Review: Paper Princess (The Royals #1) by Erin Watt

Summary/Cover Image from Author's Website: 

From strip clubs and truck stops to southern coast mansions and prep schools, one girl tries to stay true to herself.

These Royals will ruin you…

Ella Harper is a survivor—a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone.

Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from.

Reed doesn’t want her. He says she doesn’t belong with the Royals.

He might be right.

Wealth. Excess. Deception. It’s like nothing Ella has ever experienced, and if she’s going to survive her time in the Royal palace, she’ll need to learn to issue her own Royal decrees.

Review: 

When I first read the summary of this book, it reminded me vaguely of something I read a long, long time ago - Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brain. Just like Ella is sent to live with the Royal boys in the Paper Princess, Megan is sent to live with the McGowan boys. I love Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys - mostly because it was one of the first books that got me obsessed with the YA genre - and with that vague similarity, I added Paper Princess to my TBR pile. As it turns out, the similarities end there. Paper Princess is like Megan Meade's grown-up edgier, raunchier, with-a-bite cousin, and I loved every minute of it.

Ella hasn't had the easiest of lives, and the past year has been one of the worst. After losing her mom to cancer, moving cross-country, and restoring to questionable ways to make a living, Ella is just hoping she can survive until high school graduation. Ella just knows everything will be better if she has her high school diploma. At least then she has a shot at becoming someone with no worries. Everything changes, however, the moment Callum Royal walks into her life. An old friend of father's, Callum has become guardian of Ella. Ella is reluctant, but Callum strikes a deal: $10,000 dollars a month for every month she stays with him. Ella knows can't pass up a deal like that - it can pay for college!- so off she goes to the South with Callum, ready to get through the next two years as quickly as possible. The only problem? His five incredibly attractive but also incredibly protective sons want nothing more then to see Ella leave.

Ella is the stereotypical NA protagonist. She's had a hard life whilst holding on to just a tad bit of innocence and then she's thrown into a new life of riches. Ella wasn't the most deep or well developed of characters, but I still enjoyed reading her story. I found her POV to be interesting, and I enjoyed seeing her friendships with the boys as well as the girls at school grow and develop. I think one of my favorite parts of the book was her friendship with Val. Val was such a cool girl, and I'm really hoping one of these sequels will involve her story at some point. I had a love-hate relationship with the Royal boys in this. I couldn't believe how hard and nasty they were towards Ella - it was just horrible! But they all did begin to grow on me by the end. My feelings towards Reed, the love interest in this, were hot and cold. He's one of those typical bad boys who does horrible things but secretly deep down has some niceness to him. He did a lot of cruel, horrible things to Ella in the start, and while he did try to explain throughout why he was so cold, I was sometimes surprised to see how Ella forgave him so easily.

The plot in this was the typical rags-to-riches with some romance thrown in, and as I'm a sucker for those kind of books, I tore through this one easily. I really enjoyed the sub-plot involving Ella's dad. The authors managed to throw in some good twists, that really had me on the edge of my seat at times. I'm interested to see if more will be revealed about Ella's dad, stepmom, and the will in the next book. I feel like the stepmom isn't about to give up too easily... The romance in this was steamy with a capital S, and while I didn't always approve of Reed, watching Reed and Ella turn from enemies into friends and then something more was one of my favorite parts of the book.

Perfect for fans of Abbi Glines, Paper Princess reads like your favorite celebrity tabloid...a guilty pleasure that you can't put down! And with a cliffhanger as crazy as Paper Princess's was, I can't wait to read the next books.

Grade: B+ 

Paper Princess (Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble) is now out! 

Source: Library

Reviews: Let the Sky Fall & Let the Storm Break by Shannon Messenger

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website: 

Seventeen-year-old Vane Weston has no idea how he survived the category five tornado that killed his parents. And he has no idea if the beautiful, dark-haired girl who’s swept through his dreams every night since the storm is real. But he hopes she is.

Seventeen-year-old Audra is a sylph, an air elemental. She walks on the wind, can translate its alluring songs, and can even coax it into a weapon with a simple string of commands. She’s also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect Vane at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing her own life.

When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra’s forced to help Vane remember who he is. He has a power to claim—the secret language of the West Wind, which only he can understand. But unlocking his heritage will also unlock the memory Audra needs him to forget. And their greatest danger is not the warriors coming to destroy them—but the forbidden romance that’s grown between them.

Review: 

Sylphs. Air elementals who can control the wind. It's a topic I don't see often in YA, so when I heard that Sky Fall series would be about them I was intrigued. Luckily, Let the Sky Fall was a great start to the Sky Fall series. Romantic, spellbinding, and adventurous, Let the Sky Fall had me hooked from the first page.

Let the Sky Fall introduces us to two main characters - Vane and Audra. Vane is your ordinary high school boy. He enjoys hanging out with his best friend, loves playing video games, and has the worst luck with girls. There's one exception to his ordinariness though: he's "Vane Weston: the miracle child," the lone survivor in a tornado that killed both of his parents when he was young. Audra is Vane's secret guardian, in charge of keeping him safe and out-of-view. The only problem? She accidentally just alerted the bad guys to Vane's location.

From the start, I loved both Vane and Audra. Vane was slightly immature and reckless, but his charm and wittiness covered it up pretty well. Some of the situations he got himself into (especially those involving dating) had me laughing out loud. It was fun to see his character evolve over the course of the book. When we're first introduced to him, he's average, taking one day at a time, but by the end of the book, he's trying to be the best sylph, no matter how hard it may be. Audra, on the other hand, is serious, brave, and always trying to make up for her past. It's easy to tell that Audra is broken, choosing to hide herself from others then make lasting connections, but that all changed with Vane. Vane brought out the less serious side in Audra, while Audra brought out the more serious side in Vane. It was enjoyable to watch them balance each other out while also fighting the bad guys and falling in love. The romance between them was slightly rushed....I never really buy into the whole "love at first sight" thing but I still enjoyed reading about it. I also loved the addition of Vane's family (his mom and dad were ultimate parent goals! It was cute to see how much they all loved each other) and Vane's best friend Isaac.

One of my favorite parts of Let the Sky Fall was the world building. This was one of my first encounters with sylphs in YA so I was fascinated with learning more about them. Shannon Messenger did a fantastic job of making their world come to life. I absolutely loved her descriptions of the winds and how Audra and Vane controlled them. It really added something special to the book and had me secretly wishing I could do something as cool as that.

The plot in this followed the stereotypical YA fantasy approach....character who thinks they're normal finds out they're not and is now expected to save the world. However, I loved every moment about it. Shannon threw in some great twists and turns, especially at the end. Throughout the entirety of the book, I was constantly wondering what exactly the bad guys had planned, what happened to Vane's parents, and most importantly, why Audra felt so guilty.

Perfect for fans of fantasy, the Sky Fall series is sure to earn an army of fans.

Grade: B+

*warning: spoilers ahead, precede with caution* 

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website: 

Vane Weston is haunted. By the searing pull of his bond to Audra. By the lies he’s told to cover for her disappearance. By the treacherous winds that slip into his mind, trying to trap him in his worst nightmares. And as his enemies grow stronger, Vane doesn’t know how much longer he can last on his own.

But Audra’s still running. From her past. From the Gales. Even from Vane, who she doesn’t believe she deserves. And the farther she flees, the more danger she finds. She possesses the secret power her enemy craves, and protecting it might be more than she can handle—especially when she discovers Raiden’s newest weapon.

With the Gale Force weakened by recent attacks, and the power of four collapsing, Vane and Audra are forced to make a choice: keep trusting the failing winds, or turn to the people who’ve betrayed them before. But even if they survive the storms sent to destroy them, will they have anything left to hold on to?

Review: 

After the eventful, jaw-dropping ending of Let the Sky Fall, I couldn't wait to dive into Let the Storm Break, the second book in the Sky Fall series. Equally as good as its predecessor, Let the Storm Break is a strong follow-up. Full of adventure, drama, and romance, Let the Storm Break had me sacrificing sleep to read more.

Let the Storms Break picks up around the same time Let the Sky Fall ended. Vane has become the new king of the Gale Force, and with his new role comes a surplus of sacrifice and pressure. Meanwhile, after the unsettling revelations from the last book, Audra is on the run, hoping to come about something that will give her peace and the strength to return to Vane.

From the first page, I was happy to be back in Vane and Audra's world. It was interesting to see how much they progressed and in some ways regressed from the first book. In this book, Vane is under an incredible amount of stress. He's worried about being a good king, he misses Audra's guidance and love, and he's torn over sharing the Westerly language. Just like in the first book, his behavior and the situations he gets himself earned some laughs from me; however, parts of me struggled with his character. Sometimes he was just so incredibly immature that I wanted to scream. Whenever people on the Gale Force tried to help him or guide him in any way, he pushed them away. Luckily, as the book progressed, he began to experience growth, and saw that in order to be a good king you have to make your own decisions while also listening to the opinions and advice from others and, more importantly, being not be afraid to ask for help. I couldn't have been more happier. I can't wait to see how he continues to grow in the final book of the trilogy. Now for Audra...just like in the last book, Audra is once again incredibly lost. She spends the majority of this book trying to not only understand the actions of her mother but also become the best person she can be. I felt for Audra's character. I could feel her pain over her mother's ultimate betrayal as well as the helplessness and anger that resulted. At the start of this book, Audra is, quite simply, in a horrible state of mind; however, over the course of this one, she begins to make real progress, and I loved seeing her kick the enemy's butt. Additionally, now that Vane is now fully in the Gale Force, a bunch of new characters were introduced, and I loved learning more about them. My personal favorite? Gus, one of Vane's new guardians. I also loved seeing the return of Vane's parents. It was always hilarious to see them interact with the Gale Force, especially when Vane's mother and the head of the force were fighting over Vane.

The plot continues to build upon what occurred in the previous book. In Let the Storm Break, Vane and Audra are finally put face-to-face with Raiden, the ultimate bad guy, and the build-up to that as well as the battle scene was epic. So much more was revealed about the fight techniques of Raiden as well as the sylph world in general. Additionally, Vane and Audra's star-crossed romance continued in this one, and I enjoyed seeing the progress it made. I have to admit: they are an adorable couple, and I the little little advantages that came from their bond always managed sneak in a good surprise and twist.

In all, Let the Storm Break is an action packed sequel to Let the Sky Fall, and I can't wait to see what Shannon Messenger has in store for us in Let the Wind Rise, the grand finale.

Grade: B+ 

Let the Sky Fall (Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble) and Let the Storm Break (Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble) are now out! 

Source: ARCs provided by publisher - thanks Simon Pulse! 

Waiting on Wednesday (144)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

My pick this week is:

A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena

A timeless exploration of high-stakes romance, self-discovery, and the lengths we go to love and be loved.

Sixteen-year-old Zarin Wadia is many things: a bright and vivacious student, an orphan, a risk taker. She’s also the kind of girl that parents warn their kids to stay away from: a troublemaker whose many romances are the subject of endless gossip at school. You don't want to get involved with a girl like that, they say. So how is it that eighteen-year-old Porus Dumasia has only ever had eyes for her? And how did Zarin and Porus end up dead in a car together, crashed on the side of a highway in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia? When the religious police arrive on the scene, everything everyone thought they knew about Zarin is questioned. And as her story is pieced together, told through multiple perspectives, it becomes clear that she was far more than just a girl like that.

This beautifully written debut novel from Tanaz Bhathena reveals a rich and wonderful new world to readers. It tackles complicated issues of race, identity, class, and religion, and paints a portrait of teenage ambition, angst, and alienation that feels both inventive and universal.

Reasons I Want to Read This:

• It's a 2018 debut! 
• It was blurbed by Jodi Picoult. 
• "High-stakes romance" always catches my attention. 
• Unique setting - Jeddah (Saudi Arabia).  
• All the amazing reviews that I've seen so far! Seriously, go check out some of them on Goodreads, and tell me you don't want to read this one. 

Add A Girl Like That to your wish list:
Goodreads/ Amazon/ Barnes and Noble

Learn more about the author:
Website

What are you "waiting on" this Wednesday? Are you excited about this one as well? Let me know in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday: Best Books I've Read In 2017 So Far

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Best Books I've Read In 2017 So Far

I actually haven't read too many books so far in 2017. As I write this post, my books read number is currently at 33; however, out of those 33 books, I've read several show-stealers. Here's my list (in no particular order) :

1. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty 

Between my college graduation and my senior week activities, I had two days completely off, and during that time, I tore through this book at record speed. I loved nearly everything about this book: the mystery, the characters, the look into the "typical" town. Since then I've read everything Liane Moriarty's written, with the exception of The Hypnotist's Love Story. 

2. In Twenty Years by Allison Winn Scotch 

Prior to reading this one, I had been hearing good things about Allison's books for years. Now I know who people talked about her...this book was great! The characters were perfectly imperfect, and while they drove me insane almost all the time, I couldn't help but be fascinated with them. Plus, I loved the UPenn setting! 

3. All Things New by Lauren Miller

I had the opportunity to read an ARC of this one (publication date: August 1, 2017), and I was blown away. The writing was top notch and the characters were relatable as well as lovable. Basically, add this one to your wish lists, you won't regret it. 

4. 34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues

This one is currently a contender for the most surprising books of the year. I went into not sure whether I would like it or not (the reviews were mixed), but I ended up loving it. It was gritty, it was heartbreaking, and it even made me cry - but I still loved every minute of it. 

5. Free to Fall by Lauren Miller 

Yes, another one by Lauren Miller. I already gushed about this book enough last week, so check out my review and consider checking this one out! 

6. Once and for All by Sarah Dessen

Not my favorite Dessen but I still throughly enjoyed this one. It was whimsical and summery, the perfect poolside book. Also, it's instilled this desire in me for more wedding planner type books. 

7. The Program by Suzanne Young 

When Jay Asher blurbs a book, it has to be good (at least, in my opinion), and this was good, beyond good actually. I loved Solane, I loved James, I loved Miller, and I loved Lacy. The plot was depressing but Suzanne still managed to hook me in from page 1. 

8. A Week of Mondays by Jessica Brody 

Jessica Brody always manages to weave together a great book, and this one is no exception. Reading this was like revisiting an old '90s teen movie: you know the ending from the start, but you can't help but get lost in the ride. 

9. The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty 

This book made me want to go live on an island. 

10. Paper Princess by Erin Watt 

This series and its author is my new guilty pleasure. It's smutty and over-the-top and I'm already on book #3 in less than 2 weeks. 

Review: Eve & Adam by by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

In the beginning, there was an apple?

And then there was a car crash, a horrible injury, and a hospital. But before Evening Spiker's head clears a strange boy named Solo is rushing her to her mother's research facility. There, under the best care available, Eve is left alone to heal.

Just when Eve thinks she will die not from her injuries, but from boredom—her mother gives her a special project: Create the perfect boy.

Using an amazingly detailed simulation, Eve starts building a boy from the ground up. Eve is creating Adam. And he will be just perfect . . . won't he?

Review:

What made me first add Eve and Adam to my wishlist was its beautiful color. There is something so simple yet eye-catching about it, and I just love the sci-fi vibe it gives off through the puzzle pieces and lightning bolt. Luckily, Eve and Adam contained much more than just a pretty cover. Fast paced, slightly romantic, and with a surplus of adventure, Eve and Adam is a book I easily devoured in one sitting!

Eve's day was going perfectly well until she started thinking about an apple - a crimson McIntosh in a sea of green Granny Smiths - on her way home from the farmer's market, and while in the middle of her thought, she gets into a tragic car accident. Sent to recover from a series of injuries in her mother's high tech, high security biotechnology company, which coincidentally has a hospital inside, Eve doesn't know what's worse: the amount of time it will probably take to recover form her injuries or the amount of boredom she's going to experience being locked away. Just as she thinks she can't handle it anymore, her mother gives her an unqiue task: create the perfect boy. Now with a technology advanced program and a surplus of time, Eve spends her days thinking about what characteristics the perfect boy would possess. However, is there more than meets the eye about the program and the company itself? Solo, an unusual boy who appeared by Eve's side the day of her accident, certainly thinks so, and he's going try everything in his power to convince Eve too.

Eve and Adam contains a wide cast of characters. The majority of the book is told through the first-person perspectives of Eve and Solo. Over the course of the book, I consistently wavered between liking Eve and not liking Eve. On one side, Eve is this great friend and someone who isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes in; however, on the other side, she was also incredibly abrasive and very serious and staunch. Some of the things she said to her best friend just blew me away, and not in the good way. I often wondered how this character who could be so good natured and seemingly wise one second could become a whiny witch the next second. Solo, on the other hand, I did like. Solo was someone who hasn't had the easiest of lives, and I was always curious to find out more about his back story, especially why he was of such great interest to Eve's mom. I also liked the fearless aspect of Solo. Like Eve, he wasn't afraid to stand up for what he believed in, and throughout the book, he showed just that, and managed to save the day in some respects...even though some of his predictions were dead wrong. The character I surprisingly clicked with the best with Eve's best friend Aislin. She was crude and downright hilarious, a great contrast to Eve's seriousness. She really managed to spice up the story!

The plot of this wasn't what I expected it to be. Going into Eve & Adam I thought it would be this big love story between Eve and her hand-made man, but instead, the majority of the book dealt with Solo's past, the sketchiness of the Eve's mom's biotech company, and Aislin's dilemmas with her on-again, off-again boyfriend. The part involving Adam didn't come until the very end, and wasn't really a love story or at least the one I was expecting. While it wasn't what I expected, I still enjoyed the plot. Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate did a great job of building up the suspense about the biotech company. Throughout the book I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out whether Eve's mom was truly as bad as she was made out to be. The end result? Didn't see it coming one bit, which is something I always enjoy. I love a good surprise. However, there was some parts of the plot I didn't think were as fleshed out as they could've been (for instance, Adam and role he will be playing moving forward).

Perfect for fans of Jenna Fox Chronicles, Eve & Adam sets up an interesting new series, and I looked forward to seeing what occurs in book two, Adam & Eve.

Grade: B

Eve & Adam (Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble) is now out in paperback, hardcover, and ebook!

Source: ARC provided by publisher - thanks Macmillan!

Review: Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Kate has always been the good girl. Too good, according to some people at school—although they have no idea the guilty secret she carries. But this summer, everything is different...

This summer she's a counselor at Cumberland Creek summer camp, and she wants to put the past behind her. This summer Matt is back as a counselor too. He's the first guy she ever kissed, and he's gone from geeky songwriter who loved The Hardy Boys to a buff lifeguard who loves to flirt...with her.

Kate used to think the world was black and white, right and wrong. Turns out, life isn't that easy...

Review:

Contemporary is one of my favorite genres, and Miranda Kenneally is an absolute gem of a contemporary writer (Catching Jordan and Stealing Parker are proof of this). Therefore, it was no surprise that I simply adored Things I Can't Forget, her third book in the Hundred Oaks series. It contained everything I enjoyed about her prior books: strong, likable characters, a swoon worthy romance, and lots of heart. More importantly, though, it managed to tackle a hard subject - religion- and while I was hesitant about that aspect at first, I feel that Miranda had a did a beautiful job of gracefully intertwining into Things I Can't Forget's "heart."

Things I Can't Forget tells the story of Kate, a girl who has been through a lot in the last few months. From the first chapter, I was instantly taken with Kate's story. She was facing something that most protagonists in YA don't encounter too often: the dilemma of being her definition of a good christian while also being a good friend. I felt that Kate's struggle between the two jumped right off the page and came to life. I could feel her confusion and pain over it. More importantly, though, I could relate to it, and I'm sure most, if not all, other readers will feel some degree at the same, because at the heart of this it Kate's dilemma is not necessarily all about religion. Instead, it is about finding a common ground between what you believe in and making choices based on it while also finding it in you to respect and see reason behind other people's choices and beliefs as well. It something that's incredibly important even behind the religion aspect, and I feel that Miranda did a great job of taking it past that point, and having it so that this book wasn't a "preachy" religious book. Instead, it showed a protagonist's journey in balancing her religion and relationships with others AND also balancing her viewpoints and relationships in general. It was interesting addition to the book, in my opinion, and one that has given me a new sense of respect for Miranda Kenneally as a writer.

Adding to this, I loved seeing the transformation Kate made over the course of the book due to this all, as not only did she truly bloom and come to life as a person, but she formed some pretty fabulous friendships as well. One was her friendship with Parker, a former leading lady of Kenneally's. It was interesting to see them become friends over the course of the book, and get over their differences and find common ground, as not only was it an important stepping stone for Kate but Parker as well (Parker surprisingly had some more growing to do in this book, and with that, I felt that it was a great little extension off of Stealing Parker). I also enjoyed seeing Kate's relationship with Matt bloom over the course of the novel as well. Just like Parker, he made her see a new side of herself, one that while made her question her morals and choices, lead to important self discoveries over time. Plus, there little romance was adorable to see unfold....I was continually rooting for them to make it work.

The camp backdrop of this one also provided some fun entertainment. The little camp drama and dilemmas that popped up added important aspects to the plot and character development while also providing something even more important at times: laughs. However, I do resent it a little for making me even more wishful for the summer season.

In all, Thing I Can't Forget is yet another fabulous book by Miranda Kenneally, one that I would suggest to contemporary lovers out there.

Grade: A

Things I Can't Forget (Amazon, BN, Goodreads) is now out! 

Source: Bought from Amazon 

Review: Free to Fall by Lauren Miller

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

From the author of Parallel comes a high-stakes romantic puzzler set in a near-future where everyone's life is seamlessly orchestrated by personal electronic devices. Imaginative and thrilling, this fast-paced story with two starred reviews is not to be missed.

Fast-forward to a time when Apple and Google have been replaced by Gnosis, a monolith corporation that has developed the most life-changing technology to ever hit the market: Lux, an app that flawlessly optimizes decision-making for the best personal results. Just like everyone else, sixteen-year-old Rory Vaughn knows the key to a happy, healthy life is to follow what Lux recommends. When she's accepted to the elite boarding school Theden Academy, her future happiness seems all the more assured. But once on campus, something feels wrong beneath the polished surface of her prestigious dream school. Then she meets North, a handsome townie who doesn't use Lux, and begins to fall for him and his outsider way of life. Soon, Rory is going against Lux's recommendations, listening instead to the inner voice that everyone has been taught to ignore—a choice that leads her to uncover a truth neither she nor the world ever saw coming.

Review:

After reading and loving Lauren Miller's upcoming All Things New, I immediately added her other two novels to the top of my TBR pile. Free to Fall was the first one up, and I had an inkling I would enjoy it based on the boarding school setting and the futuristic plot (an app that makes all your decisions for you? Now that sounds interesting!). Luckily, Free to Fall blew me away. Combining an intricate, well developed plot, likable characters, and a swoon-worthy romance, Free to Fall had me sacrificing sleep to read more.

One of my favorite aspects of Free to Fall were the characters. Rory was incredibly likable and relatable. Rory starts the book off being slightly unsure of herself. She's just accepted into Theden Academy, an exclusive, highly sought out boarding school, and she's not sure if she's going to thrive there. As the book progressed, however, not only does Rory find her place in life but she also becomes this strong, kick a$$ character. I loved seeing this transition occur, and I respected the fact that no matter how many bad events were thrown her way, she still managed to overcome them, making the best out of the worst situations. Most people would have had a nervous breakdown in Rory's position but not Rory. In addition to Rory, Free to Fall introduces North, Rory's partner-in-crime and love interest. North was the perfect addition to Free to Fall - I was obsessed the moment he first appeared in chapter 3. The chemistry behind North and Rory was incredibly strong, and some of their interactions had me laughing out loud. North was the perfect pairing to Rory's character, and without their bond, I don't think Free to Fall would have been nearly as strong of a book. In addition to Rory and North, there's a bunch of other characters who have big to little roles throughout. Hershey, Rory's roommate, also became a favorite of mine over the course of the book, even though it took me a while to decide if she was a good guy or bad guy. And the evil guys in this? So incredibly bad! From the moment they walked into the story, I hated them, but I still loved the amount of twists and turns they brought with them.

The plot of this described in two words? Brilliantly smart. Free to Fall is YA at its peak. It contains this crazy plot, and in the start, I was little worried about how Lauren would pull it off. As it turns out, I shouldn't have had any worries, because by the end it was so incredibly obvious how much time and research Lauren put into making this book perfect. I don't want to say too much about the plot, as I don't want to give anything away; however, I will say that I throughly enjoyed the details about the app. It was incredibly interesting to see the neuroscience approach of it, and the little details really managed to make this book stand out to me. It also made me really question the dependency the world has on technology today. Letting an app make all your decisions seems like something that could totally happen in the future, so it was interesting to see the pros and cons to it. I also loved the addition of the Secret Society that Rory took part in. In the beginning, I didn't really understand what the whole point of it would be, but by the end, I was thrown back by how much it had to do with the overall picture. The twists and turns in this one just kept me flying through this, because once I started it, I couldn't put it down!

Lauren Miller's writing was great. She did a fantastic job of developing the setting. It had me wishing I had gone to a boarding school based on the overall coolness of Theden Academy. The amount of technology that school had was beyond awesome! As hinted to above, she did a great job of fleshing the characters and the plot out; I enjoyed every minute of this, and even though, it had a satisfying ending, I was still left wishing for more...more Hershey, more Rory, and definitely more North.

In all, Free to Fall is yet another great novel by Lauren Miller. I thought she made a fan for life out of me with All Things New, but this one really sealed the deal. I can't urge you all enough to try this book out!

Grade: A+ 

Free to Fall (Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble) is now out in hardcover, paperback, and eBook formats!

Source: Finished copy provided by Goldberg McDuffie Communications - thanks Megan!

Waiting on Wednesday (143)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

My pick this week is...

You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Eighteen-year-old twins Adina and Tovah have little in common besides their ambitious nature. Viola prodigy Adina yearns to become a soloist—and to convince her music teacher he wants her the way she wants him. Overachiever Tovah awaits her acceptance to Johns Hopkins, the first step on her path toward med school and a career as a surgeon.

But one thing could wreck their carefully planned futures: a genetic test for Huntington’s, a rare degenerative disease that slowly steals control of the body and mind. It’s turned their Israeli mother into a near stranger and fractured the sisters’ own bond in ways they’ll never admit. While Tovah finds comfort in their Jewish religion, Adina rebels against its rules.

When the results come in, one twin tests negative for Huntington’s. The other tests positive.

These opposite outcomes push them farther apart as they wrestle with guilt, betrayal, and the unexpected thrill of first love. How can they repair their relationship, and is it even worth saving?

From debut author Rachel Lynn Solomon comes a luminous, heartbreaking tale of life, death, and the fragile bond between sisters.

Books about twins always fascinate me because I've always wanted a twin and the bond between twins is one-of-a kind. This one sounds super good - I'm curious to see how the Huntington's results will effect the twins...I can't even imagine how it would feel to be in those shoes, knowing one of you would live and the other wouldn't. Also Rachel is a 2018 debut author!

You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone will be released January 2, 2018!

Top Ten Series I've Been Meaning To Start But Haven't

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. 

This week's topic is:

Top Ten Series I've Been Meaning To Start But Haven't  

1. The Program series by Suzanne Young: This book has been in my TBR longer than I would like to admit, but I'm planning to change that this summer. This series sounds amazing....a society where true feelings are banned? Sign me up for sure! Also I can't believe there's SIX books in this series. Guess I'll be busy if I end up loving the first one. 

2. The Conqueror's Saga series by Kiersten White: I'll let you in on a little bookish secret of mine: I borrowed the first one in this series from the library this past Winter, but never got around to reading it; however, I'm planning to rectify that this summer. The reviews for this has been great, and I love that it has a historical aspect to it. 

3. Blood of Eden series by Julie Kagawa: I loved Julie's Iron Fey series, so I really don't know why I haven't started this one yet.  

4. To All the Boys I've Loved Before series by Jenny Han: I love YA contemporary, Jenny Han's Summer series was one of my favorites, and this one sounds amazing....so really, I don't know why I haven't read this one already either. 

5. The Blackcoat Rebellion series by Aimee Carter: I LOVED LOVED LOVED Aimee's Goddess Test series. 

6. Scarlett series by Maureen Johnson: I've had the first book in my TBR pile since it released back in...2008. Shameful, I know. This one sounds great, though, and I hope to get to it soon. Hotels, romance, and a city setting? What's not to potentially love? 

7. The Winner's Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski: The covers for this series are seriously stunning. Seriously, look them up, and try to tell me that they're not beautiful. Anyhow, this series also has been amassing a ton of great reviews....need to read it ASAP. 

8. Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich: Ever since I saw the movie for this one staring Katherine Heigl, I've wanted to start this series. I love mystery type books and movies, so I'm sure there's nothing I wouldn't find enticing about this bounty hunter series. 

9. Georgina Kincaid series by Richelle Mead: I enjoyed Richelle's Vampire Academy series, and now that I'm older, I'm hoping to make my way through her adult series as well.

10.  Millennium series: This series has gotten so much press and love, and I really want to see for myself what's so amazing about this series. 

That's it for my list, so tell me: have you guys read any of the series I mentioned? Any of them in particular you suggest I have to move to the top of my TBR pile ASAP? Let me know in the comments! :) 

Sidenote: As I was making this list, I noticed an interesting trend: a lot of the books I wanted to include I had already read the first book for but hadn't gotten around to the other ones. Do you guys have that problem? Read one or two books in the series, and not getting around to the other ones? 

Review: 34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

A dark and moving novel—reminiscent of Thirteen Reasons Why—about the mystery surrounding a teenage girl’s fatal overdose.

There was something about Ellie…something dangerous. Charismatic. Broken. Jake looked out for her. Sarah followed her lead. And Jess kept her distance—and kept watch.

Now Ellie’s dead, and Jake, Sarah, and Jess are left to pick up the pieces. All they have are thirty-four clues she left behind. Thirty-four strips of paper hidden in a box beneath her bed. Thirty-four secrets of a brief and painful life.

Jake, Sarah, and Jess all feel responsible for what happened to Ellie, and all three have secrets of their own. As they confront the past, they will discover not only the darkest truths about themselves, but also what Ellie herself had been hiding all along…

Review:

Going into this one I wasn't sure if I was going to love it or hate it. The reviews I had seen were mixed but I couldn't resist the 13 Reasons Why vibe it was giving off. As it turns out I ABSOLUTELY loved this. Gritty, heartbreaking, and fast paced, 34 Pieces of You has quickly become one of my favorite contemporary books of the year. I only wish I had read it sooner!

34 Pieces of You introduces the reader to 3 POVs: Jake, Jessie, and Sarah. All three have varying relations to the deceased: Jake was Ellie's brother, Sarah was Ellie's best friend, and Jessie is Sarah's little sister, an outsider of sorts.

Whenever books have multiple POVs I get slightly worried about character development and plot building, but Carmen Rodrigues did a wonderful job of handling the multiple perspectives. Each character was well developed and their stories blended together beautifully. The aspect I liked the most about the multiple POVs was how they showed the many ways one death could influence three people's lives. Both Jake and Sarah felt such an incredible sense of guilt over Ellie's death. Sarah was the last person to see Ellie alive that night while Jake was the last person Ellie called. Throughout the book, the reader witnesses Jake and Sarah hit so many highs and lows, as both question what they should've done, what they knew, and how they can move on. Their emotions jumped off the page and came to life, and throughout the book I wanted nothing more than the two of them to find peace. Jessie, however, was the really show-stealer here. At first I wasn't quite sure what role she would play - she didn't even seem to know Ellie very well, only in the role of her sister's incredibly intimidating best friend. Over the course of the novel, however, the reader learns that Ellie and Jessie had a larger connection than anyone could've imagined, and Jessie, just like Sarah and Jake, has equal amounts of quilt to share.

As hinted to above, the plot of this is incredibly character driven. 34 Pieces of You at its heart is a story of moving on and learning to make peace with the past. There was some mystery, though, in the form of what type of bond Ellie and Jessie shared, what had happened between Sarah and Jake in the past, and whether or not Ellie's death was truly an accident. All three questions managed to make the book move at a rapid speed, and by the end, I was quite satisfied with how everything turned out albeit a little heartbroken. (Side note: the scene with Jake and his dad at the airport? I cried a little...okay a lot.) What really shaped this novel into something special, however, was the 34 notes Ellie leaves behind. Each offered not only a personal, chilling view into Ellie's live but also more to Ellie's character than just the roles she is seen playing in each of the three perspectives.

In all, 34 Pieces of You is a novel that blew me away. So I urge you all to give this book a try - hopefully you all will enjoy it as much as I did!

Grade: A

34 Pieces of You (Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble) is now out!

Source: ARC provided by publisher - thanks Simon Pulse!

Review & Giveaway: Be True to Me by Adele Griffin

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

It’s the summer of 1976 on Fire Island, where feathered hair and the Bicentennial celebration reign. Jean, a sometimes cruel, often insecure, and always envious rich girl, is accustomed to living in her glamorous older sister’s shadow. So when Gil Burke, a handsome newcomer with uncertain ties to one of the most powerful families in the exclusive enclave of Sunken Haven, notices Jean—not her sister—Jean is smitten. Then Fritz, a girl from outside the gilded gates who humiliated Jean in the Island’s tennis championship last year, falls for Gil herself. Soon the girls are competing for much more than a tennis trophy, with higher stakes than either of them can imagine.

Through the alternating perspectives of Jean and Fritz, Adele Griffin captures the angst of feeling like you don’t belong and the urgency of first love with masterly prose and a sharp wit perfect for fans of E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars.

Review:

Be True to Me landed on my radar as soon as I saw that Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian, two of my favorite YA authors, provided such positive blurbs for it. Then I saw the comparison to E. Lockhart's We Were Liars (if you haven't read this book, you must! It's deliciously twisty!). At that point it was a done deal: I was reading Be True to Me no matter what. As it turns out, Be True to Me was the perfect slow-burning summer read. A coming-of-age tale at its heart, Be True to Me is infuriating and heartbreaking yet charming and insightful.

I had a lot of mixed emotions about Jean and Fritz. They were both brazen, bold, and relentless, not afraid to risk everything to get what they wanted and craved most. They were also careless and reckless, often putting the feelings of others behind their own. From the moment Be True to Me starts, the reader is thrown into a quickly developing rivalry between Jean and Fritz. Both want Gil with all their hearts, as they're both equally convinced that he's the one for them, the boy of their dreams. Parts of me found their actions regarding Gil slightly ridiculous and immature, really who would put everything on the line for a boy they just meet? Then I remembered what first loves are like, especially when you're young and its summer. That's when it dawned on me Jean and Fritz are perfection representations of girls hopelessly in love, giddy for the ultimate romance. It struck a cord in me. I could remember being that silly and head-over-heels for some guy I had just meet in high school, and even though I never what to such drastic lengths as Fritz and Jean did,  I could relate and I'm sure many other readers can as well. In addition to Fritz and Jean, Be True to Me offers up a large cast of other characters, primarily the residents of Fire Island. I enjoyed the way Adele Griffin weaved the stories of the other characters into the plot, especially that of Tracy and her mysterious disappearance. It made the story richer and helped to establish the setting.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was the setting. Adele Griffin did a great job of fleshing Fire Island out, making it and its residents come to life. I loved the descriptions of the houses with distinctive (albeit slightly ridiculous) names as well as the stores and bars the characters frequented. I often felt like I was right there. I also enjoyed the little details about 1976 that Adele threw in. It was interesting to see the climate that existed during that time. From the interest in the ballet dancer neighbor who defected from Russia to the topic of gay rights to the music of the time, Adele managed to make this time in tune with the past.

The plot of this, as hinted to above, was slow-burning, but I still managed to fly through this book within a day. The book opens up with a small snippet about one of the characters (you're not told who) lost at sea, calling out for Gil. From that moment onward, I was obsessed with knowing which character it was (Jean or Fritz) and what had happened. The majority of conflict in this novel stems from the rivalry between Jean and Fritz, and while it was infuriating at times, I could still find the story relatable, and I was on the edge of my seat, dying to know who would get Gil, and more importantly, if he'd really be worth it in the end. The ending of this novel, though, blew me away! I didn't see it coming; however, I don't think it could have been more perfect, even if it did break my heart. It was cruel, yet it managed to bring about an important message: no matter how amazing a person may be, don't let them get in the way of being the best person you can be.

Surprising, chilling, and romantic, Be True to Me is a book that I highly recommend, perfect, as the synopsis suggest, for fans of We Were Liars.

Grade: B+ 

Be True to Me (Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble) is now out!

Source: Finished copy provided by publisher - thanks Algonquin Young Readers!

Since I loved this one so much, I want to share it with one of you! Therefore, I'm putting my hardcover copy up for grabs.

To enter the giveaway, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

Official Giveaway Rules:

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Review: Right of Way by Lauren Barnholdt

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Can a road trip repair a romance gone wrong? Find out in this standalone companion to Lauren Barnholdt’s Two-way Street.

Here are Peyton and Jace, meeting on vacation. Click! It’s awesome, it’s easy, it’s romantic. This is the real deal.

Unless it isn’t. Because when you’re in love, you don’t just stop calling one day. And you don’t keep secrets. Or lie. And when your life starts falling apart, you’re supposed to have the other person to lean on.

Here are Peyton and Jace again, broken up but thrown together on a road trip. One of them is lying about the destination. One of them is pretending not to be leaving something behind. And neither of them is prepared for what’s coming on the road ahead…

Review:

Back when I was in seventh grade and thought that I was being super rebellious by reading young adult books, I was obsessed with anything by Lauren Barnholdt and Hailey Abbott. Two-way Street by Lauren Barnholdt was one of my favorite books back then (I'm pretty sure I have a well read, well loved copy of it somewhere around my house). I loved the road trip aspect, and I loved the two main characters, Courtney and Jordan. Therefore, when I caught wind that Lauren Barnholdt was releasing a companion book to it 9 years later, I was beyond elastic (*cue nostalgic feelings*), especially when I found it contained a road trip as well. As it turns out, Right of Way is just as addictive as its predecessor. Romantic as well as witty, Right of Way is the ultimate summer read.

Right of Way tells the story of Peyton and Jace, a once in love couple turned enemies. When Peyton and Jace ended up at the same Christmas party, the sparks flew instantly, and even though they lived thousands of miles apart, they promised each other that they'd make it work, that it wouldn't just be one time thing. At first, everything worked. They talked and texted all the time and were even planning a spring break trip to see each other. Then everything fell apart. Now months later, Peyton and Jace end up at the same wedding. They're the last person either wants to see, but they both can't deny one thing: there's something still between them. Now thrown together on a cross-country road trip, they're confronted with the secrets and lies of their past and the uncertainty of their future.

I clicked with Peyton and Jace as soon as I started the book. Peyton is someone I think most can relate too. She's stronger than she knows, but sometimes she lets her irrational thoughts- and the anger that comes with them - get the best of her. When the reader is first introduced to Peyton, she's not the happiest person in the world. She's dealing with her parent's divorce, money problems, and the feelings she still has for a boy she shouldn't, but over the course of the book, she begins to see that you can get past the most impossible situations if you allow yourself to open up to others. I loved this transformation, it's part of what made this book so addictive to me. Jace is similar to Peyton in some respects. He doesn't have the same amount of family problems, but he still has let his stubbornness get the best of him, especially when it comes to Peyton. All throughout the book, I just kept internally screaming "come on Jace, just open up!!" I also loved the secondary characters as well. It was fun to catch-up with Courtney and Jordan, but Hector, the most adorable, funny dog, was the real show-stealer.

The plot in this was basically the classic YA contemp summer formula- romance + road trip + mixed messages + drama - and while I pretty much had the ending figured out from the start, I was still hooked. I wanted to know why Jace and Peyton first broke up, what happened between them the night of the wedding, and what exactly was going on in Peyton's family. All of these separate plots kept me reading late into the night, and the conclusions to all were extremely satisfying. What made this book so addictive, in my opinion, was the alternating POVs and the alternating between "Before" and "Road Trip." Lauren Barnholdt did a great job of weaving it all tougher. It flowed nicely, and it kept the curiosity - and some suspense even - building.

In all, Right of Way is something I would definitely suggest to YA lovers, especially those looking for a quick read for vacation.

Grade: A

Right of Way (Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble) is now out! (FYI: the paperback addition is only $4.34 on Amazon right now!)

Source: ARC provided by publisher - thanks Simon Pulse!

Review: A Week of Mondays by Jessica Brody

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website: 

When I made the wish, I just wanted a do-over. Another chance to make things right. I never, in a million years, thought it might actually come true...

Sixteen-year-old Ellison Sparks is having a serious case of the Mondays. She gets a ticket for ru
nning a red light, she manages to take the world’s worst school picture, she bombs softball try-outs and her class election speech (note to self: never trust a cheerleader when she swears there are no nuts in her bake-sale banana bread), and to top it all off, Tristan, her gorgeous rocker boyfriend suddenly dumps her. For no good reason!

As far as Mondays go, it doesn’t get much worse than this. And Ellie is positive that if she could just do it all over again, she would get it right. So when she wakes up the next morning to find she’s reliving the exact same day, she knows what she has to do: stop her boyfriend from breaking up with her. But it seems no matter how many do-overs she gets or how hard Ellie tries to repair her relationship, Tristan always seems bent set on ending it. Will Ellie ever figure out how to fix this broken day? Or will she be stuck in this nightmare of a Monday forever?

From the author of 52 Reasons to Hate My Father and The Unremembered trilogy comes a hilarious and heartwarming story about second (and third and fourth and fifth) chances. Because sometimes it takes a whole week of Mondays to figure out what you really want.

Review:

Jessica Brody is one of my go-to authors. I haven't read of one of her books that I don't love, and thankfully, that trend continued with A Week of Mondays. Reminiscent of a classic teen movie (think 10 Things I Hate About You, Clueless), A Week of Mondays is charming and utterly addictive.

Ellie Sparks knows she shouldn't have thrown a garden gnome at her boyfriend's head on Sunday night during a heated argument, but it was an accidental, spur of the moment thing. She was angry and hurt, but now that it's Monday, a fresh, new day, she vows to make everything right. The universe, however, has a different plan for her. In the course of one day, she gets a ticket, disappoints her best friend, takes the worst school picture in history, has an allergic reaction during her vice president speech, fails miserably at softball tryouts, and her boyfriend breaks up with her. What was supposed to be a great day, her chance to make everything okay, has become the worst day of her life. She secretly wishes she could have a do-over, and the next day something magical happens: it's Monday all over again. Ellie knows this is her shot at redemption, and more importantly, a chance to win her boyfriend back, but as she soon finds out, sometimes the best laid plans aren't always the right ones.

Ellie was incredibly easy to relate to. She's not perfect, she makes mistakes, and she sometimes puts great value on things she shouldn't. However, she's also has good intentions, loves her family and friends, and is brave. From the start, I couldn't help but to root for her to find her place in life and to let her true colors shine. I wanted her to see that Tristan wasn't necessarily the right guy for her, that she should spend more time with her sister and best friend Owen, and that she didn't need to fake who she was to make others happy. Over the course of the book and a week of Mondays, coincidentally, she starts to realize this. Besides Ellie, I also loved reading about Owen. Owen is the ultimate nerdy, guy-next-door. He was hilarious (I loved his and Ellie's lawyer talk) as well as quirky. His friendship with Ellie added such a great layer to this book - they were best friend goals. Ellie's family also became one of my favorite parts by the end.  It was interesting how they started with such a little part in the book, and eventually became a bigger focus. Tristan was the one character I couldn't stand from the start. He was so pompous and full of himself.

When I first read the summary of this, I was a little hesitant about the fact that it would about repeating the events of one Monday seven times. I was worried that by the end it would become overdone and repetitive, because how many times can you really make one Monday different? As it turns out, I shouldn't have been worried one bit. Jessica made every Monday fresh and exciting even if some of the same events carried through. Additionally, I liked how she used it as a plot device to bring character growth to Ellie and the other assortment of characters. It was great to see the change that occurred between Ellie that first Monday to the seventh.

In all, A Week of Mondays is another great contemporary read from Jessica Brody. I can't wait to see what she releases next!

Grade: A

A Week of Mondays (Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble) is now out!

Source: ARC provided by publisher - thanks Macmillan!

Review: The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website: 

For a select group of girls, the Glittering Court offers a shot at a life they’ve only ever dreamed of, one of luxury, glamour, and leisure. To high-born Adelaide, whose wealthy family is forcing her into a loveless marriage, the Glittering Court represents something else: the chance to chart her own destiny, and adventure in an unspoiled, prosperous new land across the sea.
After a chance meeting with the dazzling Cedric Thorn, Adelaide poses as a servant to join the crop of impoverished girls he promises to transform into proper ladies. But her familiarity with upper class life comes with a price: she must hide her identity from her new friends, mysterious refugee Mira and fiery former laundress Tamsin, and most importantly, from Cedric himself—even though she’s falling in love with him.

Everything begins to crumble when Cedric discovers Adelaide’s ruse, and she catches the eye of a powerful young governor, who wants her for a wife. She didn’t leave the gilded cage of her old life behind just to become someone else’s property. But nothing is as daunting—or as wonderful—as the potent, forbidden attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. One that, if acted on, would make them both outcasts in a wild, dangerous, uncharted world, and possibly lead them to their deaths.

Review: 

Vampire Academy is hands down one of my favorite series. Rose and Dimitri? One of my top YA couples ever. Therefore, when I heard that Richelle Mead was coming out with a new series I was super excited, especially when I heard that it featured a Victorian as well as frontier setting and a seemingly star crossed romance. What more could you really ask for? Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this one nearly as much as I wished. It was an easy read, don't get me wrong. I had no problem finishing it, but I just didn't connect to the plot, the characters, or the setting, and that's where everything went wrong for me.

The Glittering Court tells the story of Adelaide, an Osfridian countess on the run from a disastrous arranged marriage stemming from her family's lack of money. Adelaide didn't want to run. It meant leaving behind the person she cares the most about - her grandmother - but Adelaide could not stand one more minute of being forced into an insufferable situation. Now in the Glittering Court, posing as her former maid, she's learning all the etiquette needed to become a wife of someone important in the new world. Learning etiquette? That's easy, she's been trained her whole life. But acting as someone who doesn't know any of it, someone who's been cleaning, cooking, and mending clothes for the entirety of her life? That's the hard part. Faced with friends, enemies, and the one boy who knows her deepest, darkest secret, Adelaide's about to have a rough few months.

"I've never planned on stealing someone's life."

That's how Adelaide (formally Elizabeth) starts her tale, and with that line, I knew that Adelaide was someone I wanted to get to know better. Adelaide is the epitome of a strong, fearless main character. She goes to hell and back to get what she wants: a life of freedom and choices with someone she likes by her side. I respected that about her: she knew what she wanted. However, at the same time I just couldn't connect to her. I wanted to, I reached and tried, but there was something about her voice that was always an arm's reach away. I felt the same way about Cedric, her love interest. He was also brave - I liked the plot revolving around his religion, it added an interesting comment to the story - but he was, unfortunately, bland. I couldn't really fell the *sparks* fly between him and Adelaide. The two characters I did really enjoy reading about, though, were her two roommates. They were interesting girls, with a barrel of secrets of their own, and I'm really looking forward to reading their stories in the next two books.

The plot - a princess on the run - and setting - Victorian and frontier times - were what first inspired me to read this book, but just as with the characters, I had a few problems. The detail for the settings were good, they helped me to visualize the worlds in which Adelaide and her friends and foes were in; however, I always felt like the story was jumping from one place to the next - from the city to the country to the sea to the new world and two of its cities. It was a surplus of ground to cover with a lot of transitioning. I felt just as I got a used to one setting, and curious to learn more, it was time to go to the next. The plot lines were interesting, but seemingly stretched thin at times. I liked the run-away countess plot. It was interesting and I was also curious to see whether she would get caught, but I was not on the edge of my seat, dying to really know. Additionally, the romance also was a tad too bland and easy. It all fit together a little too perfectly in the end.

In all, The Glittering Court is an ambitious start of a new series, and while I couldn't always connect, I know that others will find this story amazing. (My problem, as always, is I have such high exceptions due to Vampire Academy- it's a hard series to beat) I look forward to reading the next two books. Hopefully, I'll be able to connect more.

Grade: C

The Glittering Court (Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble) is now out!

Source: Library 

Review: Once and for All by Sarah Dessen

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website: 

From Sarah Dessen, the beloved New York Times bestselling author of SAINT ANYTHING and JUST LISTEN, comes a new novel set in the world of wedding planning!

Is it really better to have loved and lost? Louna’s summer job is to help brides plan their perfect day, even though she stopped believing in happily-ever-after when her first love ended tragically. But charming girl-magnet Ambrose isn’t about to be discouraged now that he’s met the one he really wants. Maybe Louna’s second chance is standing right in front of her.

Sarah Dessen’s many fans will adore this latest novel, a richly satisfying, enormously entertaining story with humor, romance, and an ending that is so much more than happily-ever-after. 

Review:
It's no secret that I love Sarah Dessen books. I've read just about all of them twice, and a few of them are among my favorite books ever. (If you haven't read Just Listen, The Truth About Forever, or This Lullaby yet, you're missing out big time!) Therefore, when I heard she had a new book coming out, I was beyond excited. I couldn't wait to dive into another Dessen contemporary, and I was eager to get my hands on a copy of this come release week. Luckily, Once and for All was everything I hoped it would be and much, much more. Romantic, witty, and featuring characters you can't help but love, Once and for All remind me all the reasons why I fell in love with Sarah Dessen's storytelling in the first place.

Louna's life revolves around weddings thanks to her mom's successful and famous wedding planning business. Louna's seen just about everything when it comes to executing the perfect wedding: the planning, the tears, the break downs, and the occasional drunken rants at the reception. But the picture perfect happily ever after endings with your true love? Louna's not sure if those truly exist, especially after the heartbreak she's experienced. The summer after her senior year of high school, Louna is expecting another ordinary summer: helping her mom at the family business, hanging out with her best friend whilst dodging her desire to be Louna's matchmaker, and preparing for college. Everything changes, however, the moment she's forced to drag Ambrose, an AWOL wedding participant, back to his mother's wedding. Ambrose is everything she tries to avoid in a guy: eccentric, romance driven, and wandering. There's something about Ambrose, though, that Louna likes, no matter how much she pushes it down, and that only becomes more blatant when he ends up working with her. Faced with a summer of possible romance, bets, adventures, and healing, this summer wedding season may be the most chaotic, life changing one yet.

Sarah Dessen books are always character driven, and Once and for All is no different. Louna was a character I instantly liked from the get-go. When the reader is first introduced to her, it's easy to see Louna is lost, no matter how much she tries to push it down. I was instantly intrigued. I wanted to know why she felt lost, and I also wanted her to experience healing. Even with being lost, Louna was a strong, charming, and easily relatable main character. I enjoyed her observations about as well as interactions revolving weddings, her family and friends, Ambrose. All the relationship and experiences she had added depth not only to her character but to the overall plot of the novel as well. Ambrose, though, was the real show stealer in this one. He was the classic Dessen boy protagonist, and that couldn't have made me more happy. I loved every scene that involved him, his behavior while a little obnoxious at first was humorous and with good intentions. His relationship with Louna was one of my favorite parts of the book. It was easy to see how much he cared about her, and how deeply he wanted her to come out of her shell and truly experience living again. 

The plot of this book was also interesting, and kept me committed the whole way through. As mentioned above, I loved the wedding planning aspect of this book. (Side note: why aren't there more books about wedding planning? It has a lot of potential to be a fun, dramatic atmosphere!) The various weddings the business planned throughout the summer were something I enjoyed seeing. It was always fun to see the different quirks that come with each as well as the character building it brought with it. As mentioned before, the romance in this was also a high point for me. It was a consistent will-they-or-won't-they, and there was a little suspense for me in those last few pages if everything would end the way I wanted it. 

Dessen's writing in this was also good. I thought she did a great job of developing the characters and plot while also bringing them into the Sarah Dessen book world she's created throughout her intertwined books. The part of this book, though, that brought it down a notch in my eyes was the shooting subplot. It was an interesting, don't get me wrong, and it served a large purpose in the book and its story. However, it felt a little awkwardly placed at times. 

In all, Once and for All is the ultimate summer read. Full of quirk, romance, and a charming little dog, Once and for All is sure to land on the top of many reader's summer readings lists! 

Grade: A-

*That little Along for the Ride egg in the middle? Perfectly placed!*

Once and for All (Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble) is now out!

Source: Library