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. 

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.

ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES: JENNIFER NIVEN

Sometimes a book will completely win me over with the very last line. A line so beautiful that it kind of knocks me off balance. This was one of those books. It wasn't just pretty at the end though, this book is freaking FULL of beautiful lines. In fact sometimes I was thinking: "Come on! People (and teenage boys especially) don't talk like this!" But then isn't the fun of reading a book sometimes to read dialogue and words that are prettier and more meaningful then in real life?

This book has both female and male perspectives and the voices are distinct and complementary. Niven so fully and perfectly delves into the heart and mind of a mentally unstable, wonderful teenage boy that I dare you not to fall in love with him. While our heroine is so strong, broken, wonderful, and real that I dare you not to cheer for her happiness. 

BOOK BLURB:

The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.
Soon to be a major motion picture starring Elle Fanning!
 
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.
   

You can read more about it HERE.

 

NO PLACE TO FALL: JAYE ROBIN BROWN

Seems like this book has some mixed reviews, it is either a love it or hate it kind of book. This took me a bit to get the feel of it, but pretty soon I was really enjoying it. It was just one of those books that I wanted to go on reading for a long time because I just really started loving everyone in it. I didn't really know where it was going to go at first and I thought that was refreshing, and it really added to a perfect coming of age feeling.

BOOK BLURB:
Amber Vaughn is a good girl. She sings solos at church, babysits her nephew after school, and spends every Friday night hanging out at her best friend Devon’s house. It’s only when Amber goes exploring in the woods near her home, singing camp songs with the hikers she meets on the Appalachian Trail, that she feels free—and when the bigger world feels just a little bit more in reach.

When Amber learns about an audition at the North Carolina School of the Arts, she decides that her dream—to sing on bigger stages—could also be her ticket to a new life. Devon’s older (and unavailable) brother, Will, helps Amber prepare for her one chance to try out for the hypercompetitive arts school. But the more time Will and Amber spend together, the more complicated their relationship becomes . . . and Amber starts to wonder if she’s such a good girl, after all.

Then, in an afternoon, the bottom drops out of her family’s world—and Amber is faced with an impossible choice between her promise as an artist and the people she loves. Amber always thought she knew what a good girl would do. But between “right” and “wrong,” there’s a whole world of possibilities.

 Read it and see what you think, or go on Goodreads and see that feelings on this book are all over the place HERE.

I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN: JANDY NELSON

When you love a book like I loved Jandy Nelson's The Sky is Everywhere, you can get a nervous fluttery feeling in your tummy when you finally have your hands on her second book a whole 4 and a half years later after you feel in love with her writing.

In I'll Give you the Sun, she clearly proves that she is lives in kind of an author land of beautiful writing that is not easily visited by anyone else who writes books. This book is so beautifully written, and that you cannot argue with. It is well thought out and smart. You can see in the first few pages why it took Nelson years to write another book. But did I love it? Maybe.

I had a few issues with it, the main one being I wish she had made the characters at least one or even two years older. Sometimes it just felt too mature to believe the characters were as young as they were supposed to be. Then, even though it was pretty much done perfectly, I didn't like the past/present time switch. I rarely do like any type of voice change or time change because I just like to keep reading the story I'm reading. In this, each time I had to switch to the brother or sister I was annoyed. Lastly,  I thought maybe the writing was too pretty and perfect. I know, hard to imagine having a problem with something being too pretty or perfect, but there were so many beautifully writen lines and descriptions I sometimes couldn't digest them because it was like I said...just TOO much.

So if I had to pick, I would still go with preferring The Sky is Everywhere. But I can't imagine anyone not feeling something wonderful by reading this. And I wish and hope and pray that I don't have to wait another 5 years for her next book, but if I do I know it will be worth the wait.

BOOK BLURB:
Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

This radiant novel from the acclaimed, award-winning author of The Sky Is Everywhere will leave you breathless and teary and laughing—often all at once.

Read more about it HERE.

LOVE AND OTHER UNKNOWN VARIABLES: SHANNON LEE ALEXANDER

Read this book if you have ever wondered what it would be like to be loved, adored, worshiped, and have your spirited lifted by a geeky boy. Our hero in this male POV novel is so stinking loveable and likeable and funny and charming that absolutely nothing could have happened in this book and I would have still enjoyed it. One of my favorite heads to be in as a reader ever.

BOOK BLURB:
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).

You can read more about it HERE.

JUST LIKE THE MOVIES: KELLY FIORE

This isn't a life-altering, earth shattering kind of book. But it is sweet, clean, and pretty adorable. It is just fun, and I like just fun books...do you?

BOOK BLURB:
Pretty and popular track star Marijke Monti is confident about almost everything – she’s got great friends, a great family, and she’s on her way to the State Track Championship. In fact, the only thing Marijke isn’t confident about is her relationship with Tommy Lawson.

Lily Spencer has spent her entire high school career preparing for the future – she’s participated in every extracurricular activity and volunteer committee she could. But, at home, she watches her mother go on date after date with dud-dudes, still searching for “the one.” Lily realizes that she’s about to graduate and still hasn’t even had a boyfriend.

While they live on each other’s periphery at school, Lily and Marijke never seemed to have much in common; but, after a coincidental meeting at the movie theater, Lily gets an idea – why can’t life be like a movie? Why can’t they set up their perfect romantic situations, just in time for their senior prom, using movie techniques?

Once the girls come up with the perfect plans, they commit themselves to being secret cohorts and, just like in the movies, drama ensues.

Read more about it HERE.

ANATOMY OF A MISFIT: ANDREA PORTES

I've been going back and forth debating on if I should put this on my blog. In the end I can't deny that I really enjoyed this and honestly once I got into it I was wishing it was much longer. At first, I was NOT digging it. The style was a little run-on-sentency (yeah, I know that is not a "real" thing), and our main girl was NOT likable. But something that I couldn't put my finger on kept me reading. Pretty soon I was just into the book. I thought it was different and interesting. And suddenly our unlikeable heroine was pretty darn likable to me.

Now, at a point close to the end I was wondering how this was all going to go down. I'm of course not going to spoil anything but I will say this: The very ending is one of the most satisfying endings I have ever read.

My one issue with this book is that Portes says at the end that she wrote a book for herself at that age. And, I'm not sure it is really appropriate for a 15 or 16 year old. The content aside (which is pretty harsh), it just had a feel of book about teens written for adults. It might be the nostalgia factor since it took place when Trapper Keepers were in, or it was just that it had a more mature writing feel; one that I am not sure a teenager would get. The things our MC says are kind of above her years in sass and cultural references, and I am sorry but I just couldn't believe she was only 15. However, she is a character that is trying to act older, and sometimes the vulnerability of her age shines through, and that is when I liked her the most. 

There is a ton of swearing with a ton of casual Lord's name in vain swearing. Lots of talk teens drinking, and sleeping around, but nothing in detail.

BOOK BLURB:

Outside, Anika Dragomir is all lip gloss and blond hair—the third most popular girl in school. Inside, she’s a freak: a mix of dark thoughts, diabolical plots, and, if local chatter is to be believed, vampire DNA (after all, her father is Romanian). But she keeps it under wraps to maintain her social position. One step out of line and Becky Vilhauer, first most popular girl in school, will make her life hell. So when former loner Logan McDonough shows up one September hotter, smarter, and more mysterious than ever, Anika knows she can’t get involved. It would be insane to throw away her social safety for a nerd. So what if that nerd is now a black-leather-jacket-wearing dreamboat, and his loner status is clearly the result of his troubled home life? Who cares if the right girl could help him with all that, maybe even save him from it? Who needs him when Jared Kline, the bad boy every girl dreams of, is asking her on dates? Who?

Anatomy of a Misfit is Mean Girls meets The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Anika’s hilariously deadpan delivery will appeal to readers for its honesty and depth. The so-sad-it’s-funny high school setting will pull readers in, but when the story’s dark foreboding gradually takes over, the devastating penultimate tragedy hits like a punch to the gut. Readers will ride the highs and lows alongside funny, flawed Anika — from laughter to tears, and everything in between.

You can read more about it HERE.

ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER

So we all waited for a long time for this one and I am happy to say that in my opinion it was worth the wait. I loved this from the very first page and I LOVED returning to beautiful Paris for another year of higher education.

I loved Isla, I loved Josh, I just enjoyed this. It isn't as perfect as Anna and the French Kiss, but it was great in it's own way. It is a more mature book than both Anna and Lola content wise just to give readers a heads up. 

BOOK BLURB:

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.

Read more about it HERE. 

WILDFLOWER: ALECIA WHITAKER

I loved Alecia's first book The Queen of Kentucky. It was adorable and sweet and one of the few younger coming of age stories that I actually liked. I wanted it to be a series because I could have read about the main character for much longer than one book. 

Because of this I was really looking forward to Wildflower, and I am very excited to realize (now that I am done reading it) that it will actually be a series. The only problem I had with this book was I thought the pacing was a bit off, but then when I realized that there was going to be more books with these characters I was ok with it, and I am excited to read them too. 

These are great, clean, sweet books.

BOOK BLURB:

The best songs come from broken hearts.

Sixteen-year-old Bird Barrett has grown up on the road, singing backup in her family's bluegrass band, and playing everywhere from Nashville, Tennesee to Nowhere, Oklahoma. One fateful night, Bird fills in for her dad by singing lead, and a scout in the audience offers her a spotlight all her own.

Soon Bird is caught up in a whirlwind of songwriting meetings, recording sessions, and music video shoots. Her first single hits the top twenty, and suddenly fans and paparazzi are around every corner. She's even caught the eye of her longtime crush, fellow roving musician Adam Dean. With Bird's star on the rise, though, tradition and ambition collide. Can Bird break out while staying true to her roots?

In a world of glamour and gold records, a young country music star finds her voice.

  

You can read more about it HERE.

PIVOT POINT: KASIE WEST

I don't think I would have ever read these if I hadn't loved Kasie West's contemporary book The Distance Between Us and loved it. That would have been a shame because these are really smart and totally great. 

When I finished the last page of the second book I closed my copy and said out loud: "Wow that was clever." Which I didn't think once while I was reading because I was too entertained to notice how clever and well thought out this whole story was. So on top of a great premise, the writing is fun, clever and guess what? It is completely clean for you moms that have little (or not so little) readers in your home. 

Normally I HATE alternate reality stories. In fact I just read one (or attempted to read it) and I couldn't keep the different stories straight and I hated reading a story that kept getting interrupted by the other reality. In Pivot Point, the interruption of the stories in this is a minor offense because both story lines were equally good and different enough to keep me from going crazy trying to keep them straight. 

BOOK BLURB: (For book one only because the blurb for book two contains spoilers for book one!)

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

Be sure to check out Kasie's other books too. I haven't read On The Fence just yet, but I adored The Distance Between Us.  

Find out more about Kasie and her books HERE.

FOOL FOR BOOKS HOP: SIGNED COPY OF ROOMIES

For this hop, I am giving away a signed copy of Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando's book Roomies. It is signed by both authors.

I just realized I never reviewed this, so here is my review for those of you who might care to know what I think...;)

I was lucky enough to go to a book signing and hear both author's talk about the process of creating Roomies. It was really fascinating because after reading the book I almost didn't believe them when they shared how they wrote this book. Which was pretty much writing chapters to each other back and forth without planning on where the story was going. The fact that they pulled this off so seamlessly is just proof of their mutual talent.

I loved Roomies, it totally took me back to that out of high school-going to college-this is my last summer feeling. Not only was the whole mood spot on, but so was the dynamic between the soon-to-be roommates. The way they reacted to each other in both their lives and in emails was so honest and took me by surprise. Sara Zarr can really do no wrong in my eyes, and Tara Altebrando's chapters were equally delightful. A great collaboration.

BOOK BLURB:

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.

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THE SHADOW PRINCE: BREE DESPAIN

Full disclosure, Bree is one of my best friends in the world. She is one of the nicest and coolest girls around in case you are wondering. She has done her homework and this is one well written book. I never wanted to leave the world or the characters she created in this book. I always get so excited when secondary characters shine as much as the main characters. There are so many well rounded great secondary characters in this book that add so much to the whole feel of the story.

The book is in dual perspective and it is done WELL. I can't say that happens all the time when this style is used. But it has purpose here and adds depth to the story. Bree's style is this: she loves big epic stories with a bit of humor. I adored Haden and loved getting a laugh while he tried to figure out what in the world we humans mean by the things we say.

The Shadow Prince lays down the ground work for a very exciting trilogy unlike anything else I have read before. Bree wanted to write this as a stand alone, but "her people" convinced her that the story could not be contained in just one book. So if you are thinking: "Ugh, another trilogy? I can't take it!" Then just know that there is a method to the madness, and sometimes it takes a few books to get good and involved with characters that are easy to love.

BOOK BLURB:

Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.

Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.

Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds.

This book is totally clean. I read so much crap these days and this book really felt like a little beacon of light in this little world. There are just so many things Bree does well in this book, and I am so relieved she is such a talented writer. How awkward would that be if I didn't like her books? :)

Here are some pics I took from Bree's book release party at The King's English bookstore in Salt Lake City, Utah. That last one is of my cute daughter who can't wait to learn to read enough to read Bree's books.

MISFIT: JON SKOVRON

This book is never in a million years the kind of book I would pick up on my own. However, I had read another Jon Skovron book and really enjoyed his writing style so I put this on my to-read list. It is hard to say how I really felt about this book because a book this size would have normally taken me not too long to read. But because of a lot of family time (weddings, births, guests, oh my) this took me weeks.

Every time I sat down to read it I was transported into the world the author created and I liked that world very much. It did feel like most of the book was exposition and then the big finish just came too quickly. But AGAIN, I don't have the best feel for the flow of this book because my usual reading pace was way off. Also, I loved some of the secondary characters but I thought the best friend and love interest were a bit flat. But the story and writing were quite above average.

So is this a book you should try? If you like strong girls, interesting back stories, believable fantastical creatures based in old myths you should read this. Even if you don't you might still like it...like me.

BOOK BLURB:
Jael Thompson has never really fit in. She’s changed schools too many times to count. The only family she’s ever known is her father, a bitter ex-priest who never lets her date and insists she attend the strictest Catholic school in Seattle. And her mother—well, she was a five thousand year old demon. That doesn’t exactly help.

But on her sixteenth birthday, her father gives her a present that brings about some unexpected changes. Some of the changes, like strange and wonderful powers and the cute skater boy with a knack for science, are awesome. But others, like the homicidal demon seeking revenge on her family? Not so much.

Steeped in mythology, this is an epic tale of a heroine who balances old world with new, science with magic, and the terrifying depths of the underworld with the ordinary halls of high school.

You can read more about it HERE. 

THE VOW: JESSICA MARTINEZ

You know that the best books have to have some type of conflict and The Vow delivers the best kind of realistic conflict that kept me on my toes from beginning to end. The struggle and characters evolve and grow until you have only 10 pages left and you want to scream: "What is going to happen! I only have 10 pages left!" I guess that is a good thing because I enjoyed this book so much it could have gone on much longer. 

I loved Jessica's first book, didn't love her second. But this one was a real wow for me. Definitely the best boy/girl friendship I have ever read. And perhaps one of the best friendships I have ever read period.

BOOK BLURB:

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?

The Vow is a extremely clean read while still dealing with a few mature themes. It doesn't talk down to it's audience but it doesn't shock them either. A great balance. 

This kind of book is exactly the reason I started this blog. Not enough people hear about certain great reads and I want to get the word out! Read more about it HERE.

THE NATURALS: JENNIFER LYNN BARNES

This surprised me. I thought this was really smart. I loved how well thought out it was. I loved the dialogue between all of the characters. I thought the premise was cool. And I for sure did not predict the twist. Now, I don't read a lot of suspense/mystery books, but I honestly cannot remember the last time I was actually surprised by a twist. Apparently this is going to have a second book...I look forward to it. 

This was a sit down and start, and read till your done kind of book for me. Great from beginning to end.

BOOK BLURB:

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides— especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own.

Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.

Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

Overall, we have a pretty dark subject here. However, it is still really a clean read. No swearing that I can remember. 

Thanks NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the read.

THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOU LIFE: LEILA SALES

I thought this author's first book was completely forgettable. In fact, I thought this was a debut book while I was reading it because I really didn't remember that I had read her first release. Good thing I have Goodreads to keep track of my books...

Anyway, I really liked a lot of things about this book. First off, I loved the really good music mentioned throughout the book and the list for readers at the end was extremely good. Good job Ms. Sales for exposing a few young kiddos to some actual good music, heaven knows they don't hear enough of it. Mostly though, good job for reminding me of some of the great music I have loved over the years. Our MC reminded me of what it felt like to love a great song. 

I had trouble reading this in the beginning (I didn't like the depressed, attention getting suicide attempt). But, as I got into this, I really loved the story. I especially loved our older, cooler, but obviously insecure love interest. What a way to shake things up with the boy characters. Most of all though, I loved the idea of being lost in music.

I did have one HUGE issue with the book, and I can't seem to get over it. In what world would a club promoter hire a 16 year old DJ to work in a club that you have to be 21 or older to get in? I was willing to go with the whole underground club idea, but when her first big DJ night is advertised in the local paper I just couldn't come to terms with it. There is no real world in which that would fly. So that bugged me, but I was willing to look past it and I recommend the read.

BOOK BLURB:

Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski’s strong suit. All throughout her life, she’s been the butt of every joke and the outsider in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise nearly gives up. Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute, yet mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and most importantly, a love for DJing.

Told in a refreshingly genuine and laugh-out-loud funny voice, THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE is an exuberant novel about identity, friendship, and the power of music to bring people together.

Read more about it HERE.

PARALLEL: LAUREN MILLER

The cover of this book is pretty, but I admit I judged the cover. I had the book checked out from the library twice before I finally read it. Why? Because it looked all si-fi to me and I just kept putting off the read and back to the library it had to go.

When I finally sat down and read this I was surprised. Miller takes a really complicated plot line and somehow makes it pretty easy to follow. It was interesting and I just really enjoyed the read. This book crosses over genres. The girls who like the si-fi and fantasy would enjoy this book as much as girls like me who generally don't like the si-fi or fantasy. A clever standout 2013 debut for sure.

BOOK BLURB:

Abby Barnes had a plan. The Plan. She'd go to Northwestern, major in journalism, and land a job at a national newspaper, all before she turned twenty-two. But one tiny choice—taking a drama class her senior year of high school—changed all that. Now, on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Abby is stuck on a Hollywood movie set, miles from where she wants to be, wishing she could rewind her life. The next morning, she's in a dorm room at Yale, with no memory of how she got there. Overnight, it's as if her past has been rewritten.

With the help of Caitlin, her science-savvy BFF, Abby discovers that this new reality is the result of a cosmic collision of parallel universes that has Abby living an alternate version of her life. And not only that: Abby's life changes every time her parallel self makes a new choice. Meanwhile, her parallel is living out Abby's senior year of high school and falling for someone Abby's never even met.

As she struggles to navigate her ever-shifting existence, forced to live out the consequences of a path she didn't choose, Abby must let go of the Plan and learn to focus on the present, without losing sight of who she is, the boy who might just be her soul mate, and the destiny that's finally within reach.

It has been awhile since I read this, but I remember it being a pretty clean read with a few swear words and talk of the existence of sex, but nothing more than kissing for our main character. Read more about it HERE.