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: One Night That Changes Everything by Lauren Barnholdt

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

Two years ago, when Eliza Sellman was in ninth grade, her dad found out he was being transfered and the family was going to move. Having always been shy and not so confident about her body, Eliza took that opportunity to start a list in her private notebook of all the things she planned on doing when she moved but had always been afraid to--like wearing a miniskirt and asking guys to dance; singing karaoke in front of strangers; posting a photo of herself on her Facebook wall in a bikini...you get the idea. New town, new Eliza, right? Well, she'll never know because the transfer fell through and they didn't move. But Eliza kept adding her goals and secret fears to the list in the notebook. Now it's two years later, and in that time Eliza has had and lost her first boyfriend. But this was more than your average breakup...turns out the sweet and cute Cooper was only dating her as a hazing stunt by a secret society. Eliza got her revenge by posting some pretty nasty (and only sort-of true) stuff about Cooper online. That posting has had major consequences and now Cooper and his buddies have stolen her private notebook and won't give it back until she performs all the things on her list in one night. It's torture...until Eliza steals something from the boys she knows they'll want to trade her notebook for. What starts out as a night of humiliation turns into a night of revelations as Eliza learns what Cooper was really thinking when they dated, the real reason he's stolen her notebook, and how freeing--and life-changing--it can be to do the things you fear the most.

Review:

When I want a fun and fast paced contemporary read, I always know that a Lauren Barnholdt book is the perfect choice. Therefore, when I was in need of just that the other night, I picked up One Night That Changes Everything, and luckily, it provided everything I had been looking for.

In the book, Eliza, the main character, has her journal (where she has listed everything she wants to do but is too afraid to try) stolen by her ex-boyfriend's friends. Eliza was a character I liked from the start for a variety of reasons. For one, I felt that it was easy to relate to not only in her mixed feelings over her ex's deception but as well as for her fear in trying new things. Secondly, it was exciting to see her evolve as a character. In the start, she was timid, afraid of doing the "wrong" thing, but by the end, she turned into quite the go-getter! I also adored reading about her two best friends. Both had such different personalities, and they managed to not only make me laugh out loud constantly, but also have me even more hooked to the story, as I was dying to know what would happen to them as well. I had a love/hate relationship with Cooper, Eliza's ex, because while I loved how he was when he was with Eliza, he seriously needed to stand up to his "friends" at times!

The plot in this was also a ton of fun! I loved the fact that it took place over one night and highlighted a handful of different "fears" Eliza was forced to tackle. Each one provided a little suspense and a whole lot of laughs as well as heart. However, the best part wasn't the tasks per say but the trouble that came from them as well as Eliza's determination to get back at Cooper's friends. In addition, I enjoyed the "will they or won't they" romance that came with Eliza and Cooper's relationship. Even at times when I knew I shouldn't have been, I was fully rooting for them to reconcile!

In all, if you're looking for a read that will provide laughs and lots of excitement, One Night That Changes Everything is the read for you! I simply can't wait to read more by Lauren!

Grade: B+

One Night That Changes Everything (Amazon, BN, Goodreads)  is now out!

Source: Library

Waiting on Wednesday (121)

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

Dead Time by Anne Cassidy 

Rose and Joshua first met when Joshua and his dad came to live with Rose and her mum. Then Rose and Josh's world turns upside down when their mother and father go out for dinner one evening and never return. With police inquiries going nowhere, Rose is dispatched to live with her chilly, unfriendly grandmother and Joshua is sent to live with his uncle. Then Joshua comes to London to study and Rose is witness to not one, but two murders. Why is this happening to Rose? Can it be anything to do with the investigations Joshua has been doing into the disappearance of their parents? A taut and pacy thriller that is the start of a stylish new series from an acclaimed writer for teens.

I also love mysteries so this one sounds like just my kind of book! The premise just sounds fabulous, and I can't wait to see what kind of trouble Rose and Joshua get into. I also really like the cover.

Dead Time will be released on May 22, 2012!

The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt 

Sixteen-year-old Kelsey Romano has always been one of the most popular girls at Concordia Prep. But after a disastrous breakup and her subsequent meltdown (um, destruction of school property, anyone?) she's kicked out of Con Prep and shipped off to Concordia High School, for good.

Seventeen-year-old Isaac Brandano has been kicked out of more prep schools than he can name. But now that his father's State Senate campaign is pushing a public school agenda, Isaac finds himself enrolled at Concordia High.

Kelsey and Isaac are destined to hate each other. And at first, they do. But when they are forced together on the creation of a new school club, sparks begin to fly. Then the club's critical event turns into chaos. Now Kelsey and Isaac must retrace their steps and figure out how and why everything got so got screwed up, who was to blame, and how they can move forward.

This new novel from fan-favorite Lauren Barnholdt showcases--through a sweet and sparkly narrative--how the last person you expect might just be the one who changes your life forever.

How I ever mentioned before how much I love Lauren's books? Because I do! This one sounds like it will be no different to tell the truth. I can't wait to see the sparks that fly between Isaac and Kelsey! :)

The Thing About the Truth will be released on July 10, 2012! 

Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

On the last day of her junior year, Hannah's boyfriend Sebastian dumped her. Facing a summer of loneliness, Hannah turns to her best friend Ava for comfort. Ava does what BFFs do: she stays by Hannah's side...until it's time for Ava to head up to Maine for the summer. Also left behind is Ava's boyfriend, Noah, who's such a great guy he gets Hannah a job at the diner he waits tables at. Slowly, Hannah comes out of her funk thanks to Noah's good conversation and their fun times at the diner. But things get complicated when their friendship turns into attraction--and one night, into a passionate kiss. The novel opens on the first day of senior year; the day Hannah is going to see Ava, Ryan, and Noah all in one place. Over the course of the day secrets and betrayals are revealed, and alliances are broken and reformed. In the end, everyone is paired up once again, but not the way you might think...

Review:

It has been a while since I read a book by Lauren Barnholdt (2007 to be exact), and after reading the amazingness that is Sometimes It Happens, I am regretting this deeply. To be blunt, Sometimes It Happens rocked by socks in all ways possible.

Sometimes It Happens tells the story of Hannah, a teen girl who is just about to start her senior year. For the majority of students, the first day of senior year is supposed to be exciting, as it marks one-step closer to freedom, but for Hannah, it is the day she has been dreading the most. You see, she has to face the three people she’s been trying to avoid the most: (1) Sebastian, the boy who broke her heart into a million pieces the last day of her junior year, (2) Noah, a friend who has she has begun to develop feelings for, and (3) Ava, Hannah’s best friend whose been MIA lately as well as Noah’s girlfriend. If one thing is for sure, the first day of senior year will go down in history…for bad or good…it has yet to be determined….

For the most part, I really don’t particularly enjoy books that address cheating, as I usually find the characters to be unlikable, bland, weak, or a mixture of all three, though that wasn’t the case one bit with Sometimes It Happens. Hannah was a great character…strong, witty, and relatable. Sure, she made some silly decisions concerning a certain boy, but it was hard not to simply adore her. Noah was also another fabulous addition to this novel, and his relationship with Hannah was that way as well. Their banter was great, and it was easy to see how much they truly cared about each other, making their relationship one that was hard not to root for- even given the circumstances surrounding it. I also loved Lacey, who was a hypochondriac to the max but hilarious as well as a great friend to both Noah and Hannah. Then, there was Ava. From the beginning, I did not like her very much; because of the way she treated Hannah as if Hannah was dirt in comparison, so I have to admit I was somewhat happy with what happened to her in the end.

The plot of this was also nothing short of amazing. Given the way it was told (chapters alternating between what happened during the summer and first day of Hannah's senior year), it moved in a fast-pace, and constantly managed to not only surprise me, but to keep me on the edge of seat, dying to know what would occur next...Would Hannah and Noah end up together? What really happened that night between them? What was going to happen when Ava found out? There were so many questions to say the least.

Lauren’s writing and world building was high points. I loved how she made the characters jump of the page from the start, as well as the fact she never once glamorized cheating. Instead, while she made it easy to root for Hannah and Noah, she did not spare them for the hurt and confusion that came with their actions.

Amazing, realistically told, and full of heart-stopping moments, Lauren Barnholdt's Sometimes It Happens is going to be the book of the summer, no doubt about it! I only wish it could have gone on and on...

Highly, highly recommend to say the least.

Grade: A+

Sometimes It Happens will be released July 12, 2011!

Source: Publicist at Simon Pulse- thanks Dawn!

Side Note: Since reading this one, I've passed my ARC on to a few of my friends, one of whom who isn't a big reader at all, and they absolutely loved it! Do you know what that says? Not only should you definitely give this one a try, but it's perfect for reluctant readers as well!

Waiting on Wednesday (96)

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt

On the last day of her junior year, Hannah's boyfriend Ryan dumped her. Facing a summer of loneliness, Hannah turns to her best friend Ava for comfort. Ava does what BFFs do: she stays by Hannah's side...until it's time for Ava to head up to Maine for the summer. Also left behind is Ava's boyfriend, Noah, who's such a great guy he gets Hannah a job at the diner he waits tables at. Slowly, Hannah comes out of her funk thanks to Noah's good conversation and their fun times at the diner. But things get complicated when their friendship turns into attraction--and one night, into a passionate kiss. The novel opens on the first day of senior year; the day Hannah is going to see Ava, Ryan, and Noah all in one place. Over the course of the day secrets and betrayals are revealed, and alliances are broken and reformed. In the end, everyone is paired up once again, but not the way you might think...

Besides the fact Lauren Barnholdt has a really awesome name (haha), I love her books. So, I'm really, really looking forward to reading this one. Plus I love the title and cover!