Guy in Real Life by Steve Brezenoff

 ARC provided by the Publisher via Edelweiss

Author: Steve Brezenoff
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary 
Release Date: May 27th 2014 
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 23th, 2014

Synopsis

It is Labor Day weekend in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and boy and girl collide on a dark street at two thirty in the morning: Lesh, who wears black, listens to metal, and plays MMOs; Svetlana, who embroiders her skirts, listens to Björk and Berlioz, and dungeon masters her own RPG. They should pick themselves up, continue on their way, and never talk to each other again.

But they don't.

This is a story of two people who do not belong in each other's lives, who find each other at a time when they desperately need someone who doesn't belong in their lives. A story of those moments when we act like people we aren't in order to figure out who we are. A story of the roles we all play-at school, at home, with our friends, and without our friends-and the one person who might show us what lies underneath it all.

My Thoughts

Just so you know, it doesn't take a gamer to enjoy to this book, even the whole book itself revolves around role playing in various forms. I for one is not a gamer, but now the idea of playing Dungeons and Dragons seems very appealing.

Frankly speaking, at first I really, really, loved this book. It was so much different from most books I have read. I've always loved reading about characters with flaws and both Lesh and Lana were imperfect, yet perfect all the same. I loved their senses of humor. However, Lesh's obsession with Lana was a tad bit too disturbing for me. So character-wise, this book was not too shabby.

What really bugged was the storyline. About the first 60% or so, it was kind of wonderful getting to know the characters and all. However, it dawned on me that nothing much actually happened. It was so dragging, so slow and there was so much detail that I still don't think important. And that took the love that I initially had for this book away.

Overall, it was a cute story.

Thanks Balzer + Bray for the eGalley.

Biggest Flirts by Jennifer Echols

ARC provided by the Publisher via Edelweiss

Author: Jennifer Echols
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Series: Superlatives
Book: 1
Release Date: May 20th 2014
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 19th, 2014


Synopsis
Tia and Will’s lives get flipped upside down when they’re voted Yearbook’s Biggest Flirts in this sassy novel from the author of Endless Summer and The One That I Want.

Tia just wants to have fun. She’s worked hard to earn her reputation as the life of the party, and she’s ready for a carefree senior year of hanging out with friends and hooking up with cute boys. And her first order of business? New guy Will. She can’t get enough of his Midwestern accent and laidback swagger.

As the sparks start to fly, Will wants to get serious. Tia’s seen how caring too much has left her sisters heartbroken, and she isn’t interested in commitment. But pushing Will away drives him into the arms of another girl. Tia tells herself it’s no big deal…until the yearbook elections are announced. Getting voted Biggest Flirts with Will is, well, awkward. They may just be friends, but their chemistry is beginning to jeopardize Will’s new relationship—and causing Tia to reconsider her true feelings. What started as a lighthearted fling is about to get very complicated…

My Thoughts
Sad to say, I've had a few hit and miss with Jennifer Echols books. And this is definitely a miss.

Sometimes it's hard to enjoy a book, even the writing is nice when you want to do some harm on the main character. That was what happened to me when I was reading this book. I really, really, didn't like Tia. I couldn't stand her from the very beginning. Me and her kind of character are not meant to be together. Yes, she had a good sense of humor, but seriously, she was such a floozy and so rude.

Not to sound like a prude or anything and I absolutely have read books more graphic than this, but come on! It was supposed to be a young adult book. The fact that Tia and Will getting freaky, even not all the way, just maybe an hour after they had met made me cringe. She was only what, 17, and she had a f*ck buddy?!? Like are you kidding me? Maybe I'm old school, still I wasn't comfortable with the way Tia character portrayed. And my initial impression of this book was sweet and fluffy teenage romance. Wrong was an understatement.

Will and Tia's relationship didn't make the book any better. It was fast, weird and I'm not sure it was even possible.They went on from a random hookup, to Will asked (and was shot down) Tia on a real date, to them flirting (way too much) while Will was dating another girl, to Tia kinda, sorta, maybe wanted to date Will (something so foreign to her because she was more comfortable having wild monkey sex with random guys and her beloved friend with benefits) and so on and so forth. It was a hot mess.

Some people might find this book more than interesting and enjoyable. I'm not one of those people.

Thanks Simon Pulse for the eGalley 

Through to You by Lauren Barnholdt

 ARC provided by the Publisher via Edelweiss
 

Author: Lauren Barnholdt
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Release Date: July 8th 2014 
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 18th, 2014

Synopsis
Opposites attract—and then complicate—in this romantic, relatable novel from the author of Two-way Street and Sometimes It Happens.

It starts with a scribbled note in class: I like your sparkle. Harper had casually threaded a piece of blue and silver tinsel through her ponytail in honor of school spirit day. And that carefree, corny gesture is what grabs Penn Mattingly’s eye. Penn—resident heartbreaker of the senior class. Reliably unreliable. Trouble with a capital “T.” And okay, smolderingly sexy.

Harper’s surprised by Penn’s attention—and so is Penn. The last thing he needs is a girlfriend. Or even a friend-with-benefits. The note is not supposed to lead to anything.

Oh, but it does. They hang out. They have fun. They talk. They make out. And after a while, it seems like they just click. But Penn and Harper have very different ideas about what relationships look like, in no small part because of their very different family backgrounds. Of course they could talk about these differences—if Penn knew how to talk about feelings.

Harper and Penn understand their attraction is illogical, yet something keeps pulling them together. It’s like a crazy roller coaster—exhilarating, terrifying, and amazing all at once. And neither knows how to stop the ride…

My Thoughts
The story starts with Harper gets her heart broken and then it goes back to the beginning, showing us how it comes to this point. It is told from both Penn's and Harper's point of view.

I have read a few of books written by Lauren Barnholdt and I absolutely loved each one of them. Likewise, I enjoyed reading this one greatly.

Relationship between Harper and Penn moved a little too fast in my opinion. Well, it wasn't like an inst love or anything, still it progressed too quickly. It was a complicated relationship, and the fact that Penn was hot and cold time and time again didn't help either. I liked Harper and Penn characters, though. Harper was sweet, witty, but a tad pushy. Penn was charming, to say the least.

As for the storyline, I think it had a nice flow and very compelling. Due to how the book started, I was curious to find out what had happened that made them arrived this point. Some scenes did raise a few questions, though, as I still don't believe how that made sense. Nevertheless, it was a cute teenage love story.

Overall, it was such a sweet and romantic book. I enjoyed reading it a lot.

Thanks Simon Pulse for the eGalley. 

Half a World Away by Cynthia Kadohata

ARC provided by the Publisher via Edelweiss

Author: Cynthia Kadohata 
Genre: Middle Grade | Contemporary
Release Date: September 2nd 2014
Publisher:  Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 17th, 2014

Synopsis
Twelve-year-old Jaden, an emotionally damaged adopted boy fascinated by electricity, feels a connection to a small, weak toddler with special needs in Kazakhstan, where Jaden's family is trying to adopt a "normal" baby.

My Thoughts
I adored this book. It was my first time reading a book written by Cynthia Kadohata and I was blown away by how magnificent her writing was. I was sucked in from page one and couldn't put it down. For lack of a better word, this book was amazing.

I was in love with the characters as well as the well-written storyline. Jaden was such a great, but sort of also a troubled kid. He had been through a lot at a very young age which messed him up. Penni and Steve, Jaden's adoptive parents, were wonderful characters too. I loved Penni for being so sweet and caring. The other characters were just as delightful, especially the adorable Dimash.

As for the storyline, I enjoyed the flow and the transition from one scene to the next. The wording made reading this book a fun and emotional experience. The ending made me cry because it was so beautiful.

All in all, this was a very pleasant book. I think anyone would find this book as enjoyable as I did.
 

The Body in the Woods by April Henry

ARC provided by the Publisher via NetGalley

  
Author: April Henry
Genre: Young Adult | Mystery
Series: Point Last Seen
Book: 1
Release Date: June 17th 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 15th, 2014 

Synopsis
In this new series told from multiple perspectives, teen members of a search and rescue team discover a dead body in the woods.

Alexis, Nick, and Ruby have very different backgrounds: Alexis has spent her life covering for her mom’s mental illness, Nick’s bravado hides his fear of not being good enough, and Ruby just wants to pursue her eccentric interests in a world that doesn’t understand her. When the three teens join Portland County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, they are teamed up to search for a autistic man lost in the woods. What they find instead is a dead body. In a friendship that will be forged in danger, fear, and courage, the three team up to find the girl’s killer—before he can strike one of their own.

This first book in April Henry’s Point Last Seen YA mystery series is full of riveting suspense, putting readers in the middle of harrowing rescues and crime scene investigations.

My Thoughts
This book was a really well-written mystery told from multiple point of view. The fact that each main characters - Nick, Ruby and Alexis - were such different in term of personalities and frame of mind made reading this a fun experience for me.

The storyline held my attention since the beginning of the book. Maybe it was because I've always enjoyed reading books about serial killers and guessing the murderers. It was sad to say, though, that this book was a tad predicable because not only I got to read from the 3 aforementioned main characters, but also from the killer. Not that I didn't like that about this book, it just made easy to spot the killer.

One point that I am not sure I liked was the irrelevant details that made this book a little dragging. It was nice to understand what happened around the main characters, still I think it was too overly descriptive.

Overall, it was a wonder murder mystery with well-developed characters and astonishing plots. 

We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt

ARC provided by the Publisher via NetGalley

Author: Dana Reinhardt
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Release Date: May 27th 2014  
Publisher:  Wendy Lamb Books
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 10th, 2014

Synopsis
Nell knows a secret about her perfect, beautiful sister Layla. If she tells, it could blow their world apart.

When Nell and Layla were little, Nell used to call them Nellaya. Because to Nell, there was no difference between where she started and her adored big sister ended. They're a unit; divorce made them rely on each other early on, so when one pulls away, what is the other to do? But now, Nell's a freshman in high school and Layla is changing, secretive. And then Nell discovers why. Layla is involved with one of their teachers. And even though Nell tries to support Layla, to understand that she's happy and in love, Nell struggles with her true feelings: it's wrong, and she must do something about it.

My Thoughts
At one point when I was reading this book, I thought it was going to be one of those books that would blow my mind. Not that the book was not interesting or anything, but the slow, dragging pace really got on my nerves.

The writing which was done very nicely, actually. And that was one of the reasons for me to read and finish this book. It was full of questions that needed answers and I just couldn't put it down until I knew what the heck was going on. I guess the slow pace was because of this book was too overly descriptive. Nell went on and on before getting to the point. I liked her character, but the girl sounded insane at times.

Now on to the characters. I loved that Nell and Layla were not ones of those one-dimensional characters. At the beginning of the book, I was touched by how much Nell loved her big sister. Later, her love became a little too creepy. Though, I liked that she tried to protect her sister and all that.

The ending was not too bad, but I wasn't satisfied being left in the unknown. A bit on what was going to happen afterward would have been more than appreciated. 

The Heiresses by Sara Shepard

 ARC provided by the Publisher via Edelweiss

Author: Sara Shepard
Genre: Adult | Mystery
Series: The Heiresses
Book: 1
Release Date: May 20th 2014
Publisher: Harper
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 9th, 2014

Synopsis
The series follows one of the most prestigious and wealthy families on the Upper East Side who have built their entire fortune on the business of diamonds.

Due to a clause the grandfather placed in his will, only his granddaughters are set to inherit his massive fortune…these are the heiresses. After the death of their cousin, the remaining heiresses try to figure out if the family curse is real or not, and if not, who killed their cousin, and more importantly, which one of them is next on the hit list?

My Thoughts
In a nutshell, this book was more like an adult version of Pretty Little Liars, only the mystery wasn't dragged out as it was in PLL.

After have read more than 20 books from Sara Shepard, it wasn't that difficult to identify the trend and guess where this book was going. However, for some reasons, I found this book very entertaining.

The story was told in third person multiple point of view on the lives of the rich and famous Saybrook family. To be honest, it was extremely hard to follow the story at first as there were so many characters being thrown in almost all at once. Later on, though, it got better when the book started to focus on those who played significant roles in the story.

To me, Sara Shepard books have always been addictive. Likewise, I loved the character developments and the storyline of this book. There were 5 heiresses, Corrine, Aster, Poppy, Rowan and Natasha. Getting to know their personalities and mistakes they had made were what I liked about this book. So far, Aster is my favorite.

I enjoyed the twists and turns in this book. How they came to the conclusion who the killer was and how each dirty secret was revealed were well-done. Even it did share a lot of resemblance with Pretty Little Liars, this book was still very unpredictable and amazing in its own way.

Overall, it was a wonderful read for me. I just hope it isn't going to be a big series as Pretty Little Liars. 

Bad For You by Abbi Glines

Author: Abbi Glines
Genre: New Adult | Contemporary
Series: Sea Breeze
Book: 7
Release Date: April 1st, 2014
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 4th, 2014

Synopsis
Innocence was never meant for the addictive…

Addiction was something Krit Corbin accepted as part of his nature a long time ago. He decided to embrace it and flip his finger at the rules. Women had always been the number one thing on his list of addictions. He couldn’t get enough. Being the lead singer in a rock band had only made access to his favorite addiction that much easier.

Being alone was the only thing Blythe Denton understood. The small town minister’s family that raised her hadn’t accepted her as their own. The minister’s wife had always made sure Blythe understood just how unworthy she was of love. When Blythe is sent away to college and given a chance to finally be free of living as an unwanted burden, she looks forward to having peace in her life. Being alone isn’t something that bothers her. She escapes reality in the stories she writes.

However, the ridiculously sexy tattooed guy who keeps throwing parties in the apartment above hers is driving her crazy. For starters, he doesn’t treat her like she would expect a guy with a different woman always hanging on his arm to treat someone as uninteresting as her. She looks nothing like the gorgeous women she sees parading in and out of his apartment, but for some strange reason he keeps showing up at her door.

During a party at his apartment, Krit’s new neighbor comes to the door with her long brown hair pulled up in a messy knot and a pair of glasses perched on her cute little nose. She wants him to turn down the music, but he convinces her to stay.

Krit Corbin may have just found his biggest addiction yet. And Blythe Denton realizes too late that she’s finally been claimed. 

My Thoughts
This is a companion book in Sea Breeze series that can be read a standalone, but some characters from previous books do appear in this one also.

First off, I didn't like the cover. I didn't mind the white background much even it seemed a bit lack of creativity and all, but those tattoos really looked weird and downright ridiculous.

I hate to say that I wasn't impressed with this one.Thus far, I have love/hate relationship with this series. I liked most of them enough to continue the series, but man, I need something more than just another new adult books where secrets, abuses and crazy exes. It was entertaining all right, still it felt like I was rereading one of her books, just with different characters. The twist added near the end of the book was a joke, just to create more drama.

The characters were not interesting either. Blythe was so pathetic and very annoying. I was sick and tired for the mentioning of her "innocence" and her being "Perfect". I mean the girl was 19 for eff's sake, not a 5 year-old that needed to be told she was a perfect little girl all the time. And Krit used to be okay for me, back in book 6, I liked him a lot. However, in this one, he just didn't make much sense to me. I liked his protective side, but pushing another guy who just happened to walk near his girl was not cool.

Anyway, it was not that bad if you haven't read a lot of new adult books before, but if you have, you will find that this is anything but original. Some plots were kinda interesting, hence the 3-star rating. I hope book 8 which is scheduled to released this summer is a lot better than this one.

All the Truth That's in Me by Julie Berry

Author: Julie Berry
Genre: Young Adult | Historical
Release Date: September 26th 2013 
Publisher:  Viking Juvenile
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: November 13th, 2013

Synopsis
Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family. Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas. But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever. This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last.

My Thoughts
I don't normally read historical fiction, but if there are more books as good as this one, I'm sure going to read more of this genre.

This book is hauntingly beautiful, and I love everything about it, even the parts that wrecked my heart.

The story was so captivating that I couldn't think of anything else, but this book - how Judith's life was going be, who had done that to her and why. Just several pages in, I wept like a baby. My heart ached for her and what she had to go through. Being shunned and discriminated against even when she herself was a victim was just so cruel beyond words could describe.

This is one of the books that I will find time to reread. Because once is not enough.

(Some) Favorite Quotes
"You are the sun in my world, and how can I endure to watch you set into another woman's arms?"

"If you'd let me, I'd kiss away your fear, and let you rest yourself upon me, and I, I would die beside you and count my self lucky."

"If you were mine I'd comfort you; if you were mine you'd need no comfort."

Four Seconds to Lose by K.A. Tucker

Author: K.A. Tucker
Genre: New Adult | Contemporary
Series: Ten Tiny Breathes
Book: 3
Release Date: November 4th, 2013
Publisher: Atria Book
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: November 24th, 2013

Synopsis
When a gorgeous young dancer walks through his door, a strip club owner must decide whether to follow his rules or his heart in the third novel by the author of One Tiny Lie and Ten Tiny Breaths.

Owning a strip club isn’t the fantasy most guys expect it to be. With long hours, a staff with enough issues to keep a psych ward in business, and the police regularly on his case, twenty-nine-year-old Cain is starting to second guess his unspoken mission to save the women he employs. And then blond, brown-eyed Charlie Rourke walks through his door, and things get really complicated. Cain abides by a strict “no sleeping with the staff” rule. But being around Charlie challenges Cain’s self-control…and it’s been a long time since any woman has done that.

Twenty-two-year-old Charlie Rourke needs a lot of money, really fast, in order to vanish before it’s too late. Taking her clothes off for men makes her stomach curl but Charlie tells herself that at least she’s putting her acting and dancing skills to good use. And though her fellow dancers seem eager to nab their sexy, sophisticated, and genuinely caring boss, she’s not interested. After all, Charlie Rourke doesn’t really exist—and the girl pretending to be her can't get distracted by romance.

Unfortunately, Charlie soon discovers that developing feelings for Cain is inevitable, and that those feelings may not be unrequited—but losing him when he finds out what she’s involved with will be more painful than any other sentence awaiting her.

My Thoughts
This book is so much different from the previous two in the best possible way. The best in the series by far. Don't get me wrong, I really loved Ten Tiny Breaths and One Tiny Lie, but Four Seconds to Lose blew me away. This book was incredibly addictive and it was impossible not to love Cain. This guy stole me heart.

Like other NA books, this one also focuses on secrets. Usually it annoys me when NA books kinda ALWAYS revolve around secretive characters, abusive parents... Well, if you read NA, you know what I mean. However this book not only didn't annoy me, but I ended up loving everything about it. Well, almost everything. Charlie's real name (view spoiler) and I found it hard to believe.

Anyway, this is a great series, if you haven't read book 1 yet, you should. And for those who have read book 1 and 2, but are still not sure whether to read this one or not, READ IT NOW.

The Secrets of Lily Graves by Sarah Strohmeyer

ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss

Author: Sarah Strohmeyer
Genre: Young Adult | Mystery
Release Date: May 13rd 2014 
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 2, 2014

Synopsis

Growing up in a house of female morticians, Lily Graves knows all about buried secrets. She knows that perfect senior-class president Erin Donohue isn’t what she seems. She knows why Erin’s ex-boyfriend, hot football player Matt Houser, broke up with her. And she also knows that, even though she says she and Matt are just friends, there is something brewing between them—something Erin definitely did not like.

But secrets, even ones that are long buried, have a way of returning to haunt their keeper.

So when Erin is found dead the day after attacking Lily in a jealous rage, Lily's and Matt’s safe little lives, and the lives of everyone in their town of Potsdam, begin to unravel. And their relationship—which grew from innocent after-school tutoring sessions to late-night clandestine rendezvous—makes them both suspects.

As her world crumbles around her, Lily must figure out the difference between truth and deception, genuine love and a web of lies. And she must do it quickly, before the killer claims another victim.

My Thoughts
I loved Smart Girls Get What They Want by Sarah Strohmeyer, and since this one was written by the same author, I was really excited. She didn't disappoint as The Secrets of Lily Graves was such an intriguing book.

First off, I have to say the title didn't seem to fit the book. The book was amazing all right, but I'm not sure if I had missed anything or there wasn't anything about Lily's secrets. Well, she was observant and knew a lot about people around her, but those were other people's secrets, not hers. Anyway, it wasn't big of a deal.

It started out a little slow, but still pretty nice and not at all boring. The pace did pick up close to the end of the book when finally the murderer was reveal. The twists were great and surprising, but I did, however, know already who killed Erin.

The characters, on the other hand, were well-developed. I loved that each of them had certain personality that differentiated them from the others. It made the book more realistic that way. I loved Matt, Lily and Auntie Boo the most among all the characters. Sara was also a great character.

Overall, I think this book was a real nice young adult suspense. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a nicely-written book with interesting characters and plots that keep you guessing.

Boys Like You by Juliana Stone

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley

Author: Juliana Stone
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Release Date: May 6th 2014 
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: April 1, 2014

Synopsis
One mistake.
 
And everything changes.

For Monroe Blackwell, one small mistake has torn her family apart –leaving her empty and broken. There’s a hole in her heart that nothing can fill. That no one can fill. And a summer in Louisiana with her Grandma isn’t going to change that…

Nathan Everets knows heartache first-hand when a car accident leaves his best friend in a coma. And it’s his fault. He should be the one lying in the hospital. The one who will never play guitar again. He doesn’t deserve forgiveness, and a court-appointed job at the Blackwell B&B isn’t going to change that…

Captivating and hopeful, this achingly poignant novel brings together two lost souls struggling with grief and guilt – looking for acceptance, so they can find forgiveness.

My Thoughts
A book about two broken-soul teenagers, Monroe and Nathan, being tormented by their pasts, trying to find a way to help each other get through it all...

To be honest, even it was not a bad read, there wasn't much about this book that made it special. There are way too many books out there with so much similar plots as this one. I really have no idea how many books I have read that have been about remorseful/broken people helping each other live again, trying to redeem themselves and whatnot. Therefore, I have to say that I wasn't impressed.

It was a decent book, anyway. The characters were nice; though, I wasn't too keen on perfect characters. Based on the descriptions from the book, they both were absolutely perfect, living picture-perfect lives if their broken souls were not mentioned. Hard to say, this is not the only book with perfect characters, so I think I can let that slide.

As for the romance, I don't think I was into that much either. While it was sweet (a little bit cheesy) and all, it felt a little too fast for me. They moved from barely saying more than a few sentences to completely in love in just a few weeks.

The writing and the pace were okay, I guess. It wasn't neither draggy nor too fast-paced. However, the story was not that realistic in my idea, which did disappoint me a little since I was really psyched about reading it.

The Summer I Wasn't Me by Jessica Verdi

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley

Author: Jessica Verdi
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Release Date: April 1st 2014 
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 28, 2014

Synopsis
Lexi has a secret.

She never meant for her mom to find out. And now she's afraid that what's left of her family is going to fall apart for good.

Lexi knows she can fix everything. She can change. She can learn to like boys. New Horizons summer camp has promised to transform her
life, and there's nothing she wants more than to start over.

But sometimes love has its own path...

My Thoughts

More like a 4.5 to me...

To make her recently-widowed mother happy, Lexi agrees to take an 8-week de-gayifying program at a Christian camp. There, she, along with other campers, is "trained" suppress her SSA (Same-Sex Attraction.)

I have read several GLBT books and by far this is one of the best. I did enjoy it more than I had expected. The writing, the characters and the plots were excellent. I have always loved fast paced books and I had no complain about this book on that part.

It started out pretty simple. A little on a lighter side, if you ask me. I found myself laughing at several scenes featuring Matthew, one of the campers. Then as the story progressed, it became very emotional, and I was so furious at what they did to those kids. The most horrifying part was that it wasn't hard to believe it really did - and still does - happen in real life. Being told you are having a disease, an addiction, a demon inside just because you love someone of the same sex is brutal.

The belief that girls and boys should act certain ways was ridiculous. Not every girl likes pink, just as not all boys are sporty. At this de-gayifying camp, the campers were forced into these absurd gender roles and to deny their which irritated me way too much.

In short, this was a great read for me. I loved the characters, especially Matthew. It might not have been all rainbows and sunshine, and I really didn't mind the intense parts of this book. It was simply beautiful. 

Get Happy by Mary Amato

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley

Author: Mary Amato
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Release Date: October 28th 2014
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 27, 2014

Synopsis
In this poignant, realistic, contemporary YA by a state master list star, perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Gayle Forman, a young songwriter builds a substitute family with her friends in place of the broken family she grew up with.

A hip high school girl who loves music, writes songs, and is desperate for a ukelele, learns to her shock that her father did not abandon her years ago and has been trying to keep in touch. She begins to investigate him, only to discover that he has a new life with a new family, including the perfect stepdaughter, a girl who Minerva despises.

My Thoughts
 
This is a kind of books that will put a smile on your face...

First off, I was so excited to find out that the author of Guitar Notes was going to release another book. I seriously loved that book and am so glad to say that she didn't disappoint with this one either.

I loved that this book was lighthearted, yet emotional at the same time. This book was about a budding songwriter and ukelele lover, Minerva and her discovery of her father. It was a really nice story about friendship and family.

The characters were great with wonderful (& a little silly) personalities. Fin and Minerva were my favorite and I loved their sense of humor.

The plot itself wasn't the most amazing I have ever read, but the writing made it very interesting. I loved the flow and the fast pace that kept me engaged with the story.

Overall, this book was a fun and light read that suitable for people of all ages, but I think younger readers might enjoy it more.

A Husband's Regret by Natasha Anders

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley

Author: Natasha Anders
Genre: Adult | Contemporary
Series: Unwanted
Book: 2
Release Date: April 29th 2014
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 26, 2014

Synopsis
Tall and thin, twenty-eight-year-old Bronwyn Palmer has become positively gaunt, a ghost of her former self. That self was—and still is—the wife of a rich, handsome executive with an ocean-view house and his own security staff.

It was in that house, two years ago, that Bryce Palmer learned Bronwyn was pregnant with their first child. But Bryce’s rage over his impending fatherhood touched off a chain reaction of emotional and physical traumas that wounded them both. For Bronwyn, it meant fleeing the perfect marriage to start over with nothing but a precocious daughter named Kayla to care for. For Bryce, it meant a tortuous two years spent blaming his wife for deserting him, and living with the pain of not knowing his child. Now a chance encounter has brought Bronwyn back into Bryce’s life, both bearing scars...and neither knowing the whole truth of that fateful night that drove them apart.

My Thoughts
A companion book in Unwanted series, so it can be read a standalone. However, I really do recommend The Unwanted Wife to anyone who loves groveling heroes. Anyway, Theresa from the first installment appears in a few scenes, so reading book 1 might help you grasping the story even better.

First off, when it comes to groveling, begging for forgiveness, very few authors are able to pull it off and make the heroes who have once been such a complete jerks redeem themselves. And Natasha Anders is one of those few. After I finished The Unwanted Wife last week, I was completely in love with her writing and couldn't wait to read the next one. I'm glad I was given this chance to read this book before the release date. It was simply amazing.

One thing I love about this book (and book 1) was that there was no obscene language. So many other adult books, even some young adult books, it isn't a surprise to find obscenity, such as f-words. This book on the other hand, while there were some intimate scenes, obscenity was kept to the limit.

As for the story, in a nutshell it was very well-thought-out. It was heartbreaking and so romantic. Both Bryce and Bronwyn were quite a pair. The book started out with anger, misunderstanding and devastation with two people who loved each other, but couldn't find a way to work everything out. While it might not sound very original, it was an emotional ride.

If you are like me, enjoying reading second chance romance and love groveling heroes, I believe you will enjoy this book.

The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley

Authors: Jennifer Mathieu
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Release Date: June 3rd 2014
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: February 25th 2014

Synopsis
Everyone has a lot to say about Alice Franklin, and it’s stopped mattering whether it’s true. The rumors started at a party when Alice supposedly had sex with two guys in one night. When school starts everyone almost forgets about Alice until one of those guys, super-popular Brandon, dies in a car wreck that was allegedly all Alice’s fault. Now the only friend she has is a boy who may be the only other person who knows the truth, but is too afraid to admit it. Told from the perspectives of popular girl Elaine, football star Josh, former outcast Kelsie, and shy genius Kurt, we see how everyone has a motive to bring – and keep – Alice down.

My Thoughts
                                                    **This may contain some mild spoilers**

In the blink of an eye, Alice went from being a moderately popular girl to a slut. If it wasn't bad enough for her already, Brandon was killed in the car accident, and Alice became a killer slut.

I really, really enjoyed reading this book. Thanks Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read it early. It is definitely a kind of books that I would choose to read.

One thing I liked about this book is the writing itself. It was clear, flowing and very captivating. It wasn't hard to lose myself in the story. The characters were well-developed, and I found myself want to give Alice and Kurt a hug. They were such great characters. Even Kelsie, who was so confusing and mean, made me want to help her through this difficult time.

Since it was told from multiple point of views, I got to see different sides of the story, of how Alice ended up being in this situation in the first place. And it was heartbreaking. Normally, if a book is told from more than 2 point of views, it tends to get confusing and annoying that we have to jump back and forward pointlessly. Well, I'm happy to say that it wasn't the case here.

I wish Alice had done something about it, though. Maybe screamed out loud that it wasn't truth, or admitted that it happened and told them to eff off. The fact that no one did anything made me a little bit frustrated. Still it was a very well-written book.

I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Authors: Colleen Hoover
Genre: New Adult | Contemporary
Release Date: March 18, 2014
Publisher: Atria Books
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read: March 18, 2014

Synopsis
 At twenty-two years old, aspiring musician Sydney Blake has a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her good friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter cheating on her with Tori—and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by her mysterious neighbor, Ridge Lawson. She can’t take her eyes off him or stop listening to the daily guitar playing he does out on his balcony. She can feel the harmony and vibrations in his music. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either: He seems to have finally found his muse. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one…

My Thoughts
This book was PERFECTION. Everything about it was spot on - the cover, the characters, the pace... Pure perfection. I really enjoyed everything about it, even it was so emotional at times that I had to put it down just to get myself together before continue.

The songs made this book even better. It added more emotions that I almost couldn't believe it was possible. I wasn't so sure at first that I needed to get the songs since I'm not usually into listening to music while I read. But then I gave it a try and it was mind-blowing. "Living a Lie" & "Maybe Someday" were my favorites. The others were great too, but these two were the best and I listened to them repeatedly throughout the book.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Authors: Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Release Date:  February 21st 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Read from January 03 to 04, 2014

Synopsis
Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

My Thoughts
I had no intention to read this book. It didn't sound like the kind of books I would enjoy when I read the synopsis. besides, the cover was a little messy in my opinion and since I am such a cover snob, it didn't catch my interest. In the end, though, I gave in and chose to read it because I was so curious why so many people loved this book this much.

At first, I wasn't impressed. The book was nice, but wasn't that great. I didn't like Aristotle, for the reasons that the boy was so annoying and didn't make much sense, but Dante was great. To be honest, I was thinking of dropping this book quite a few times because the writing kinda gave me a headache. I'm still glad that I didn't otherwise I wouldn't come to the part that blew me away.

I started to enjoy this book in end of part 2. I guess by then I started to get used to the writing and the characters, but Aristotle's attitude still bugged me until almost the end of the book, when he stopped being mad at everything.

Like I had mentioned, I didn't care much about this book at beginning. I just wanted to go get it over with. However, at the story progressed, I almost couldn't believe how emotional this book was. I loved Dante and his weird battle against shoes. And his love for Aristotle. It was just beautiful. Aristotle or Ari, on the other hand, didn't spark my interest, but I really liked what he had done for Dante.

In short, this is one amazing book that will show you friendship, family, love and many other secrets of the universe.

The Perfect Game by J. Sterling

Authors: J. Sterling
Series: The Perfect Game
Book: 1

Genre: New Adult | Contemporary
Release Date: October 11th 2012
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤ 

Synopsis

He's a game she never intended to play.
And she's the game changer he never knew he needed.

The Perfect Game tells the story of college juniors, Cassie Andrews & Jack Carter. When Cassie meets rising baseball hopeful Jack, she is determined to steer clear of him and his typical cocky attitude. But Jack has other things on his mind... like getting Cassie to give him the time of day.

They're both damaged, filled with mistrust and guarded before they find one another (and themselves) in this emotional journey about love and forgiveness. Strap yourselves for a ride that will not only break your heart, but put it back together.

Sometimes life gets ugly before it gets beautiful...

Review

I chose to read this book when I heard it was somehow similar to Beautiful Disaster since they both had bad tempered main characters and everything. I generally don't mind bad [fictional] boys. They are hot and since I enjoyed  Beautiful Disaster so much, I was so excited to start this book. Boy, never have I ever been so disappointed! Everything about this book was just wrong.

Let's start with Cassie, the main female character. She kept mentioning how her life had been screwed by her father not keeping his promises. Please! Parents lie sometimes, nothing is out of ordinary. Deal with it. I didn't understand how just her father never kept his end of the deal messed her up so badly. Dramatic much?

Now about Jack Carter. Tsk, tsk, tsk. What should I say? I didn't find his bad temper hot at all. I admit I like reading about possessive/bad tempered boys, but Jack was more irritable than he was hot. I really hated the way he treated women (other than his "Kitten"). Even those women were so annoying. he should not have said those things to them:
"Oh, so you're not a stripper, you're a whore?" ~  Jack said this to Cassie when he met her the first time. Very charming, right?
"... I'll find someone to teach you a little respect." ~ Jack said to Andrea when she tried to ask him to go to a part with her. So what now? Threatening a woman?
"I'm sure you were always a slut..." ~ Jack said to Chrystle after their night together. It takes two to do what they had done.

I did not feel the romance. Jack started pursuing Cassie like crazy after only met her once and it was like 5 minutes. It was a bit too fast. It was too desperate and I felt like the author just wanted to get it over with. The night they slept together for the first time was not how I had imaging it would be. First Cassie said she was not ready. And of course, Jack said it was ok, he would wait, blah, blah. Then he said he loved her and guess what? Cassie was ready. It took around 5 minutes and 3 words for Cassie to be ready. That was convenient.

How the author kept mention the same things over and over again was just so exhausting. I lost count how many time Cassie rolled her eyes. It drove me over the edge. And the F-bomb. Is it so necessary that almost every YA and NA book now have the f-words? I am not a writer (obviously), but I don't think a good book depends on how many F-bombs it has.
My phone vibrated in my pocket and I reached in and pulled it out. Text from Melissa. My f*cking savior...

I am glad that some people enjoy their time reading this book. Maybe it is just not a book for me, so I am not going to say I had a good time reading this book.