There Will Be Lies by Nick Lane

Title: There Will Be Lies
Author: Nick Lane
Length: 464 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary, Thriller, Magical Realism
Release Date: January 6, 2014
Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thank you, Bloomsbury!)
Read: December 2014-January 2015

In four hours, Shelby Jane Cooper will be struck by a car. Shortly after, she and her mother will leave the hospital and set out on a winding journey toward the Grand Canyon.All Shelby knows is that they’re running from dangers only her mother understands. And the further they travel, the more Shelby questions everything about her past—and her current reality. Forced to take advantage of the kindness of unsuspecting travelers, Shelby grapples with what’s real, what isn’t, and who she can trust . . . if anybody.Award-winning author Nick Lake proves his skills as a master storyteller in this heart-pounding new novel. This emotionally charged thrill ride leads to a shocking ending that will have readers flipping back to the beginning.

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***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

After getting hit by a car, Shelby Cooper's life changes drastically. After leaving the hospital, Shelby's mother takes her on a sudden trip. Shelby finds out that they are on the run, though she doesn't understand what or who they are running from.
Throughout the story readers are left wondering (along with Shelby) which parts of her reality are the truth and which are lies. She doesn't know who she can trust.

This book for me was okay. It was definitely different than I thought it would be.
I did not love the story, but I also did not hate it. There were parts that I liked but there were also things that frustrated me.

The thriller elements of the story really caught my attention and made me want to continue reading. The Dreaming is a very interesting concept and I really like the idea. But these parts of the story didn't grab my attention very well. As I read these parts, I kept wanting to be back to all the other things that were happening in the story.

There weren't really that many surprises that I didn't see coming, and I mostly continued to read the story to see if my guesses were correct and to see how everything would play out in the end. Though I do like that there were times while reading where I think I was just as confused by what was happening as Shelby.

There were some parts and bits of information that I think was repetitive. Which frustrated me a little bit.

I did find the characters to be pretty interesting.
And I really liked Shelby.
In fact, I think that was my favorite part of the story.
I really like the way that Shelby is written and her voice. I like that she questioned things that were happening and wanted to figure things out. And I was able to feel empathy for her and the craziness of the things happening.

I also like the way the author wrote the dialogue/conversations. I think it was very fitting to the story.

My Recommendation:

Overall, I found this story to be okay. There were parts and elements that I liked, but I also wasn't kept interested in everything that was going on.

Would I Buy/Pre-Order This Book? No. Sadly I didn't enjoy the book enough to want to buy it. I would check it out from the library if you are interested in reading it.

My Rating:

One Wish Away by Kelley Lynn

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Title: One Wish Away

Author: Kelley Lynn

Publisher: Bloomsbury Spark

Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary, Science Fiction

Release Date: November 24, 2014

Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thank you Bloomsbury Spark!)

Read: November 2014

Be careful what you wish for…Lyra has always been ahead of the curve. Top of her class in school, a budding astronomer, and with a best friend like Darren she barely has time to miss the mother who abandoned her family years ago. She's too busy planning to follow in her father's footsteps, and to become the youngest astronomer at Space Exploration and Discovery.When a star goes missing Lyra is determined to get to the bottom of it only to discover her braniac dad is the mastermind of a top-secret government experiment. They promise to build a perfect world, one galaxy at a time, but with every tweak of the present, a bit more of the future starts to crumble.Lyra has to go undercover to reveal the truth and let humanity decide if the consequences are worth more than wishing on a star. (From GoodReads)

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***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

My Rating:

This book has a very interesting and unique story idea.

Lyra is very smart and loves space and stars. Both her father and her aunt work at Space Exploration and Discovery and she wants to be like them and work there too. One day she discovers that a star has gone missing and she is determined to find out what caused it to happen. And this leads her to discover a lot more than just a missing star.

I really liked the story concept. I found all the information about stars and the constellations to be fascinating.
And the story was easy for me to read.

But other than finding the story idea interesting and liking the information about stars, I didn't really connect much with anything else.

I don't need stories (Especially Science Fiction and Fantasy) to be realistic. But I had a hard time with how easily things happened for Lyra. And how easily she was able to tell things to her best friend, Darren. I was frustrated a lot with her character.

I didn't really connect with the characters at all. I really wanted to connect with Lyra, she is smart and determined. But overall, she just frustrated me. And I wasn't really into the romance part of the story either.
The family dynamics did catch my attention and I was interested to see what would happen with their family situation after the events that happened. But it wasn't enough to make me really enjoy the story.

And the ending.

It felt really abrupt to me. There wasn't really any closure. And a mystery character was sort-of revealed. And I was expecting more to happen, then when I turned the page, I discovered that was the end. I am not really mad that I didn't get closure, but it did feel sudden.

This book just wasn't for me.

One Past Midnight by Jessica Shirvington

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Title: One Past Midnight

Author: Jessica Shirvington

Length: 352 pages

Publisher: Bloomsbury-Walker Books

Classification: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Contemporary

Release Date: July 22, 2014

Source: ARC (Thank you so much Bloomsbury!)

Name of overseas edition of Between The Lives. Above all else, though I try not to think about it, I know which life I prefer. And every night when I Cinderella myself from one life to the next a very small, but definite, piece of me dies. The hardest part is that nothing about my situation has ever changed. There is no loophole. Until now, that is...
 For as long as she can remember, Sabine has lived two lives. Every 24 hours she Shifts to her ′other′ life - a life where she is exactly the same, but absolutely everything else is different: different family, different friends, different social expectations. In one life she has a sister, in the other she does not. In one life she′s a straight-A student with the perfect boyfriend, in the other she′s considered a reckless delinquent. Nothing about her situation has ever changed, until the day when she discovers a glitch: the arm she breaks in one life is perfectly fine in the other.
 With this new knowledge, Sabine begins a series of increasingly risky experiments which bring her dangerously close to the life she′s always wanted... But just what - and who - is she really risking? (From GoodReads)

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***I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review***

My Rating:

Amazing! What a unique story! I haven't read anything quite like this one before. The idea of this book is just so fascinating! And I really like the author's writing style. 

Sabine has two lives. And it has been this way since she can remember. Every stroke of Midnight sends her to her other life. And it looks as though she is the only one in this situation. At least, she hasn't found another person quite like her. She tries to accept and understand what is happening to her. She tries to balance between these two completely different lives. Not knowing which one she really belongs in. Until something happens that changes everything. Now she has to figure out what to do with this knowledge.

I really enjoyed reading this story. It really pulled me in and made me want to find out what would happen next. 
At first I was a little worried about becoming lost and frustrated with the switching of lives. Since this happens every chapter or every couple of chapters. But it wasn't difficult or frustrating for me at all. I actually really found it interesting and it was easy for me to shift lives with Sabine. Following the storyline and the characters in each life was also easy. And I think that the storylines transitioned smoothly and at a great pace!

I think for the most part I was equally interested in both of Sabine's lives. They are so different and each one was fascinating for different reasons. 
I really like that even though this is a Science Fiction/Fantasy book, it had a Contemporary feel to it as well. I was very interested in the relationships that Sabine has with her family and friends from each of her lives. I especially love the relationship developments between the siblings, in one life Sabine has a little sister and in the other she has brothers. 
And for me, her actions and results of those actions felt pretty realistic. 
I was really able to connect with Sabine's character. I felt so bad for her because she was struggling so much with what it meant to live two different lives. She really goes through a lot. I couldn't really imagine having to go through my awkward teenage years and high school twice (and at the same time!) And I love her character development through the story. 

There were several events and plot twists that I didn't see coming. And there were a couple things that I guessed while reading, but it did not take away from my love of the story at all! In fact one of them I was pretty happy I was correct. 
This book was a roller coaster of emotions for me. And I even cried a little bit at one point. 

My Recommendation:
Read this book! I highly recommend it! I really love the story. It was entertaining and deep. The story really made me think about life. Not only did I enjoy the plot, but I really enjoyed the characters and their relationships with Sabine! 

I would definitely buy this book!

Thank you SO MUCH, Bloomsbury for allowing me to read this wonderful book!

Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

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Title: Afterworlds
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Length: 608 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary, Paranormal
Release Date: September 23, 2014
Source: e-galley via Edelweiss (Thank you Simon Pulse!)
Read: September 2014

Darcy Patel has put college and everything else on hold to publish her teen novel, Afterworlds. Arriving in New York with no apartment or friends she wonders whether she's made the right decision until she falls in with a crowd of other seasoned and fledgling writers who take her under their wings… Told in alternating chapters is Darcy's novel, a suspenseful thriller about Lizzie, a teen who slips into the 'Afterworld' to survive a terrorist attack. But the Afterworld is a place between the living and the dead and as Lizzie drifts between our world and that of the Afterworld, she discovers that many unsolved - and terrifying - stories need to be reconciled. And when a new threat resurfaces, Lizzie learns her special gifts may not be enough to protect those she loves and cares about most. (From GoodReads)

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***I received an e-galley of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*** 

My Rating:

I decided I HAD to read this book because I really loved reading Westerfeld's first three Uglies books (no, I haven't read the last one yet). And so I was really excited when I was approved via Edelweisss to read and review his newest book, Afterworlds.

This was an interesting read. It is very unique since the author combines two stories into one book!

I had a hard time getting into the story at first. In fact, I almost gave up on reading it, but decided to keep on and see if the story started to pick up for me. It wasn't because I thought the story was boring. I had a hard time because of the alternating between Darcy's life and the chapters of the book she has written. I got a bit frustrated with the alternating chapters. Don't get me wrong, I think it was a very unique way to write the book. But I would get into the storyline in the chapter and become interested in what was happening, then it would be over and onto the other part of the story. I like that each chapter left me wanting more. But at first this back and forth really frustrated me.

But about half-way in, I started to be more interested in both sides of the book. And the back and forth didn't bother me as much anymore.

Darcy's Life:
I really enjoyed reading about the life of a young writer and how crazy it can be. I think it is a good insight into a writer's life. The difficulties and frustrations that an author can face, but also the happiness and the wonderful feeling of being published can bring.
I think what I liked most about Darcy's life is her relationships with others.
I really love her relationship with her sister. It feels real to me and I enjoyed the sibling banter between the two. But at the same time, you can tell that they really care about one another. I also liked the parts with her parents and her friends from high school. I liked how she found a way to balance her new life with her old life.
And I especially liked the relationship between her and Imogene. I like that it has the ups and downs and cuteness of a first relationship. It was easy to connect with those feelings of the characters. And I wanted to know what would happen.

The "Afterworlds" Story:
This is the story that Darcy wrote in one month. The first chapter is amazing. It really pulled me in and grabbed my attention with ease. I felt my heart beating and wanting to know what would happen to the main character, Lizzie.
Overall, I liked this storyline.
I found it to be fascinating and unique.
I liked the characters and relationships in this plot also.
Both Lizzie and her mother have been through so much. And I enjoyed watching them bond. And I think that Lizzie's character had a lot of development and growth throughout the story.

My Recommendation:
I am glad that I decided to not give up reading this book. I don't regret reading it at all. I was able to enjoy both of the storylines and found the story to be entertaining. But it is not a story that I plan to reread in the future. I do think that readers will enjoy reading this story. So I say, give it a read.

My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories edited by Stephanie Perkins

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Title: My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

Authors: Holly Black, Ally Carter, Matt De La Pena, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Myra McEntire, Stephanie Perkins, Rainbow Rowell, Laini Taylor and Kiersten White

Length: 320 pages

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Classification: Young Adult, Short Stories, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic, Christmas

Release Date: October 14, 2014

Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thanks St. Martin's Press!)

Read: October 2014

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If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME: TWELVE HOLIDAY STORIES by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins. (From GoodReads)

***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

My Rating:

I really have not read that many books that are short story collections, so I wasn't sure how much I was going to enjoy this book. But there were several authors that I either like or have heard of (out of the twelve authors, I have only read books by four of them, but I had heard of five of the other authors) and I enjoy the holidays, so I thought it would be a good book to read. 

And I am really glad that I decided to give it a read. This book is full of cute, heartwarming, lovely holiday stories. I really like that these twelve stories have diversity. There are different ethnicities, holiday traditions/beliefs/celebrations, and different kinds of relationships. 

One thing I did notice while reading these stories, is that it felt (at least to me) that most of the stories have broken family homes. Single parents, stepparents, adoptive parents, dead parents. It felt like there were very few families where the parents were still together. It doesn't really bother me, I don't feel like it took away from me enjoying the stories, it is just something that I did take note of while reading.

Overall, I really enjoyed the stories in this collection. There are some stories that I enjoyed A LOT more than others. But I think that on some level, I was able to entertainment in each of the stories. 

1. Midnights by Rainbow Rowell
I LOVE this story. Very much. It was just so cute and adorable. I love the flashbacks to the other New Year's Eves. I love that it takes place during New Year's Eve. And even though it is a short story, I was able to connect to these characters instantly. I love them. And I really wished that their story did not have to end. I was left wanting more, but also satisfied with the story. I adore Rainbow Rowell's writing and this holiday story did not disappoint me at all. 

2. The Lady And The Fox by Kelly Link
This story I did not like as much as the others. I found it to be a little weird. But there were parts of it that kept me wanting to know more. I was intrigued by the guy that Miranda sees and wondered why he was so mysterious. But the ending left me confused. 

3. Angels In The Snow by Matt De La Pena
Overall, I found this story to be cute. A young man is cat and apartment sitting when he encounters the girl upstairs. I like the dialogue between the two characters and was very interested in the conversations and encounters that they would have. I also like that it is told from the male point of view. 

4. Polaris Is Where You'll Find Me by Jenny Han
I enjoyed this story. I love Jenny Han's writing and enjoyed the fantasy element of the story. The main character is a human girl that lives in the North Pole with Santa and the elves. I liked the characters and was interested in Natty and her story. But I feel like the ending was open-ended. I wanted more and wanted to know what was going to happen next.

5. It's A Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins
I LOVE this story too! Stephanie Perkins does an amazing job creating characters that I care about instantly. This story is full of cuteness and heart. I loved getting to know the characters and watching them get to know each other. And I absolutely loved the chemistry and banter between them. So adorable. Definitely one of my favorites of all the stories!

6. Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan
This story felt really short to me. I really found what the main character does for his boyfriend's family to be really sweet. This story is full of love and is thoughtful. It brought a smile to my face.

7. Krampuslauf  by Holly Black
This story was different. I enjoyed reading the story, but I didn't fall in love with it. I didn't really feel a connection with the characters or what they were doing. I was more interested in the fantasy aspect of the story and the traditions. The story did grab my attention more at the end.

8. What The Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth? by Gayle Forman
I liked this story. I enjoyed the characters and their interactions. Overall, I think that it is a sweet story. And I really like that it felt realistic. Especially when it comes to Sophie and her "What the hell have you done" moments. I felt like I was able to relate with this.

9. Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus by Myra McEntire
This story was alright. I was entertained by what was happening and the decisions that the main character made. I like that it is also told from a male point of view. And I liked that this story showed some hope and redemption. It was entertaining and I like the characters.

10. Welcome to Christmas, CA by Kiersten White
I love this story. I really enjoyed these characters. Maria is just living her life waiting for the day that she can leave where she is living. She works in a diner that her mother manages after school. And she seems pretty unhappy. Then things change close to Christmas time. The diner gets a new young cook named Ben. I really love the banter between Maria and Ben. And watching their relationship develop was a lot of fun. I also really like that we get to see relationship development between Maria and her mother. I found this story to be really cute and sweet. With characters that I came to love.

11. Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter
This was a fun story to read. I feel like the story kept me on my toes. I kept trying to guess about what the main character was running away from and her secret. I really love the family element of this story. And the small glimpses of a different holiday culture.

12. The Girl Who Woke The Dreamer by Laini Taylor
I found this story to be really interesting. It is set in a different place and time. I found the storyline to be fascinating and different (in a good way). I was not expecting the ending. But I was left happy and with a smile on my face at the end of this story.

My Recommendation:
If you enjoy reading short stories and love books to get you in the holiday spirit, then I definitely recommend reading this book of holiday short stories. There were a few stories that I absolutely love and several others that I really enjoyed reading. These short stories are diverse and full of love and cuteness. I do not regret reading them and will probably re-read some of them during the holidays.

Althea & Oliver by Cristina Moracho

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Title: Althea & Oliver

Author: Cristina Moracho

Length: 384 pages

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Friendship

Release Date: October 9, 2014

Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thank you so much, Penguin Young Readers and Viking Juvenile!)

Read: September 2014

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What if you live for the moment when life goes off the rails—and then one day there’s no one left to help you get it back on track? Althea Carter and Oliver McKinley have been best friends since they were six; she’s the fist-fighting instigator to his peacemaker, the artist whose vision balances his scientific bent. Now, as their junior year of high school comes to a close, Althea has begun to want something more than just best-friendship. Oliver, for his part, simply wants life to go back to normal, but when he wakes up one morning with no memory of the past three weeks, he can’t deny any longer that something is seriously wrong with him. And then Althea makes the worst bad decision ever, and her relationship with Oliver is shattered. He leaves town for a clinical study in New York, resolving to repair whatever is broken in his brain, while she gets into her battered Camry and drives up the coast after him, determined to make up for what she’s done. Their journey will take them from the rooftops, keg parties, and all-ages shows of their North Carolina hometown to the pool halls, punk houses, and hospitals of New York City before they once more stand together and face their chances. Set in the DIY, mix tape, and zine culture of the mid-1990s, Cristina Moracho’s whip-smart debut is an achingly real story about identity, illness, and love—and why bad decisions sometimes feel so good. (From GoodReads)

***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***


My Rating:

Pretty interesting story. This book grabbed my attention from the very beginning and didn't let go. I had a very hard time putting the book down.
This book concentrates on Althea and Oliver. They have been Best Friends for the past ten years. It is one of those friendships that consumes you. They are pretty much inseparable.
Until Oliver discovers he has KLS (Kleine-Levin Syndrome) a rare sleep disorder which causes him to fall asleep for large chunks of time.

KLS takes a toll on both Oliver and Althea and they are left to deal with and come to terms with everything that is happening.

Althea takes it really hard and struggles with the fact that whatever is causing Oliver to sleep for so long, takes away her best friend for weeks at a time. And poor Oliver has to wake up and deal with the fact that live has been continuing on without him while he has been out.

I like that the story isn't all sugar-coated and sweet. It includes the hard stuff. Mistakes and things that you might wish you could take back, but can't. It really makes the whole story feel realistic.

These are raw, realistic characters that aren't always liked by the reader. For me, what made this book so moving was the characters themselves. They are so well written and developed.

There are things that Althea does that I don't agree with and sometimes I didn't really understand why she decided to do the things she did. But I did find her to be a very well-written character. Sometimes, I thought she could come off as being a bit selfish, but I also can't imagine the strain that is placed on her due to watching what is happening to her best friend and not being able to do anything to help him or make it better. Also, dealing with the fact that she does not know when he will wake up again. For the past ten years, her life has been in orbit with his, they did everything together and he was pretty much her only friend. There were plenty of times during this story, I wanted to be able to hug her and tell her that everything will be okay. We all make bad decisions in the moment, don't always think clearly. Which really made this book and this character feel so realistic.

Oliver is a great character. I really feel for him throughout the book. He has to deal with so much and has a hard time accepting his syndrome. While I read the story, I wished that there was something I could do to make things better for him. I think he is a great character that readers will be able to connect with. I like the development of his character. I especially like when he starts to put himself first and wants to figure things out. He is a nice guy in a hard situation, and I like that he is able to not let it bring him completely down.

I like a lot of the other characters too. Oliver has some interesting friends that Althea gets to know better. And I like the group of friends that she makes when she goes to New York.

My Recommendation:
I really enjoyed reading this story. It is quick paced and interesting. It is bittersweet and realistic. I recommend giving it a read.

Love And Other Unknown Variables by Shannon Lee Alexander

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Title: Love And Other Unknown Variables

Author: Shannon Lee Alexander

Length: 350 pages

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Friendship

Release Date: October 7, 2014

Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thank you Entangled Teen!)

Read: September 2014

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Charlie Hanson has a clear vision of his future. A senior at Brighton School of Mathematics and Science, he knows he’ll graduate, go to MIT, and inevitably discover solutions to the universe’s greatest unanswered questions. He’s that smart. But Charlie’s future blurs the moment he reaches out to touch the tattoo on a beautiful girl’s neck.
The future has never seemed very kind to Charlotte Finch, so she’s counting on the present. She’s not impressed by the strange boy at the donut shop—until she learns he’s a student at Brighton where her sister has just taken a job as the English teacher. With her encouragement, Charlie orchestrates the most effective prank campaign in Brighton history. But, in doing so, he puts his own future in jeopardy.
By the time he learns she's ill—and that the pranks were a way to distract Ms. Finch from Charlotte’s illness—Charlotte’s gravitational pull is too great to overcome. Soon he must choose between the familiar formulas he’s always relied on or the girl he’s falling for (at far more than 32 feet per second squared). (From GoodReads)

***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

My Rating:

I just want to share: I LOVE the cover of this book. So simple yet amazing. I especially love the math symbols. Perfect.

A beautifully moving story about love, friendship, and hope.

Charlie is a Math geek. Pretty much everything he views in the world he can make the mathematical/scientific connection. (Which I found fascinating!) He has his future planned out before him and knows what he wants. Then he meets Charlotte, and things start to change.

I love this book! I really enjoyed reading it. I think that is was a fast read, because the story really grabbed my attention. I had so many emotions while reading this book! I loved all the references in this book too, especially all the comic book characters.

I think there is a wonderful combination of love/romance and friendship in the story. And the story felt realistic to me.

I think that not only is the story well developed, but I think the characters are absolutely wonderful!

Charlie has always struggled with trying to talk to girls. And the day he meets Charlotte is no different. I found it a tiny bit weird that he reaches out to touch the girl's tattoo on the back of her neck, but I feel that it also adds to his awkwardness around girls. At first, I felt like Charlie can be a bit of a jerk to those around him, mean to his sister (which is a pretty realistic sibling relationship) and a bit to his two friends, Greta and James. But I really loved watching his character develop throughout the story. And I came to really love his relationships with others in his life. Not just Charlotte, his friends and family. But the relationship created with Mrs. Dunwitty and Ms. Finch. And I love that these relationships help him see a different side to life and the world.

Charlotte is an amazing character! I really love her. She has so much hope and I love that she stands up for it. She has pretty much accepted her future. She wants to live life to the fullest and look at the beauty in everything. She is very artistic. She doesn't take crap from people. She felt very real to me and I became very attached to her character. She can be stubborn and frustrating at times, but also very sweet and caring. And I love that she is the opposite of Charlie.

Becca is Charlie's sister and she is quiet and sweet. She keeps to herself a lot. She likes to read, which I love. But her future changes in this story too, because she makes a friend. I did love seeing her sibling relationship develop more through out the book. And think that Becca's character is a great addition to the story.

I love Greta and James. Not only do I love their relationship. I love their friendship with Charlie. They are wonderful friends. They get into shenanigans together. They are always there for each other and they fight. Greta cares so much for Charlie as a friend and I love that she is there to help him. And James is just wonderful. He is not only a great friend to Charlie, but he is a great boyfriend to Greta.

I also like that Charlie and Becca's parents are present but not really overbearing in the story.

I love all the parts of the story that have Mrs. Dunwitty. They are funny. And like I said before I really love the relationship that develops between her and Charlie.

Also, Ms. Finch. I really love her. And felt for her. She is the new English teacher at Charlie's school and is subject to so many pranks. She has a lot of patience. And I love how things progress through her interactions with Charlie.
The pranks were entertaining and remind me a bit of high school. I was in the advanced program at my school and I had the same classes with the same advanced classmates for the entire four years. In fact, if I hadn't been in band as well, I probably wouldn't have known very many people outside of the advanced program. We didn't play pranks on our teachers everyday. But there was Senior Prank day and the Seniors always went all out to prank all the teachers. And these pranks reminded me of those days.

My Recommendation:

This story made me laugh. It brought tears to my eyes. And it gave me hope. I not only enjoyed the story, but it had characters that I love! I highly recommend reading it.

Great by Sara Benincasa

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Title: Great

Author: Sara Benincasa

Length: 263 pages

Publisher: HarperTeen

Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary, Retelling, 

Release Date: April 8, 2014

Source: Hardback (I won a copy of this book from Cuddlebuggery's Little Blogger, Big Ambitions project and Coranne @ The Best Books Ever. Thank you so much!)

Read: September 2014

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In Sara Benincasa's contemporary retelling of The Great Gatsby, a teenage girl becomes entangled in the drama of a Hamptons social circle, only to be implicated in a tragedy that shakes the summer community. Everyone loves a good scandal. Naomi Rye usually dreads spending the summer with her socialite mother in East Hampton. This year is no different. She sticks out like a sore thumb among the teenagers who have been summering (a verb only the very rich use) together for years. But Naomi finds herself captivated by her mysterious next-door neighbor, Jacinta. Jacinta has her own reason for drawing close to Naomi-to meet the beautiful and untouchable Delilah Fairweather. But Jacinta's carefully constructed world is hiding something huge, a secret that could undo everything. And Naomi must decide how far she is willing to be pulled into this web of lies and deception before she is unable to escape. Based on a beloved classic and steeped in Sara Benincasa's darkly comic voice, Great has all the drama, glitz, and romance with a terrific modern (and scandalous) twist to enthrall readers. (From GoodReads)

**I won a copy of this book from Cuddlebuggery's Little Blogger, Big Ambitions project. This does not change the way I view this book**

My Rating:

Some information before the review:

I have not read The Great Gatsby yet, I have been meaning to but keep putting it off.
So my knowledge of Gatsby comes from the newer version of the movie with Leonardo Dicaprio.

I have taken my time to write up a review because I am not completely sure how I feel about this story.

On on hand, I feel like it was an interesting, modernized version of The Great Gatsby that I am a little familiar with.
I was very easily able to make the connections for whom each character is. And I knew when the big events were going to happen. So even though I sorta knew what was happening, I also didn't exactly. I feel like there were enough changes and modernization to give this a twist on an old story. Which makes it a pretty good Retelling.

This retelling focuses on the life of Naomi. Her parents are divorced and she lives with her father for most of the year. But every summer she travels to the Hamptons to stay with her mother. Naomi usually hates it there, but this summer is different. She gets pulled into the glamorous world of the Hamptons. Becoming friends with people that she didn't think she could ever like or be friends with.

I really liked that the story kept my attention and left me wanting to read more. I found it to be pretty well paced and I read it quickly. And it reminded me a bit of Gossip Girl. I did like that even though I generally knew the outcome of events in the story, I still had hope that things would end differently.

But, I had a hard time really connecting with the characters. I disliked so many of them.

Naomi: I flipped between finding her character okay and being really annoyed with her. I do like that Naomi tries to be a good friend to Jacinta. She stands up for her and defends her a lot.
But the biggest problem that I had with Naomi was that I felt like she wasn't that good of a friend to Skags. I didn't really like some of the comments that Naomi says to Skags about her being gay. Maybe I have looked at these comments the wrong way, maybe it is in a joking nature...but to me it felt like at times she doesn't really like that Skags is gay.

Delilah: At first she seems like she is going to be a very likable person. But as the story progressed, I became frustrated. She put up with a lot of crap from her boyfriend, Teddy and didn't really do anything about it. I feel like she never stood up for herself and let others make her decisions.

Jacinta: Out of all the characters in the story, I think I like her the most. She was interesting and a some backstory and a lot of secrets. I like that she is a fashion blogger. But it was a little weird the way she was completely obsessed with Delilah. I know it is supposed to be attraction and feelings, but I just didn't feel like there was much of a relationship there between them. I have no issue with lesbian relationships, but in this story, I just felt like it was more of an obsession than a relationship.

Teddy: I really don't like him. But I think that is really the point, since he is a jerk. I think his character is well written to the point that I really dislike him.

Jeff: I didn't really like him much either. I thought he was a jerk a lot. Other than his relationship with Naomi, I didn't really care much about his character while reading.

Skags: She is Naomi's lesbian best friend back home. I felt like Skags had a very small part in the story. Especially since the only time she is there is when Naomi is calling her to complain about something. And how many times are we reminded during the course of the story that she is a lesbian? It felt like it was there any time she was mentioned.

So overlooking some of the issues I had with the retelling, I was able to read it and enjoy it a bit. It is not a book that I think I will ever re-read. But I don't feel like I completely wasted my time either. I am sad that I didn't enjoy the book more.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

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 Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door
(Anna and the French Kiss #2)
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Length: 338 pages
Publisher: Dutton Books/Speak
Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Release Date: July 2013 (reprint)
Source: Paperback
Read: August 2014

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 negihborhood. 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. (From GoodReads)

***This is part of a series. There will be spoilers of things that happened in the other book(s) so if you haven't read it and don't want to know things that happened, please stop reading now.***

My Rating:

Stephanie Perkins is amazing.
I really enjoyed reading Anna and the French Kiss so I wasn't sure if I would love Lola and the Boy Next Door as much as the first.
I don't know why I thought that. This book was awesome!

The Story:

It is a wonderful second book!
Fun. Cute. Entertaining.
I think I liked this story more than the first book.
Perkins does an incredible job creating a new story with new characters while including visits from the two main characters in the first book. (For some reason I figured they wouldn't make an appearance in this book.)
I really enjoyed this story. I don't know why, but I am a sucker for books that have either a boy-next-door/girl-next-door romance or the romantic interests have a childhood past together.
I also love all the music mentioned in this story. The Ramones, The Clash, etc. I felt like my heart was going to burst with happiness.
I've never been to San Francisco, but the book makes me wish that I could visit there someday.
The story kept me wanting more. It was hard for me to put the book down. And I was anxious for the scenes that include Cricket (because I love him.)
Well written and very entertaining.

The Characters:

I love these characters!

Lola is very unique and special. I love that she dresses up in costume a lot. (Sounds really neat.) She is pretty much my opposite currently (I am not big into fashion: clothes, accessories, etc.) But I remember when I was in college I had my own unique way of dressing (no where near as unique as Lola though!) I also like that she has challenges that she has to face and overcome. She is dealing with some family issues as well as the issue of a past love coming back into her life. I was really able to care and relate to the character.

Cricket. I am in love. He is so sweet and caring. A bit shy and very adorable. He is awesome. He has his own things that he is dealing with. I love that he is an inventor, it is really cool. He is just simply wonderful.

All the other characters are also well-written and interesting.
Lindsey is a great friend to Lola and I enjoy their friendship.
Lola's dads, Andy and Nathan, are great. I love that they are protective (probably because I am a very protective parent and I could see myself being like them, maybe not as drastic, but like them). I love that they love Lola very much and that they are present in the story.
Cricket's twin sister Calliope was also well-developed. She has her own life and challenges. And there are times that I don't like what she does very much, but I feel like I had an understanding of her and liked her too.

And of course I love that Anna and Etienne made appearances in this story. I loved seeing a little more of their relationship as well as their friendship with Lola.

My Recommendation:

If you like romances that involve a boy/girl next door type, then I highly recommend this book. Also if you like an interesting and a bit eccentric main character. Or if you are looking for a new AMAZING book boyfriend to swoon over, you should give this book a read!

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

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Title: Anna and the French Kiss 
(Anna and the French Kiss #1)
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Length: 372 pages
Publisher: Dutton Books/Speak
Classification: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Release Date: August 4, 2011
(reprint)
Source: Paperback

GoodReads

Can Anna find love in the City of Light?
Anna is happy in Atlanta. She has a loyal best friend and a crush on her coworker at the movie theater, who is just starting to return her affection. So she's less than thrilled when her father decides to send her to a boarding school in Paris for her senior year. But despite not speaking a word of French, Anna meets some cool new people, including the handsome Étienne St. Clair, who quickly becomes her best friend. Unfortunately, he's taken —and Anna might be, too. Will a year of romantic near misses end with the French kiss she's waiting for? (From GoodReads)

 My Rating:

I had been wanting to read this book for a while, but I kept putting it off. Then I found that a group of bloggers decided to have a readalong in anticipation for the third book in the series to be released. So I gladly signed up and joined the readalong #IslaIsComing.

I can't believe I kept waiting to read this book! I loved it.

The Story:

Such an adorable story! I absolutely love it.
I read this book in pretty much 2 days. I would have finished it in one sitting but I started the book too late in the night and had to go to sleep before getting to the end.
I could not wait to find out what happened next.
The author did an amazing job of capturing my attention and leaving me desiring more. (I seriously struggled with putting the book down and going to sleep. I almost didn't do it.)
I devoured the words and was left with a book hangover!

I adore that the author has created such a well described version of Paris.
(I traveled to Paris when I was in High School.)
It felt like I was there again. I had no trouble picturing the scenes in my head. It is wonderful.

The story overall is fun, exciting, and very entertaining. I was very fascinated by everything that was happening in the lives of the different characters.

The Characters:

Oh. My. Goodness. I love them.
They are all so well written and developed.
I love the friends that Anna made while at school in Paris.
They are the type of friends that you also want to be your friends.
Fun. There for each other. Caring. Amazing.
I loved reading from Anna's point of view. I really enjoyed her voice throughout the book.
St. Clair is certainly made me swoon. But I was a bit frustrated with him and his girlfriend situation. Other than that, I really liked his character.

My Recommendation:

If you like chick lit and romance and want a quick, fun, entertaining read then I highly recommend giving this book a read.

Something Real by Heather Demetrios

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Title: Something Real

Author: Heather Demetrios

Length: 403 pages

Publisher: Henry Holt & Company

Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic 

Release Date: February 4, 2014

Source: Hardback (Won an annotated copy from a giveaway given by the author. Thank you again, Heather!)

Read: June 2014

GoodReads

There’s nothing real about reality TV.
Seventeen-year-old Bonnie™ Baker has grown up on TV—she and her twelve siblings are the stars of one-time hit reality show Baker’s Dozen. Since the show’s cancellation and the scandal surrounding it, Bonnie™ has tried to live a normal life, under the radar and out of the spotlight. But it’s about to fall apart…because Baker’s Dozen is going back on the air. Bonnie™’s mom and the show’s producers won’t let her quit and soon the life she has so carefully built for herself, with real friends (and maybe even a real boyfriend), is in danger of being destroyed by the show. Bonnie™ needs to do something drastic if her life is ever going to be her own—even if it means being more exposed than ever before. (From GoodReads)

***I won a copy of this book from a giveaway hosted by the author. This does not change the way I view this book.***




Let me just start off by saying that I wasn't sure how much I would like this book. I didn't really know much about this book with the exception of it involving Reality TV and that there have been some good reviews from bloggers that I follow on GoodReads. And I don't watch Reality TV. I have seen a few episodes of different Reality TV shows here and there. But I don't actively seek out to watch any of these shows. And I don't choose to watch any of them.

My Rating: 5+ Stars (2014 Favorite)

This book was AMAZING! I was blown away by how much I loved reading this book. I could not put it down. I really tried taking my time to try and savor this beautifully written story.
But I still ended up reading it rather quickly. And when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it.


The Story:

I LOVE this story.
I found this story to be unique and wonderfully written. I love Demetrios writing style! (I am really looking forward to reading her other books coming out in the future!)
What a thought-provoking story about a young girl dealing with wanting to be herself and longing to live a normal life when her family's life is back to being broadcast on TV.
I don't think I can even imagine what Chloe had to go through in this story. Growing up as part of a Reality TV series, having a bit of relief and freedom after the show was cancelled for a couple of years, to then be back on TV and having her attempt at a normal life turned upside down! Wow. And all the other personal challenges she is coping and dealing with besides the show.
It was just amazing.
And so well written.
When I discovered that this story was going to be about a family that has 13 children, I was really worried that I would get confused trying to remember all the characters. But it wasn't. It focuses mainly on Chloe (aka Bonnie) and her brother Benton. There are several more characters that have bigger roles than some of the younger children.
I really like that the author addresses so many important subjects in this book and I really feel that these subjects and issues really added to the story and were well addressed.
And I love the way the book is written. I love all the scenes that are written as scripts and the online stuff. I also love that the author included some flashbacks (written like scripts) to past important episodes, I really feel that it helped add to the story and make us as readers more understanding about things that had happened. And I absolutely LOVE the titles of the chapters (I am a huge F.R.I.E.N.D.S. fan!)

The Characters:

Oh my goodness, these characters!
They are so well developed and well written. It was so easy to either love the character or hate certain characters. I wanted to be a part of the story and hug Chloe and Benton. As well as wanting to yell at the producer, parents and step-father.
I REALLY love Chloe. It was so easy for me to feel connected to her as a character. She has some many things she is trying to deal with personally and I love that she is trying to fight for what she wants. I love how easy it is to love her character. And being able to emphasis and root for her.
I also adore the sister-brother relationship between Chloe and Benton. It is a wonderful sibling relationship. They care about each other, they pick on one another, and they will have each other's back. I think it is one of my favorite sister-brother relationships I have ever read about!
I also love Benton's character. He is a well written character and I loved having him in this story.
Lexie was another character I enjoyed in this story. I loved the developing relationship between Chloe and Lexie in the story. And there were times that I would be a bit frustrated with Lexie, but also times that I just simply LOVED her.
Which brings us to another AMAZING character...Patrick!
*Swoon*
Patrick is simply outstanding. I absolutely adored his character. He is a great person, friend, boyfriend, shoulder to cry on, etc.
I love his relationship with Chloe. I love his friendship with Benton.
I feel like I can't find the right words to fully convey the awesomeness that is Patrick.

My Recommendation:

Read this book!
If you like contemporary books or if you enjoy reading realistic books that deal with issues but also have fun and loving moments then I highly recommend Something Real. It is realistic and simply amazing. It is full of characters to relate to and love.
I LOVE this book so much, I am adding Heather Demetrios to my auto-read author list. I am really looking forward to her future books.