Mini Review: Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Published: May 8, 2012

Publisher: Simon and Schuster BYR

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Taylor Edwards’ family might not be the closest-knit—everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled—but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains.

Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend…and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.

As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance—with family, with friends, and with love.

My Thoughts

Second Chance Summer is the touching story of one family trying to make their Summer the most memorable yet. Taylor and her family decide to go to their Summer house after years of not going but this Summer is different, you see her father is gravely sick and this might be his last Summer. So they go to the one place where they have the best memories and hopefully this Summer will make them closer and they can focus on the good. 

Taylor loved her Summers in the Poconos, she had a best friend and her first love there, but her last Summer there she lost her best friend and she left her crush without a word. Being back feels strange yet comforting but once she runs into both of the people she left behind this Summer just became more complicated than Taylor wanted.

Second Chance Summer is all about family, friendships and love. We get the aspect of her family and them dealing with their dad and his illness and how that will have a huge effect on the family not only this Summer but for the rest of their lives. Despite her world falling apart all of this has made her family closer and stronger. We also have Taylor just trying to figure out life and trying to repair relationships from her past. I loved how this story was so real and it was touching and showed us how growing up is a very hard thing to try to navigate. Morgan Matson gives us a well-rounded story and spotlights teen life at its best, this is one book that is the perfect thing to read during the Summer.

Review: Surfside Sisters by Nancy Thayer

Surfside Sisters by Nancy Thayer

Expected Publication: July 2, 2019

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Format: via NetGalley

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Growing up, Lara always dreamed of leaving Nantucket to become a writer. Now that she's a bestselling novelist living in New York City, she realizes that success isn't what she thought it would be. Confused, and with a harrowing case of writer's block, Lara misses the island way of life more than ever. But going back to Nantucket out of the blue isn't so easy, as a deep rift with her childhood best friend, Isabelle, has kept the two from speaking for years.

When her mother is laid off from her job and becomes depressed, Lara reluctantly comes home, leaving a failed relationship and hopefully her other troubles behind. But facing her estranged best friend is harder than she expects. And falling for Isabelle's brother, Sebastian--who was also Lara's teenage crush--only complicates things. Lara soon realizes that she must remedy the mistakes of her past in order to find true happiness. 

My Thoughts

Surfside Sisters focuses on best friends Lara and Isabelle who have been friends forever, Isabelle has been the one with a cushy life and no worries while Lara has always had to work hard for the things she wants. When Lara was a teenager she fell hard for Sebastian, Isabelle’s brother but never acted on it since she valued her friendship like nothing else. So she denied her feelings and possibly lost out on the love of her life just so she wouldn’t make Isabelle mad.

As time goes on both Lara and Isabelle fall in and out of relationships but Sebastian was always the love of Lara’s life. They flirted but she never knew if his feelings were mutual or just simply flirting. Both friends wanted to be writers and after Lara’s father passed away she dropped out of school to help her mom, while Isabelle continued college. With a little luck Lara’s writing career takes off and she becomes successful. She wants to share this news with Isabelle but even after years of not talking Lara still thinks of them as friends while Isabelle doesn't want anything to do with her. She has moved on with Lara’s ex and is simply jealous that her career hasn't taken off like Lara’s. 

While I liked this beachy read there were parts I didn't like. I didn't like how Lara kept trying to hang on to a friendship that was done by all accounts. I didn't like how it seemed Lara was the only one who still wanted to be friends, it was as if she was begging Isabelle to be friends with her. Isabelle seemed like a bully at times just playing with Lara’s emotions when she wanted to. She knew how Lara felt about her brother yet basically always told her he was off limits like she controlled Lara. I think a true friend would want you to be happy no matter what even if that meant becoming involved with your brother.

The romance with Lara and Sebastian was something alright. I liked the push and pull of it all. Their timing was never right, but all relationships aren't always instant right? The fact that it took them forever to get together was a great move, we saw them grow and come into their own which to me meant when they finally got together it was the perfect time. Even the friendship of Lara and Isabelle came together at the end, which I thought was good also. Sometimes friendships don't always last but the ones that do endure over time are ones that can make the long haul. Surfside Sisters is the perfect beach read one that gives us a wonderful story about love and friendships that capture the perfect essence of Nantucket Summers. 

Review: P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

[To All the Boys I Loved Before #2]

Published: May 25, 2015

Publisher: Simon and Schuster BYR

Format: via audiobook

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.

She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.

When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

My Thoughts

P.S. I Still Love You picks up right where the first book left off, we see Lara Jean trying to figure out where exactly she and Peter K are in their relationship. We finally get introduced to John and that leads to more friction between her and Peter. While I did like the chemistry between Lara Jean and John let’s be real he is no Peter K! However, the friendship and scenes between these two were SO adorable. I also liked the scenes with the elders at the retirement home, those seniors are so feisty...LOVE IT!

What I continue to love is the relationships with Lara Jean and her family. I love the closeness they have and that they stick together no matter what. I really feel for Lara Jean when she talks about missing her mom and how that really is hard for her especially now that she needs her the most.

This series continues to keep me interested in the lives and loves of the Covey sisters and their bond is like no other. I will continue to root for Lara and Peter no matter what and can't wait to see how this story ends. Jenny Han gives us another great book and gives us those feels like only she can.

Review: Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

Published: April 24, 2018

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Format: via Overdrive

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Leah Burke—girl-band drummer, master of deadpan, and Simon Spier’s best friend from the award-winning Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda—takes center stage in this novel of first love and senior-year angst.

When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she’s the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.

So Leah really doesn’t know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. With prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high. It’s hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting—especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.

My Thoughts

I was so anticipating this new book from Becky Albertalli and I was so happy with the results. You don’t have to have read her previous novels but all three of her reads have characters that cross over so it does help as far as having already known who’s who. In this read, we continue with Leah, Simon’s best friend and her troubles in life.

We see how she struggles with coming out as bi with her friends although she is out to her mother. We see her relationships with her friends and how she struggles with some of them more than others. We also see her struggle to come to terms with her crush and more, as she spends time with her the worse it is to just be friends with her but she doesn’t want to tell her how she feels because she doesn’t think she’s into her.

I loved seeing the different sides to Leah. I liked how she comes off as so strong but deep down she is so unsure of what to do. She has this soft side when it comes to her crush and her feelings but she is harder on her mom. I didn’t like how she treated her mother who has raised her alone and is now dating and Leah hasn’t been the most supportive of her boyfriend choices. I get that Leah was rude and mean but I also get that its typical teen attitude.

All in all, I did enjoy this book. I liked revisiting this world that Becky Albertalli has created and all her characters that are so real you can't help but be drawn into it. At this point, I will read anything she writes and here’s to hoping for more wonderful stories from this talented author.

Review: The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

Published: April 11, 2017

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Format: audiobook via Overdrive

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love—she’s lived through it twenty-six times. She crushes hard and crushes often, but always in secret. Because no matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful.

Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly’s totally not dying of loneliness—except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie’s new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. Will is funny and flirtatious and just might be perfect crush material. Maybe more than crush material. And if Molly can win him over, she’ll get her first kiss and she’ll get her twin back.

There’s only one problem: Molly’s coworker Reid. He’s an awkward Tolkien superfan with a season pass to the Ren Faire, and there’s absolutely no way Molly could fall for him. Right?

My Thoughts

I’m so late for the Becky Albertalli bandwagon but I’m so here now! I totally connected with Molly and rooted for her all the way. Sure everyone wanted her with Will but I always wanted her with Reid. I mean come on who doesn’t love a nerdy guy?? I loved all the characters and while there were times Cassie got on my nerves I knew she was just coming from a place of sisterly love.

Becky Albertalli writes wonderful contemporary YA and writes it in a way that doesn’t dumb down teens but also doesn’t make them seem way beyond their years either. She writes how teens truly are and that’s what I adore about her books. She writes real problems and the feels are oh so real! Plus she always writes books with such diversity in them I think is amazing and we need more books like that. I can’t wait for her next novel and see what she does next.

Review: The Heartbroken Heartbreaker by Sam Madison

The Heartbroken Heartbreaker by Sam Madison

Format: via Wattpad

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

When Kyla Evans was dumped by her best friend-slash-boyfriend, Cedric, she was devastated. Convinced that her whole life came tumbling down, she promised that she would definitely get back at him, seeking nothing but revenge.

She abandoned her glasses and sweatshirts, determined to make Cedric regret ever dumping her. What she wants: Revenge. How she’s planning to get it: By going out with the school’s biggest player; the person her ex-boyfriend loathes the most—

Seth Everett.

My Thoughts

The Heartbroken Heartbreaker was the first book in a long time that gave me the “feels.” Oh, how I fell and rooted for Kyla and Seth! Kyla has just been dumped out of the blue by her boyfriend Cedric and determined to not let it get her down she plans to move on. So when Cedric’s enemy Seth starts talking to her she decides this is her way to get back at her ex. Cedric and Seth can't stand each other and Kyla doesn’t know why exactly but that doesn’t matter cause all she wants is revenge, at first she doesn’t like Seth much either but slowly she finds out he isn’t as bad as she has always thought he was.

I found Seth to be a sweet and good guy and his relentless pursuit of Kyla just made me root for him more and more. I felt Kyla was so blind in trying to get her ex’s attention that she didn’t see what was in front of her until it was too late. I also loved how there were other stories besides the whole Kyla and Seth will they or won't they storyline. We see why Cedric hates Seth so much and how all that comes full circle will the three of them. We also see how family life has affected everyone evolved and how all of that connects story wise.

This was my first time reading from Wattpad and I found the site wonderful with amazing stories so I highly recommend using the app if you haven’t already. The Heartbroken Heartbreaker is a great coming of age read one that will relive how first love and heartache can feel, definitely a read that I hope you will enjoy as much as I did.

Review: Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

Expected Publication: September 15, 2015

Publisher: Balzer+Bray

Format: via Edelweiss

Challenges: 2015 NG/ED

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine— Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

My Thoughts

Oh the feels! I loved everything about this book! Willowdean has a special place in my heart because I can so identify with her. Like her I was “bigger” growing up and although I acted like certain things didn’t bother me when it came to guys I was self-conscious. However what I loved the most was how this wasn’t just a book about a big girl and her problems this book was about a girl who had problems just like any other teenage girl would.

We met Willowdean who is trying to cope with the aftermath of the death of her aunt. Her aunt was everything to her; she took care of her and was her second mom. She lives in a small town that is obsessed with pageants and pretty skinny girls and she feels like she doesn’t fit into that world but one day she decides to make it her mission to show everyone that it shouldn’t matter what’s on the outside but what's in the inside that matters most. It doesn’t help that she has a skinny best friend whom until recently were thicker than thieves but are now at odds. Willowdean and Ellen are pulling apart and after one awful fight don’t know if their friendship will survive this storm.

We see Willowdean fall in love with her long time crush/coworker Bo and when he returns her affections I couldn’t help but fall in love with him also. And while Willowdean is confident at times when it comes to love she doesn’t think she deserves it. She can’t understand why Bo would love and want her and I loved how Bo didn’t back down he pursued her and wanted to show her why he did and most importantly that she deserves love like everyone else. He lets her know that he’s the one that’s lucky that she loves him not the other way around. This book is one those that I instantly loved. I felt a connection and those are the ones that will always have my heart. I want everyone to read this and I dare you not to feel something. Do yourself a favor and read Dumplin’ it’s the best thing you could do.

Review: Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon

Expected Publication: September 1, 2015

Publisher: Delacorte BYR

Format: via NetGalley

Challenges: 2015 NG/EW 

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis

This innovative, heartfelt debut novel tells the story of a girl who’s literally allergic to the outside world. When a new family moves in next door, she begins a complicated romance that challenges everything she’s ever known. The narrative unfolds via vignettes, diary entries, texts, charts, lists, illustrations, and more.

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house; have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

My Thoughts

Oh the feels!! Yep that’s all I can say about this wonderfully written tale. No book has made me feel this way in a long time and to think I was thisclose to not reading it! Silly me!! However I am glad I did and I encourage everyone to read this if you can.

This is the tale of Maddy who is allergic to the outside world and who is all alone in her “world” she is just left with her mom, nurse and her books. She never thought of anything else until one day some new neighbors moved in next door and little did she know this one little action would change her whole world and most importantly her life.

Olly and his family move in and soon he is mesmerized by the girl next door. He doesn’t know at first why he never sees her outside but soon they exchange emails after some exchanges via their bedroom windows. Maddy for some reason feels like she can trust Olly right away and tells him that she isn’t like other people. Soon their emails are on regular basics and Maddy realizes that she is falling for him but knows that it can never lead anywhere; she knows she can never have a normal relationship with him. But none of that matters for either one of them because they can’t deny that they are falling for each other.

Olly has his own problems with a dad who is a drunk and is abusive. He is always hitting Olly and his mother and one day that action causes Maddy to do the unthinkable she bolts from her house and has to know if Olly is alright. Olly tells her to go back that he is ok and her mom pleads with her to go inside that she knows what might happen if she doesn’t. Her mother has always been so protective of Maddy, especially since it’s just the two of them after the deaths of her father and brother years ago. However after that night Maddy realizes she loves Olly too much and now that she has felt the outside world she knows she cannot live the way she did before, doing so isn’t living to her anymore.

What comes next sets off a chain reaction of things that I never saw coming. Maddy sets a plan to leave with Olly and live the time she has left with the person she loves and at least live for a bit. They set off to Hawaii and when she becomes sick she thinks that’s the end, but what happens next is something she could never imagine. I won’t spoil the rest for you but all I can say is WOW! I for one never saw the next things happening in my wildest dreams. We find out some truth and how some of them are just downright twisted and sad. I was heartbroken then mad talk about a rollercoaster of emotions! This is one book I totally recommend everyone reading. Maddy and Olly are so adorable and this read while emotional is totally sweet at the same time. I love when a read throws me for a loop and I’m so glad I took the chance on reading this one, and personally I think you should too.

WoW [128]

The Year We Fell Apart by Emily Martin

Expected Publication: January 26, 2016

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Synopsis

A year ago, Harper made the biggest mistake of her life: destroying her relationship with her best friend – and first love – Declan. Now, Declan's home from boarding school for the summer, and Harper has three months to fix the past or finally let go.

Why I Can’t Wait

This one sounds so sweet!

Feel free to link me to yours.

Review: The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

Published: March 31, 2015

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children’s

Format: NetGalley via publisher

Challenges: 2015 NetGalley/Edelweiss

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis

Brimming with heartfelt relationships and authentic high-school dynamics The Start of Me and You proves that it’s never too late for second chances.

It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, its high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live?

My Thoughts

This is the kind of book that makes me love YA! It has everything [ok minus the whole tragic boyfriend lost] I love and wanted in high school. There is obviously the whole hot popular boy crush in Ryan. Who is so popular but at the same time super nice and sensitive. There is the “cool” group of girlfriends that would do anything for you and will always have your back. Lastly that friend who at the last second you realize is the guy who you love and are destined to be with.

This is the story of Paige who after the death of her boyfriend is just trying get back to “normal.” She just wants everyone to treat her like they use to and has recently started to like her old crush Ryan. She becomes friends with Ryan’s nerdy cousin Max and thinks that being friends with him she will get closer to Ryan. The more time she spends with Max she really gets to liking him as a friend and maybe even more. Max is the one person who doesn’t treat her like a delicate doll and who has the most in common with her. It’s all good until a friend of Paige’s starts spending a lot of time with Max that she realizes she likes him but does he feel the same? Will Paige risk it all and declare her feeling for Max or will she deny her happiness?

While I really enjoyed the whole Max/Paige thing what I loved most was the friendship with her besties. That’s the one thing I regret most, I’ve never had that whole bbf group of female friends. I’ve always been more of a guy’s girl than a girly girl, and while I love my boys I missed out on that whole slumber parties and gossip stuff. But I did totally connect on the friendship aspect of this read and always being there for one another. No matter if you have a ton of friends or just a tight knit group always have one that will always have your back. The best thing is the knowledge that someone out there will always love and support you no matter what and if you have that consider yourself one lucky person!

Late to the Game [6] If I Stay/Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Late to the Game is a series I do featuring books that everybody and their mommy have read…except me. The thing is 99% of the time I have these books but they have just been pushed back on my TBR pile. This won’t be a review of sorts seeing how everyone already knows the basics of the story but more of what I felt and how it affected me. I’ve dedicated this feature to try to put a dent in my pile and also to see if they live up to the hype…good and/or bad.

      

If I Stay/Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Format: purchased

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis [If I Stay]

On a day that started like any other. Mia had everything: a loving family, a gorgeous, admiring boyfriend, and a bright future full of music and full of choices. In an instant, almost all of that is taken from her. Caught between life and death, between a happy past and an unknowable future, Mia spends one critical day contemplating the only decision she has left. It is the most important decision she'll ever make.

Simultaneously tragic and hopeful, this is a romantic, riveting, and ultimately uplifting story about memory, music, living, dying, and loving.

Synopsis [Where She Went]

It's been three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life. And three years he's spent wondering why. When their paths cross again in New York City, Adam and Mia are brought back together for one life-changing night.

Adam finally has the opportunity to ask Mia the questions that have been haunting him. But will a few hours in this magical city be enough to lay their past to rest, for good - or can you really have a second chance at first love?

My Thoughts

Talk about heart wrenching! If I Stay will pull at your heart strings like no other book I swear. It’s a story of strength and a love that’s like no other. I dare you read this and NOT feel something….anything! Where She Went picks up a few years later and is told by Adam’s view point. 

Mia and Adam’s love is like no other I’ve read. The love is so grand and powerful that you completely forget that they are very young. It will stand the test of time because you know it’s real, it’s meant to be, it’s simply something that can’t be denied.

When I read that it was being made into a movie I was like NO!! Let’s be honest film hasn’t been too kindly to novels. However after seeing that Chloe Grace Moretz was cast as Mia I was convinced this would be awesome, she is one of my faves she can’t really do wrong in my eyes. Plus after seeing the trailers…OMG I was done. If I can ball my eyes out in a 2 minute trailer I will be a wreck once I see the whole film. While the film looks like it will be true to the book and awesome I HIGHLY encourage anyone who hasn’t to read the books now before the movie comes out, you won’t be disappointed although you may be kicking yourself that it took you so long to read it to begin with.

   

Late to the Game [4]: The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy by Jenny Han

Late to the Game is a series I do featuring books that everybody and their mommy have read…except me. The thing is 99% of the time I have these books but they have just been pushed back on my TBR pile. This won’t be a review of sorts seeing how everyone already knows the basics of the story but more of what I felt and how it affected me. I’ve dedicated this feature to try to put a dent in my pile and also to see if they live up to the hype…good and/or bad.

  

The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy by Jenny Han

Publisher: Simon & Schuster BYR

Format: purchased series

Ratings:

The Summer I Turned Pretty: 5/5

It’s Not Summer without You: 4/5

We’ll Always Have Summer: 5/5

Synopsis

Belly has always lived for the summertime because it means all her favorite things: swimming, the beach and the Fisher boys, Conrad and Jeremiah. She has spent every summer with them at Cousins Beach for as long as she can remember. She has always been in love with Conrad and finally, one summer, it seems like he might have feelings for her too. But it turns out, so does Jeremiah.

As the summers go on, Belly has to choose between two brothers who love her as she comes to the realization that she will have to break one of their hearts.

My Thoughts

I’ve heard so many awesome things about this series I knew I had to read it at some point. After reading To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before I knew I had to read it NOW. I read the first one The Summer I Turned Pretty in literally a day. LOVED it! Needless to say I devoured the next two back to back.

This series definitely lived up to the hype. I fell in love with Belly, Jeremiah and Conrad. Ok maybe not so much Conrad. At least not so much in the beginning, I thought he was mean and rude but then after getting into the series I realized the kind of person he was. Just like me. Yeah that’s right I said like ME. I saw myself in him as far as how he always distances himself and his feelings towards other. He doesn’t always show emotions nor does he speak his feels that often. It’s not that he doesn’t want to; he just doesn’t want to get rejected or hurt.

Jenny Han paints the picture of Cousins beach with such realness that I could close my eyes and see it. I could smell the salty air and feel the wind coming off the water. Not only are there wonderful characters but the supporting cast is amazing as well. However what I loved and enjoyed the most was how I got so invested in these characters so fast. Seeing them grow up and dealing with an issue that at times breaks your heart. There is not one of us who can’t identify with the triumphs and tragedies of growing up and trying to find out where and how we fit  into this crazy world. Throw in some romance and heartache you can’t go wrong. This is one read I wished I read earlier however I’m so glad I got to meet and fall in love with them and you should too.

Review: This Summer by Katlyn Duncan

This Summer by Katlyn Duncan 

Expected Publication: July 9, 2014

Publisher: Carina UK

Format: via NetGalley

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Before college, before responsibilities, Hadley Beauman and best friend Lily are determined to have a summer to remember. There will be all the usual dramas - ex-boyfriends who don't seem to know what 'ex' means, pesky younger brothers with unrequited crushes, but what Hadley didn't anticipate was the out-of-the-blue return of the seriously hot boy-next-door, Will Carson. The boy who broke her heart when he skipped town two years ago.

Will may have shot up a foot and filled out (oh yes), but inside he carries the weight of guilt - for leaving, for coming back... Now he's just passing through to tie up loose ends but it's clear the old chemistry still crackles between him and Hadley. Trouble is, it's built on two years of lies...

This summer might just be the best time of their lives, but is Hadley ready for everything to change - again?

My Thoughts

First off I love Will! He is sweet and mysterious two things I find irresistible. Hadley has recently decided to breakup with her boyfriend Carter since she is moving out of state for college. Hadley and her best friend Lily decide this will be their summer of fun and just to hang out together…no boys. It all sounds good until Will comes back into town after nearly two years since he left without a word.

Hadley and Will have been friends and neighbors since they were kids. When Will comes back to help out at the summer camp her dad runs she is shocked but wants to know why he left without telling her. As much as they both try to stay away from one another they can’t deny the feelings are still there. While they still care for one another they both have their reasons for why they don’t want to go down that road again. Hadley simply because she doesn’t want to be hurt again and Will he doesn’t want Hadley to know the real personal reason why he left. Needless to say they both fall for each other again but decide not to tell anyone until they are sure of that will happen as far as the future goes.

Of course things can never go as planned. A girl from Will’s new hometown in Texas comes to stalk find him and Hadley is hurt and feels like a fool. Will tries to explain but she is not having it. She goes looking for Lily and instead finds her and her ex Carter making out. Personally I didn’t care for Lily, plus she broke the girl code…you NEVER mess with an ex!

After some misunderstandings everything comes out and Will goes back to Texas to help his aunt on the ranch. He’s an honest to god good guy; though I feel he takes care of everyone but himself. Back in Texas he is told he needs to live his life and to do what makes him happy. You know where this is going…right? I won’t totally spoil the ending but it is SUPER cute maybe a little cheesy ...but definitely in a good way. 

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.

WoW [78]

Waiting on Wednesday [WoW] is a weekly event hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

First, There Was Forever by Juliana Romano 

Expected Publication: February 24, 2015

Publisher: Dial

Synopsis...

Juliana Romano's expressive debut is an absorbing and bittersweet story about first love, first loss,and the friends that carry us through it all.

Lima and Hailey have always been best friends: Lima shy and sensitive, Hailey funny and free-spirited. But Hailey abandons Lima to party with the popular kids and pursue Nate, her disinterested crush. As their friendship falters, Lima and Nate begin spending more time together. And before Lima knows what she’s feeling, she and Nate do something irreversible. Something that would hurt Hailey....if she knew it happened.

Lima thinks she’s saving her friendship by lying, but she’s only buying time. As the secrets stack up, Lima is forced to make a choice: between her best friend forever, and the boy who wasn’t meant to be hers.

Why I Can’t Wait…

Love the plotline and the cover…come on…it really makes me wanna read this ASAP!

Feel free to link me to yours.

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.