ARC Book Review | The Remedy by Suzanne Young

Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: April 21, 2015
My Rating: 5 Stars

In a world before The Program…

Quinlan McKee is a closer. Since the age of seven, Quinn has held the responsibility of providing closure to grieving families with a special skill—she can “become” anyone.

Recommended by grief counselors, Quinn is hired by families to take on the short-term role of a deceased loved one between the ages of fifteen and twenty. She’s not an exact copy, of course, but she wears their clothes and changes her hair, studies them through pictures and videos, and soon, Quinn can act like them, smell like them, and be them for all intents and purposes. But to do her job successfully, she can’t get attached.

Now seventeen, Quinn is deft at recreating herself, sometimes confusing her own past with those of the people she’s portrayed. When she’s given her longest assignment, playing the role of Catalina Barnes, Quinn begins to bond with the deceased girl’s boyfriend. But that’s only the beginning of the complications, especially when Quinn finds out the truth about Catalina’s death. And the epidemic it could start.

Review

As a huge fan of The Program books, I was extremely excited when I saw that there would be another book set in that world and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on The Remedy.  I wanted to see how everything began, and what happened before The Program and The Remedy lets us see all of that and more.

Quinlan McKee has been a closer since she was 7 years old.  A closer is someone who can ‘become’ anyone to give closure to grieving families who have lost a loved one, and Quinlan is the best.  Quinn is given her longest assignment yet, and quite possibly the hardest, because the person she’s to become, Catalina Barnes, has a boyfriend and that boyfriend is part of Quinn’s assignment.  Will Quinn be able to give Catalina’s family and boyfriend the closure they need without getting too attached?  You’ll have to read it to find out.

I really, really liked Quinn as our MC.  She was smart and loyal, and although many people judge her for being a closer, she tried not to let it bother her because she knew the reason she was doing it, to help people.  While I’m not sure how I would feel about someone coming in and taking on the role of a deceased loved one, I can understand how it could help some people.  They have the opportunity to say everything that they didn’t get a chance to, and I can see how that would be beneficial in the grieving process. 

I also really loved the other characters as well.  Deacon and Aaron were really great.  They were both there anytime Quinn needed a reminder of who she was and they seemed to always sense exactly what she needed without her having to say the words, or ask for help.

Now, let’s talk about that ending.  It REALLY left me wanting more.  I don’t know if there will be another book, BUT OH MY GOSH I HOPE SO.  You can’t end a book like that and not give me more, I can’t take it.  I NEED MORE.

The Remedy was such an amazing addition to The Program series.  As usual, Young’s writing is flawless and the story is fascinating.

ARC Book Review | Dream a Little Dream by Kerstin Gier

Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: April 14, 2015
My Rating: 3 Stars

Mysterious doors with lizard-head knobs. Talking stone statues. A crazy girl with a hatchet. Yep, Liv’s dreams have been pretty weird lately. Especially this one where she’s in a graveyard at night, watching four boys perform dark magic rituals.

The really weird thing is that Liv recognizes the boys in her dream. They’re classmates from her new school in London, the school where’s she’s starting over because her mom has moved them to a new country (again). But they seem to know things about her in real life that they couldn’t possibly know, which is mystifying. Then again, Liv could never resist a good mystery. . . .

Book Review | Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Format: Paperback
Source: Barnes and Noble/My Bookshelf
Publisher: Puffin
Publication: October 22, 1999 - this edition: April 1, 2001
Pages: 208
Genre: Realistic Fiction, YA
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars


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Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won't talk to her, and people she doesn't even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that's not safe. Because there's something she's trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth. This extraordinary first novel has captured the imaginations of teenagers and adults across the country.

My Review

This book was full of strong subjects and I knew that before getting into it. Honestly, that's the reason I picked it up. I heard so many great things and heard it was like When Reason Breaks a book I read and loved (actually, the person said Speak was better than it). But, I beg to differ. I was really excited to read this book especially after reading When Reason Breaks, but it did not live up to my expectations. 

Melinda is a great character, I really enjoyed her, even though at times I was confused with why she was doing what she was doing. But, who I am to judge when I have never went through something she did, not even close. I believe that she handled everything well, more than well, honestly. I would have broken down way before she did. It was hard seeing her struggles and I just wanted something fantastic to happen to her. She deserved happiness. 

The reason that I gave this book three stars, even though I enjoyed the main character, was that it was so predictable. I knew what was coming, I knew why she was acting the way she did, I knew everything from the moment I started. It didn't take long for me to see how everything would work out. With that being said, even with me not enjoying this book as much, I would love to see this book have a sequel. I think going on with Melinda's story and learning more about her would be wonderful. 

Even with her tough issues and her aching, she held on and showed so much fight and that was something so inspirational. This book, without a doubt, is inspirational in more ways than one and that is why I recommend it to everyone. This has tough issues and makes you upset while reading it, but it makes you believe in something more. Melinda makes you believe. 

ARC Book Review | Denton Little's Deathdate by Lance Rubin

Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 14, 2015
My Rating: 3 Stars

Fans of John Green and Matthew Quick: Get ready to die laughing.

Denton Little's Deathdate takes place in a world exactly like our own except that everyone knows the day they will die. For 17-year-old Denton Little, that's tomorrow, the day of his senior prom.

Despite his early deathdate, Denton has always wanted to live a normal life, but his final days are filled with dramatic firsts. First hangover. First sex. First love triangle (as the first sex seems to have happened not with his adoring girlfriend, but with his best friend's hostile sister. Though he's not totally sure. See: first hangover.) His anxiety builds when he discovers a strange purple rash making its way up his body. Is this what will kill him? And then a strange man shows up at his funeral, claiming to have known Denton's long-deceased mother, and warning him to beware of suspicious government characters…. Suddenly Denton's life is filled with mysterious questions and precious little time to find the answers.

Debut author Lance Rubin takes us on a fast, furious, and outrageously funny ride through the last hours of a teenager's life as he searches for love, meaning, answers, and (just maybe) a way to live on.

My Review

Something to Note: I received an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Why Did I Want To Read Denton Little's Deathdate: When I first saw this book, it seemed like it would be a really fun read.  You know, despite the whole death stuff.

The Characters: The characters were actually my favorite part of this book.  They all had such a fun sense of humor (except for Phil), and I was constantly laughing. 

 

I liked Denton, he seemed like a really good guy, but I didn't understand some of the things he did, especially regarding the purple rash that it mentions in the summary.  You would think that if you had a strange purple rash covering your lower half, you would be a little more careful regarding some things, but no one seemed to pay it much mind, and of course, there are always consequences. 

 

And Paolo, oh my gosh, I LOVED him.  Whenever he was around, he really stole the limelight, at least for me.  He was quirky and hilarious, and I just adored him. 

 

I also really liked Denton's family, I loved laughing at his stepmom's texts, as this is exactly how my mom texts me, and his father and brother, although seemingly distant at the beginning of the book, really grew on me.

Willis Ellis deserves a paragraph all to himself.  I don't even know what to say about him.  He was always there at the wrong time, but he made me laugh.  Not necessarily because he was trying or funny, but...oh hell, I can't even explain him.  I'll just say...he's something else.

 

 

My Overall Thoughts: In all honesty, I was expecting to be blown away by this book.  However, that wasn't the case.  Now, don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed it.  It was hilarious and with the plot line, it had the potential to be amazing, but ultimately it fell short. 
 

In the end I was left with so many questions, and not enough answers.  With that ending, I'm assuming that there will be a second book, actually I'm hoping for a second book so that all of my lingering questions will hopefully be answered.
 

However, I really did love trying to figure out what Denton and his friends would get into next, and I loved the fact that this book made me laugh out loud several times.  Overall, this was an extremely funny book, but instead of being completely invested in the story line, I fell more for the characters. 

 

One Line Wrap Up: A hilariously funny book that will have you laughing out loud and wondering what crazy scenarios Denton will find himself in next.


I Would Recommend For Fans Of: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

ARC Book Review | I Am Her Revenge by Meredith Moore

Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: April 7, 2015
My Rating: 4 Stars

She can be anyone you want her to be.
Vivian was raised with one purpose in life: to exact revenge on behalf of her mother. Manipulative and cruel, Mother has deprived Vivian not only of a childhood, but of an original identity. With an endless arsenal of enticing personalities at her disposal, Vivian is a veritable weapon of deception.

And she can destroy anyone.
When it’s time to strike, she enrolls in a boarding school on the English moors, where she will zero in on her target: sweet and innocent Ben, the son of the man who broke Mother’s heart twenty years ago.

Anyone… except for the woman who created her.
With every secret she uncovers, Vivian comes one step closer to learning who she really is. But the more she learns about herself, the more dangerous this cat and mouse game becomes. Because Mother will stop at nothing to make sure the truth dies with her.

Review

I Am Her Revenge was one of my most anticipated April reads, so you can imagine my excitement when I finally got my hands on it.  To say that I was ecstatic is a bit of understatement, I may or may not have been jumping up and down.  I love me a good revenge story and I couldn't wait to dive into Vivian's world. 

 

Vivian Foster is a bit of a chameleon, she can be anything that she needs to be in order to get what she wants.  Which I admit, sounds kind of awesome.  I would love to be able to change my personality to suit the task at hand.  However, this isn't something that Vivian learned herself because she wanted to.  This is something that her Mother taught her, in order to get the ultimate revenge.  You see, Mother had her heart broken 20 years ago and she's out to ruin that man's heart...by having her daughter break his son's heart.  Eye for an eye, right?  But everything isn't as simple as Mother says, and Vivian will uncover some things that will make her question everything she's even been told.

 

While I'd liked to say that I liked Vivian from the start, that really isn't the case.  But with this kind of plot, I was expecting it.  Mother has made her into a shell of a human, she has controlled every aspect of Vivian's life and pushed it into her head that you can't let anyone close, or worst of all, fall in love.  So as you can imagine, it's hard to get to know the person underneath Mother's teachings.  But like the summary says, with every secret Vivian uncovers, we get to see a little more of HER, and I actually liked that Vivian.

 

Ben, on the other hand, I liked from the start.  From the moment we meet him, we see that he's popular, but he isn't like the others in the popular crowd.  He's caring and sweet, and seemingly an easy target to Vivian. 

 

I really liked the fact that the whole revenge aspect was so well planned, it really made the story flow really well and it kept me interested and guessing.  I didn't expect the whole mystery aspect in this book though, but I loved it.  I didn't put the puzzle pieces together and I didn't see it coming, so when everything was revealed, I got that shock factor, which was great.

 

Overall, I Am Her Revenge is an intriguing read that will give you so much more than a revenge story. 

 

Blog Tour: Into a Million Pieces by Angel V. Cook

Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing
Publication: January 27, 2015
Pages: 206
Genre: Paranormal, YA
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars


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Allison McKready is a succubus. So is her twin sister. But while Allison spends her summer break hiding in the library behind her Goth makeup, Jade fools around as often as she can. Allison can’t believe Jade would ignore their mother’s fatal example so recklessly, but concealing a cursed bloodline and its dangerous effects is far from Allison’s only problem. Mean girl Julie’s snob mob is determined to ruin her summer, and Aunt Sarah’s Bible thumping is getting louder. Only her new friend, Ren Fisher, offers safe haven from the chaos of her life.

When one of Jade’s risky dates leads to humiliation and sudden tragedy, Allison reels, and Ren catches her. But as her feelings for him grow, so does her fear that she’ll hurt him—or worse—in an unguarded moment. The choice is coming—love him or save him—but Allison might not live to make it. One way or another, the curse will have its due.

My Review

This book caught my attention instantly, which was so surprising to me. I usually don't read paranormal books, but this synopsis just swiped me up. If there are some of you that are hesitant to pick it up because it is a paranormal, don't be scared...it's much more than "ghouls and ghostly" stuff.

Throughout this book I had a hard time liking anyone other than Allison. She has such a hard time throughout this book and I just completely feel for her. It breaks my heart how badly she is treated and how much of an outsider she is. Allison has a twin and when people usually think of twins you think of the word "same." No, Allison and her twin sister Jade are polar opposites and its definitely eye opening. 

Ren is a character that I enjoyed - definitely sweeping Allison off her feet. You could tell how much Allison changed when he came into the picture and that was something so awesome. I was happy for her. But, it didn't last very long though...go figure right? How can a book pick up and you feel happy for the character and the author just shoots you down! BOOM. The feels.

This book takes you on a roller coaster ride of ups and downs. You can be smiling one minute and have tears rolling down your face from laughing and feeling happy for the character, then right around the corner...you're grabbing more tissues so you can wipe the tears of sorrow away. I would definitely recommend to pick this book up!

About the Author: 

Angela V. Cook lives a very unexciting, but never boring, life with her husband and two children just outside of Detroit. Like most writers, she’s been making up stories for as long as she can remember and can’t imagine a life that doesn’t involve creating worlds.

Angela loves to write novels for teens because it’s the best outlet for her sarcastic personality, immature sense of humor, and love of romantic firsts. Her idea of the perfect day involves a quiet house, a good book, and a piece of cheesecake. Or two.

ARC Book Review | The Secrets We Keep by Trisha Leaver

Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication Date: April 28, 2015
My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

A girl takes over her twin sister's identity in this emotionally charged page-turner about the complicated bond between sisters.

Ella and Maddy Lawton are identical twins. Ella has spent her high school years living in popular Maddy's shadows, but she has never been envious of Maddy. In fact, she's chosen the quiet, safe confines of her sketchbook over the constant battle for attention that has defined Maddy's world.

When—after a heated argument—Maddy and Ella get into a tragic accident that leaves her sister dead, Ella wakes up in the hospital surrounded by loved ones who believe she is Maddy. Feeling responsible for Maddy's death and everyone's grief, Ella makes a split-second decision to pretend to be Maddy. Soon, Ella realizes that Maddy's life was full of secrets. Caught in a web of lies, Ella is faced with two options—confess her deception or live her sister's life.

My Thoughts:

The Secrets We Keep is such a thought provoking and heartbreaking story. The writing is so flawless and the story flows so perfectly that it's impossible not to get sucked into Ella and Maddy's story. You feel everything from the gut wrenching pain, to the all consuming guilt, and that's what makes this book so amazing.

Ella and Maddy may be twins, but they are the furthest thing from similar. Ella is the quiet one who is always drawing, and Maddy is the popular one. It hasn't always been that way though, they used to be inseperable, and even though Maddy isn't the best sister to Ella, Ella would still do anything for her. But when tragedy strikes, and Ella wakes up to everyone calling her Maddy, and she realizes that her sister is dead, she makes a split second decision to make sure that Maddy has the life that she should have had. But it isn't long until Ella realizes that Maddy's life isn't what she thought and Maddy has been keeping secrets.

It was so easy to form a connection with Ella, her grief was so raw and real that I felt like I was right there with her (as evidenced by all my tears). Ella and Maddy's parents were wonderful, even though they were grieving for one of the daughters, they still made an effort to try and be there for the other, and I can't imagine how hard that would be.

I really didn't like Maddy's set of friends, especially Jenna. She was so deceiving, back stabbing, and flat out mean. I know everyone tried to make excuses for the way she was, but I wasn't buying it. There is no good reason to treat people, specifically one you call your best friend, the way she did.

The Secrets We Keep is an emotional, gripping and gut wrenching story about grief, loss, guilt and finding yourself. 

  

Review | The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

Format: Paperback
Source: Amazon &/or My Bookshelf
Publisher: Little Brown/Poppy
Publication: September 7, 2010
Pages: 280
Genre: YA, Contemporary
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.
But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.
Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

My Review

Something to Note: This book has a little heated scenes, but other than that DIVE IN!

The Characters: Bianca is a character that I am back in forth on. Don't get me wrong I absolutely loved her character, but sometimes she just didn't make sense. But, I feel like that's the reason I enjoyed her so much. She was so down to earth, and she had her opinions about certain things, yet at times she went against them. She hated Wesley, then she fell for Wesley - yet continues to go on about how much she totally and utterly hates him. I see a lot of reviews talking about how that annoyed them, but I think that part of the story really goes along with how people act now-a-days. I don't agree with what she did, but she acted how I expected her to, I guess. Anyway, Bianca is just a fun, loving character that I would love to get to know.

Wesley is a snobby, jerk...but I do think that he actually cares about Bianca. I didn't really like his character throughout the book because he was too cocky and he just annoyed me with all of his snood comments. I do appreciate how he was with Bianca and that's the reason that I was able to tolerate him as a character. 

Bianca's two best friends -- they were both so brutally honest and I loved it. I wish that they were in the book a little more than they were.

My Thoughts: This book was amazing in every way...yes, I may not have loved Wesley that much, but Bianca was such a great narrator and she alone made you fall for this book. Her family situations were wonderful and I love how her dad had such a huge impact on what happened throughout the book. I love how every bit of the story went and there were new things that tied everything together so well. 

There is anger, frustration and guilt thrown into this novel and it is played out so beautifully. There are definitely tears...but without any of that, this book would have fell flat on it's face. It is such a quick, wonderful read that I highly recommend. I cannot wait to see the movie (it's been too long & I need to see it).

One Line Wrap Up: Fun-loving, laid-back story about friendship, love, and the struggle of being you. 

Recommended for: people looking for an easy-going, fun read.

ARC Book Review | Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby

Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: April 21, 2015
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

When Quinn Sullivan meets the recipient of her boyfriend’s donated heart, the two form an unexpected connection.

After Quinn loses her boyfriend, Trent, in an accident their junior year, she reaches out to the recipients of his donated organs in hopes of picking up the pieces of her now-unrecognizable life. She hears back from some of them, but the person who received Trent’s heart has remained silent. The essence of a person, she has always believed, is in the heart. If she finds Trent’s, then maybe she can have peace once and for all.

Risking everything in order to finally lay her memories to rest, Quinn goes outside the system to track down nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas—a guy whose life has been forever changed by this priceless gift. But what starts as an accidental run-in quickly develops into more, sparking an undeniable attraction. She doesn't want to give in to it—especially since he has no idea how they're connected—but their time together has made Quinn feel alive again. No matter how hard she’s falling for Colton, each beat of his heart reminds her of all she’s lost…and all that remains at stake.

ARC Review | Second Chance Island by Jenny Schwartz

Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Publisher: Escape Publishing
Publication: February 8, 2015
Pages: 48
Genre: Romance
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

She’s escaped to a tropical paradise, but her past is going to find her.

Laura Robertson is working at a tropical resort on the Great Barrier Reef, biding her time and nursing her wounds when her ex-lover Phil Cooper arrives on Topaz Island. She’s betrayed him, broken his trust, and shamed herself. And yet it seems that he’s the one man she can’t let go.

She’s spent her whole life fighting to save the reef, and her time on Topaz Island fighting for her self-respect. Does she have enough fight left to fight for a second chance?

My Review

Something to Note: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Thoughts: I'm just focusing on the book at whole instead of going into depths of the characters because it was just such a short book. I know 3 stars seems to be average, but I want you guys to know that I did really enjoy this book. The reason I rated it 3 stars was because it was so short and I kind of wanted more out of it.

The characters in this book are all magnificent. Yes, you only have a few pages to get to know them, but I connected with them right off the bat. Phil is the character that I fell for the most. He was just so fun to read about and I enjoyed his character the most. Laura was a great character as well, but I just didn't feel for her as much as I wished I would have. The other side characters are also just so wonderful. Laura's boss honestly made me love this book so much. She made me smile because she was genuine and it's hard to find someone so lovely in books now-a-days.

Overall, this book was a great, fast read. If you are in a reading slump and need a little pick me up...I would highly recommend this book. It's quick and makes you smile throughout the whole thing.

ARC Book Review | None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio

Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Publication Date: April 7, 2015
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

A groundbreaking story about a teenage girl who discovers she was born intersex . . . and what happens when her secret is revealed to the entire school. Incredibly compelling and sensitively told, None of the Above is a thought-provoking novel that explores what it means to be a boy, a girl, or something in between.

What if everything you knew about yourself changed in an instant?

When Kristin Lattimer is voted homecoming queen, it seems like another piece of her ideal life has fallen into place. She's a champion hurdler with a full scholarship to college and she's madly in love with her boyfriend. In fact, she's decided that she's ready to take things to the next level with him.

But Kristin's first time isn't the perfect moment she's planned--something is very wrong. A visit to the doctor reveals the truth: Kristin is intersex, which means that though she outwardly looks like a girl, she has male chromosomes, not to mention boy "parts."

Dealing with her body is difficult enough, but when her diagnosis is leaked to the whole school, Kristin's entire identity is thrown into question. As her world unravels, can she come to terms with her new self?

Review

ARC Review | Some Kind of Magic by Adrian Fogelin

Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Publication: April 1, 2015
Publisher: Peachetree Publishers
Pages: 192
My Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

It's the summer before high school starts for Cass, Jemmie, Ben, and Justin, the neighborhood kids readers met in Crossing Jordan. Ben worries the break will be routine, until his little brother Cody finds a hat left by their missing uncle. The hat leads them to a lost house in the woods. They don't suspect the house with a tragic past might nudge them toward the future.

My Review

Something to Note: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Characters: The boys (Ben and Justin): The guys in the group were my favorite, but that really isn't saying much. They seemed really whiny and I just wasn't interested in with what they were saying or doing throughout the book. Ben was just an older brother, who I get wanted his time with his friends, but he just complained way too much and it was irritating. Justin was okay, I liked how he was his own person (at times), but he was too worried about Jemmie.

The girls (Jemmie and Cass): These girls, my oh my, where do I begin? I get that they are just 8th graders, but they were so whiny. All Cass wanted was love, and Jemmie was just a side character that fell flat. I think so much could have came from Jemmie, but I think Cass over-shadowed her with her complaints and need for Ben.

Cody (yes, he has his own spot, aside from 'the boys'): Cody was my saving grace in this book. Everything he did was so adorable and I enjoyed reading each part from him. He was so intrigued with learning new things and I felt like he added so much to this book (which was much needed). He wanted nothing but to find his uncle and I found every idea that he through the gangs way was better than any other person he had. He was rational (yes, more rational then his older brother and friends), but he was so funny and I just wanted to give him a big hug. Thank you Cody for allowing me to finish this book.

My Thoughts: This book had so much potential. I really liked the plot and the whole idea, but it fell flat on it's face. The characters were lack luster and I just did not get into it very much. Everything was wrapped up so quickly which was so bad because I wanted something more to come out of it. But, on pointless parts there was so much time spent. The descriptions and additional time spent on some areas could have been spent at so many different areas.

I don't really have much to say about this book because I was so disappointed. From above you can see that I only really cared about Cody, and he is the reason I didn't DNF this book. I could go on and on about what I didn't like, but I don't see any use. It was just too slow and didn't really go anywhere for me. 

One Line Wrap Up: An adventurous book that didn't really take you on an adventure.

ARC Book Review | The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: March 31, 2015
My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Following her pitch-perfect debut Open Road Summer, Emery Lord pens another gorgeous story of best friends, new love, & second chances.

Brimming with heartfelt relationships and authentic high-school dynamics The Start of Me and You proves that it’s never too late for second chances.

It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, it’s high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live?

Review

Something to Note: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Why Did I Want To Read The Start of Me and You: I wanted to read The Start of Me and You because I read and loved Lord's debut, Open Road Summer last year and I couldn't wait to read more of her books.

The Characters: While I really liked most of the characters, I did have a hard time connecting with Paige, the main character.  I get that she has been through a lot with her first boyfriend dying, but she often seemed clueless, especially when it came to Ryan and Max.  If I had been one of her friends, I would have knocked her upside the head and told her to get a clue.  When she finally opens her eyes, I think I actually screamed "Finally!" but of course, other things happened after that, which just added to my frustration because I felt like it was something that could have been resolved if there was a little communication going on.

However, in the end I was really rooting for Paige and I wanted her to be happy, I just wish she would have opened her eyes a little sooner, but I guess we all go at our on pace, and hers was just a little slower than I was hoping for.

Moving on, I actually LOVED Max, he was the sweet nerd that everyone overlooks, but he grabbed my attention from the moment we met.  I also really liked Paige's friends, Tessa, Morgan and Kayleigh, and Ryan wasn't so bad once we got to know him.

My Overall Thoughts: I know it may seem like I didn't enjoy this book at all from my comments on the MC, but that isn't the case at all.  Sure, I would have enjoyed it more if I felt more of a connection with her, but in the end this was a really cute story and I'm glad I read it.

I loved the fact that Paige had such amazing friends, they were the type that were there for each other no matter what, and no questions asked.  They dropped everything if the other was in need of a friend, and I loved that so much. I also loved the fact that there were parents present, and they were good ones at that.
  

One Line Wrap Up: A cute story about friendships, overcoming your fears, and learning to move on in the face of tragedy.

I Would Recommend For Fans Of: Open Road Summer, Golden, and Nantucket Blue

ARC Book Review | Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: March 10, 2015
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver delivers a gripping story about two sisters inexorably altered by a terrible accident.

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged. When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked. Now Nick has to find her sister, before it's too late.

In this edgy and compelling novel, Lauren Oliver creates a world of intrigue, loss, and suspicion as two sisters search to find themselves, and each other.

"Alarming and uplifting, a rare psychological thriller that has a kind heart at its center. Read it with all the lights on." --E. Lockhart, author of We Were Liars

ARC Book Review | My Best Everything by Sarah Tomp

Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication: March 3, 2015
Pages: 400
Genre: YA, Contemporary
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

You say it was all meant to be. You and me. The way we met. Our secrets in the woods. Even the way it all exploded. It was simply a matter of fate.

Maybe if you were here to tell me again, to explain it one more time, then maybe I wouldn’t feel so uncertain. But I’m going back to the beginning on my own. To see what happened and why.

Luisa “Lulu” Mendez has just finished her final year of high school in a small Virginia town, determined to move on and leave her job at the local junkyard behind. So when her father loses her college tuition money, Lulu needs a new ticket out.

Desperate for funds, she cooks up the (definitely illegal) plan to make and sell moonshine with her friends, Roni and Bucky. Quickly realizing they’re out of their depth, Lulu turns to Mason: a local boy who’s always seemed like a dead end. As Mason guides Lulu through the secret world of moonshine, it looks like her plan might actually work. But can she leave town before she loses everything – including her heart?

The summer walks the line between toxic and intoxicating. My Best Everything is Lulu’s letter to Mason – though is it an apology, a good-bye, or a love letter?

Blog Tour: Polarity in Motion by Brenda Vicars

Format: e-ARC

Source: Publisher

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing

Publication: December 2014

Pages: 255 

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Fifteen-year-old Polarity Weeks just wants to live a normal life, but with a mother diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, that’s rarely easy. Her life gets exponentially more disastrous when her sixth-period history classmates start ogling a nude picture of her on the Internet. Polarity would never have struck such a shameless pose, but the photo is definitely of her, and she’s at a complete loss to explain its existence.

Child Protective Services yanks her from her home, suspecting her parents. The kids at school mock her, assuming she took it herself. And Ethan, the boy she was really starting to like, backpedals and joins the taunting chorus. Surrounded by disbelief and derision on all sides, Polarity desperately seeks the truth among her friends. Only then does she learn that everyone has dark secrets, and no one’s life is anywhere near normal.

Blog Tour | Review & Giveaway: When My Heart Was Wicked by Tricia Stirling

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for the amazing When My Heart Was Wicked hosted by Rockstar Book Tours!

Title: WHEN MY HEART WAS WICKED

Author: Tricia Stirling

Pub. Date: February 24, 2015

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Pages: 192

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads

ARC Book Review | Liars, Inc by Paula Stokes

Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: March 24, 2015
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars


For fans of Gone Girl, I Hunt Killers, and TV's How to Get Away with Murder.

Max Cantrell has never been a big fan of the truth, so when the opportunity arises to sell forged permission slips and cover stories to his classmates, it sounds like a good way to make a little money and liven up a boring senior year. With the help of his friends Preston and Parvati, Max starts Liars, Inc. Suddenly everybody needs something and the cash starts pouring in. Who knew lying could be so lucrative?

When Preston wants his own cover story to go visit a girl he met online, Max doesn’t think twice about hooking him up. Until Preston never comes home. Then the evidence starts to pile up—terrifying clues that lead the cops to Preston’s body. Terrifying clues that point to Max as the murderer.

Can Max find the real killer before he goes to prison for a crime he didn’t commit? In a story that Kirkus Reviews called "Captivating to the very end," Paula Stokes starts with one single white lie and weaves a twisted tale that will have readers guessing until the explosive final chapters.

Book Review | I Was Here by Gayle Forman

Format: Paperback
Source: via my library
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Publication: January 27, 2015
Pages: 288
Genre: YA, Contemporary
My Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Cody and Meg were inseparable.
Two peas in a pod.
Until . . . they weren’t anymore.

When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

I Was Here is Gayle Forman at her finest, a taut, emotional, and ultimately redemptive story about redefining the meaning of family and finding a way to move forward even in the face of unspeakable loss.

Book Review | Before You by Amber Hart

Format: Kindle
Source: Library
Publisher: K-Teen
Publication Date: July 29, 2014
My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Some say love is deadly. Some say love is beautiful. I say it is both.

Faith Watters spent her junior year traveling the world, studying in exquisite places, before returning to Oviedo High School. From the outside her life is picture-perfect. Captain of the dance team. Popular. Happy. Too bad it’s all a lie.

It will haunt me. It will claim me. It will shatter me. And I don't care.

Eighteen-year-old Diego Alvarez hates his new life in the States, but staying in Cuba is not an option. Covered in tattoos and scars, Diego doesn't stand a chance of fitting in. Nor does he want to. His only concern is staying hidden from his past—a past, which if it were to surface, would cost him everything. Including his life.

At Oviedo High School, it seems that Faith Watters and Diego Alvarez do not belong together. But fate is as tricky as it is lovely. Freedom with no restraint is what they long for. What they get is something different entirely.

Love—it will ruin you and save you, both.

Review