Review: When Joss Met Matt by Ellie Cahill

When Joss Met Matt by Ellie Cahill [Liz Czukas]

Published: February 24, 2015

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Format: Edelweiss

Challenge: NetGalley/Edelweiss

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Dating can be fun, but it can leave a nasty taste in your mouth. For Joss, ever since her longtime boyfriend cheated on her, she doesn’t want her last memory of a guy to be that jerk. Enter her college friend, Matt. They come up with a theory: after a bad break-up, a person needs to cleanse the palate with a little sorbet sex. Lovers for a night, but always back to being friends in the morning. The two can handle it because they have a contract: rules they wrote, rules they follow and rules they can sometimes bend. The arrangement works: everyone needs a little sorbet now and again … until it starts to be the only thing you want. And then Joss breaks the one rule they never wrote down: don’t fall in love.

My Thoughts

When Joss Meets Matt it’s a college party and they strike up a conversation that soon leads to being friends. After the breakup of Joss and her long time love they decide on a thing called sorbet sex. You know the classic friends with benefits thing that NEVER EVER works out. Well 8 plus years later and they are still doing it…so to speak. They have been there for each other through heartaches and family tragedies yet have continued this charade of sorbet sex. Joss is looking for the perfect guy Mr. Right yet maybe he is right there before her eyes yet she never sees it. After all these years Matt realizes that he is tired of what they have and unknown to Joss wants more. Will Joss finally see what’s in front of her or will she let her best friend/soulmate slip through her fingers?

This is an amazing tale of two people who are meant to be but are so in denial that they might miss the chance of the real thing. I think Matt is the best! You can tell from the get go that he was meant to be with Joss, while Joss is so clueless that it made me so mad at times! Ugh! However I loved seeing how their love story evolved and the near misses of them expressing how they really feel! This is one love story, odd as it is will make you swoon. Unconventional as it may be it will still make you love and embrace their story. To see these two people fall in love before your eyes is so touching that you can’t help but root for them from page one.

Review: The Good Sister by Jamie Kain

The Good Sister by Jamie Kain

Published: October 7, 2014

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Format: via NetGalley
Challenges: 2014 NetGalley/Edelweiss

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis

The Kinsey sisters live in an unconventional world. Their parents are former flower-children who still don’t believe in rules. Their small, Northern California town is filled with free spirits and damaged souls seeking refuge from the real world. Without the anchor of authority, the three girls are adrift and have only each other to rely on.

Rachel is wild.  Asha is lost.  Sarah, the good sister, is the glue that holds them together.  But the forces of a mysterious fate have taken Sarah’s life in a sudden and puzzling accident, sending her already fractured family into a tailspin of grief and confusion. Asha has questions. Rachel has secrets. And Sarah, waking up in the afterlife, must piece together how she got there.

Jamie Kain brings us The Good Sister, a stunning debut young adult novel about love in all its joyful, painful, exhilarating manifestations, and about the ties that bind us together, in life and beyond.

My Thoughts

I will admit the cover is what pulled me in. It looks so sweet, kind and the true definition of sisterly love. Boy oh boy this is one of those times when the book cover doesn’t match the read but in such a good way.

The Good Sister is told through the various sister voices and we get to see each side of their stories and how they really feel and interact towards each other. Growing up they rely on each other since both parents we so carefree in a hippie kind of way. We learn early on that Sarah the good sister dies of an “accident” but is it really? Through the other sisters we learn of the relationships between them and realize that maybe Sarah wasn’t so good after all. However we also learn of some things that happen between her and one of her sisters. I don’t want to spoil it but as they say for every good there is some evil, and man is it EVIL!

As I was reading I was like I can’t believe this! How can someone be so mean and revengeful??!! I love when I’m surprised by something I never saw coming. While I wonder how some people can be this way it makes me question if it has to do with their upbringing. They never had any structure in their lives. Their mom once divorced leaves them barely teens to live by themselves while she moves on with her boyfriend. No wonder these girls are so twisted in a way. How can you know right from wrong when there was no one there to teach you?

Overall this is one twisted tale that is so good. There is nothing that I didn’t like. I went into this thinking it one thing but came out finding something totally different and I was so amazed by that. So do yourself a favor and get this read it is one that you soon won’t forget.

Review: On the Rocks by Erin Duffy

On the Rocks by Erin Duffy

Published: April 22, 2014

Publisher: William Morrow

Format: via Edelweiss

Challenges: NetGalley/Edelweiss

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Six months ago, Abby's life fell apart for all the world to see. Her longtime boyfriend-turned-fiancé, Ben, unceremoniously dumped her—on Facebook—while she was trying on dresses for the big day.

When the usual remedies—pints of Ben & Jerry's, sweatpants, and a comfy couch—fail to work their magic, her best friend, Grace, devises a plan to get Abby back on her game. She and Abby are going to spend the summer in Newport, in a quaint cottage by the sea, enjoying cool breezes, cocktails, and a crowd of gorgeous men.

But no matter how far away they go, Abby and Grace discover that in the era of social media—when everyone is preserving every little detail of their lives online—there is no real escape. Dating has never been easy. But now that the rules are more blurred than ever, how will they find true love? And even if they do, can romance stand a chance when a girl's every word and move can go viral with a single click?

My Thoughts

On the Rocks is great in showing what happens when one focuses on getting married and not the relationship itself. Abby was in the middle of planning her dream wedding with it comes to her attention that her fiancé broke up with her via Facebook. Needless to say she is devastated and gives up on everything. She lets herself go and is in a slump like never before.

Her best friend Grace who is dealing with issues of her own, like falling in love with a married man decides to take their sorrows to the beach for a summer vacation. They are joined there by Grace’s friend Bobby who I must say is so funny. He definitely brought the laughs to the table. Slowly but surely Abby decides to take her life back, no more feeling bad for herself however just when this happens her ex decides to make connect again. He texts her and claims he misses her and just when Abby falls back under his spell she doesn’t hear from him for days. UGH! I hate to say it but I’ve done this also. I’m a sucker for giving second chances but sometimes certain people don’t deserve this. I totally felt for Abby because I know we all make some mistakes when it comes to love. It’s hard to let go even when we’ve been wronged and hurt.

I loved just everything in this book. I loved the whole Abby getting on with her life aspect. She’s become a stronger person than she ever thought she was. She’s learned what she wants out of life and what she doesn’t. However what I enjoyed most of all was the humor. I loved that I laughed out loud; it was such a fresh and refreshing thing. The banter between Abby and Bobby is the best! He is one of best characters I read in a long time. I loved his views on relationships and how he operates in the dating world. If you want a funny and light summer read pick this one up you won’t regret it.

Review: Don't Try to Find Me by Holly Brown

Don’t Try to Find Me by Holly Brown

Published: July 8, 2014

Publisher: William Morrow

Format: via Edelweiss
Challenges: NetGalley/Edelweiss

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

Don't try to find me. Though the message on the kitchen white board is written in Marley's hand, her mother Rachel knows there has to be some other explanation. Marley would never run away.

As the days pass and it sinks in that the impossible has occurred, Rachel and her husband Paul are informed that the police have "limited resources." If they want their 14-year-old daughter back, they will have to find her themselves. Desperation becomes determination when Paul turns to Facebook and Twitter, and launches FindMarley.com.

But Marley isn't the only one with secrets.

With public exposure comes scrutiny, and when Rachel blows a television interview, the dirty speculation begins. Now, the blogosphere is convinced Rachel is hiding something. It's not what they think; Rachel would never hurt Marley. Not intentionally, anyway. But when it's discovered that she's lied, even to the police, the devoted mother becomes a suspect in Marley's disappearance.

Is Marley out there somewhere, watching it all happen, or is the truth something far worse?

My Thoughts

This is a hard one for me to review. I liked it but I just kept waiting for something bigger to happen. It’s like I kept feeling this build up but there was no real payoff in the end. Marley runs off to meet this guy online whom she thinks really gets her; you know the same old plot line you've seen in real life over and over. When her family discovers this they don’t know if she was kidnapped or was a runaway. There were two different plots going on at the same time.

We see Rachel, the mom, and how she recounts her view on the last morning she saw Marley. We see into her marriage which is falling apart and her husband whom she feels doesn’t want her or their marriage. People start to doubt her story, did she have something to do with Marley disappearance? We also learn a secret that Rachel has been caring and soon it is revealed and many wonder what else has she lied about.

Then there is Marley’s side. She goes cross country to meet this guy she met online whom has promised her a better life. She thinks he is the only one who loves her and cares for her. She soon finds out he is not who he claimed he was. She soon finds out the lengths that her parents have taken to try to find her. Even after all of this she still doesn’t try to leave.

This is where I kind of lost it. I don’t get why she doesn’t try to flee. She knows this guy isn’t stable yet she does at times feel sorry for him. She knows of her parent’s trouble in their marriage but doesn’t let on.

I kept reading thinking something big was going to happened. I just felt there could’ve been a bigger story than the one told. Don’t get me wrong this is a compelling read I just felt there was more. There are some good twist and turns not to mention a great little shocker. This one definitely speaks to time of online relationships and never trusting people right off. You never know who people really are online much less in real life.

Review: Thirty Sunsets by Christine Hurley Deriso

Thirty Sunsets by Christine Hurley Deriso

Expected Publication: July 8, 2014

Publisher: Flux

Format: via NetGalley

Challenges: NetGalley/Edelweiss

Rating: 3.5/5

Synopsis

To Forrest Shephard, getting away to the family's beach house with her parents and her brother, Brian, is the best part of every summer. Until this year, when her mother invites Brian's obnoxious girlfriend, Olivia, to join them. Suddenly, Forrest's relaxing vacation becomes a mission to verify the reality of Olivia's rumored eating disorder. But the truth behind Olivia's finicky eating isn't at all what Forrest expected. And over the next thirty days, Forrest's world is turned upside down as her family's darkest secrets begin to come to light.

My Thoughts

This is the story of Forrest and her family’s crazy vacation. Every year they go away for the summer but this year everything just hits the fan and changes the family like never before. She is forced to room with her brother’s girlfriend then finds out Olivia is pregnant. Forrest feels like she suddenly doesn’t know her family, it’s like secrets after secrets. After giving Olivia the benefit of the doubt she learns that Olivia is a good person and great friend.

This summer is also a time when Forrest discovers that she wants to experience first love; she is determined to find it. One day she meets a guy whom she thinks is really nice and they strike up some convo and she thinks he could be the one that she gets to know. Little does she know he isn’t who he claims to be. She soon finds herself in a situation that no one should ever be put in; she is attacked on the beach.

Back home the unexpected pregnancy is putting so much pressure on the family her mom and dad are constantly fighting something that has never happened before. After her ordeal with that guy her mom comforts her and telling her two shocking secrets that turns her world upset down. The family she has known all along isn’t the same anymore.

Forrest thought going into the summer she wanted thirty sunsets of love and fun but instead she finds out things she couldn’t ever thought possible. While it was shocking it also in the end brought them closer than ever as a family.

Review: On the Fence by Kasie West

On the Fence by Kasie West 

Expected Publication: July 1, 2014

Publisher: HaperTeen

Format: Edelweiss

Challenge: NetGalley/Edelweiss

Rating: 4.5/5

Synopsis

She's a tomboy. He's the boy next door…

Charlie Reynolds can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn't know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at a chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world. To cope with the stress of her new reality, Charlie takes to spending nights chatting with her neighbor Braden through the fence between their yards. As she grows to depend on their nightly Fence Chats, she realizes she's got a bigger problem than speeding tickets-she's falling for Braden. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

Fun, original, and endearing, On the Fence is a romantic comedy about finding yourself and finding love where you least expect.

My Thoughts

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep I said it. What can I say this book is cute, funny, and relatable with a ton of feels. I could relate with it for a bunch of reasons. I myself am a tad tomboyish. I am by far not a girly girl so I could identify with Charlie as far as being one of the guys and not into the whole makeup and clothes thing.

This is the story of Charlie who is being raised by her dad and three brothers; she has always been see as one of guys and doesn’t know anything about being a girl. One summer her father tells her she has to get a job to pay for some speeding tickets and it’s a summer she will never forget. She soon gets a job in retail and soon after that becomes a model for a makeup artist. She feels that she must hide this side of her because she doesn’t want her brothers making fun of her. In addition to her brothers her next door neighbor Braden is also protective of her since they’ve know each other forever.

Charlie begins having these nightmares and can’t sleep so one night she goes outside and Braden is outside also, they soon begin having these fence chats. It starts out innocent enough but soon the talks become deep and personal. Braden is having family problems and Charlie is wondering why she keeps having dreams of her mom who died years ago in a car accident. These talks soon start to make Charlie see Braden in a different light, in a more romantic light. However like all things, this of course doesn’t just go as planned. Signals are crossed and misunderstood and that whole element of will they or won’t they happens. I loved Braden! I loved him and Charlie as a couple. I so rooted for them.

I loved that this read had the whole romantic thing of course but it also has them dealing with some serious issues. It really struck the right cord and balance. This book was literally a breath of fresh air; it was something I really needed to read. This is definitely for anyone who loves a good contemporary YA read. I couldn’t get enough of this book yet I didn’t want it to end. This is by far one of faves so far this year and thanks to Kasie West for writing an amazing tale that shows us that you can find love where you least expect it.

Mini Review: Making Waves by Ophelia London

Making Waves: A Perfect Kisses Novella by Ophelia London

Published: June 16, 2014

Publisher: Entangled Bliss

Format: via NetGalley
Challenges: NetGalley/Edelweiss

Rating 3.5/5

Synopsis

She’s in over her head and he’s in hot water…

Visiting her friends Ellie and Charlie in Hawaii was supposed to be a much-needed vacation for journalist Justine Simms. But when she learns the notoriously reclusive pro-surfer Chase Ryder is coming out of retirement for a competition, she knows she’s found the perfect exclusive to save her career. Of course, then she learns he’s the gorgeous, secretly nerdy guy who broke her heart a year ago.

Will Davenport—aka Chase Ryder—doesn't do interviews. He keeps his real name out of the papers and doesn’t mix his public life with his private. That is, until the still-heartbroken Justine blackmails him into giving her an exclusive. Seeing Justine, stunningly beautiful as ever, brings back all the feelings he had before. But despite their smoldering attraction, nothing has changed since he had to leave her the first time.

My Thoughts

When I started this I wasn’t aware that this was a part of a series, but believe me although this is a novella it totally reads fine as a standalone. I didn’t feel like I was missing anything by not reading the other books but it does make me curious to some of the backstory.

Justine escapes to Hawaii to get away from everything and especially Will. It’s been awhile since they have talked, she thought there was something there but after not hearing from him she thinks maybe it was all one sided. While there she tries to get a scoop for her paper about a local surfer Chase. Well little does she know Will is Chase, and now this story has a more personal connection than she ever predicated. Not only does she want to know what’s with the dual personas she also wants to know why he left her. Was the connection real or just her imagination?

This is a quick cute and ideal beach read. It has just enough romance and the chemistry between the characters is so real you can’t help but root for them. This is definitely the read for an afternoon at the beach or by the pool.

Review: The Summer Wind by Mary Alice Monroe

The Summer Wind by Mary Alice Monroe

[Lowcountry Summer #2]

Published: June 17, 2014

Publisher: Gallery Books

Format: via NetGalley

Challenge: NetGalley/Edelweiss

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Its midsummer and Eudora, nicknamed Dora, is staying at Sea Breeze, the family’s ancestral home on Sullivan’s Island. For years, Dora has played the role of the perfect wife and mother in a loveless marriage. Now her husband filed for divorce, her child is diagnosed with autism, and her house is on the market. Dora’s facade collapses under the weight of her grief and she suffers; broken heart syndrome; Mamaw and the girls rally around Dora to heal herself as she spends the summer prowling the beach, discovering the secrets of the island and her heart. This is a summer of discovery for all the women of Sea Breeze. Carson returns from Florida to face life-changing decisions, Lucille confronts a health scare, and an unexpected visitor has Harper reconsidering her life’s direction.

When tropical storm winds batter the island, the women must band together and weather the tempest; both the one outside their windows and the raging sea of emotions within each of them. They must learn again what it means to be a sister. It is up to Mamaw to keep the light burning at Sea Breeze to guide the girls through the lies, the threats, and the rocky waters of indecision to home.

My Thoughts

The Summer Wind is the second book in the Lowcountry Summer series by Mary Alice Monroe. The series focuses on three sisters and their grandmother as they try to figure out their lives and try to move on. Each sister is so different from the next plus they have different mothers but all share the love of their grandmother and Sea Breeze the place they spent their summers growing up.

This book while it gets into everyone just a bit it mainly focuses on Dora the oldest sister. Dora is at her wits end dealing with her marriage to a husband who isn’t around much and also dealing with the fact that her son has been recently diagnose with autism. After having everything come crashing down on her, especially the recent news that her husband wants a divorce she suffers a mild heart attack. She decides to go back and relax at Sea Breeze under the eye of her sisters and grandmother. She starts to exercise and one day meets up with her first love. Although she is conflicted because she is still married she decides to hang out with him. She forgot how it felt to be wanted, needed and most importantly loved. Old feelings come back and she must decide if she should go with her heart or try and save her marriage after her husband has a change of heart.

She also tries to let others help her in terms of her son. She lets her sister Carson take him for a week to camp that deals with autistic children and dolphins. That trip is a challenge for both Carson and her nephew. But the biggest thing she learns from the trip isn’t from him but from a life alternating choice that Carson could’ve never imagined. She must decide if she’s really and if she’s up for it.

I loved this series so far because it deals with family. Family is the one thing rather good or bad that in my opinion shapes us to be who we will become in life. Though we might fuss and fight in the end they are the ones who are our backbone. I loved how in each book I’ve learned more and more about this family. Each book we learn more about each sister’s story and their struggles. I’m excited to see the next installment since I feel like we haven’t really read that much about the youngest sister. I also love how Mary Alice Monroe not only focuses on the human aspect but that of nature. The way she describes the beaches and wildlife in the area is breathtaking.

This is one series I urge everyone to get into, it makes the perfect beach reads and I know you will be fully invested in this family as much as I am.

Review: Nantucket Sisters by Nancy Thayer

Nantucket Sisters by Nancy Thayer 

Published: June 17, 2014

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Format: Edelweiss
Challenge: NetGalley/Edelweiss

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

When Maggie and Emily meet as girls on the Nantucket beach, they are instant best friends—even though Emily's mother would much prefer she play with the daughters of senators and statesmen than a seamstress's kid like Maggie. But after many golden summers spent building sandcastles and sharing their dreams for the future, Emily and Maggie grow apart. In her twenties, beautiful and spirited Piper worries she'll never amount to more than the glittering wife of a successful husband, while hardworking redheaded Maggie scrimps and saves her pennies, wondering if she'll ever have the luxury of a passionate romance. It seems they have little in common…until Cameron Chadwick appears on the island. A wealthy Midwestern charmer, Cameron takes moonlit walks on the dunes with Maggie and whisks Emily away to New York City for lavish nights on the town. When both women discover they're pregnant, it looks like the end of their already-distant friendship. But as Maggie and Emily struggle to decide what their lives will be, they realize more than ever before how very much they need a friend.

My Thoughts

I had high hopes for this one and sadly it fell a bit flat. As a fan of Nancy Thayer I was expecting one thing and received something else.

This is a story of two friends who have known each other since they were kids, Emily who is rich and summers on the island while Maggie isn’t and is a native of the island. They start off every summer as no time has passed, Emily is and has for a while now have feelings for Maggie’s brother Ben. They both declare their love for one another but as time goes by he realizes he can never give her what she is used to and will never be good enough in her parent’s eyes. During this time she meets Cameron who is everything her parents want her to end up with. While she loves Ben she falls for Cameron’s slick ways she later finds out she’s pregnant. Whose is it? Ben’s or Cameron’s? She decides to tell Cameron it’s his. Little does Emily know what Cameron isn’t who she thought he would be. One night while helping out a friend Maggie meets and falls for Cameron. Yep drama! She later becomes pregnant herself but once she finds out that he is married to Emily she doesn’t say a word. She lives her life and marries an old friend and over time she and Emily become close again. Once she sees Emily’s child she knows who the father is.

This is a story about love and most importantly friendship. While I loved the parts of them as young girls I just couldn’t buy their friendship when they got older. I get that people grow and friendships change but seriously two best friends who could possibly be pregnant by the same man? REALLY? And no one gets mad? Trust me I don’t buy that in the real world. Granted it can happen yet no one questions anything in the book? It’s like the elephant in the room. Yet when everything plays out in the end I just wasn’t really satisfy. I love Nancy Thayer’s books but this one left me with more questions than answers.

Review: Nantucket Red by Leila Howland

Nantucket Red by Leila Howland 

Expected Publication: May 13, 2014

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Format: E-Arc via NetGalley

Rating: 3.5/5

Challenges: 2014 NetGalley/Edelweiss

Synopsis

Cricket Thompson's lifetime of overachieving has paid off: she's headed to Brown University in the fall, with a spot on the lacrosse team and a scholarship that covers almost everything. Who knew living in the dorm cost money? An Ivy League education seems to mean living at home for the next four years.

When Cricket is offered the chance to earn enough cash to afford a real college experience, she heads back to Nantucket for the summer. But the faraway island challenges Cricket in ways she hadn't anticipated. It's hard to focus on earning money for next year, when she finds her world opening up in entirely new ways-to art, to travel, and, most unexpectedly, to a future completely different from the one she has been working toward her whole life. A friendship blossoms with Ben, the gorgeous surfer and bartender who encourages Cricket to be free, even as she smarts at the pain of seeing Zack, her first love, falling for her worst enemy.

But one night, when Cricket finally lets herself break all her own rules, she realizes she may have ruined her carefully constructed future with one impulsive decision. Cricket must dig deep to fight for her future, discovering that success isn't just about reaching goals, but also about listening to what she's been trying to ignore-her own heart.

My Thoughts

Nantucket Red starts right off where Nantucket Blue left off. Cricket and her boyfriend Zach have decided to break up and not do the whole long distance thing and she and her best friend are still distant with each other. Cricket is dealing with the struggles of growing up and having to make money for college plus deal with her feelings of being back on Nantucket. She makes new friends and enemies on top of everything else.

I was a little torn with this book. I mainly felt that way because I was so taken by Nantucket Blue that I couldn’t wait to read this one. I loved the whole Cricket and Zach romance and just wanted them to beat the odds and stay together. Yes I get that life isn’t always perfect and that sometimes life gets in the way. Sometimes distance and makes the heart grow fonder. However I just didn’t like how their romance was played out. I didn’t really like Zach that much here, I felt at times he wasn’t whom I thought he was. Maybe it was on account on how Cricket treated him and their relationship, meaning she wasn’t always open and honest with her emotions.

The things I did enjoy were the returning characters. I especially loved Liz, she is a crazy and fun chick and I loved that. Cricket definitely needs her in her life, she totally balances her. My verdict is still out on Cricket’s best friend Jules. I was giving her the benefit of the doubt seeing how she was going through things but even when she was being semi nice to Cricket I always felt like she had a motive. I just never trusted her and I don’t know exactly why.

While I wasn’t super gaga over this read it was still very good. Maybe since I read the two books back to back and the first one was just so swoon worthy, I know I  shouldn't compare but I can't help it. I was happy however with how things played out in the end.

Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Expected Publication: May13, 2014

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Format: E-Arc via NetGalley

Challenges: 2014 NetGalley/Edelweiss

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis

A beautiful and distinguished family.

A private island.

A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.

A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.

A revolution. An accident. A secret.

Lies upon lies.

True love.

The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.

Read it.

And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

My Thoughts

One of the BEST books of the year hands down! I LOVED this book. I read this book way back in January when I received it because I couldn’t wait. I’m so glad I did! This book is an amazing read, one that will haunt you like no other. I was so consumed that I read it in like two reads. I don’t usually do that but it was THAT good. This blog is a spoiler free one so there’s only so much I can say about this read. It’s one of those books that you just have read; nothing else can give it justice.

We Were Liars focuses on Cady and her summers with her family. The “liars” are herself, her two cousins Mirren and Johnny and a family friend named Gat. The story is told in a back and forth way, flashbacks and present tense. It’s all about their interactions with one another and their families. It’s all about old money, privilege, keeping up with their appearances and family obligations. This book has a different feel and sense to it that I really enjoyed. There is suspense and drama and E. Lockhart definitely keeps you on your toes. There is a sense of is this really real of not. I personally was quite shocked when I was done, I felt like I was taken on a ride and I really enjoyed it. It’s definitely different than any other book that I’ve read in a while and I think that’s why I loved it so much. The twists and turns are brilliant and the writing of E. Lockhart was simply beautiful. No other author has taken my breathe way and given me chills like this one has.

If there is one book you read this summer PLEASE let it be We Were Liars. It’s one of books that will mesmerize and have you thinking…WTF? …but in a Very good way.

Virtual Tour + Giveaway: The Summer I Wasn't Me by Jessica Verdi

The Summer I Wasn’t Me by Jessica Verdi 

Published: April 1, 2014

Format: via NetGalley

Challenge: 2014 NetGalley/Edelweiss

Rating: 4/5

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

I was really torn while reading The Summer I Wasn’t Me. Seriously there was times when I couldn’t continue reading. This is a story of trying to deal with who you are and at the same time trying to make others happy. Lexi is sent to a “de-gaying” camp by her mother and church after it is revealed she is gay. Lexi is still trying to come to terms with it herself and at the same time dealing with her father’s death and trying to help her mom from falling into a dark hole. She agrees to go thinking maybe this will make her mother snap out of her funk but at the same time she knows it’s a waste of time and money they don't have. I mean seriously $9000?! That’s crazy! Lexi is recovering from her first heartbreak as well after falling for someone who didn’t feel the same way. While at the camp she meets a cast of characters who are all there for different reasons. Some want to be “cured” while others are just going along with it since they have no choice. My favorite character was Matthew. He is funny, witty, so self-assure and proud of whom he is. He butts heads with authority which plays out in a way you must read. Lexi soon finds the strength to be honest with whom she really is. She learns that who she is isn’t wrong and soon finds love again. She confronts her mom and they learn to find a way to understand and accept how things are.

This is a story of love, understanding, and accepting. It’s hard to think that in this day and age we can’t or won’t accept people for who they are. Underneath all the bull we are all the same. We all hurt, love and want to be wanted and accepted. We all have our own opinions of the subject but this is how I feel. I could never turn my back on anyone who simply wants to be themselves. Love’s a wonderful thing, to find someone who loves and accepts you flaws and all is the best thing in the world. We can’t help whom we love and it’s hard enough to find the one so regardless of who it is, shouldn’t we celebrate the fact we’ve found it? 

**GIVEAWAY**

The awesome folks at Sourcebooks are offering a copy of The Summer I Wasn't Me. Simply enter for your chance to win!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Review: Driving Lessons by Zoe Fishman

Driving Lessons by Zoe Fishman  

Expected Publication: April 8, 2014

Publisher: William Morrow

Challenges: NetGalley/Edelweiss

Rating: 4/5

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

When Sarah and her husband trade in a crowded commute, cramped apartment, and high stress New York City jobs for life the slow lane in Farmwood, VA, the pressure is on to have a baby. At thirty-six Sarah knows it's time to get started, but the urgency motivating her to reach this pinnacle of self-fulfillment looms large. Meanwhile, her best friend Mona, a single and successful editor who's always wanted children, is diagnosed with cervical cancer. At the same time, Sarah's younger and seemingly perfect sister-in-law has just given birth to her son, Franklin. When Sarah uproots her new life with her husband in Virginia to return to New York and care for Mona, the three women will help each other navigate their new realities.

My Thoughts

When I first saw the title I must admit I was very curious to see where this book would take me. I was taken from the very start with Sarah and her husband who were starting a new phase of their lives. They were ready or so if seems to move to new place but Sarah didn’t seem so sure of it. At first I was a little taken aback by Sarah’s attitude of the south. Granted her views from moving from New York to small town in Virginia were valid somewhat I still thought she had a snobby attitude.

However the title was the perfect view on her new life. She literally had to take driving lessons seeing how she never had to drive before in NYC. But it also took on a new meaning in how her life was going. She was learning to drive in new directions as far as her life meant. She had to decide if she really wanted and was ready kids, because her husband was. She was dealing with adult issues as far as helping her best friend deal with cancer. Then realizing her sister in law didn’t have it all together was Sarah always thought she did.

This book is perfect for any female who is dealing with life changing issues. We always think that the grass is greener on the other side when in reality everyone has things they are dealing with. Sometimes we need to break down those walls we’ve built up and conquer our fears because we never know what joy there is on the other side. Hardships and challenges are a part of life and we all need go through them in order to accomplish our goals. This book is the best example in realizing we are not alone in these fears, we just never talk about them. Life has its ups and downs but friendship and love can always make those things a little better.

Review: Great by Sara Benincasa

Great by Sara Benincasa

Expected Publication: April 8, 2014

Publisher: HarperTeen

Format: via Edelweiss

Challenges: 2014 NetGalley/Edelweiss

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis

Everyone loves a good scandal.

Naomi Rye usually dreads spending the summer with her socialite mother in East Hampton. This year is no different. She sticks out like a sore thumb among the teenagers who have been summering (a verb only the very rich use) together for years. But Naomi finds herself captivated by her mysterious next-door neighbor, Jacinta. Jacinta has her own reason for drawing close to Naomi-to meet the beautiful and untouchable Delilah Fairweather. But Jacinta's carefully constructed world is hiding something huge, a secret that could undo everything. And Naomi must decide how far she is willing to be pulled into this web of lies and deception before she is unable to escape.

My Thoughts

Great is a retelling of sorts of the Great Gatsby. While I’m not one for retellings or remakes, what can I say I love originals, I went into this with an open mind and heart. I’m so glad I took a chance on this cause it’s so worth it! I read this in like a day and a half that's how invested I was, and I hadn't done that in awhile.

Great is the story of Naomi, who in  a sense lives two lives, during the school year she lives with her dad who's a high school coach and summers with her mother who is a megastar in the food world and Hampton socialite. Naomi hates everything about her summers but this summer she decides to live a little and try to have a bit of fun. She soon makes friends with the ever popular Delilah and also has a bit of a summer romance with Delilah’s boyfriends friend. She is wrapped up in lavish parties and soon finds herself friends with her new mysterious next door neighbor Jacinta. Jacinta is a fashion blogger who no one has seen but has come to East Hampton for reasons no one knows…yet.

Delilah, Naomi and Jacinta are best friends but Naomi soon feels like the third wheel in this friendship. There is much speculation that Jacinta isn’t who she claims she is. Is Jacinta lying and if so why? Naomi finds herself caught up in a world she may have wished she never entered. One of lies and secrets that only the rich and famous can cover up so elegantly.

Sara Benincasa's tale is beautifully written and paints the perfect picture of lavish parties and Hampton summers. What I loved and enjoyed most was her humor. She injected quite a few laughs that I thought were excellent. I love characters who talk back and who can be a bit of a smartass. I liked that it didn’t end all perfect and wrapped up in a little bow. Some novels just need to have you feeling and thinking after the face… it’s up to you decide what happens after. Great is the perfect summer read, if you like your reads with secrets, laughs and sassy characters. Well played Sara well played! 

Review: The Summer of Letting Go by Gae Polisner

The Summer of Letting Go by Gae Polisner 

Published: March 2014

Format: via NetGalley

Publisher: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
Challenges: NetGalley/Edelweiss

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Just when everything seems to be going wrong, hope and love can appear in the most unexpected places.

Summer has begun, the beach beckons and Francesca Schnell is going nowhere. Four years ago, Francesca s little brother, Simon, drowned, and Francesca s the one who should have been watching. Now Francesca is about to turn sixteen, but guilt keeps her stuck in the past. Meanwhile, her best friend, Lisette, is moving on most recently with the boy Francesca wants but can t have. At loose ends, Francesca trails her father, who may be having an affair, to the local country club. There she meets four-year-old Frankie Sky, a little boy who bears an almost eerie resemblance to Simon, and Francesca begins to wonder if it s possible Frankie could be his reincarnation. Knowing Frankie leads Francesca to places she thought she d never dare to go and it begins to seem possible to forgive herself, grow up, and even fall in love, whether or not she solves the riddle of Frankie Sky.

My Thoughts

The Summer of Letting Go is simply all about letting things go. You see Francesca is trying to move on after the death of her little bother a few years ago, which is hard seeing how she blames herself for his death. She was supposed to be watching after him while her and her family where at the beach she turned her back for a few seconds and he got swept up by the tide. Not only is she racked by the guilt of this but also by the fact that she thinks her mother blames her also. Her mother hasn’t been herself since he died and all that Francesca wants is her old mom back.

One day while Francesca suspects her dad is having an affair she meets this little boy named Frankie whom she thinks is her brother reincarnated. She sees her brother in this boy and wonders if this is some sort of sign from her brother. She decides to take a job as his babysitter to be around him more.They form a bond and Frankie helps her heal in ways she never thought she could otherwise.

This novel is all about the power of forgiveness, acceptance and moving on with your life. We all have loved ones who have passed and we will miss them dearly but at some point we all have to move on. They wouldn’t have wanted us to shut down and not live our lives. One cannot let it consume us. It’s all about the circle of life; we are all here for a purpose rather big or small. And while some pass on too soon we must realize that they touched us in some way that they were meant to.

Gae Polisner’s beautiful writing about a girl who is trying to mend her family and most importantly herself back together is so magical. She brings just the right note for sorrow and hope that will make you love this story.

Review: The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry

The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry

Published: March 1, 2014

Format: via NetGalley

Challenge: 2014 NetGalley/Edelweiss

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

A teenage girl trying to cope with her new diagnosis of type one diabetes and a teenage male veteran who is learning how to embrace his new life after losing an arm, who come together by using each other as an escape, only to discover through love and struggle that your life is what you make of it.

My Thoughts

The Summer I Found You is a story about two individuals who are trying to live their lives as “normal” as possible after both are dealt circumstances bigger than both can manage.

Kate is trying to deal with a break up after her first boyfriend dumps her for someone else all while trying to deal with her recent discovery that she has diabetes. Kate isn’t very concern with her illness seeing it as something that is a nuisance. She doesn’t take it seriously and gets an attitude with everyone around her who is on her back about it. She seems more concern about her ex and his new girlfriend rather than taking care of herself.

Aidan is Kate’s best friends cousin and he has a whole set of issues that he is trying to handle. He is recently out of service after an explosion caused him to lose his arm. He is trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life now that his career has come to an end all while still doing therapy for his arm.

I like this story and how while both are coping with their problems those things while major can’t stop love from happening. The chemistry between these two is undeniable, you can just feel it. Kate’s character rang very true to me because I know some people who are diabetic they act somewhat the same as Kate did. She didn’t take her illness seriously; some people don’t realize how bad the illness can affect you until it’s too late. Just as with Kate it takes a serious scare to knock some sense into them.

I also loved how Aidan missing an arm isn’t that big of an issue. He is a very independent person he doesn’t want anyone’s pity. It isn’t the main focus with Aidan. It’s about functioning in the real world again, about falling in love and just dealing with the everyday things in life.

The love story was my favorite, it showed that we can find love when you least expect it and we can all find someone who will love us for ourselves. Sometimes love can conquer all and sometimes we all need a little help from others.

Review: Shotgun Lovesongs by Nikolas Butler

Shotgun Lovesongs by Nikolas Butler

Expected Publication: March 11, 2014

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Format: via publisher/NetGalley

Rating: 4/5
Challenges: 2014 NetGalley/Edelweiss 

Add to Goodreads

Buy: Amazon / BN

Synopsis

Hank, Leland, Kip and Ronny were all born and raised in the same Wisconsin town—Little Wing—and are now coming into their own (or not) as husbands and fathers. One of them never left, still farming the family's land that's been tilled for generations. Others did leave, went farther afield to make good, with varying degrees of success; as a rock star, commodities trader, rodeo stud. And seamlessly woven into their patchwork is Beth, whose presence among them—both then and now—fuels the kind of passion one comes to expect of lovesongs and rivalries.

Now all four are home, in hopes of finding what could be real purchase in the world. The result is a shared memory only half-recreated, riddled with culture clashes between people who desperately wish to see themselves as the unified tribe they remember, but are confronted with how things have, in fact, changed.

There is conflict here between longtime buddies, between husbands and wives—told with writing that is, frankly, gut-wrenching, and even heartbreaking. But there is also hope, healing, and at times, even heroism. It is strong, American stuff, not at all afraid of showing that we can be good, too—not just fallible and compromising. Shotgun Lovesongs is a remarkable and uncompromising saga that explores the age-old question of whether or not you can ever truly come home again—and the kind of steely faith and love returning requires.

My Thoughts

Shotgun Lovesongs is the tale of a group of friends all trying to make something of themselves in a small town. Some make it big, some just want to make it to the next day, while other try and eventually fake it to try to impress others.

The main focus is the friendship of Leland and Hank. These guys all grew up together and while Hank stays home and becomes a farmer, Leland is determined to make music and leave that town forever. Leland makes that happen and becomes a star. He travels around the world but as much as he wanted to live, now all he wants is to settle down back home. He wants to escape the fame and the fake friends that comes with it. Told in flashbacks and flipping back to present day we learn that Beth, Hanks wife had a fling with Leland before she got married. While it seems as if she and Leland have moved on we see she still thinks about him and vice versa. And although Beth truly loves her husband she can’t help but wonder if something could’ve happened with Leland. One night when Leland comes back home after his failed marriage he decides to tell Hank what happens while drunk. Rightfully so Hank is mad, but is his pain valid? I mean they weren’t together and although they were friends and Leland should’ve know better no one knew they would get back together and marry.

I truly loved this book. It just read very epic and all American in my eyes. We all have those group of friends that know us better than we know ourselves. These people are our family. They are the ones we love and equally hate at times. They are there for the highs and the lows and everything in between. Nikolas Butler writes a story that beautifully describes the American life in a small town and a group of friends we can all identify with. These characters will capture your soul and you can’t help but get invested into them. As much as you root for these characters to succeed, you want them to know that there is no place like home. Home is the place that made you who you are, and it’s the place that will always take you back. It never judges it just loves you for you.

Although we are only three months into the year Shotgun Lovesongs is one of my favorite reads thus far. It’s just one of books that will stay with you way after you finish it. So… do yourself a favor and read it as soon as you can.

THE BOTTOM LINE... IT'S...