Review: Love, Lucy by April Lindner

Love, Lucy by April Lindner

Published: January 27th, 2014

Publisher: Poppy

Pages: 304

Genre: Vacation Romance

The best books are the ones that can authentically transport you to different places. You'll find that with Love, Lucy. There are plenty of books that take you to England and France, not as many that take you to Italy. If you loved Anna and the French Kiss, I can guarantee you'll love this one!

Lucy is a likable protagonist who really grows into herself as the novel progresses. There may be points in her interactions with others (namely her parents) where you just want to push her in the right direction, but for the most part you can back her actions. I really loved to see representation of a girl, who is quiet and unassuming on her own, really shine in something like theater. There are stereotypes that you must be loud and musical to be in the performing arts, but Lucy defies that stereotype. 

Jesse remains an enigma for almost the entirety of the book. The reader gets to know Lucy very well, not as much Jesse. Nevertheless, he's still 'dreamy' and fills the role of a romantic interest. This book shined in its side characters: Lucy's roommates, and the overly-kind Shane. 

This book is enjoyable if you love 'vacation flirtations,' college settings, and, of course, romance.

Note: I received an advanced copy from the NOVL newsletter. Thanks so much!

Katy Swartz Appreciation Post

Contrary to what this
picture suggests, the girl
is actually the main character.

You may or may not have read Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout. You may have been wary of the (rather ridiculous) cover and average-sounding synopsis. On the other hand, you may be one of the many people who have read it and loved it. I'm in the latter group. Not only is the story unique while defying many cliche tropes; Armentrout has written one of the most extraordinarily relatable female protagonists yet.

Her name is Katy Swartz. She's stubborn and quick to anger. She flips off people who are rude to her. She has a book blog and she nerds out every time she checks the mailbox to find a book waiting for her. She doesn't wear a bra around the house and her clothes have strawberries on them. She scorns insta-love. 

I loved her from the moment she started to garden.

I don't think I've truly understood how relatable characters can be until Katy came along. Sure, I've said in about a million reviews: this character is so relatable! but Katy takes it to another level. 

Maybe it's the fact that Armentrout knows her audience. Then again, she could have taken Katy in another route and made her hobbies overly nerdy and odd. But she didn't. She made Katy one of us, which is one of many reasons why I love her (and want to be her.) Armentrout made Katy average in a book about aliens.

Katy welcomes Dee into her life with such warmth that I wanted to hug her. In a book about paranormal activity, she doesn't forget the humans and makes meaningful friends out of Lesa and Carissa. These relationships aren't treated as flimsy or transitory. They're developed and live as people do, when they spend time together they're full of happiness, and when they're neglected they whither. Everything in this series has a life of its own including the relationships. 

Moving onto arguably the central part of the book (I mean, it is a paranormal romance.) Daemon Black: the hot and rude alien. In their first meeting, he calls Katy 'kid' and says that she looks like she's twelve. You wouldn't think that this is the start of an epic romance. She proceeds to call him a douchebag, then a dickhead, before flipping him off and going home. Why is this so amazing to me? Because even though she's embarrassed and rightfully pissed off, she held her own. She continues to hold her own throughout the book and their dynamic is not one of a cat and mouse, but more like two very pissed off cats. 

Armentrout drew a line between lust and love. Katy acknowledges that the former is there and that it's just natural chemistry. In my opinion, this is what I believe that a lot of books lack. Lust doesn't have to be developed. It's there or it's not. Love has to be developed and nurtured else that dreaded insta-love comes into play. I mean, I'm not against the idea of love at first sight. But I'm against love at first word when it comes to the books I read.

Daemon almost put me off the entire series when I was reading Obsidian. He was exceptionally controlling and always needed to be put down a peg. I wanted to punch him for trying to control his sister's relationships and being a dickhead to Katy. I was afraid of this book turning into another boy-meets-girl-and-becomes-her-entire-reason-for-existence tale. There were underlying reasons for his negative attitude which are later explained, but that doesn't justify his actions. Katy swoops into save the day because doesn't let him get away with it. She holds him accountable for his actions while still allowing herself to be vulnerable and get to know him. Neither character is one dimensional.

What's important about Daemon and Katy? That they're equals. That they recognize what's between them and understand it. As I write this, I'm only on the second book, Onyx, and my two favorite idiots are, of course, struggling with their relationship. Katy is working on herself and making sure that she can protect herself if things come to pass. 

"I have to be able to defend myself and the people I care about. Because I can't expect you to always be there to protect me. It's not right or fair to either of us" 

(Armentrout 594). 

What's important to Katy is staying true to herself. She's living in a world where aliens exist and live next door. She still finds time to blog and pick up her mail at the post office, and I absolutely love her for that.

I've only seen Kaya Scodelario act in BBC's True Love, but I think she'd play a great Katy!
Look, she's already got the moody gaze down!

Review: Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss #3

Published: August 14th, 2014

Publisher: Dutton

Pages: 339 

Official Synopsis:

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

Charlotte's Review:

Isla and the Happily Ever After was an amazing finish to one of my favorite series. The great new characters of Isla and Josh were explored as well as old ones re-entering the mix. The ending is bittersweet because it is the end, but Perkins managed it all along with wrapping up plot-lines that I'd completely forgotten about. 

My love for Paris exploded when I read Anna and the French Kiss. I'm going to be totally blunt: I don't reread books. I have too many other books I want to read and I'm racing against the clock. But I've reread Anna and the French Kiss many times. On sad days, on rainy days, and even on gorgeous summer days (like today, which I've of course spent inside.) That book is theromantic story for me. Lola and the Boy Next Door was just as dazzling, if not capturing the same level of magic. Getting back to the point, Isla and the Happily Ever After was a return to Anna's original magic and I tasted in it what was raw, awkward and amazing first love. I got the chance to visit Paris and Barcelona this past February, so everything was especially dazzling and real when I dove into Isla and the Happily Ever After (to my mom's annoyance, I kept pointing out random lines to her!)

Isla was real, she was flawed, she was smart, and she could be an idiot at times. I loved her from the first chapter when she acted like a drugged up fool. She loved dresses and turned mousy around her siblings. Being with Josh was a challenge that she took with as much ease as can be expected. The only unrealistic things about her were that 1) were her cheeks not puffed up to the max? and 2) she did not end up applying to any safety schools! I mean really, you gotta have a backup plan. 

After loving Anna and the French Kiss with all my heart, you have to understand how much I was looking forward to having Josh as a love interest. I was not disappointed. The sulky boy from Anna and the French Kiss was transformed and, while still sulky at times, was intriguingly complex. I loved Perkins' description of his art; it felt as if I was seeing it with my own eyes.

The qualms I had with this book were very minor and almost not worth mentioning. Isla and Josh's romance got sappy at points and their sobbing made me doubt the legitimacy. At other times, I felt that the cause of their fights were muddled and unclear in the goings of the plot.

Overall, the ending was absolutely adorable and had me in near tears on a public bus. Not many books can cause me to smile and laugh out loud. Isla is a quirky and lovable read. I can't wait to read whatever Stephanie Perkins writes next!

Meeting Cassandra Clare

On May 27th, I attended Cassandra Clare's launch event for City of Heavenly Fire. My friend and I made the trek to Wellesley, MA to meet Clare and Jodi Picoult (who emceed the event.) What better way was there to celebrate the last book in a beloved series than with an auditorium of fellow readers? 

It's always a little weird when you see your favorite characters come to life in movie adaptations, tv shows, etc. It's just the same way with authors. Seeing Clare was sort of like seeing a fictional character, in a way that's totally un-explainable. The Q&A was way too short, but I soaked up every second of it. 

As my friend and I attempted to start the book in the noisiness of the room, (we had to wait to get the signatures) I noticed just how friendly everyone was. That's the thing that strikes me most about book events, concerts, and midnight premieres: everybody is incredibly lovely. Being around people that share your passion can bring that out. Just the other day when I was in the theatre for The Fault in Our Stars, the same friend and I must have talked to everyone in the room. Wearing matching TFiOS shirts makes you really popular.

Anyway, here are the pictures from the Cassandra Clare event. (I also got Jodi Picoult's signature on several books, some of which we gave to our school library.)

Now I have Aidan Turner's and Cassandra Clare's signatures!

P.S. You can read my review of CoHF here.

Book Mug Challenge: March 5, 2014

Over at our Tumblr, we've been hosting a new challenge! Write the names of all of your unread books on slips of paper, put them in a mug or some other container, and draw a name to get your next read! Since I'll be finishing Phantom of the Opera soon, I thought I'd use this to decide what to read next.

And it looks like I'll be reading The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin! This book has been sitting on my shelf for ages, so I'm looking forward to finally reading it.

If you have a Tumblr, tag your challenge posts with #book mug challenge and we'll reblog it!

Review: The Pregnancy Project by Gaby Rodriguez

 

Summary: When Gaby faked a pregnancy to challenge stereotypes, she also changed her life. A compelling memoir from an inspirational teenage activist.Growing up, Gaby Rodriguez was often told she would end up a teen mom. After all, her mother and her older sisters had gotten pregnant as teenagers; from an outsider’s perspective, it was practically a family tradition. Gaby had ambitions that didn’t include teen motherhood. But she wondered: how would she be treated if she “lived down” to others’ expectations? Would everyone ignore the years she put into being a good student and see her as just another pregnant teen statistic with no future? These questions sparked Gaby’s high school senior project: faking her own pregnancy to see how her family, friends, and community would react. What she learned changed her life forever—and made international headlines in the process.

In The Pregnancy Project, Gaby details how she was able to fake her own pregnancy—hiding the truth from even her siblings and boyfriend’s parents—and reveals all that she learned from the experience. But more than that, Gaby’s story is about fighting stereotypes, and how one girl found the strength to come out from the shadow of low expectations to forge a bright future for herself.

Kim's Review: Whoa. This is probably the most interesting book I've read in a while. I've always been interested in social justice, so I knew I was in for a treat when I started this, but it was so fascinating to read about Gaby's family history and her experiences as she went through her project. It really opens your eyes to how cruel some people can be for absolutely no reason. I loved the message of breaking away from stereotypes and not conforming to what kind of person other people believe you should be.

There's one missing star from this review because of the writing. It could have been a lot better, but most of the time I was too into the story to care too much about it.

If you're looking for a quick yet inspiring read, here's your book. Gaby's story really teaches a lot about stereotypes and opens your eyes to how human beings can treat each other and why.

Review: How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

Summary: Jill MacSweeney just wishes everything could go back to normal. But ever since her dad died, she’s been isolating herself from her boyfriend, her best friends—everyone who wants to support her. And when her mom decides to adopt a baby, it feels like she’s somehow trying to replace a lost family member with a new one.

Mandy Kalinowski understands what it’s like to grow up unwanted—to be raised by a mother who never intended to have a child. So when Mandy becomes pregnant, one thing she’s sure of is that she wants a better life for her baby. It’s harder to be sure of herself. Will she ever find someone to care for her, too?

As their worlds change around them, Jill and Mandy must learn to both let go and hold on, and that nothing is as easy—or as difficult—as it seems.

Kim's Review: I've been in a bit if of a reading rut for the last month or so; I'm sure any of you avid readers out there know the feeling. As hard as you try, you just can't get into anything. Luckily, this book broke that streak for me.

Zarr's writing is fantastic. It's realistic, emotional, and everything else you hope for in a novel. Not to mention the character development. At the beginning, I was a little annoyed by both narrators, but by the end I truly felt for them and was dying for their stories to end on a happy note. I cannot get over how powerful her storytelling is.

As I got closer to finishing this book, I was getting nervous about how it would end, but it was literally such a perfect ending and I'm so satisfied with it. God, this book is so amazing. Zarr writes with raw emotion and it definitely comes resonates with the reader. This book tugged at my heartstrings over and over again, but I loved every minute of it.

Review: The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

Summary: Meet Pat. Pat has a theory: his life is a movie produced by God. And his God-given mission is to become physically fit and emotionally literate, whereupon God will ensure a happy ending for him -- the return of his estranged wife Nikki. (It might not come as a surprise to learn that Pat has spent time in a mental health facility.) The problem is, Pat's now home, and everything feels off. No one will talk to him about Nikki; his beloved Philadelphia Eagles keep losing; he's being pursued by the deeply odd Tiffany; his new therapist seems to recommend adultery as a form of therapy. Plus, he's being hunted by Kenny G!

In this enchanting novel, Matthew Quick takes us inside Pat's mind, showing us the world from his distorted yet endearing perspective. As the award-winning novelist Justin Cronin put it: "Tender, soulful, hilarious, and true, The Silver Linings Playbook is a wonderful debut."

Kim's Review: This book was brilliant. Having seen the movie first, I was surprised to find that they are equally amazing. I feel like with such a controversial topic as mental illness, it could have been easy to overdo Pat's character or make his personality over-the-top, but instead the author took a more subtle route and made it easy to understand him without clearly stating it.

I also enjoyed seeing Pat's obsession with football and the Eagles. I can't even put my finger on why, but I just loved that the author successfully made such a minor thing a big part of his life and his story.

I saw that somebody called this book an adult "Perks of Being a Wallflower," and that's probably the most accurate way to describe it. There are so many similarities between Charlie and Pat, and that's probably why I felt like I could get into and relate to this novel so quickly. My only complaint is that some of Tiffany's plot and story seemed a bit unrealistic, but hey, anything can happen!

I strongly recommend this to absolutely everyone, especially if you loved "Perks of Being a Wallflower." Sorry for the short review, I'm writing this during school and running out of time!

In My Mailbox: January 28, 2014

Sorry for not posting a review this week, but I have been inexcusably slow with my reading lately! Next week for sure. ;)

In the meantime, I'm super excited to show you guys the book I got this week for only five bucks!

Summary: First published in French as a serial in 1909, "The Phantom of the Opera" is a riveting story that revolves around the young, Swedish Christine Daaé. Her father, a famous musician, dies, and she is raised in the Paris Opera House with his dying promise of a protective angel of music to guide her. After a time at the opera house, she begins hearing a voice, who eventually teaches her how to sing beautifully. All goes well until Christine's childhood friend Raoul comes to visit his parents, who are patrons of the opera, and he sees Christine when she begins successfully singing on the stage. The voice, who is the deformed, murderous 'ghost' of the opera house named Erik, however, grows violent in his terrible jealousy, until Christine suddenly disappears. The phantom is in love, but it can only spell disaster. Leroux's work, with characters ranging from the spoiled prima donna Carlotta to the mysterious Persian from Erik's past, has been immortalized by memorable adaptations. Despite this, it remains a remarkable piece of Gothic horror literature in and of itself, deeper and darker than any version that follows.

I cannot WAIT to read this! I just saw the musical a couple of weeks ago and I'm obsessed with it - in fact, I'm listening to it as I type this! I'm excited to get to know the original characters, without the revisions Andrew Lloyd Weber made with the musical.

Which reminds me, I should probably pick Les Miserables back up sometime...who am I kidding, I'm only about 20 (out of 1500) pages in!

Any other musical fans out there?

Review: Timeless by Alexandra Monir

Timeless by Alexandra Monir

Paperback, 304 pages

Published March 13th 2012 by Ember

When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance. 

Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives.

Timeless had an enticing set-up, but was poorly executed. 

The romance between Michele and Philip was instant and felt false. I felt nothing towards them as they struggled to remain together. I thought the beginning part of the book was the most interesting, but it was over quick.

Michele's elite family could've been so exciting to read about, but it didn't live up to its potential. Every time Michele went back in time and spooked one of her ancestors, they were like "Oh hey, I need you to do something and let's be best friends." Only one of them was actually distraught to see this kid, and for ulterior reasons. I felt like I was being treated like an eight year old while reading this.

The end left me a little curious, and maybe if I happen upon the second one in the library I'll read it. Otherwise, I don't recommend it.

Currently Reading: The Diary of Anne Frank

School has left me with 0 reading time, which unfortunately means no review from me today...however, I would like to share with you the book I'm currently reading, The Diary of Anne Frank!

Chances are, you've already read this book, either as required reading or just for fun. I, on the other hand, am just getting around to it after leaving it on my shelf for the longest time. I'm not too far into it yet, but it's surprisingly not boring, which is kind of what I expected. I wish I had more free time to read it, but I'm hoping to finish it soon!

Review: Unsouled by Neal Shusterman

Summary: The story that began with Unwind continues.

Connor and Lev are on the run after the destruction of the Graveyard, the last safe haven for AWOL Unwinds. But for the first time, they're not just running away from something. This time, they're running toward answers, in the form of a woman Proactive Citizenry has tried to erase from history itself. If they can find her, and learn why the shadowy figures behind unwinding are so afraid of her, they may discover the key to bringing down unwinding forever.

Cam, the rewound boy, is plotting to take down the organization that created him. Because he knows that if he can bring Proactive Citizenry to its knees, it will show Risa how he truly feels about her. And without Risa, Cam is having trouble remembering what it feels like to be human.

With the Juvenile Authority and vindictive parts pirates hunting them, the paths of Connor, Lev, Cam, and Risa will converge explosively and everyone will be changed.

Kim's Review: FINALLY I got to read this book! I have been dying to read it ever since I finished Unwholly, the second book in the Unwind dystology. With most book series, I've found that the plots and writing often lose their power after the first book or two, but Unwind is still going stronger than ever! There are so many things about this book that help make it the powerhouse it is. First off, the entire CONCEPT of unwinding and the society Shusterman has created is creepy as hell. Like, just thinking about it terrifies me. I can't imagine living in it. Shusterman is a skilled writer and makes everything sound believable, not only through his writing and explanations, but through this interesting, creative choice: he starts off each section of the book from a real news article from a valid source, such as the Huffington Post. These articles align with what's happening in the novel and helps show the reader how some of the things happening today are just uncommon or less extreme versions of what he describes in his story. It shows how our society today really is not that far off from the world of Connor and Risa.

Unsouled, as well as the entire dystology, switches point of views often and between many different characters, so you can see things through the eyes of both the "good guys" and the "bad guys." With all these POV changes, it seems like it would be easy to lose track of characters or feel like you don't really know some of them, but somehow Shusterman avoids this; there is little to no confusion.

There was a little love triangle in there somewhere, which I was mad at Shusterman for for a few minutes, but it was brief and wasn't the main plot, so I suppose I can forgive him. :) Another thing that kind of put me off was quite a few noticeable typos/grammar mistakes...I thought that since this series is pretty popular and with a good publisher, it would have been looked at more carefully. Oh well. These were only minor errors and didn't really detract from the overall quality of the novel.

One thing I love about this novel that was different from the other two was that we got more information on the history of unwinding. I loooved reading the flashbacks and how it connected to the ending. Perfect. And oh my god the ending is so...I literally do not have the words to describe it. The Unwind series is one of my favorites of all time, and I cannot recommend it enough. Read it.

Review: Where She Went by Gayle Foreman

Summary: It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future-and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

Kim's Review: Oh sweet Jesus, this book was perfect. It's been two years since I read If I Stay, so I had a hard time remembering most of it, but I still remembered how I felt while I was reading it, and I think this sequel is even better. While the first book is more full of drama and action, this sequel seems to focus more on the fallout. I really loved how the author jumped three years ahead for the second book instead of focusing on the typical drama that would follow after the ending of the first book, which would have felt boring and mundane. It's honestly just hard to explain why I loved this book so much more. It wasn't a sappy romance; it was realistic and honest, yet still had plenty of emotion. While I kind of doubt there would be a third book to this, I would LOVE to read one.

Happy New Year everyone!

Review: Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements

Summary: Bobby Phillips is an average fifteen-year-old boy. Until the morning he wakes up and can't see himself in the mirror. Not blind, not dreaming. Bobby is just plain invisible...


There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to Bobby's new condition; even his dad the physicist can't figure it out. For Bobby that means no school, no friends, no life. He's a missing person. Then he meets Alicia. She's blind, and Bobby can't resist talking to her, trusting her. But people are starting to wonder where Bobby is. Bobby knows that his invisibility could have dangerous consequences for his family and that time is running out. He has to find out how to be seen again before it's too late.





Kim's Review: I wasn't sure about this book at first, but I grew to like it as I kept reading. The premise of someone just waking up invisible one day is really fascinating, and I like how Clements followed through with it. He didn't come up with some wacky explanation for it - it was scientific and fairly plausible. I enjoyed Bobby's relationship with Alicia, as well as the subplots with possible government interference.

While this book didn't have that "WOW" factor to earn five stars from me, it was still a good, fun read. Going into it I was afraid that the plot, explanations, etc. would be too far-fetched, but I was proved wrong.

Review: Tarnish by Katherine Longshore

Tarnish by Katherine Longshore

Published: June 18th, 2013

Publisher: Viking

Pages: 448

Anne Boleyn is the odd girl out. Newly arrived to the court of King Henry VIII, everything about her seems wrong, from her clothes to her manners to her witty but sharp tongue. So when the dashing poet Thomas Wyatt offers to coach her on how to shine at court—and to convince the whole court they’re lovers—she accepts. Before long, Anne’s popularity has soared, and even the charismatic and irresistible king takes notice. More than popularity, Anne wants a voice—but she also wants love. What began as a game becomes high stakes as Anne finds herself forced to make an impossible choice between her heart’s desire and the chance to make history.

Review: 

Tarnish was simply amazing. The best historical fiction novels are the ones that trick you into wondering, maybe that person won't die a horrible death after all! Tarnish was about Anne Boleyn's life pre-Henry VIII, which was a refreshing and welcome way of telling her story. 

The idea of power in this book was intriguing. I loved how Anne didn't actively seek power, as one might expect going in blind. Anne's pure motivation is to be known. To be remembered for being who she was. For her words. As a woman, and an untitled one, her job is cut out for her. Tarnish examined Anne's struggles and how women were treated during this time period. It did it in such an honest manner, I just want to shove this book at my friends and scream 'READ IT!'

Even though the book takes on some heavy topics, it still had a blossoming love story. The love story was not the main plot, which I preferred rather than having it overshadow everything else. I can't say that I've ever read another book with Anne and Thomas Wyatt being the focus, rather than Anne and Henry VIII. Thomas was such a charming and slimy fellow, and he helped Anne discover who she was. Their love story obviously does not end well, but Tarnish will immortalize their (however fictional) love.

All in all, this book was amazing. Katherine Longshore is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I can't wait until she writes more!

Kim's 2013 Christmas Wishlist!

So many awesome books have been released lately, I wish I could buy them all! However, I should probably narrow it down...so these are the top five books I hope to see under the Christmas tree this year!

 1. Rumors (Luxe #2) by Anna Godbersen 

After bidding good-bye to New York's brightest star, Elizabeth Holland, rumors continue to fly about her untimely demise.

All eyes are on those closest to the dearly departed: her mischievous sister, Diana, now the family's only hope for redemption; New York's most notorious cad, Henry Schoon-maker, the flame Elizabeth never extinguished; the seductive Penelope Hayes, poised to claim all that her best friend left behind--including Henry; even Elizabeth's scheming former maid, Lina Broud, who discovers that while money matters and breeding counts, gossip is the new currency.

As old friends become rivals, Manhattan's most dazzling socialites find their futures threatened by whispers from the past. In this delicious sequel to "The Luxe," nothing is more dangerous than a scandal . . . or more precious than a secret.


2. Just One Day by Gayle Foreman

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.




3. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

From the award-winning author of Half of a Yellow Sun, a dazzling new novel: a story of love and race centered around a young man and woman from Nigeria who face difficult choices and challenges in the countries they come to call home.

As teenagers in a Lagos secondary school, Ifemelu and Obinze fall in love. Their Nigeria is under military dictatorship, and people are leaving the country if they can. Ifemelu—beautiful, self-assured—departs for America to study. She suffers defeats and triumphs, finds and loses relationships and friendships, all the while feeling the weight of something she never thought of back home: race. Obinze—the quiet, thoughtful son of a professor—had hoped to join her, but post-9/11 America will not let him in, and he plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London.

Years later, Obinze is a wealthy man in a newly democratic Nigeria, while Ifemelu has achieved success as a writer of an eye-opening blog about race in America. But when Ifemelu returns to Nigeria, and she and Obinze reignite their shared passion—for their homeland and for each other—they will face the toughest decisions of their lives.
Fearless, gripping, at once darkly funny and tender, spanning three continents and numerous lives, Americanah is a richly told story set in today’s globalized world: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s most powerful and astonishing novel yet.


4. The Chaos (Numbers #2) by Rachel Ward

Adam sees “numbers” – when he looks in peoples’ eyes he can see their death-dates, just like his mum Jem used to. Adam has trouble dealing with his awful gift, and when he realises that everyone around him has the same series of numbers, he becomes deeply afraid of what might happen in 2025.

Desperate to find out what could be about to go wrong, Adam spends hours researching possibilities – war, nuclear accidents, killer viruses. He knows something big is coming, but what? And is there anything he can possibly do about it?



5. Every Day by David Levithan

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

Happy Holidays!!! What books are on your wishlist?

Review: Smoke by Ellen Hopkins

**Spoilers for Burned below!**

Summary: Pattyn Von Stratten’s father is dead, and Pattyn is on the run. After far too many years of abuse at the hands of her father, and after the tragic loss of her beloved Ethan and their unborn child, Pattyn is desperate for peace. Only her sister Jackie knows what happened that night, but she is stuck at home with their mother, who clings to normalcy by allowing the truth to be covered up by their domineering community leaders. Her father might be finally gone, but without Pattyn, Jackie is desperately isolated. Alone and in disguise, Pattyn starts a new life, but is it even possible to rebuild a life when everything you’ve known has burned to ash and lies seem far safer than the truth?

Kim's Review: I love Ellen Hopkins' books so much. I've read all of her YA novels and have yet to be disappointed. Smoke is the sequel to Burned, and it's been at least a year since I read the first book, so I was worried I would be lost. However, Hopkins does a great job at explaining what happened, so going back and skimming through the first book was unnecessary. I really loved the plot and reading about the aftermath of the incident between Pattyn and her father. The author also kept the story entertaining and intriguing, especially considering that this sequel was never planned.

The characterization and emotions in this book are amazing; I felt so bad for Pattyn and Jackie. I also thought Hopkins did a great job at depicting how the incident affected the two girls mentally, giving both of them PTSD. I can't imagine having to relive that moment and have it running through your mind every day.

Again, this book was a fantastic sequel. I will never, ever stop endlessly recommending all of Hopkins' novels to every reader I come across. Her characters and stories are heart-wrenching, but absolutely amazing to read.

Review: Numbers by Rachel Ward

Summary: Ever since she was child, Jem has kept a secret: Whenever she meets someone new, no matter who, as soon as she looks into their eyes, a number pops into her head. That number is a date: the date they will die. Burdened with such awful awareness, Jem avoids relationships. Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. The two plan a trip to the city. But while waiting to ride the Eye ferris wheel, Jem is terrified to see that all the other tourists in line flash the same number. Today's number. Today's date. Terrorists are going to attack London. Jem's world is about to explode!

Kim's Review: This book was NOT what I expected it to be. There was a lot more action and suspense than I anticipated (given I didn't read the summary before starting), but I really enjoyed it. The idea of someone being able to see a person's death date just by looking them in the eye is definitely intriguing, and I think the author took it in the right direction. It took a while to get used to all of the British slang, but overall I couldn't find any flaws in the writing.

I was teetering between a three and four star rating throughout most of this book, but that last chapter made it earn the fourth star. Talk about a creepy ending! I hope I get to pick up the sequel sometime soon because I think there's a lot to be explored. Consider my expectations raised!

In My Mailbox (December 1st, 2013)

In My Mailbox is a weekly event hosted by the Story Siren! It's an opportunity to showcase what books you have purchased, borrowed from the library, etc throughout the week.

I admit that I didn't get any books for myself this week. I took advantage of Black Friday sales to get some books for my sister. And since she doesn't know the URL to this blog, I can show you the ones I got for her for Christmas! 

 

Adaptation is the only one out of these that I've read, and I loved it! Ash is by the same author, so hopefully it'll also be good. It seems pretty awesome by the synopsis. Oddly enough, I've read the other books in the Sisters Red (Fairytale Retellings) series, but not the first one. I'm really counting on the chance that my sister will let me read some of them after, haha. 

What did you get this week?

Review: Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando

Summary: It's time to meet your new roomie.

When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.

As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they've never met.

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr and acclaimed author Tara Altebrando join forces for a novel about growing up, leaving home, and getting that one fateful e-mail that assigns your college roommate.
Kim's Review: I really enjoyed this book! It was a nice, short, relatively light-hearted read. I really liked the plotlines and the different twists and turns. Lauren and EB's relationship and their struggles were realistic and well done in how they dealed with them. My only complaint is that, even though it was written by two authors, I found it very difficult to separate the two narrators in my mind because their voices are so similar. Even after finishing the book, I still have trouble recalling which girl had which boyfriend/best friend/etc. It would be a lot easier if their "voices" were more distinct.

However, I loved both of the girls' romantic relationships, and I thought how they dealt with moving away from each other was very realistic and awesome. Even though they love their respective boyfriends, neither of them are clingy or annoying and are able to think for themselves, and that's something I always love to see in novels!

All in all, I think this book is fantastic. I seriously loved reading the development of Lauren and EB's friendship, and it would be awesome to see a sequel with the two of them finding their way around university life. If only it were easier to differentiate between the narrators, I could easily give this five stars.


This book will be released on December 24, 2013. Keep an eye out for it! :)

P.S. Happy Thanksgiving!!!