing a review about it, I can't help but smile, reminiscing how great it was. Loved it.

Review: 9 Days and 9 nights by Katie Cotugno

Title: 9 Days and 9 nights 
Author: Katie Cotugno 
Published May 1st 2018 by Balzer + Bray
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Despite all its complicated, messy, morally corrupt ways; I loved 99 Days. Maybe because of all of that. I’ve spent five years and as many times re-reading the book that I can assure you, it doesn’t get more real and human than that. I liked that it challenged me to rethink my convictions and see the other side of things. 

9 Days and 9 Nights comes five years after I first read 99 Days, and I am far from the twenty-year-old that read it back then. Much like Molly Barlow, I’ve also learned that our screw-ups are an important part of who we are, even if they are in our past.

While there was definitely less drama involved this time, I was blessedly compensated by so much growth. Like, I was so proud of every single character, Molly, Gabe (who has honestly become my favorite Donelly by a long shot), Imogen, Diana Barlow, Ian, even Sadie. I don’t think I have ever quite liked every single character, flaws and all.

I also rejoice by how expertly Katie Cotugno managed to write a book that actually teaches you something without sounding preachy. You can make bad decisions and not be a bad person. You can take control of your body and having it be your business and not a single person should convince you otherwise. You can move to the other side of the world with your boyfriend of two months and not be considered stupid. Sometimes the people we love are the ones we hurt the most, but we are allowed to ask forgiveness. 

There were also a few things I didn’t like, like how maybe Ian was thrown under the bus for a bit there, to make a (very important, I must admit) point, but I felt a little bit cheated because I’ve managed to believe he was pretty darn great. It was also a bit easy to figure out where everything was going from a mile away, still the ride was enjoyable enough to ignore it. 

I think I can say that I was not at all disappointed with this sequel that came out of nowhere for me. I didn’t expect it, I didn’t ask for it, but now that I have it, I must confess I am really glad I got it.

Review: How To Break a Boy by Laurie Devore

Title: How To Break a Boy 
Author: Laurie Devore
Published January 31st 2017 by Imprint
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My last thoughts after reading How To Break A Boy are somewhat troubled. I can't decide if I loved it or hated it, but one thing is for sure, it was all around a very interesting, very eye-opening experience.

I knew this book was going to be about some mean girls, and I thought I was prepared for it: I wasn't. This book was a whole 'nother level of nastiness. It makes Regina George seem amateour.

You know how there is a common thought that when there is a car crash or an accident people can't look away from the magnetic pull of the wreckage? Well it's never been like that for me, I can't look. That's why it was so, so hard for me to watch pretty much ALL characters on such an obvious path of self-destruction. I wanted to shake everybody. But then again, it all comes down to perspective, and who knows what I would have done in their place.

At the end of the day, I really think I honestly enjoyed the book. I thought there wasn't going to be a way to make right of the whole mess the characters got themselves into but I was surprisingly satisfied with the way things ended. And I can tell you this, no matter what, this story will have you at the edge of your seat.