Review: 10 Things I Can See From Here (ARC)

TITLE: 10 Things I Can See From Here
AUTHOR: Carrie Mac
PUBLISHER: Alfred A. Knopf
PUBLICATION DATE: 2/28/2017
FORMAT: ARC
PAGES: 320
SOURCE: Amazon Vine/Publisher
MY RATING: 🦄🦄🦄 + 1/2

SUMMARY (FROM GOODREADS): Think positive. Don't worry; be happy. Keep calm and carry on.

Maeve has heard it all before. She's been struggling with severe anxiety for a long time, and as much as she wishes it was something she could just talk herself out of, it's not. She constantly imagines the worst, composes obituaries in her head, and is always ready for things to fall apart. To add to her troubles, her mom--the only one who really gets what Maeve goes through--is leaving for six months, so Maeve will be sent to live with her dad in Vancouver.

Vancouver brings a slew of new worries, but Maeve finds brief moments of calm (as well as even more worries) with Salix, a local girl who doesn't seem to worry about anything. Between her dad's wavering sobriety, her very pregnant stepmom insisting on a home birth, and her bumbling courtship with Salix, this summer brings more catastrophes than even Maeve could have foreseen. Will she be able to navigate through all the chaos to be there for the people she loves?

OVERALL IMPRESSION: I personally deal with anxiety, so I was interested to see how they would approach that aspect of the book. The book itself is pretty morbid. My anxiety is different than Maeve's so it wasn't too difficult for me to read this book. But I feel like someone with severe anxiety would be triggered into a panic attack by reading this with as many terrible facts and situations that Maeve is constantly listing. It was really exhausting for me trying to keep up with everything that went through her head. But after all of that, I really enjoyed the ending and especially the last scene.

COVER:  I love simple covers with pretty typography, so I love this cover.

Review: Our Chemical Hearts (ARC)

TITLE: Our Chemical Hearts

AUTHOR: Krystal Sutherland 

PUBLISHER: G.P. Putnam's Sons

PUBLICATION DATE: 10/4/2016

FORMAT: ARC

PAGES: 320

SOURCE:Amazon Vine 

MY RATING: 🦄🦄🦄 + 1/2

SUMMARY (FROM GOODREADS): Henry Page has never been in love. He fancies himself a hopeless romantic, but the slo-mo, heart palpitating, can't-eat-can't-sleep kind of love that he's been hoping for just hasn't been in the cards for him--at least not yet. Instead, he's been happy to focus on his grades, on getting into a semi-decent college and finally becoming editor of his school newspaper. Then Grace Town walks into his first period class on the third Tuesday of senior year and he knows everything's about to change.

Grace isn't who Henry pictured as his dream girl--she walks with a cane, wears oversized boys' clothes, and rarely seems to shower. But when Grace and Henry are both chosen to edit the school paper, he quickly finds himself falling for her. It's obvious there's something broken about Grace, but it seems to make her even more beautiful to Henry, and he wants nothing more than to help her put the pieces back together again. And yet, this isn't your average story of boy meets girl. Krystal Sutherland's brilliant debut is equal parts with and heartbreak, a potent reminder of the bittersweet bliss that is first love.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: This book had been on my radar for a while, so I was excited to jump right in. I love all of the relevant references throughout the book -- Facebook, Spotify, Mad-eye Moody, etc. I wonder if those things will change in the future or if people who read this book in the future will wonder what the author was talking about.

This story is gutwrenchingly (is that a word?) heartbreaking. I went back and forth between being so angry at Grace for the way she treats Henry and then filled with sympathy for her situation.

CHARACTERS: As I mentioned above, Grace makes me angry with the way that she treats Henry, but at the same time I just felt so much sympathy for her and what she was dealing with that I would almost forgive her, then she would do something else to make me angry at her again.

COVER: Obsessed with the cover. The color of those fish is gorgeous!

**I received an ARC of this book for my honest review. All opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

Carlota Wouldn't Say Boo

TITLE: Carlota Wouldn't Say Boo
AUTHOR: José Carlos Andrés
ILLUSTRATOR: Emilio Urberuaga
AGE: Children
PUBLISHER: NubeOcho
PUBLICATION DATE: 6/14/2016
FORMAT: Hardcover
PAGES: 40
SOURCE: Amazon Vine/Publisher
MY RATING: 🦄🦄🦄+ 1/2

MY REVIEW: This was a cute book. I was drawn to it because when I was a child I was painfully shy and I would only talk to my best friend. I would whisper in her ear and she would tell everyone what I had said. This is a fun story and would make a perfect story time for any shy child. The illustrations are nice and vibrant and I think children would love following along with the story and pictures.

**I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine for my honest review. All opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.**

Review: Replica (ARC)

TITLE: Replica
AUTHOR: Lauren Oliver
PUBLISHER: Harper Collins
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/4/2016
FORMAT: ARC
PAGES: 544
SOURCE: Publisher/Amazon Vine
MY RATING: 

SUMMARY (FROM GOODREADS): Gemma has been in and out of hospitals since she was born. 'A sickly child', her lonely life to date has revolved around her home, school and one best friend, Alice. But when she discovers her father's connection to the top secret Haven research facility, currently hitting the headlines and under siege by religious fanatics, Gemma decides to leave the sanctuary she's always known to find the institute and determine what is going on there and why her father's name seems inextricably linked to it.

Amidst the frenzy outside the institute's walls, Lyra - or number 24 as she is known as at Haven - and a fellow experimental subject known as 72, manage to escape. Encountering a world they never knew existed outside the walls of their secluded upbringing, they meet Gemma and, as they try to understand Haven's purpose together, they uncover some earth-shattering secrets that will change the lives of both girls forever...

OVERALL IMPRESSION: As I'm sure most of you know by now, this book is a unique reading experience. The story is told from two different perspective, Gemma and Lyra. You can start on one side and read all of Lyra's story, then flip the book over and read all of Gemma's story, or you can flip back and forth reading one chapter of each girls' story alternating. I chose to alternate chapters. For me, this was pretty annoying. I wish the story had just been written in alternating chapters as it was frustrating to have to keep flipping the book over and try not to lose my bookmark and then when I set the book down, I had to remember which side of the story I was on. But that might just be me nitpicking.

The book itself was great. The further I got into it, the more desperate I was to keep reading to find out what was going on and what was going to happen next. The mystery involving this story was interesting to me. There were some things that were a little predictable, but it was still exciting and shocking all the same. I think the next book in the series will clear up some questions I have and give more insight into Haven and Gemma's parents.

CHARACTERS: I really enjoyed the group of characters that we follow in this book. I enjoyed learning about all of them and finding out who they were.

COVER: This book essentially has two covers. Both of them are nice. I like that they are the same but different.

Early Review: Gemina

TITLE: Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2)
AUTHORS: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
PUBLISHER: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/18/2016
FORMAT: ARC
PAGES: 608
SOURCE: Amazon Vine/Publisher
MY RATING:


SUMMARY (FROM GOODREADS): Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna's social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain's pampered daughter; Nike the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy's most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station's wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren't just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia--and possibly the known universe--is in their hands.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: I wasn't a huge fan of the first book in this series, but I liked the format and the way that the story was told so I wanted to give the sequel a try. I'm glad that I decided to go ahead and read this one, but I ended up really enjoying it quite a bit more than I expected to. I felt like there was more action and it was more intense.

CHARACTERS: I enjoyed the characters in this book more than the characters in the first book. I really liked Hanna. She was such a cool character. She's smart, tough and can take care of herself, which she proves over and over.

COVER: The cover is really nice. I like the shades of blue.

**I received an ARC of this book from Amazon Vine/The publisher for my honest review. All opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.**

Review: Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology (Audio)

TITLE: Trouble Maker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology
AUTHOR: Leah Remini
NARRATOR: Leah Remini
PUBLISHER: Random House Audio
FORMAT: Audio Book
LENGTH: 7 hrs 12 mins
SOURCE: Bought
MY RATING: 

SUMMARY (From Goodreads): Leah Remini has never been the type to hold her tongue. That willingness to speak her mind, stand her ground, and rattle the occasional cage has enabled this tough-talking girl from Brooklyn to forge an enduring and successful career in Hollywood. But being a troublemaker has come at a cost.

That was never more evident than in 2013, when Remini loudly and publicly broke with the Church of Scientology. Now, in this frank, funny, poignant memoir, the former King of Queens star opens up about that experience for the first time, revealing the in-depth details of her painful split with the church and its controversial practices.

MY THOUGHTS: Before I picked up this book, I only knew of Leah Remini from her show King of Queens. I didn't even know that she had previously been a Scientologist, but I love listening to autobiographies especially when they are on social culture. I think Leah did a great job at the narration of her book - I always enjoy biographies more when they are narrated by the author themselves because they are able to emphasize parts they feel are important. Although, since I know nothing about Scientology, because of her New York accent, I thought through the whole book she was saying "Ella Rach" instead of  "L. R. H."

The book itself was enjoyable. I feel like Leah described her experiences really well and she did a good job of explaining why she left the Scientology religion while still being fairly respectful. I really enjoyed listening to her and I'l have to check out her reality television show sometime soon because I think it would be fun to get a glimpse inside her life as it is now.

Review: Glass Sword

TITLE: Glass Sword
SERIES: Red Queen #2
AUTHOR: Victoria Aveyard
PUBLISHER: HarperTeen
PUBLICATION DATE: 2/9/2016
FORMAT: Hardcover
PAGES: 444
SOURCE: Bought
MY RATING: 

**This is book 2 in the Red Queen series. There may be spoilers ahead. Proceed at your own risk.**

INSIDE COVER BLURB: If there's one thing Mare Barrow knows, it's that she's different. Mare Barrow's blood is read--the color of common folk--but her Silver ability, the power to control lightening, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.

The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince--the friend--who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: She is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.

But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

The electrifying next installment in the Red Queen series escalates the struggle between the growing rebel army and the blood-segregated world they've always known--and pits Mare against the darkness that has grown in her soul.

MY THOUGHTS: I was so excited to get my hands on a copy of this book. The first book in the series is one of my favorite books of all time and received a 5 star rating from me (which is extremely rare). The book picks up at the exact moment that the first book ends and I was obsessed right from the start. Within the first 100 pages, there were already twists and turns and I was excited to see what was going to happen next.

Then, around the halfway point of the book it started to slow down a lot. The events that were going on in the story at the time made perfect sense as to why the action kind of stopped, but I did find myself having a hard time getting into the book. I did push myself through, and the story did pick up quite a bit. The ending is super intense and left on a dramatic cliff hanger so I'm really looking forward to finding out what happens in the next book.

COVER: Another gorgeous cover for this book series. A+.

Check out my review of the first book in the series, Red Queen.

Review: A Madness So Discreet

TITLE: A Madness So Discreet
AUTHOR: Mindy McGinnis
PUBLISHER: Katherine Tegen Books
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/6/2015
FORMAT: Hardcover
PAGES: 384
SOURCE: Bought
MY RATING:

SUMMARY (FROM GOODREADS): She keeps it locked away, along with her voice, trapped deep inside a brilliant mind that cannot forget horrific family secrets. Those secrets, along with the bulge in her belly, land her in a Boston insane asylum.

When her voice returns in a burst of violence, Grace is banished to the dark cellars, where her mind is discovered by a visiting doctor who dabbles in the new study of criminal psychology. With her keen eyes and sharp memory, Grace will make the perfect assistant at crime scenes. Escaping from Boston to the safety of an ethical Ohio asylum, Grace finds friendship and hope, hints of a life she should have had. But gruesome nights bring Grace and the doctor into the circle of a killer who stalks young women. Grace, continuing to operate under the cloak of madness, must hunt a murderer while she confronts the demons in her own past.

MY THOUGHTS: I was super excited to see this book in one of my monthly subscription boxes from Owl Crate. I do admit that I was expecting to find this book extremely creepy and spooky, which it was not, but I still really enjoyed it. It took me a little bit to get used to the dialog because some of the language sounded like something you'd hear in the past, but that added to the story because this book takes place in the past.

The first part of the book did a great job at pulling me in and making me want to keep reading to find out what was going on and what was going to happen next. The middle of the book slowed down a little bit, but I still enjoyed following Grace, the main character, around trying to figure out the mysteries.

I really loved the characters in this book, especially the other girls that were in the insane asylum. They just had so much personality, and even though they were in an institution, they were still just girls being girls and having fun.

Review: Ash & Bramble

TITLE: Ash & Bramble
AUTHOR: Sarah Prineas
PUBLISHER: Harper Teen
PUBLICATION DATE: 9/15/2015
FORMAT: ARC
PAGES: 464
SOURCE: For Review

MY RATING:

  
BACK COVER SUMMARY: Pin has no recollection of who she is or how she got to the Godmother's fortress. She only knows that she is a Seamstress, spending day after day making ballgowns fit for fairy tales. Pin feels there's more than what's inside these cold, stone walls and escapes with the handsome young Shoemaker.

But Pin discovers that what seems like freedom is a prison of another kind, one that entangles Pin in a story that leads to a prince, a kiss, and a clock striking midnight. To unravel herself from this new life, Pin must choose between her prince and another--the one who would give his life for her. Torn, the only thing for her to do is trade in the glass slipper for a sword and find her own destiny.

The tale has been told and retold, twisted and tweaked, snipped and stitched, but now discover the true story of Cinderella in Sara Prineas's bold, romantic, and utterly original young adult debut.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: I've always loved retellings, so I was pretty excited going into this book. This was definitely an interesting take on the classic story and I really enjoyed it. The introduction was brilliant. I felt like the narrator was talking directly to me. There was a point in the book about a third of the way in that was really strange and I was worried the book was going to get weird, but it only lasted a couple of pages and then it was over.

The ending was great. There was a good build up and plenty of action. I also really liked the way the story was wrapped up. There was a point where it could have been turned into a series, but in the end everything was wrapped up and I'm glad that this is a standalone.

CHARACTERS: I liked both the main characters, Pin and Shoe. They had a fun chemistry together. I also liked the shoemaker and his wife. I wish we had been able to learn more about the side characters as there were so many that seemed interesting, but I didn't really know much about (Dulcet, Precious, Spinner).

COVER: I am obsessed with this cover. It is gorgeous and it ties in perfectly with the story.

Storm Review

TITLE: Storm
SERIES: Paper Gods #3
AUTHOR: Amanda Sun
PUBLISHER: Harlequin Teen
PUBLICATION DATE: 6/30/2015
FORMAT: Paperback
PAGES: 287
SOURCE: Amazon Vine
MY RATING: 

COYER SCAVENGER HUNT #74: READ THE LAST BOOK IN A SERIES - 5 POINTS.

INSIDE COVER SUMMARY: After almost a year in Japan, Katie Greene has finally unearthed the terrible secret behind her boyfriend Tomohiro's deadly ability to bring drawings to life--not only is he descended from Kami, the ancient Japanese gods, but he is the heir to a tragedy that occurred long ago, a tragedy that is about to repeat.

Even as the blood of a vengeful god rages inside Tomo, Katie is determined to put his dark powers to sleep. In order to do so, she and Tomo must journey to find the three Imperial Treasures of Japan. Gifts from the goddess Amaterasu herself, these treasures could unlock all of the secrets about Tomo's volatile ancestry and quell the ink's lust for destruction. But in order to complete their quest, Tomo and Katie must confront out-of-control Kami and former friend Jun, who has begun his own quest of revenge against those he believes have wronged him. To save the world, and themselves, Katie and Tomo will be up against one of the darkest Kami creations they've ever encountered--and they may not make it out alive.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: This was a great ending to a great series. It picked up where the second book in the series left off, rounded out the overall story line and wrapped everything up nicely. The writing in this book sucked me in. I could see everything in my mind as it was happening. The book has nice reminders of what happened in the previous books without having long drawn out summaries. It helped refresh me on what was going on since the last book.

There were far fewer drawings included in this book and I really missed seeing them, but it makes sense because the characters weren't really drawing anything until further in the book. I really enjoyed the drawings that were included.

I liked the ending of this book. I felt that it was the best possible way for things to go and I felt like it wrapped up the entire series enough to where I felt content.

CHARACTERS: The characters are all great. We don't really learn a lot about the characters, but I feel like we already know a lot about them from the previous two books.

COVER: This is my least favorite cover of all the books in the series. I loved the first two covers so much. I wish they would have made this one more similar to the first two covers.

**I received a copy of this book from Amazon Vine and the publisher for my honest review. My opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.**

Unicorn On A Roll Review

TITLE: Unicorn on a Roll (Heavenly Nostrils #2)
AUTHOR: Dana Simpson
PUBLISHER: Andrews McMeel Publishing
PUBLICATION DATE: 5/26/2015
FORMAT: eARC
PAGES: 224
SOURCE: Netgalley
MY RATING:

SUMMARY (FROM GOODREADS): The magical friendship of Phoebe and her best friend, unicorn Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, is back in this second adventure of a girl and her mythical creature!

One year has passed since Phoebe skipped a rock across a pond, accidentally hit a unicorn in the face, and was granted a single wish--which she used to make the unicorn, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, her obligational best friend. In some ways, not much has changed. At school Phoebe still clashes with her rival--and sometimes "frenemy"--the ever-taunting and imperious Dakota. Outside of school, she still fills her free time with extra-credit homework assignments, dramatic monologues about the injustices associated with school cliques, and imaginative conspiracy theories regarding global forces like the "powerful construction paper lobby." But unlike before, Phoebe now has a best friend to share it with--someone to make her laugh and to listen to all her extravagant ideas.

In this second volume of Heavenly Nostrils, titled, Unicorn on a Roll, the reader is invited on a journey into the lives of Phoebe and Marigold as they navigate the difficulties of grade school, celebrate the winter holidays, and explore their super hero/super villain personas together. Join in the fun, as Phoebe competes against Dakota for the leading role of "Lisa Ladybug" in their fourth-grade-play--or as she struggles to "manage" the PR debacle related to her nose-picking-scandal. ("I will neither confirm nor deny the events surrounding Boogergate.") Witness a band of unicorns staging an "intervention" and learn all the details of Marigold's secret crush on a mysterious creature she has never seen. Perhaps most important, watch as this surprising friendship between a charming, nine-year-old dreamer and a vain, mythical beast forever changes both of them for the better.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: I really enjoyed this book. I haven't read the first in the series because I didn't realize it was a series, but I don't think that took away too much from the second story. There were some parts of the story where I felt like it was randomly jumping around and I didn't quite know what was going on, but overall the story was really fun. It was very cute and quirky and I actually found myself chuckling out loud at quite a few points throughout the book.

CHARACTERS: I love Marigold Heavenly Nostrils (the unicorn). She was so vain and full of herself that it was humorous. Phoebe (the main character) was also a great character. I can see lots of 5th grade age range girls loving her.

COVER: I like the cover. It's purple, which is my favorite, and has the two main characters from the book on it.

**I received an eARC of this graphic novel from Netgalley for my honest review.**

Charisma Review

TITLE: Charisma
AUTHOR: Jeanne Ryan
PUBLISHER: Dial Books
PUBLICATION DATE: 3/3/2015
FORMAT: Hardcover
PAGES: 384
SOURCE: Won from Crystal @ Winter Haven Books
MY RATING: 

INSIDE COVER SUMMARY: Aislyn is the kind of shy that makes her choke up in class and avoid parties. And it means talking to her crush, Jack, is a total non-starter. So when she's offered a dose of Charisma, an underground gene therapy drug guaranteed to make her shine, she jumps at the chance for an internal makeover. The effects are instant. She's charming, vivacious, and popular. But strangely, so are some other kids she knows. The media goes into a frenzy when the therapy turns contagious, and then deadly, and the doctor who gave it to them disappears. Aislyn must choose between reversing the treatment and losing her new personality, or risking her life for a shot at charisma.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: This was a fun read. First of all, I could totally relate to Aislyn's social phobia. I don't have it quite as bad as her, and lately I'm starting to come out of my shell as I get older and realize that we're all just people, but I can definitely relate to her. There were some things that I predicted about the story, but that didn't really take away from my experience reading. I felt that the ending was pretty well done. There was a good amount of closure while still leaving some things open.

CHARACTERS: I wish there was more information about the side characters. I feel like I almost got to know them, but not enough to feel connected to any of them. Aislyn was a good main characters. I could feel what she was feeling. I thought that she made some unwise decisions, but I also felt like she acted in a way that many teens would if faced with her situation.

COVER: I love the cover, but I'm not entirely sure how it ties in with the story. It would make more sense if it were monkeys or something, but the color scheme is cute.

 

The Duff Review

Goodreads

TITLE: The Duff

AUTHOR: Kody Keplinger

PUBLISHER: Poppy

PUBLICATION DATE: 9/7/2010

FORMAT: ebook

PAGES: 270

SOURCE: Bought

MY RATING:

SUMMARY (FROM GOODREADS): Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of the man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "the Duff," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: I kept seeing the previews for the Duff movie on tv, so I wanted to read the book before watching the movie. The book is completely different than what I thought it would be. The movie previews make it seem like a light and fluffy comedy kind of movie (I haven't seen the movie yet, so I don't know if that's actually how they made it or not), but the book is actually quite a bit deeper than that. The book deals with some intense issues (body image, divorce, sex). The main theme of this book is body image and how we see ourselves and I feel like that theme was really hit head on in this book.

CHARACTERS: I would have liked a little more character development. I felt like the characters were on the right track, but I wanted a little it more about them. That being said, I really liked Bianca's best friends, Casey and Jessica. They were both really great, genuine friends to Bianca.

COVER: I don't really like the cover. I'm not really sure who the girl on the cover is supposed to be.

I Remember You Review

Goodreads

TITLE: I Remember You

AUTHOR: Cathleen Davitt Bell

PUBLISHER: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

PUBLICATION DATE: 2/10/2015

FORMAT: ARC

PAGES: 320

SOURCE: Amazon Vine

MY RATING:

BACK COVER SUMMARY: Seventeen-year-old Lucas is a star hockey player who's headed for the marines as soon as high school is over. Then there's Juliet, straight-A student and rigorous debater, whose college trajectory has been carefully planned for year. They couldn't be more different. But from the moment Lucas sees Juliet, he swears he remembers their first kiss. Their first dance. Their first fight. In fact, Lucas knows everything that's going to happen between them--not because he can predict the future, but because he claims to have already lived it.

Juliet doesn't know whether to be afraid for herself--or for Lucas. Because as Lucas's memories occur more frequently, they also grow more ominous. All Juliet wants is for Lucas to be safe with her in the present. But how do you hold on to someone you love now when they've begun slipping away from you in the future?

OVERALL IMPRESSION: From the moment I picked up this book and started reading, I was intrigued and had a hard time putting it down. I was completely sucked into the story and wanted to know what was going to happen next. I couldn't read it fast enough. As I started to actually understand what was I happening, I feel like it slowed down slightly, but only for a very small portion of the book. I was wondering what was going to happen at the end, and I was pleased with the way it turned out.

CHARACTERS: I liked both Juliet and Lucas. I felt they were good together and had great chemistry.

I did not like Juliet's best friend, Rosemary. I felt like she was acting the way that she thought she was supposed to act in order to be popular, like she was putting on a show.

COVER: This cover is one of my favorites of all time. It is gorgeous! I love the color scheme and the title font is perfect.

**I received an ARC of this book from Amazon Vine for my honest review.

The Honest Truth Review

Goodreads

TITLE: The Honest Truth

AUTHOR: Dan Gemeinhart

PUBLISHER: Scholastic Press
PUBLICATION DATE: 1/27/2015

PAGES: 240

FORMAT: ARC

SOURCE: Amazon Vine/Publisher

MY RATING: 

SUMMARY (FROM GOODREADS): In all the ways that matter, Mark is a normal kid. He's got a dog named Beau and a best friend, Jessie. He likes to take photos and write haiku poems in his notebook. He dreams of climbing a mountain one day.

But in one important way, Mark is not like other kids at all. Mark is sick. The kind of sick that means hospitals. And treatments. The kind of sick some people never get better from.

So Mark runs away. He leaves home with his camera, his notebook, his dog, and a plan to reach the top of Mount Rainier--even if it's the last thing he ever does.

The honest truth is a rare and extraordinary novel about big questions, small moments, and the incredible journey of the human spirit.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: I hadn't heard anything about this book before I read it, and I thought it was possibly about a boy who goes on a camping trip with his dog. I was completely wrong. I didn't enjoy this book as much as I wanted to, but I think this would be a wonderful book for any middle school aged child. There's a lot of lessons packed into this little book. It was a quick read that I think would hold the attention of a younger, less patient reader.

CHARACTERS: I loved the main character of this book. He's just a little boy, but he has to go through so much and it's made him so strong and determined. I also really liked Jess, the main character's best friend. She has a decision that she is struggling with and my heart went out to her.

COVER: I love the bright colors that they used for this cover. The image also fits the book 100%.

**I received an ARC of this book from Amazon Vine for my honest review.**

All The Bright Places Review

Goodreads

TITLE: All The Bright Places

AUTHOR: Jennifer Niven

PUBLISHER: Alfred A. Knopf Books For Young Readers

PUBLICATION DATE: 1/6/2015

FORMAT: ARC

PAGES: 400

SOURCE: Amazon Vine

MY RATING: 

BACK COVER SUMMARY: Theodore Finch is fascinated by death. Every day he thinks of ways he might die, but every day is also searches--and manages to find--something to keep him here, and alive, and awake.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her small Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister's death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school--six stories above the ground--it's unclear who saves whom.  And when the unlikely pair teams up on a class project to discover the "natural wonders" of their state, they go, as Finch says, where the road takes them: the grand, the small, the bizarre, the beautiful, the ugly, the surprising--just like life.

Soon it's only with Violet that Finch can be himself--a bold, funny, live-out-loud guy, who's not such a freak after all. And it's only with Finch that Violet forgets to count away the days and starts living them. But as Violet's world grows, Finch's begins to shrink.

This is a heart-wrenching, unflinching story of love shared, life lived, and two teens who find one another while standing on the edge.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: This is a quick read, even though it's fairly large, so don't be intimidated by it's size. It has road trip elements, even though it's not really a "road trip book." All The Bright Places has plenty of feels, so if you're in the mood for something with lots of different emotions, the definitely check this one out. I would recommend it for older teens as it does have some pretty heavy topics in it, but it is very much worth reading.

CHARACTERS: I didn't feel as connected to the characters as I wanted to, but I think that was more about my mood when I was reading this book than the book itself. 

COVER: I love it. The post-its tie into the story perfectly.

**I received an ARC of this book from Amazon Vine for my honest review.**

Horrorstor Review

Goodreads

TITLE: Horrorstor

AUTHOR: Grady Hendrix

PUBLISHER: Quirk Books

PUBLICATION DATE: 9/23/2014

PAGES: 256

FORMAT: eARC

SOURCE: Netgalley

MY RATING: 

SUMMARY (FROM GOODREADS): Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered Glans water goblets, and smashed Liripip wardrobes. Sales are down, security cameras reveal nothing, and store managers are panicking.

To unravel the mystery, three employees volunteer to work a nine-hour, dusk-til-dawn shift. In the dead of the night, they'll patrol the empty showroom floor, investigate strange sights and sounds, and encounter horrors that defy the imagination.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: I love the idea of this book. I am obsessed with IKEA and they did such a good job making this book look exactly like an IKEA catalog. This book was terrifying. About halfway through the book, I started getting so scared that I had to limit my reading to where I would only read early in the day and only a few chapters at a time. I loved the whole reading experience. My only problem is that I think I would have enjoyed this book more as a physical copy to complete the whole "catalog" feel.

CHARACTERS: I feel like the development of these characters was done very well. I definitely learned more about each of them as the story progressed and even changed my opinions on a few of them before it was over.

COVER: They did such a great job with this cover. It's so incredibly creepy, but it takes you a minute to actually see that's it's creepy.

**I received an advanced reader's copy in the form of an e-book of this title from Netgalley for my honest review.**

For Real Review

Goodreads

TITLE: For Real

AUTHOR: Alison Cherry

PUBLISHER: Delacorte Press

PUBLICATION DATE: 12/9/2014

PAGES: 320

FORMAT: eARC

SOURCE: Netgalley

MY RATING: 

SUMMARY (FROM GOODREADS): No parents. No limits. No clue what they're in for.

Shy, cautious Claire has always been in her confident older sister's shadow. While Miranda's life is jam-packed with exciting people and whirlwind adventures, Claire gets her thrills vicariously by watching people live large on reality TV.

When Miranda discovers her boyfriend, Samir, cheating on her just before her college graduation, it's Claire who comes up with the perfect plan. They'll outshine Miranda's fame-obsessed ex while having an amazing summer by competing on Around the World, a race around the globe for a million bucks. Revenge + sisterly bonding = awesome.

But the show has a twist, and Claire is stunned to find herself in the middle of a reality-show romance that may or may not be just for the cameras. This summer could end up being the highlight of her life...or an epic fail forever captured on film. In a world where drama is currency and manipulation is standard, how can you tell what's for real?

OVERALL IMPRESSION: This story is so fun. I really enjoyed reading it and waiting to see what the next challenge would be for the contestants on the TV show. One of the best things about this book was seeing what would get thrown at the contestants next. This book was filled with the perfect balance of drama, laughter and touching moments. I would have given this book 4 stars, but I was a little bit disappointed by the ending. It wasn't a bad ending, I just felt like it needed to be expanded more.

CHARACTERS: The character development in this book is wonderful. I loved watching the main character, Claire, grow and develop throughout the story. I also liked seeing the relationships between all of the different characters.

COVER: The cover is cute. I like it.

Velocity Review

Goodreads

TITLE: Velocity

AUTHOR: Dean Koontz

PUBLISHER: Bantam Books

PUBLICATION DATE: 5/24/2005

FORMAT: Hardcover (0-553-80415-4)

PAGES: 416

SOURCE: I bought

MY RATING: 

INSIDE COVER SUMMARY: Billy Wiles is an easygoing, hardworking guy who leads a quiet, ordinary life. But that is about to change. One evening, after his usual eight-hour bartending shift, he finds a typewritten note under the windshield wiper of his car.

If you don't take this note to the police and get them involved, I will kill a lovely blond schoolteacher somewhere in Napa County. If you do take this not to the police, I will instead kill an elderly woman active in charity work. You have six hours to decide. The choice is yours.

It seems like a sick joke, and Billy's friend on the police force, Lanny Olsen, thinks so too. His advice to Billy is to go home and forget about it. Besides, what could they do even if they took the note seriously? No crime has actually been committed.

But less than twenty-four hours late, a young blonde schoolteacher is found murdered, and it's Billy's fault: he didn't convince the police to get involved. Now he's got another note, another deadline, another ultimatum...and two new lives hanging in the balance. 

Suddenly Billy's average, seemingly innocuous life takes on the dimensions and speed of an accelerating nightmare. Because the notes are coming faster, the deadline growing tighter, and the killer becoming bolder and crueler with every communication--until Billy is isolated with the terrifying knowledge that he alone has the power of life and death over a psychopath's innocent victims. Until the struggle between good and evil is intensely personal. Until the most chilling words of all are: The choice is yours.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: This is my first ever Dean Koontz book and one of the very few adult books I read this year. This book creeped me out. I would never want to be put in Billy's situation. I was definitely hooked while reading this. I wanted to know who was behind everything and how the main character was going to deal with the next crazy thing that this killer would come up with.

CHARACTERS: While I couldn't really relate to Billy, the main character, I could completely sympathize with him. 

COVER: Bright, eye catching and to the point.

Let's Get Lost Review

Goodreads

TITLE: Let's Get Lost

AUTHOR: Adi Alsaid

PUBLISHER: Harlequin Teen

PUBLICATION DATE: 7/29/2014

PAGES: 352

SOURCE: Amazon Vine/Publisher

MY RATING:

BACK COVER SUMMARY: Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named Leila. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most.

There's Hudson, a small-town mechanic who is willing to throw away his dreams for true love. And Bree, a runaway who seizes every Tuesday--and a few stolen goods along the way.

Elliot believes in happy endings...until his own life goes off-script. And Sonia worries that when she lost her boyfriend, she also lost the ability to love.

Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila's own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth--sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you're looking for is to get lost along the way.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: This was a really nice contemporary read. It was easy to read., it was quick to read, and it was really entertaining. I loved that the story was written in different parts where we meet a new character, but we also learn more about the main character. The ending of this book was perfect. This was such a feel-good book that made me smile.

CHARACTERS: I loved all of the characters in this book. I love the way Leila interacted with everyone and how she handled all of the situations she was thrown into.

COVER: I like the cover a lot. It completely represents the feel of the book.