Review: Anything To Have You by Paige Harbison (ARC)

Anything To Have You by Paige Harbison
Harlequin Teen, 304 Pages
Expected US Release Date: January 28, 2014
Format/Source: ARC via Around the World Tours - thank you!
Challenges: Contemporary Challenge, Stand Alone Challenge

Nothing should come between best friends, not even boys. ESPECIALLY not boys.

Natalie and Brooke have had each other's backs forever. Natalie is the quiet one, college bound and happy to stay home and watch old movies. Brooke is the movie—the life of every party, the girl everyone wants to be.

Then it happens—one crazy night that Natalie can't remember and Brooke's boyfriend, Aiden, can't forget. Suddenly there's a question mark in Natalie and Brooke's friendship that tests everything they thought they knew about each other and has both girls discovering what true friendship really means.
---------------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

Love is the one thing that no matter how much you want it, if it's not there, there is nothing you can do to get it. No measure of hard work, begging, crying, wanting or needing; nothing in the world can make love happen out of nothing.

I was debating if I should sign up for this touring ARC when I first saw it posted because Harlequin Teen can be a bit hit or miss for me. I expect a lot of things from Harlequin in terms of love stories and romance, you know? And this sounded good, but I also felt like I probably knew the story without even reading it. But I went for it, because why not? It sounded daring and passionate, two things I hardly turn down.

And honestly? I’m pretty disappointed. The entire novel was predictable, down to the “twist” and other turns they threw at the reader. Perhaps the only thing that really took me by surprise was that this book turned into a dual narrative (didn’t expect to get Brooke’s point of view!), but that actually was a bad thing for me. I don’t think it added anything to the storyline, I didn’t think it was executed well…it was basically two books shoved into one that happened to criss-cross. Sure, the storyline overlapped since it was written to, but I didn’t think knowing the other side enhanced the story more.

And I admit that while a lot of the boys were pretty hot on the page (at least I can still count on Harlequin for that!), there were so many flaws in each one that I couldn’t believe it. Aiden was nice and sweet (aside from possibly sleeping with his girlfriend’s best friend…but y’know.), but he was just a little too perfect. His reactions, all the things he did to protect others and be considering of them…it was too much. Too perfect, too ideal, especially in comparison to the other males in the book. I could not STAND Eric – he was supposed to be Mr. Hot Stuff at school, the untouchable but all-wanting, the perfect dude, but I actually thought he was a preeeetty big douchebag! Some of the things he said or did were pretty clear asshole things to me, and I couldn’t understand why every girl at the school seemed to love him.

Other things that bothered me: 1) every character was described as hot or popular or pretty or model-like. This is not a TV show, not every single damn character is going to be flawless and hot. It diminished any of the relatability I could get to any of the situations. And 2) the title does NOT fit with the novel to me. I don’t think someone did anything to have someone, I did not think it was as daring as it could be or really pushed any boundaries. The title makes it sound a lot more…risqué, you know? And it wasn’t at all.

Perhaps the only thing that did push the envelope was Brooke and her spiral towards the end. I normally am not into those Badass Girl characters, but she was the only one I could vaguely see the progression with and understand how she went there. Her attraction with Reed, the reactions to Aidan and Natalie, everything made sense to have her go in the direction she did.

I did like Natalie and Brooke’s friendship, too. That worked nicely together, I believed in it and their connection and all the emotions they experienced together and because of the other. That was probably one of the only redeeming parts to this entire novel.

Obviously, Anything To Have You wasn’t quite the book for me. It had so much potential and could have been, but I thought very little of it worked. While I endorse the friendship between the girls, I can’t endorse much else.

2 Stars

Review: Roomies by Tara Altebrando and Sara Zarr (ARC)

Roomies by Tara Altebrando and Sara Zarr
Little, Brown BYR, 288 pages
Expected US Release Date: December 24, 2013
Format/Source: ARC via Around the World Tours - thank you!
Challenges: New Adult Challenge, Contemporary Challenge, Stand Alone Challenge

It's time to meet your new roomie.

When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.

As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they've never met.

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr and acclaimed author Tara Altebrando join forces for a novel about growing up, leaving home, and getting that one fateful e-mail that assigns your college roommate.
----------------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

After a few days passed and the sting of it all started to fade, I realized something: if two or three of the most important people in your life are telling you something and you are resisting it with everything you have, there is a distinct possibility that what they are saying is true. That you are wrong and just don’t want to admit it.

When I first read the premise of this book, immediately I tried to recall how I introduced myself to my first college roommate. Did we email incessantly? Did we talk at all? First year of college seems like it was ages ago (in reality it’s only 8 for me), but I barely remember contacting my roommate before we eventually moved in together. Times were different back then, sure; this was back when Facebook was still thefacebook.com, and you still had to have a verified college email to join it and you were only in your college network. ANCIENT, I know. I know I emailed my roommate before (I’ll call her Emcee for the sake of this); and Emcee and I discussed the usual fridge/microwave situation. We may have even discussed colours (though I doubt it, since hers was every shade of purple possible whereas I was strictly blue. I don’t think we’d have coordinated to look like a bruise). But beyond that? Emcee and I remained a mystery until we shared a 10x10 cube.

After reading Roomies, I think that may have been the best idea! Sure, neither of us are as extreme as EB or Lauren (we were both from California (me from Southern California, her from NorCal), but we definitely would have meddled in each other’s lives.

The point of this ginormous walk down my memory lane is that Roomies made me reminisce like crazy. Which is hilarious, since my first roommate and I weren’t (and aren’t) particularly close…we’re Facebook acquaintances at best, and have been since second year of college. But there was such an edge of familiarity throughout all of EB’s and Lauren’s correspondence that made me miss all my college days and friends. Dormmates and roommates and friends alike.

Both girls had endlessly dramatic summers, and I was so swept up trying to keep up with both of them. I wanted to be able to give each of them advice at the same time as listening to what the other was saying with everything I had. I love that both girls are different – but going through such similarly opposite things. Family, but one has an endless amount while the other lacks it. Boys, the problems and fresh starts. Leaving, which could mean growing up or just moving (or perhaps a bit of both). I sincerely wish I’d had this book when I was going through college, because I think I could have found a few sorely needed friends within it.

So, here’s something I’m a bit ashamed to say: I’ve never read any books by either Sara Zarr or Tara Altebrando. I own several by both-but never actually read. So it might not mean much when I say I can’t tell who wrote what parts, but that’s the truth of it – both girls are distinct from each other, but the style is so flawless throughout the entire book I would never have thought two people wrote this book. I still have no idea if one took the character of the other, or if they worked on both together…there’s a fluidity in each that makes you fly through the pages.

And I do have to say, having read Roomies, I definitely want to read those books by Sara and Tara now – I’ve heard how amazing they both are, and this just reinforces what I’ve heard, for sure.

While I was reading this book, I know it’s a solid 4.5 star – though I can’t quite pinpoint why it’s not 5. Perhaps because it is quite serious; there are some funny parts, but it’s so dramatic and insular upon itself that I think I would have liked a few more parts to lighten it up. For them to really become friends through good, rather than through their problems. I know that’s how a lot of us bond together, but sometimes I just wanted them to discover they both like to rock climb, you know?

I did love their little Yes/No/Maybe to what they were bringing to college in most of their emails. Such a fantastic little touch that really gave a great movement to the story in such little bites.

Roomies was spectacularly done, with that new friendship to keep you riveted and the same raw familiarity of struggling to connect and understand a person in your life. There’s emotion and connection, both on the pages and when you read, and I can’t help but think this is one of the better reads of 2013…and perhaps ever.

4.5 Stars

Review: Cherry Money Baby by John M. Cusic (ARC)

Cherry Money Baby by John M. Cusick
Candlewick Press, 400 pages
US Release Date: September 10, 2013
Format/Source: ARC via Around the World Tours - thank you!
Challenges: Stand Alone, Contemporary Challenge

Hollywood glitz collides with workingclass aspirations in this satirical tale of an impulsive starlet and a sharp-witted small-town teen.

Cherry Kerrigan loves her simple life, her family’s tiny trailer, even working at Burrito Barn. Forget college — she’s marrying her sweetheart from next door. But here comes Ardelia Deen, a glamorous starlet who sweeps Cherry into a world of fast cars and penthouse parties. Now Cherry’s small-town life just seems so . . . small. When Ardelia drops a bomb of an offer — one involving a baby — Cherry knows her life will change forever, no matter what she decides. John M. Cusick focuses his signature wit on Hollywood royalty and the wide-eyed dreams of Small Town, U.S.A. in a novel about discovering who you are . . . and changing your mind.
-------------------------Goodreads summary

I’m not sure this book was anything like I expected, though I have absolutely no idea what I initially expected! It sounds like it’s going to be a predictable novel about a trashy white girl who suddenly gets exposed to the big, wide world and how it messes up her life. And sure, I guess you could trivialise it down to that if you really wanted – but it’s actually SO much more. It’s about who you are because of where you are, because of what you are, because of all the things you never knew you could be. It’s about society and exposure, celebrity culture and “normal” culture.

I have to be upfront about this: I didn’t really like Cherry. As a person, that is; Cherry as a character was fantastic. She’s so strong and distinct, and I suspect unlike any other YA protagonist. She’s different, and she revels in it. That part is pretty awesome. But her personality grated at me. She was just so…stubborn. Maybe I didn’t like it because I’m stubborn too, I don’t know. I did like her family though, and how loyal she was to them and Lucas. As much as I can whine about her, I can say that there are endearing traits as well.

I did, however, love Ardelia, and not just because I love her name so much. She was flighty and fabulous, just the right amount of over-the-top celebrity characterization mixed with a real person. She is someone I’d love to get swept up in and taken on adventures with all over the city. I don’t question how she and Cherry fall in together; Ardelia had that wonderful sense of just accepting anything and rolling with everything presented to her. Very early on (the candy scene, actually), I knew I’d love her.

Even though the entire book itself was unexpected, I have to admit that some of the storyline itself was a bit…predictable? Not in a premonition, I know what will happen the moment I read the opening line way. But it just seemed a little sensible what was going to happen, once you found out it would. (I have no idea if that makes sense to anyone who hasn’t read this. Disregard if you’re staring at the screen like I’m a big ball of crazy right now.) I do love how the book is split into essentially 3 sections of Cherry, Money and Baby. It really made a great tone and flow for the story.

Cherry Money Baby is a surprising read, one that will touch your heart at the same time as making you laugh out loud. There’s tons of adventure, a little bit of heartbreak and suspense, and a whole lot of fun. And the best part? Cherry’s potty mouth. Damn if I love some good foul language in a book.

3 Stars

Review: The Vow by Jessica Martinez (ARC)

The Vow by Jessica Martinez
Simon Pulse, 432 pages
US Release Date: October 15, 2013
Format/Source: ARC via Around the World Tours - thank you!
Challenges: Contemporary Challenge, SARC

No one has ever believed that Mo and Annie are just friends. How can a guy and a girl really be best friends?

Then the summer before senior year, Mo’s father loses his job, and by extension his work visa. Instantly, life for Annie and Mo crumbles. Although Mo has lived in America for most of his life, he’ll be forced to move to Jordan. The prospect of leaving his home is devastating, and returning to a world where he no longer belongs terrifies him.

Desperate to save him, Annie proposes they tell a colossal lie—that they are in love. Mo agrees because marrying Annie is the only way he can stay. Annie just wants to keep her best friend, but what happens when it becomes a choice between saving Mo and her own chance at real love?
-----------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

Unfair only exists if fair exists, and I’m too old to believe the universe owes me anything. 

How have I never read a book by Jessica Martinez before guys!? Virtuosity has been on my TBR forever, but I just never made it a priority. Well, after reading The Vow, I’m definitely bumping it a few notches higher on my list!

The Vow was such an interesting premise to me, especially to be tackled in YA. Even more once I realized it took place in Kentucky. The setting played such a huge part, and I was riveted to watching it all unfold and the glimpses we got through “townspeoples” eyes. It was few and far between, but I was drinking it all in every time it came up. While I’m not Jordanian like Mo, nor do I have to deal with terrorist links in my name, I am not white (you guys knew that, right?) and I have been teased before about my nationality and who I am. Racism and prejudice are topics that get a rise out of me (that should get a rise out of anyone!), and to see it here on the pages…I thought it was brave for Jessica Martinez to try this. I do think some parts could make waves in the world, but for the most part it’s tame and handled well.

The thing that struck me most about this story was Martinez’s writing; it’s just so smooth! I seriously felt like I was gliding through the pages, and I breezed through the 400+ pages like it was nothing. I loved how each chapter kind of lead into the next one, either by situation or similar words – it really did wonders in making the flow work. The voices of Mo and Annie are so distinct and fun, and they really fit well together while remaining completely their own. And as I always say, I love me some dual narratives!

I can’t quite call this story predictable, but the way it works out…I mean, I feel like there was just no other way for it! I wanted so badly for it to go one way, but then something else would happen or be revealed, and suddenly my heart would just break and want to go into another direction…I was so invested in their plight. It’s been awhile since a book made me cry, but this one definitely got me close to it. You feel how much Mo and Annie love each other, how their friendship really transcends situations. When I first read the summary and realized what they were going to do to keep Mo here, I was kind of like “well that’s pretty extreme…” But when you get to know them, you get it. You so get it.

Something that almost made me cry? How awful Mo and Annie’s families are! They’re so horrible! And in completely different ways! And the part that makes me so much more sad? I know these parents are so common in the real world, and it kills me to know that. I’ve never felt more grateful for my parents while reading a book, I tell you – because Mo’s father makes me want to punch walls until he understands his son, and Annie’s parents need to open their eyes to the colors of the world.

The Vow is one of those books I went into expecting to like it, and left it so unexpectedly loving. I’ve fallen for the author’s writing style, in the friendship that’s so strong it will never break. I felt every emotion with them as they struggled to fight circumstances outside their control and grow up at the same time. There’s so much to this novel that every page I felt like I learned something new, and only loved it more.

4 stars

Review: How to Love by Katie Cotugno (ARC)

How To Love by Katie Cotugno
Balzar + Bray (a HarperTeen imprint), 389 pages
US Release Date: October 1, 2013
Format/Source: ARC, via Around the World Tours - thank you!
Challenge: SARC 2013, Contemporary Challenge

Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he’s never seemed to notice that Reena even exists…until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated—and pregnant—Reena behind.

After: Almost three years have passed, and there’s a new love in Reena’s life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena’s gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she’s finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn’t want anything to do with him, though she’d be lying if she said Sawyer’s being back wasn’t stirring something in her. After everything that’s happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

In this breathtaking debut, Katie Cotugno weaves together the story of one couple falling in love—twice.
------------------------------goodreads summary

Notable Quote

…both of us watching Sawyer just like we used to, back when watching Sawyer never felt like something that hurt.

How To Love was one of my most anticipated reads this year, because the moment I heard about it I swear was the moment I started hearing how brilliant it was. And when you read the synopsis, you know it’s one of those books that could break you and make you love harder.

I think what made this book such a fantastic one was the writing. And not that it’s lyrical or beautiful – it is, though I’ve read a few authors who can wrap words a bit better. But there’s a certain realness to all of Katie’s writing. The details she includes are touching and tender in really subtle ways that you don’t even realize are wrapping the story right around your heart. There’s a singular line on one of the pages a little over halfway in that just struck me breathless (“So many fathers and daughters.”) because of its profound simplicity. Five words, five shatteringly simple words – but in their context, there’s a weight and a meaning and a clarity in them to just speak to your soul.

The other thing that rocketed this to the top of my favourites list is the exploration of all kinds of love. Not just the gooey, heart-swelling kind, or the complex, heart-being-squeezed-to-death way. That’s there, but so is the messy kind, the complicated kind, the love that you’re not certain is really love, and the love that you know is love even though it in no way resembles it. There’s friendship love, family love, respect love, tough love, shrouded love…it’s all here, in so may facets, and it’s all wonderful.

The general plot of this book is enough to impact anyone’s heart too, even if it didn’t have the little parts that shatter you. When you first read about it, and then start finding out how everything came to be…it’s gripping and dramatic and a roller coaster of everything you love to hate and hate to love. You can’t help falling for Sawyer even though you know from the beginning he left her; and you can’t help loving Aaron even though you know Renna’s love for Sawyer can’t possibly have gone away.

The family is what broke my heart. I love the element of family in YA books, and this is no exception to those who do it fantastically. There’s such a variation in relationships, from strained ones to supportive ones, from far to close, from the ones you know mean well versus the ones who don’t deserve anything. I could feel Soledad’s watchful eye and her supportive pat on the shoulder just as much as the coldness and judgment of Reena’s father.

I’m not certain I anticipated how sad this book would be, how many tragedies of all kinds of sizes there would be. There are the obvious ones that we can guess, and then some surprise huge ones that are enough to make you gasp…and then there are smaller ones, the innocuous ones that you breeze by and then stop a few seconds later as you try to process what exactly it means, how it will affect everything else.

I feel like I’m painting this book like it’s a sob-fest downer, but I don’t mean to. I actually never did cry. I felt every single emotion I think I could possibly have the capacity for, sure, but no tears. And that includes all the happy ones too – the ones of a budding romance you’re so certain is right, the loyalty of friends and that push into a direction you know is right.

How To Love is a book worthy of it’s title, of all the meanings and nuances love can mean. The highs, lows, and dips in between are all here, and I don’t think there’s a better story to take us along for the ride.

5 stars

and so many more, with so much love

Review: Reality Boy by AS King (ARC)

Reality Boy by AS King

Little, Brown BYR, 368 pages
Expected US Release Date: October 22, 2013
Format/Source: ARC, via Around the World Tours - thank you!
Challenges: SARC 2013, Contemporary Challenge

Gerald Faust knows exactly when he started feeling angry: the day his mother invited a reality television crew into his five-year-old life. Twelve years later, he’s still haunted by his rage-filled youth—which the entire world got to watch from every imaginable angle—and his anger issues have resulted in violent outbursts, zero friends, and clueless adults dumping him in the special education room at school.

Nothing is ever going to change. No one cares that he’s tried to learn to control himself, and the girl he likes has no idea who he really is. Everyone’s just waiting for him to snap…and he’s starting to feel dangerously close to doing just that.

In this fearless portrayal of a boy on the edge, highly acclaimed Printz Honor author A.S. King explores the desperate reality of a former child “star” who finally breaks free of his anger by creating possibilities he never knew he deserved.
-------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

I want to talk to her about my plastic-wrapped heart and how I think she's unwrapping it, but I think it's stupid. Anyway, it's more than my heart that's wrapped. My mouth is wrapped. My brain is wrapped. That's how it works when you grow up in the land of make-believe. To survive, you wrap and wrap and wrap until you're safe. 

Knowing this was my first AS King, I expected to be absolutely blown away by this story. Ask the Passengers has been touted as A Book That Will Change You, everyone I know looks back on reading Everybody Sees the Ants with reverence…so I thought Reality Boy would be at the same level. And now, at the end…I was blown away, but in an entirely different way than I thought I’d be.

I didn’t immediately take to this story, while I was reading nor immediately after. It mostly made me incredibly sad. It was like watching a helpless, misunderstood boy from the sidelines who I wanted to reach out and help so badly, but could do absolutely nothing. I cringed, I wanted to cry for him, I wanted to punch people who would call him Crapper and not understand the toll it was taking on him. I really wanted to kill his psychopath sister and try to force her to see how she was wrecking absolutely everyone and everything around her.

I don’t like having strong negative emotions like that as I read – sure, occasionally, and that’s fine, that means it’s an evocative book. But I have a tough time dealing with it when it’s all the time, and I didn’t like that. I wanted something to at least give me hope, I wanted something to lift me. Hannah was a fair try, and she was a shimmer in an otherwise bleak world – but even she had her problems. Yes, that’s what made her work with Gerald so well, but it did nothing to ease all my seething. Probably the only parts that really worked that way for me were Gersdays. The entire concept of Gersday was fantastic, I loved that it’s his own world but still shows off a very human, creative side of him. Hallucinatory and damaged, yes, but still! It was good.

I also liked that they wanted to run away with the circus; and I loved that somehow, it wasn’t at all cliché. It just worked, and I thought it was a fun little destination and change in setting for Hannah and Gerald.

Oddly, this is one of the few books I’ve read in awhile that made me want to dive into the symbolism. I don’t know if it’s just my literary training – maybe none of this is supposed to be symbolic at all – but I felt like there were a lot of moments that really meant more than they appeared. The circus, the constant appearance of Disney characters in Gerald’s Gersdays, all his classmates in his Special Ed class, pretty much every time Lisi appeared in a flashback scene. Like I said, I have no idea if there is supposed to be more meaning, but I like that this book feels heavier than it really is.

I mentioned that this book blew me away, but in a much more subtle fashion than expected. As I look back and try to recall the points I want to review 3 weeks after actually reading it, I’m struck with how important this feels. Reality Boy needs to be read, to understand what can really be behind people’s actions; to see what can really spark anger and violence. Gerald is a real character, with nothing held back. He’s raw and emotional and incredibly representative of a niche we don’t often see in YA. Even though I actually don’t think I like him much, the development and how much depth his character has is something that stuns me. I feel like I remember more to him every time I look back.

Reality Boy presents a unique, interesting plot that actually relates to a lot more of us than we originally think. While I don’t think it’s quite for everyone yet, I do hope that one day it will be because there’s a lot to learn and be guided by within it.

4 Stars / 5

Review: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West (ARC)

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
Harper Teen, 320 pages
Expected US Release Date: July 2, 2013
Format/Source: Print ARC, via Around the World ARC Tours - thank you!
Challenges: DAC 2013, SARC 2013, Contemporary Challenge

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.
----------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

"Because I'm afraid that once you catch me, the game's over."

When I read Pivot Point by Kasie West, one of the things I loved about it was how it read like a contemporary even though it was a little bit paranormal/supernatural. If she can make a genre that's not contemporary be like one, how amazing would a real contemporary be when it's supposed to be?!

Answer: AMAZING. SO AMAZING.

It’s hard to describe how I felt while I was reading this book. I was just so filled with hope and love and terror that it wouldn’t work out and I went at it holding my breathe and just wishing with everything it would work out as I wanted. There are few books that make my heart feel both heavy and uplifted at once, but The Distance Between Us is definitely one of them.

There’s a certain flow to Kasie West’s writing that I just love. It was the same in Pivot Point – I fly through the pages and feel so swept up in everything. She has such a fluid writing style, I can go through half the book without even realizing I’m flipping pages.

I’ll put it out there that this book is kind of…cliché. I mean, rich vs. poor, oh no he’s too privileged and snooty to love me, etc…it’s pretty standard. The plot was never anything that surprised me – perhaps not how I expected it to go, but nothing that was out of left field or completely blew me off my feet. The love story was also kind of predictable, but at the same time I thought that was actually kind of a good thing. The way this book is written, it’s structure – it needs to have that predictable quality, where you know the two main characters will face some struggle and have to fight a little to try and be together.

Speaking of the main characters, oh my gosh I love Caymen and Xander. They were so, so adorable together and I wanted to have “career days” with them and good Lord I didn’t think I could love anyone as much as I love Trevor in Pivot Point but Xander may have stolen the show just a little bit. He’s so thoughtful and cute and creative and CAN HE PLEASE JUST BE REAL?!

Now that THAT’S out of the way…they really are fantastic together, even when they are just friends. Their banter back and forth is super cute, and I felt they fit well. A little too well, but not overbearingly, roll-my-eyes too well. I liked that she was so sarcastic and filled with jokes as a defense mechanism, and he just took it all in stride. He had just the right amount of tolerance mixed with patience and real interest in her, and I sincerely hope that my future relationship(s) will have the same kind of melding and respect there. Sure, Caymen had her doubts and insecurities when it came to Xander’s true feelings and why he would ever love “a girl like her” (aka, poor), but it was all reasonable doubts to have.

Characters I couldn’t stand: Caymen’s mom, and Tic. As people, I found her to be selfish and kind of disrespectful to her daughter, and he was just so icky and gross! Every time he came into the chapter I wanted to shove him out and tell him to take his wandering hands elsewhere. As characters in the book, I actually felt both to be a bit device-y and flat. I can immediately pick out how they’re going to influence the novel, and that kind of sucked.

But seriously, everything else about this book totally made up for it. I want to be a part of Caymen and Xander’s relationship (not in a weird way!). I want to hug them both and follow them on career days and clone Xander for myself. The Distance Between Us is one of those classic romantic contemporary novels that remind me why I absolutely love this genre so much.

4.5 Stars

Review: Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith (ARC)

Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith
Harper Teen, 375 Pages
US Release Date: May 28, 2013
Format/Source: Print ARC, via Around the World ARC Tours - thank you!
Challenges: Standalone Challenge, Contemporary Challenge, Debut Author Challenge

Things you earnestly believe will happen while your parents are away:
1. You will remember to water the azaleas.
2. You will take detailed, accurate messages.
3. You will call your older brother, Denny, if even the slightest thing goes wrong.
4. You and your best friend/bandmate Lukas will win Battle of the Bands.
5. Amid the thrill of victory, Lukas will finally realize you are the girl of his dreams.

Things that actually happen:
1. A stranger calls who says he knew your sister.
2. He says he has her stuff.
3. What stuff? Her stuff.
4. You tell him your parents won’t be able to—
5. Sukey died five years ago; can’t he—
6. You pick up a pen.
7. You scribble down the address.
8. You get on your bike and go.
9. Things . . . get a little crazy after that.*
*also, you fall in love, but not with Lukas.

Both exhilarating and wrenching, Hilary T. Smith’s debut novel captures the messy glory of being alive, as seventeen-year-old Kiri Byrd discovers love, loss, chaos, and murder woven into a summer of music, madness, piercing heartbreak, and intoxicating joy.
-----------------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

I practice carefully, paying attention to each note...Slowly. Obsessively. As long as I'm sitting at the piano, the entire universe is under my control. Eighty-eight keys, ten fingers. Sheet music is dependable. The notes don't change when you're not looking. You don't open your book one day to discover that your pieces have switched from major to minor, or that the fast ones have gone slow, or that the melody has changed beyond recognition, leaving your fingers to stumble over unfamiliar notes. You don't have to be brave; just careful.

Wild Awake was one of my most anticipated reads of this year – the moment I heard about it on TeaTime, I knew it was something I HAD to read. I got a little scared once I saw some of the reviews for it, but I still had every hope and faith it would appeal to me. And now that I’ve read it? I get the mixed reviews, but I am definitely one on the positive side. But for, surprisingly, very technical reasons!

I mention it often, though not at the forefront: I am a journalist. That is what my degree is in, that is what I have trained in since I was 12. That’s a whole freakin’ 14 years, guys! The habits I’ve picked up through that craft are ones I can never let go, even if I wanted to. And I think it’s with that mindset that I can really love Wild Awake.

Has anyone read Hunter S. Thompson? I think if you have, and you like his stuff – you’ll love Wild Awake, too. It’s got that same stream-of-consciousness flow, the drug-addled imagery and plot. And I don’t mean that figuratively about the story: there are so many drugs going on in this novel I would never, ever give this to my 12 year old cousin to read. Not that I expect to shelter him forever, but I’m not going to deliberately expose him to this stuff, either.

Anyway, Wild Awake was one part thrilling, one part terrifying, and one part completely adventurous. I never really knew what to expect with each end of the chapter, each turn of the page; and sometimes I hate that, but it really worked for this book. I wanted to go on this ride with Kiri, I wanted to figure out what was going on with Skunk, what happened to Sukey.  In some ways, I felt like I was the one tripping out and freaking about the cops or my messed up family, because I was so drawn into this turmoil Kiri was going through.

I feel like this is going to be a very polarizing book: you’re either going to hate it, or you’re going to appreciate it. Each scene evokes such distinct reactions that were so strong for me, I definitely had to pull back a few moments and consider how I was feeling towards it. Like how I’m actually kind of grossed out by Sukey and her story; but ultimately, it all makes sense and it had to go down that way. Or how repulsed I was by Doug and his imagery and that disgusting pile of junk he kept stuff under. Or like how I can’t stand synth music but the connection the characters have to it – so powerful for each even though it’s completely different for both – was so familiar to the connection I have to certain music that I couldn’t resist feeling that emotion, too.

I have to say, this book also has one of my favourite scenes in any book I’ve read this year yet: the midnight bicycle run that is kind of the kickoff of a lot of this book. It was so much fun, so filled with adrenaline that I swore the herd of bicycles was going to come bursting out of my book, right at me. I was with Kiri every pedal of her bike, every dark turn through the city – and even though I’ve never once been inclined to ride a bike, I so wanted to hop on one myself and find them to join in.

Skunk is definitely my favourite character here. He’s fantastic. He’s got so many unique elements to him, from things as obvious as collecting weird vintage radios to as subtle as his physique (former and current) to as surprising as his little part in the ending quarter of the book. He kept me on my toes, and I kind of wish I was the one who needed his help to fix the bike.

Awkwardly though, I kind of hate Kiri. I find her obnoxious and self-serving. I think she’s overly dramatic and entirely too much of a privileged kid with nothing better to do. I understand her obsession with music and how it’s practically her savior, but she drove me bonkers through her descent and how she treated her talent and piano. If it wasn’t Skunk and Kiri on the page, I wanted to scream and shout at her.

What really did save this story to me though was Skunk and his relationship with Kiri. I loved how they’re both completely messed up, in entirely different ways with their own types of problems. I loved how they reacted to each other, I loved the affection that was so prevalent through all their scenes. Even the ones where I was kind of scared of both of them and for both of them (that will make sense once you read the book), I was still so in love with him and them.  I was kind of surprised how touching their scenes were, because they’re not particularly delicate or sentimental characters. But when they’re together…it just works.

Wild Awake is a trip, in the sense of a journey and a bad drug habit. It is the every bit as colourful and chaotic as the cover depicts it – possibly even more so. And while I’m not certain that’s for everyone, it was definitely for me.

4 Stars

ARC Review: You Look Different in Real Life by Jennifer Castle

You Look Different In Real Life by Jennifer Castle
Harper Teen, 368 Pages
Expected US Release Date: June 4, 2013
Format/Source: ARC via Around the World ARC Tours - thank you!
Challenges: Contemporary Challenge

For the rest of the world, the movies are entertainment. For Justine, they're real life.

The premise was simple: five kids, just living their lives. There'd be a new movie about them every five years, starting in kindergarten. But no one could have predicted what the cameras would capture. And no one could have predicted that Justine would be the star.

Now sixteen, Justine doesn't feel like a star anymore. In fact, when she hears the crew has gotten the green light to film Five at Sixteen, all she feels is dread. The kids who shared the same table in kindergarten have become teenagers who hardly know one another. And Justine, who was so funny and edgy in the first two movies, feels like a disappointment.

But these teens have a bond that goes deeper than what's on film. They've all shared the painful details of their lives with countless viewers. They all know how it feels to have fans as well as friends. So when this latest movie gives them the chance to reunite, Justine and her costars are going to take it. Because sometimes, the only way to see yourself is through someone else's eyes.

Smart, fresh, and frequently funny, You Look Different in Real Life is a piercing novel about life in an age where the lines between what's personal and what's public aren't always clear.
-----------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

...instead of my life shaping a film, a film would shape my life.

I read The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle right when it came out (luck of the draw, actually – saw it propped as a new release at my library and really liked the colour tones of the cover), and though I don’t quite remember all of that book, I do remember how I felt about it when reading. I was invested. I was impressed, and even though I expected something that was delivered, there was also a little more. I remember being emotion, I remember connecting with it even though it wasn’t anything like my life.

Apparently, this is just a skill that Jennifer Castle possesses, because I felt all that and more with You Look Different In Real Life.

Have I ever told you guys how much I love documentaries? It shouldn’t surprise anyone, as I love stories and have a degree in journalism: realism and getting to know a person to the very core are things I love to do, love to discover, and love to invest in. So documentaries are perfect, and for a YA book to come along that’s all about that? Love love love.

If you’ve watched the Up series documentaries, you’ll recognize the plotline. (And if you haven’t watched them, you totally should – they’re fantastic!) Choosing varying kids from one class, all connected by a single, vaguely unimportant thread, and revisiting them every set number of years. It’s a fascinating concept, and I’m truly curious the mental and emotional toll that will take on people.

Anyway. I’ll put it out there that this story is partly predictable, in that I could tell who of the group would have what connection to each other. And I wasn’t necessarily disappointed in that, but I know some people may not like how it works out. Still, it all makes sense and I think it’s best this way. I still thoroughly enjoyed how we get to these ends, and I think that saves it.

The one fear I had is that the point of this documentary is that each of the characters are portrayed as one thing, but are so much more – and how cliché is that? Everything is like that, and I was so scared it was going to be overly done and completely stereotypical. And it wasn’t! I was pleasantly surprised how much more in depth we discover these characters, how perhaps it’s not about them being different than what they seem, but them becoming a lot like who they are thought to – just in ways we’d never quite expect.  The stereotype they are supposed to be is there, and it’s actually fun to pinpoint who they are supposed to be while simultaneously learning just how much they break the molds they’ve been shown to be.

I was also quite happy with the adventures they take in this novel; there’s an unexpected road trip, a fun little set up of a cabin retreat, times in the scary new York City…there’s a lot of intensity packed into this book, and I quite liked that. We’re treated to a lot of different scenarios with these kids, and I thought it worked beautifully to round out who they are.

I found myself drawn to Justine – perhaps not as much as some others will, but I found a lot of her in myself. Particularly how she thinks she’s uninteresting and not what the public thought she would be. These were some very real fears in my high school life (hell, they’re real fears I have now, in my adult life, too!), and I thought Justine was a great portrayal of it. There are insecurities mixed in with desires and hopes and personal beliefs, some sadness amongst her sarcasm, and she was really a character to which I could attach.

Truthfully, I liked all the characters – Felix and Rory especially, but even Nate and Keira had elements I respected and loved. They’re a diverse group, as intended – but in way more ways than you initially know. My favourite scenes were probably all the ones where the five were together, where they could interact and play off each other. Jennifer Castle really did well with this set of characters and creating a bunch I could really see together, watching and waiting to see what will happen.

You Look Different In Real Life was interesting and emotional, lending a story behind a story that reveals a little more than your typical story of being more than you seem. Jennifer Castle has created a fantastic cast of characters that shine as brightly as their Hollywood parts are intended to.

4.5 Stars / 5

[Blog Tour + Giveaway] The Summer I Became A Nerd by Leah Rae Miller

The Summer I Became A Nerd by Leah Rae Miller
Entangled Teen, 276 Pages
US Release Date: May
Source: e-ARC from publisher/tour host - thank you!
Challenges: DAC 2013, SARC 2013, Contemporary Challenge
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body isn’t just unknown, it's anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.

Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her secret, she’s busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie’s whisked into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever.
-------------------Summary provided

Notable Quote

It's not just high school. People are going to judge you for all kinds of reasons for the rest of yoru life. Because you vote one way or the other, because you go to one school or the other, because you look a certain way. It's a fact of life: you can't make everyone happy. But you can make you happy.

I've said over and over and over again how contemporary is my home. It is the only genre I will repeatedly come back to like a dearly missed friend, the genre that I will always find a friend and a love in. And The Summer I Became A Nerd is a perfect example of a contemporary I love and enjoy.

I'm definitely not quite on the geekdom level that Maddie is (despite my 5-year-and-still-going streak of attending Comic-Con), but I can relate to her pretty well. I used to be made fun of a lot because I was a "nerd" - I read all the time, worn glasses since I was 9 years old, cared obsessively about my grades and generally had my nose stuck in books or writing at all moments of every day. But really, I think anyone who has ever felt like they've had to hide a huge part of themselves for fear of being ridiculed will relate to this book and recognize a lot of the feelings.

I have to say, one of my only complaints about this book is that sometimes it felt a little over-dramatic or cliche. The popular girl afraid of tumbling, the amount of teasing she feared, the resolution and how it was a 3-page "revelation" of lessons -- but in the grand scheme? I will totally let it all slide since the rest of this book was SO awesome.

One of the best choices the author made was having Logan, the love interest, come in early and remain in the novel as one. So many times it's like they're introduced, but they don't play a real part in the story and you just have to believe he's right -- but we're really allowed to see Logan and just how perfect he is. I have such a huge nerdy crush on him, you guys! I wanted so badly to be in the back of the comic store with him, or sit in on his Awesome Logan show. He's sweet and not without his faults and so considerate, and I wanted to holler at Maddie every time she even began to think she shouldn't be with him.

And it's a smaller part -- one that I can't quite talk about in case of spoilers -- but I'm kind of glad Leah Rae Miller gave Eric a personality. He wasn't just some stupid jock with an anger issue. Sure, he's maybe not the brightest crayon in the box, but there was dimension to him and I found myself feeling for him. In fact, all of the secondary characters were so enjoyable and fun! They had their own quirks and personalities and each one is so distinct in my memory. I love all of them, no matter how weird or bad-mouthy or ridiculous they are.

Looking back on the novel, one of my favourite things was that each of the characters came from stable, loving families that were still present throughout the entire story. Not to say a novel always needs those, but I'm a little sick of seeing the same absentee parent, or that Disney thing (98% of Disney movies have the main characters missing one parent*). So it was nice to find characters who had supportive families, who had typical relationships and difficulties with the parents, whose parents cared enough to ground them but still hug the kid when they made it safely home. That is how I grew up, and I was very happy to see it in this book.

As for the plot...well, I can't quite detail of all of it because it'd give away some of the fun of the book, but I really enjoyed all of this! I loved all the fun elements, all the unique sets and sitations that come up. There was a lot going on without being too much, just enough to always keep me interested and wanting to read and find out what was happening. The progression is really good, and I like that Maddie is kind of a simple character - right away you get a feel for the type of person she is, and regardless whether or not I agreed with it, I immediately took a liking to her and wanted her to figure out how to really be happy with who she is. Some books focus on one bigger event and more of a personal growth; but I felt like The Summer I Became A Nerd did really well balancing a lot of events with a fun plotline with just a little - but still important - growth in the characters.

The Summer I Became A Nerd is the perfect contemporary novel: a light, sweet read about important matters with a fun, energetic cast and matching plot. I smiled within the first 3 pages and closed it with an even bigger one. I highly recommend you read this if you want to find a piece of yourself and see how it should make you happy to show it.

*observational guesstimate, though I'm positive I'm not far off from fact.

4.5 Stars / 5

About the Author: Leah Rae Miller
Mother, wife, and YA author living on a windy hill in Natchitoches, Louisiana. I love fuzzy socks, comic books, cherry coke, and brand new office supplies. THE SUMMER I BECAME A NERD coming Summer 2013 from Entangled Teen. Stay cool!
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

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Review: All I Need by Susane Colasanti (ARC)

All I Need by Susane Colasanti
Viking Juvenile (an imprint of Penguin), 224 Pages
Expected US Release Date: May 16, 2013 (according to the ARC)
Format/Source: Print ARC, via Around the World ARC Tours - thank you!
Challenges: Contemporary Challenge, SARC

The last night of summer is only the beginning.

Skye wants to meet the boy who will change her life forever. Seth feels their instant connection the second he sees her. When Seth starts talking to Skye at the last beach party of the summer, it’s obvious to both of them that this is something real. But when Seth leaves for college before they exchange contact info, Skye wonders if he felt the same way she did—and if she will ever see him again. Even if they find their way back to each other, can they make a long-distance relationship work despite trust issues, ex drama, and some serious background differences?

Teen favorite Susane Colasanti returns to the alternating-voice style of her beloved debut When It Happens in this Serendipity-inspired story about summer, soul mates, and the moments that change our lives forever.
----------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

Following your heart means allowing the possibility of finding true love to be stronger than the fear of rejection.

Before I even jump into any of this review, I feel the need to disclose something: I don’t believe in soulmates. I’ve had varying reactions to this when people find out. Some people are just like “ok, that’s cool” and move on; others share my sentiments; and I’ve had a few that are straight up offended, like I’ve just insulted their very core belief. And maybe I have, I’m not in any position to say soulmates shouldn’t be the basis of your life. I don’t say this opinion lightly, and I’ve thought about it long and hard. I’m not some jilted, heart-broken mess of a girl who’s saying it because she’s convinced she’ll never find her love. I just genuinely do not believe in there being The One for someone.

So with that in mind, you can probably tell that I had a hard time swallowing All I Need. Usually I’m pretty good about suspending that belief when it comes to reading, but for some reason it was difficult this time around. I do think a little of my 26-year-old cynicism was playing a part, since I found it most hard to handle when Skye was all “but I know we’re meant to be together, we can face anything” or things like that.

Perhaps that’s also because I was bothered by Skye as a whole. She seemed very young, much younger than a junior/senior in high school. I thought she was spineless and needed to handle her best friends’ issues a little better. And I think my biggest issue is that I felt like she couldn’t stand on her own – she had to have Seth to be her own person. I get that that is what it’s like in high school and first loves, but it was quite annoying. I want a character that can stand on her own, that finds her way into being an individual, a character I can want my little cousins to look up to; and unfortunately, Skye was not it.

However, I did quite like Seth! He too seemed a little young for being a college guy, but I could handle him better.  I thought he had real issues, and maybe it’s because I went through college much more recently than high school (obviously), I was able to sympathise with him more. Especially when it came to being uncertain about his major and following his passion for art.

Let’s talk writing. We all know I love me some dual narratives (do you know that? Because you should. Give me a dual narrative any day of the week and I will be a happy reader.), and I quite liked it here, too. The jumping timeline was a little startling at first, and I started getting a little iffy about all the fast-forwards, but it’s fine. I really liked getting the reactions of both Skye and Seth when important things happened. This story would not have been bearable without them.

However! I had problems with the writing itself—it felt so young, so very juvenile fiction. And I tried to read it with that mindset, except the content was not juvenile – it was about college and gross roommates and sex! It was a terrible mash up for the writing not matching the content, and I couldn’t take it.  I want to recommend this for the younger set, as maybe a great bridge to the YA world from MG, because it would be! Except I’d have to censor a few of the chapters, because it was definitely not just-past-MG material.

All I Need was a fine contemporary, and one I don’t really regret reading – but it had too many issues for me to recommend it. I really like Susane Colasanti’s books, but I’d definitely go for Keep Holding On or When It Happens over All I Need.

2.5 Stars

Review: How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True by Sarah Strohmeyer (ARC)

How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True by Sarah Strohmeyer
Balzar + Bray, 320 Pages
Expected US Release Date: April 23, 2013
Format: Print ARC
Source: Around the World ARC Tours - thank you!

Challenges: Standalone Challenge, Contemporary Challenge

From Sarah Strohmeyer, author of Smart Girls Get What They Want, comes this romantic comedy about one girl's summer job from hell. Think The Devil Wears Prada set in Disney World.

When cousins Zoe and Jess land summer internships at the Fairyland Kingdom theme park, they are sure they've hit the jackpot. With perks like hot Abercrombie-like Prince Charmings and a chance to win the coveted $25,000 Dream & Do grant, what more could a girl want?

Once Zoe arrives, however, she's assigned to serve "The Queen"-Fairyland's boss from hell. From spoon-feeding her evil lapdog caviar, to fetching midnight sleeping tonics, Zoe fears she might not have what it takes to survive the summer, much less win the money.

Soon backstabbing interns, a runaway Cinderella, and cutthroat competition make Zoe's job more like a nightmare than a fairy tale. What will happen when Zoe is forced to choose between serving The Queen and saving the prince of her dreams?
------------------------------Goodreads summary

Notable Quote

"The heart is a clever trickster that delights in playing the brain for a fool."

Here’s my pitch for How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True: if you have ever wanted a teenage version of The Devil Wears Prada, this is it. There’s a fantastic “villain” (who is more than she seems), a struggling MC that you root for (who is more than she seems), and a cute boy standing alongside silently supporting (who is also more than he seems). There’s a best friend you want as your friend, a few evil characters you love to hate, and a great little story that makes you laugh – and of course, they’re all more than they really seem. In the best way.

The premise of How Zoe has to be one of the most fun I’ve ever run into, and also one of the ones I want to say I absolutely wish I was a part of! How much fun would it be to live with a bunch of other interns at an adventure park?! I mean, I know it’s quite dorm-like, but that would be awesome. All day dancing and entertaining, then spending the off-hours hanging out with friends. Sure, I know it’s all hard work and not all of it will be funtimes, but hey – it has to be more fun than not! Especially if it were Disneyland.

But Disneyland this is not, because Fairyland and its older Storytown history were fantastically made on their own. I’m a HUGE Disney advocate (I had an annual pass for 5+ years!), and if there’s anything I can appreciate, it’s a fantastic theme park that lets you find your inner child. Even though How Zoe was a lot of the underbelly to a theme park, I could still find the fun in it and really get lost in all the hullaballoo. Especially that parade!

I really liked the characters in this book. None of them were favourites or too stand-out, but they’re all solidly lovable. There’s some good in all of them, a little bad in all of them, and real heart everywhere. Each is painted so clearly. Zoe is a great main character, with that quiet eagerness every reader can find themselves in. Jess is the best friend you always wanted: loyal, sweet and with her own little seal. Ian and Dash are fantastic boys, especially since you can’t really tell who you should love - at least, I couldn’t! I had my ideas, and of course I had my choice, but there was enough to make me doubt consistently until the end.

Speaking of the end, that was probably my only real problem with this book. And it’s not even really a problem! It’s just that it kind of feels like a cop-out, even though it makes complete sense and there’s really no other way I would want it to end. Still, there was just a little nagging thought at the back of my head that was like “Oh. Ok, I guess.”

But the best part? All the little touches and details. Like how they refer to that park as the Mouse, the ridiculous requests of the Queen, how the initials for Her Royal Majesty was just a little more, the fun little nicknames of each one…they’re small parts, but they’re great and together it all comes together to make the book that much better.

If you ever want a light, fun and totally worthwhile read, turn to Sarah Strohmeyer. Last year when I read Smart Girls Get What They Want, I was pleasantly surprised at how strong and brilliant it was. There were facets to the characters I never expected, and it made me fall in love with the book and the writing. While I don’t think How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True is as strong, it is undeniable that Sarah Strohmeyer has a real talent for fun contemporaries.

4 Stars