LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED: EMILY ADRIAN

I was into this from page one. I loved the MC's voice. It was strong and funny and clever while being vulnerable and honest. Then I devoured it. This is a pretty dark book, but it is not told in a dark way. Maybe dark is the wrong word, but it deals with some serious issues with a light voice. For me, it so fully captured the world of having a competitive group of friends that really might not be your friends. Which is probably more true to the adolescent experience than a book with a bestie and an amazing group of friends while falling in love with your amazingly sweet totally secure best boyfriend.

Anyway this book kind of blew me away, so imagine my surprise when I go on goodreads, and it has a really low rating. People don't like this book? How could they not like it? Maybe it didn't speak to them like it spoke to me. Maybe being 36 and NOT a teenager made me appreciate this more. I don't know. But I was really impressed by this book.

BOOK BLURB:
When Rebecca Rivers lands the lead in her school’s production of The Crucible, she gets to change roles in real life, too. She casts off her old reputation, grows close with her four rowdy cast-mates, and kisses the extremely handsome Charlie Lamb onstage. Even Mr. McFadden, the play’s critical director, can find no fault with Rebecca.

Though “The Essential Five” vow never to date each other, Rebecca can’t help her feelings for Charlie, leaving her both conflicted and lovestruck. But the on and off-stage drama of the cast is eclipsed by a life-altering accusation that threatens to destroy everything…even if some of it is just make believe.

Light swearing, talk of sexual situations without being too graphic, talk of sexual identity, deals with mature relationships between adults and teens, and teenage drinking & smoking in a way that makes it feel like no big deal....especially the smoking could have really done without the smoking.

THE WRONG SIDE OF RIGHT: JENN MARIE THORNE

I thought this was pretty exceptional. When I was a few chapters in, I was really excited about this because it was really a refreshing read. It has been a long time since I read a YA book that was taking a different view on the subject of being a teenager. And I loved the political backdrop, because books about politics have been done for adults, but I've never read one starring teens.

ALL of our characters, including the smallest ones were well-rounded, well thought-out and REAL. Seriously, I felt like these people really existed. And, I loved being on the campaign trail. I'm not a political girl myself but this was just so entertaining and interesting. It was light hearted, while being extremely serious. It was a story about families while also raising issues about the seriously flawed world of presidential elections. It accomplished so much in one book.

BOOK BLURB:
Kate Quinn’s mom died last year, leaving Kate parentless and reeling. So when the unexpected shows up in her living room, Kate must confront another reality she never thought possible—or thought of at all. Kate does have a father. He’s a powerful politician. And he’s running for U.S. President. Suddenly, Kate’s moving in with a family she never knew she had, joining a campaign in support of a man she hardly knows, and falling for a rebellious boy who may not have the purest motives. This is Kate’s new life. But who is Kate? When what she truly believes flies in the face of the campaign’s talking points, she must decide. Does she turn to the family she barely knows, the boy she knows but doesn’t necessarily trust, or face a third, even scarier option?

Set against a backdrop of politics, family, and first love, this is a story of personal responsibility, complicated romance, and trying to discover who you are even as everyone tells you who you should be.

This is a mostly clean read with a few swear words, but nothing too offensive and the romance is G rated. If I taught teens in school I would have every single one of them read this.  

I'LL MEET YOU THERE: HEATHER DEMETRIOS

This is the first 5 star read I've enjoyed in a long time. I pretty much loved everything about this. I've never read a book before that so artfully captures what it is like to grow up in a poor small town. The heroine's experiences are so far from mine, but I felt like I could relate to her so well. There is some male POV as well and the snippets from the mind and heart of our hero were heartfelt and raw and just the perfect amount of his voice to make the book more meaningful and more well rounded.

I devoured this book. I couldn't read it fast enough. It has been ages since I felt like that about a book. 

BOOK BLURB:
If seventeen-year-old Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby on her hip, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing standing between straightedge Skylar and art school are three minimum-wage months of summer. Skylar can taste the freedom—that is, until her mother loses her job and everything starts coming apart. Torn between her dreams and the people she loves, Skylar realizes everything she’s ever worked for is on the line.

Nineteen-year-old Josh Mitchell had a different ticket out of Creek View: the Marines. But after his leg is blown off in Afghanistan, he returns home, a shell of the cocksure boy he used to be. What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise—a quirky motel off California’s dusty Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into an unexpected friendship and soon, something deeper.

This has some steamy scenes and character driven foul language. 

WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU: JULIE CROSS

So I don't remember when a book has surprised me as much as this book did. I was expecting some shallow hot guy meets hot girl then proceed to be sexy all over the place while they enjoy their dysfunctional relationship kind of book. Whatever Life Throws At You was not that kind of book, well it was certainly sexy at times but it was a really big hearted read. Features amazing secondary characters full of flaws and lovableness with two main characters that you really cheer for. Plus if you can make a book with a ton of baseball stuff be interesting to me then you are a winner of a writer.

Second half didn't blow me away as much as the first, but it is a strong read overall and terribly swoon worthy.

BOOK BLURB:
Seventeen-year-old Annie Lucas's life is completely upended the moment her dad returns to the major leagues as the new pitching coach for the Kansas City Royals. Now she's living in Missouri (too cold), attending an all-girls school (no boys), and navigating the strange world of professional sports. But Annie has dreams of her own—most of which involve placing first at every track meet…and one starring the Royals' super-hot rookie pitcher.

But nineteen-year-old Jason Brody is completely, utterly, and totally off-limits. Besides, her dad would kill them both several times over. Not to mention Brody has something of a past, and his fan club is filled with C-cupped models, not smart-mouthed high school “brats” who can run the pants off every player on the team. Annie has enough on her plate without taking their friendship to the next level. The last thing she should be doing is falling in love.

But baseball isn't just a game. It's life. And sometimes, it can break your heart…

This isn't as racy as a basic New Adult book, but it does contain steamy scenes. Also a good bit of swearing, but not nearly as much swearing as you could get away with in a baseball book. 

ROAD RASH: MARK HUNTLEY PARSONS

How does a book that so perfectly describes life on the road as a drummer in a band while at the same time stays innocent, sweet, and earnest? Seems like an impossible balance to maintain, but this book delivers just that. I just thought this was a delightful little book, especially if like me you enjoy a male POV and rock band boys. If you ever wanted to fall in love with the cute drummer in "that" band, here is your chance.

BOOK BLURB:
After being dropped from one band, sixteen-year-old drummer Zach gets a chance to go on tour with a much better band. It feels like sweet redemption, but this is one rocky road trip—filled with jealousy, rivalries, and on-stage meltdowns.

Mark Parsons has written a fast-paced, feel-good novel about a boy finding his place in the world, in a band, and in the music. Zach is a character teens will stand up and cheer for as he lands the perfect gig, and the perfect girl.

Read more about it HERE.

MY SO-CALLED (LOVE) LIFE: A. L. MICAEL

After falling insanely in love with Michael's The Last Word, I was super excited only days later to find that yet another book had been released. I was going to be on vacation and I couldn't wait to take this baby with me.

I did love it, although it is so similar in story line and also characters as The Last Word that I wished there had been something more to set them apart so they don't glob together in my mind. We had the boy and girl fake relationship that leads to more, and then we had two best girlfriends where one of them is gay...again. I mean seriously it was too much like the first book I loved. Yet, here is the thing. I said I loved the first book so that means I loved this too.

I just hope that the next book of this author's has some characters that I couldn't mistake for being the same ones in this book. Either way, I'll be excited to read whatever comes next!

BOOK BLURB:
Meet Tigerlily James: romance cynic, North Londoner and die-hard margarita fan.

Tigerlily James has been a member of the Young and Bitter Club ever since she was dumped on Valentine’s day. By her fiancé.

Surviving on a diet of cynicism and margarita-fuelled ‘Misery Dinners’ with her best friends, she’s become a romance free zone…and that’s the way she likes it. Until an invitation for The Ex’s wedding arrives. Suddenly in need of a plus one, Tig has little choice but to bin the takeaways, ditch the greying underwear collection…and start pretending to view the opposite sex as something other than target practise.

Then, she meets Ollie – ie. the perfect solution. No sex. No strings. Fake boyfriend. The only catch is that she has to pretend to be his girlfriend for three whole months.

Dating without the heartbreak: the best idea Tig’s ever had, right? Wrong!

Right now this particular book is cheaper on Amazon then her other books. Go ahead and get it for some fun HERE!

RIOT: JAMIE SHAW

I am easily recommending this read, but not to everyone. You might enjoy this if you love those sexy NA books, especially when they are done well. The characters in this book reminded me a lot of Travis and Abby in Beautiful Disaster. I love a good passionate drama story when it is done well and this one really was. I don't know what it was about it, I just really enjoyed it.

This is a second book in a series, this I did not know when I started but it easily stands alone. If this series interests you, you might want to start with book number one, although I haven't read it and I don't think reading them out of order spoils anything really.

BOOK BLURB:
When Dee Dawson meets sexy mohawked guitarist Joel Gibbon, she knows it won’t be long before she has him wrapped around her finger. No guy has ever been able to resist her… but Dee’s met her match in a player like Joel.

Dee’s not the relationship type—not after seeing the pain “love” has caused her friends and family—yet she’s desperate to make Joel want her more than anyone else. He quickly becomes an obsession, and when a reckless attempt to make him jealous ends in disaster, Dee turns into the damsel in distress she never wanted to be. With her carefree world crashing down around her, the last thing she needs is Joel’s pity.

But Joel is suddenly determined to prove he cares, and no matter how hard Dee tries to push him away, he refuses to let her shut him out. Now the girl who swore she’d never say those three little words must choose between guarding her heart and losing Joel forever… or falling head-over-heels for the tattooed rock star of her dreams.

You can read more about it HERE.