ARC Review: TMI by Patty Blount

Best friends don’t lie.
Best friends don’t ditch you for a guy.
Best friends don’t post your deepest, darkest secrets online.

Bailey’s falling head-over-high-heels for Ryder West, a mysterious gamer she met online. A guy she’s never met in person. Her best friend, Meg, doesn’t trust smooth-talking Ryder. He’s just a picture-less profile.

When Bailey starts blowing Meg off to spend more virtual quality time with her new crush, Meg decides it’s time to prove Ryder’s a phony.

But one stupid little secret posted online turns into a friendship-destroying feud to answer the question:

Who is Ryder West?

From Goodreads

Bailey & Meg are having a rough patch. At some point during every friendship this happens & more often than not it's over another relationship. The twist in this plot is that Meg doesn't trust Bailey's too-perfect boyfriend, who doesn't even exist! That's right, while having never met him in person and spending all her free time with him electronically, Bailey doesn't see that Meg is just trying to protect her from the unknown. 

Coming from similar heartaches rooted in paternal abandonment, these two each have their own obsessions and must learn to trust one another with their advice when it comes to the guys in their lives. But one little slip threatens to destroy the minute progress they've made towards rebuilding their relationship. Can it all be saved or are some things better just left alone?

I have to say that while this one didn't "wow" me, it was passable. I really enjoyed Bailey being a geekier girl with popular girl tendencies. It gave her more personality than I was expecting. Meg was tough to deal with at times. She was very broody & difficult, but her artwork, her passion, really made me give her a chance.

What really didn't work for me where the absentee parents. This is a disturbing trend in YA, and maybe in familial relationships in general, but it just allows way too much to go on and paints parents in a bad light. I know we all rebel against our parents at some point in time, but that isn't even necessary when they're too busy to care. Another thing that bugged at me were the obvious "daddy issues" that these girls have. They fall under the stereotypical paths of behavior in response to that void. It made me respect the girls a little less that they were so hung up on this stuff and ignoring the wider implications.

The dialogue, mannerisms, & behavior were quite engaging through the whole narrative. Even the filler characters helped round out this story a bit more. We learn a lot through observation & these other characters helped with that. Sadly the catty behavior & underwhelming climax left me feeling a bit disjointed. It really felt like there was either something missing or something still to come. While not a must read, it's a good filler if you want a broody, angsty read.

ARC graciously provided by Around the World ARC Tours

February Genreflecting: Forever by Judy Blume review

"Going all the way" is still a taboo subject in young adult literature. Judy Blume was the first author to write candidly about a sexually active teen, and she's been defending teenagers' rights to read about such subjects ever since. Here, Blume tells a convincing tale of first love--a love that seems strong and true enough to last forever. 

Katherine loves Michael so much, in fact, that she's willing to lose her virginity to him, and, as the months go by, it gets harder and harder for her to imagine living without him. However, something happens when they are separated for the summer: Katherine begins to have feelings for another guy. What does this mean about her love for Michael? What does this mean about love in general? What does "forever" mean, anyway? As always, Blume writes as if she's never forgotten a moment of what it's like to be a teenager.

From Goodreads

As if you didn't already know, forever is a very long time. In Judy Blume's Forever, originally published in 1975, we meet Katherine and Michael. Despite going to different schools, these two meet at a party. While they don't hit it off right away, they do manage to have at least a few sparks. Soon enough these two are spending all of their spare time together. Their love for one another grows until the only thing standing in their way to happiness is the long summer before college.

Having been written during the mid 1970's there are some things that we have to forgive for a contemporary audience. Going parking & the mishandling of a young man's mental illness aren't really surprising in this book, while they might be foreign concepts to today's youth. Everything else though, the pressure to have sex, the parental negotiations, and so forth are quite standard.

While this wasn't really a shocking book by any means, for the time period, it was rather revolutionary. Things were starting to shake themselves up by this time and societal norms weren't very clear (not that they always are or should be). The frankness with which Blume handles her subject matter are what really allow the reader access to the characters' sensations and drive. This experience gives the reader permission to place themselves in the characters' situation and experience it for themselves in a way they may not have done before.

With respect to the genre analysis, Forever is the perfect older romance book. While we don't get to see everyone's emotions, we do at least get to see the romantic emotions of Katherine and her best friend Erica as they deal with varying issues in their relationships. 

Katherine's relationship is the more traditional one wherein she meets a "nice boy", they go out, and start to plan a future together. Her basis for this being love is to compare her feelings now to how she felt with other guys she dated. Erica has a less straightforward experience with Michael's best friend Artie as he is emotional unstable. Erica and Artie try to work through his ups, downs, and unpredictability. Their issues bleed over into other relationships showing how interconnected & formidable social groups can be during the adolescent period.

I think the most important feature of the romantic story in Forever is the outcome. Not all relationships are meant to last, no matter how hard each party wants to carry on. Blume displays this in multiple ways through several different couples. I like this realistic approach because oftentimes the most emotionally rewarding part of a relationship is how you recover from its ending.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith review

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it. 

From Goodreads

Hadley is far from exciting about getting to spend the weekend in London. Maybe that's because it puts the proverbial nail in the coffin of her former family. Not long ago, her dad was still married to her mom and they were living a quiet life. Now she's supposed to be a bridesmaid in her dad's marriage to a younger woman, that Hadley's never even met!

Queue drama galore and a missed flight to land Hadley on a later flight with the mystery, quirky, and headed-home-to-London-on-holiday Oliver. These two dance around the truth and hardly speak plainly, but the truth cannot be denied. There is something between them. 

But with the plane ride over and reality coming crashing down around them, will they be able to figure out where they stand? Or will they fail to take off at all?

While the idea of falling in love during transit is quite cliche, this is story is different. It's not the obvious differences, but the subtle ones that make this book such a fun and wonderful read. It's not all lovey-dovey and goo-goo eyes like I feared it would be. In fact, this book had more meat to it than I expected. The depth shown by these characters in this unique situation coupled with their individual issues made for a very compelling story. 

A lot of people say that Nicholas Sparks books/movies remind them of what it's like to fall in/be in love. I challenge that statement because of the predictable nature of and pattern of his books. This book actually made me reconnect with love stories. I haven't seen such vibrancy and openness in young adult romance characters in a bit. This was refreshing and breathtaking, but in a fun way.

It didn't leave me in tears or make me laugh until my sides hurt, but it was very real. I hope you'll give it a chance and enjoy the magic I found in this book.

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Alice "Please call me Ali" Bell lives under unusual circumstances. Despite being a teenager, she's never been kissed, never been on a date, & can go toe to toe with her dad in a sparring match. Sounds a bit off, no? That's because Ali's dad is convinced that there are monsters that only come out at night to prey off the living, so in order to keep his father safe he has forearmed them with tactical maneuvers,  keeps them locked in their home after nightfall & paces their house until daylight. Ali's always thought her dad was off his rocker, until her birthday. That night changed her world in the time it would have taken her to blow out her candles.

Now an orphan, living with her grandparents, & transferring to her parents' old high school, Ali is just trying to make it through life day by day. Of course life has other plans when it forces her to collide with Cole Holland. A mysterious rebel with a notorious temper, Cole can't seem to keep away from Ali. But his intentions may not be as sinister as Ali fears, but they do involve the monsters.

This was a masterful retelling of a classic book. There are some great elements from Alice in Wonderland incorporated into this book, while still allowing Zombieland to stand on its own. Ali is a unique young woman that I thoroughly enjoyed following around throughout her misadventures. Her tone & emotional reactions to everything she experiences allows a serious look into how a "normal" person might actually respond to such unbelievable circumstances.

Her relationships are quite central to her storyline. The progression of these relationships (family, friends, & lovers) not only helps move the story along, but also highlights Ali's state of mind & perception. While I must admit that Cole & Kat's mood swings nearly gave me whiplash a few times, for the most part they are understandable. There are also quite a few characters to keep up with. While I think the core will remain at about 7, many more are mentioned by name & turn up quite often.

Having only read a few of her adult works (and none of her other YA works) I don't have a lot to compare with this book. Needless to say, I thoroughly devoured it! Gena's ability to manipulate a scene & evoke specific emotions/reactions to certain events creates an uncanny world for the reader to explore. I was especially intrigued by the zombie mythology. It's definitely one of the more unique descriptions I've heard for their existence & I refuse to give it away because the scene in which it is revealed is so fantastic that I would hate for you to miss out on that kind of excitement & bewilderment.

Short version: you need to read this book. Even if you're not a big fan of zombies, they play more of a background role to that of Ali & her friends. Just give it a shot.

Before You Go by James Preller review

The summer before his senior year, Jude (yes, he’s named after the Beatles song) gets his first job, falls in love for the first time, and starts to break away from his parents. Jude’s house is kept dark, and no one talks much—it’s been that way since his little sister drowned in a swimming pool seven years ago when Jude was supposed to be watching her.

Now, Jude is finally, finally starting to live. Really live. And then, life spins out of control. Again. 

From Goodreads

After letting your sister drown in the family pool, your life can only go up, right? Not quite. Jude is a typical rising senior in high school with a craptastic summer job & a quirky, yet endearing best friend (Corey). Also, he's quite smitten with a certain cashierette (Becka) at his job. While his family never properly dealt with the death of his sister (his mother withdrew into the house & his father focuses on anything but human emotion), Jude has found solace in Corey. From a conservative, religious home, Corey is spunky, vivacious & unique. As total geeks the boys discuss everything from movies & music, to the video games they're kicking butt in.

Naturally Jude wants to bring together the two most important people in his life. Jude is certain that all of them hanging out together is what is necessary for his budding relationship with Becka to take the next step. But Jude just can't seem to catch a real break. A freak accident causes him to lose something so precious, there's no telling if he'll be able to get it back.

Before You Go is a subtle book. A slow building story that follows the rather cumbersome life of teenage nobody Jude. While years have passed since the drowning of his younger sister, the reader still gets the sense that the family has never moved on from the tragedy, partially because it seems the community doesn't want them to forget. Yet Jude is determined to continue his life to the best of his ability.

Enter best friend & wild card Corey as well as Jude's summer job. The reader gets the sense that Jude just wants to be a normal teenager, but continues to find himself in awkward situations where he's not entirely sure what is expected of him. Naturally there is also a girl, causing even more anxiety & confusion for this poor guy. The best part about all this gawkiness are the interactions between characters. They are so real & on point that I really felt like I knew what the characters were thinking & feeling. The writing, while a little obvious that the author is new to writing specifically for teens, still lends itself to being friendly & engaging.

What I didn't expect at all was the twist. We're not talking M. Night Shyamalan twist, but a big enough wrench that I wasn't exactly sure where the book could go from that point on. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself more impatient to continue reading after the twist. The book became so much more than I expected when I first picked it up.

While not a heavy read, this one merits some thoughtful consideration. Ladies & gents give it up for James Preller! I'd be happy to read his next piece.

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin review

Kelsey Finkelstein is fourteen and FRUSTRATED. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled – by her impossible parents, her annoying little sister, and life in general. But with her first day of high school coming up, Kelsey is positive that things are going to change. Enlisting the help of her three best friends — sweet and quiet Em, theatrical Cass, and wild JoJo — Kelsey gets ready to rebrand herself and make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny.

Things start out great - her arch-nemesis has moved across the country, giving Kelsey the perfect opportunity to stand out on the soccer team and finally catch the eye of her long-time crush. But soon enough, an evil junior’s thirst for revenge, a mysterious photographer, and a series of other catastrophes make it clear that just because KELSEY has a plan for greatness… it doesn’t mean the rest of the world is in on it.

From Goodreads

Kelsey is funny & poignant. We meet her & her three best friends in the final glory days of their last summer before high school where Kelsey unveils her big plans for freshman year. Naturally everything she has planned goes awry almost instantly & as her friends begin to bloom in their own niches, Kelsey finds herself odd-girl-out.

I really enjoyed Kelsey's inner monologue throughout her ordeals & we're not just talking run-of-the-mill freshman stuff. She's pretty much an embarrassing disaster waiting to happen simply because she's not patient enough to wait for the right moment. Although in some instances she is too patient & that causes just as much drama. Even through her ups & downs, Kelsey remains true to her plan to make it the best year possible. That kind of resilience is what helped me overlook some personality flaws in characters & their decisions.

The writing was nuanced enough to allow for individuality, but at the same time rhythmic enough that I felt I could almost predict where things were going. While not necessarily a bad thing, I did feel like I spent a fair amount of time trying to puzzle out when the author was going to make "x" happen. Still enjoyable to watch it all unfold, but a tad bit frustrating.

The enthusiasm & melodramatic nature of teen girls though makes up for any frustration I incurred. Seriously if you took several of the sassiest & wittiest women on comedy television you'd have these gals. It was a riot & a bit heartbreaking to watch them triumph & suffer, but you knew in the end they would benefit from the experience.

Overall I'd have to say this was a quick, light read that definitely lends itself to becoming a series. I'm not sure if that's in the works, but I'm hoping so!

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Mclean Sweet isn't who she thinks she is. Or rather, she doesn't know who to believe she is. While growing up in the back of a restaurant with a die-hard basketball-loving dad & a beach-tripping manager mother, she knew that she was Mclean Sweet, daughter of college sweethearts & an all-around fun-loving girl. After a bitter and very public divorce, Mclean hits the road with her dad chasing jobs rehabbing restaurants. In the 2 years since the meltdown, Mclean & her dad have moved 4 times allowing 4 alter-egos to crop up.

In each of the 4 towns they lived in, Mclean was always responsible for setting up home & managing a fine balance of cut-and-run technique. Each town gave birth to a new girl & a persona to go with it. She's been a cheerleader, a drama queen & a joiner, but the last thing she expected to become in this new town was herself. With the help of a stellar cast of friends, Mclean Sweet might just rediscover the part of her that never really left.

This was different...and I'm not sure how I really feel about it. I am definitely sure that I've liked her other stuff better, but this wasn't a bad book. Mclean really pulls at that part of everyone who (at least once in their life) wants to pack up & become someone new. Unfortunately I couldn't really relate to that part of her or the fact that she hid it from her family. Her secrecy felt very deceitful & selfish in a way that my brain just couldn't keep up with. Each girl was so radically different.

The new friends she makes & what she discovers about herself as a result are what make the book a really great read. Dave is such a mysterious & quirky guy that you can't help but love. The other teens are all over the place allowing for a real breadth as well as depth to the group dynamics. The most entertaining part though was the kitchen staff at the new restaurant. They were by far the life & light of the story. I could almost see each teen becoming one of the staff members in a way that allowed for fascinating dynamics.

If you're in the mood for a relatively light read, go ahead & pick this one up. I will have to warn you though, if you have issues with improper grammar & errors in a finished book, then this is dangerous territory. I think the editing step was rushed because there are far too many noticeable errors. Other than that it was peachy!

Are you planning on reading it? If you've already read it, how do you react to it? Let's hear your thoughts!

Love Story by Jennifer Echols

Erin Blackwell has fallen into a horror story of her own device. A headstrong young lady, heiress to a multi-million dollar horse farm in Kentucky, this former princess is living the poor artist life in New York City. After refusing to major in business, so she would be groomed for taking over the farm, in favor of her passion writing, her grandmother disinherits her & takes Hunter the stable boy as her new protege.

As if being stabbed in the back by a pseudo-childhood friend isn't bad enough, it turns out that Hunter will be attending college with Erin & that he'll also get to read all about himself... through her stories in class. And so begins the tit for tat, back and forth banter of two opposite people. Hunter, having grown up in the barn & earning his own keep, can't seem to keep his mind off the previously-pampered & rather naive Erin. These two circle one another like wild cats, searching for a weak spot. That is until they discover that each others weak spot is the other.

Jennifer Echols has done it again! A masterful piece of work that begs to be let loose to run free! Erin is a pampered princess, but not in the completely oblivious way. Some folks who grow up with money never even realize what it's like for someone less fortunate, but Erin does not have that problem. Having grown up around Hunter, she knows first hand how cruel life can be to folks of lesser income. She's a compelling character that you can't help but admire since she is fighting for herself, albeit in the wrong way.

Hunter is a mesmerizing character to follow. He's got so many different faces it was sometimes hard to keep track of everything he was into. His smugness was even entertaining to a point. He never really wanted to come right out to say "I told you so," but he didn't have to. He sounds like he'd be easy on the eyes too. That never hurts. :)

The best part of the whole book though was the background. All the horse facts & information gave this book a more elegant/regal feel that any other novel I have read. There was something more majestic about the storyline that gave the reader a different feeling. I hope that makes sense.

By all means, run out & find this book on July 19th! If you've enjoyed her other works (Going Too Far & Forget You) then you won't be disappointed with this next one!

Book graciously provided by Around the World Tours

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Love is a most potent & dangerous illness. So dangerous in fact, a cure has been created to prevent the population from having to suffer under its wrath. Lena Holoway can't wait until her 18th birthday, the day she'll finally receive the cure. She's not scared, she's simply anxious to have it over with already. A life without love is predictable & normal, safe. She's spent her whole life in the shameful shadow of her mother's love-induced suicide that Lena is ready to be protected from the deliria's grasp.

In a measured & calculated, fenced off Portland, Lena has spent the last 17 years of her life listening only to prescribed music, reading only approved books & being monitored for any possible sign of deliria infection. A few of her fellow classmates succumb to the terrible disease, but Lena is pleased that neither she nor her best friend Hana have been stricken. That is until Lena happens to meet Alex. And then, everything changes...

I know my review is a little shorter than you may be accustomed to from me, but that's because I continued to give away too much of the story as I wrote. This book was PHENOMENAL!! I absolutely could not put it down. The way the story is written is quite emotional because, despite the eradication of all forms of love, there is this undercurrent of repression. Suppressing a natural instinct is one of the most dangerous things that can be done & I honestly believe that this society is constantly on the brink of rupture. Why else would there be roving bands of guard-like protectors?

On a character level, this book was miles above the author's last attempt, Before I Fall. Many of you may recall my distaste for Oliver's characters in that novel & will say that I am very pleased that I tried this novel. A lot of the time if I don't like the first book an author has written, I won't bother to read any more. The premise of this book was too great to pass up & the characters were exactly what I was hoping they would be. I really enjoyed watching Lena struggle with not only her past & present, but with both her society & her expectations for her life. The three main characters, Lena, Hana, & Alex, are thoroughly formed & can stand on their own. While they all play off one another, I could see them working an independent people.

So basically in summation, you really need to read this book. While I may be overlooking some of the more minor editing details (that I'm sure will be cleaned up in the final editing) I really think this book has a great message & execution. Please enjoy & let me know your thoughts!

Alpha: Shifters Book 6 by Rachel Vincent

MAJOR SPOILER WARNING! This is the final book in a 6 book series so there are previous book spoilers in this review. You've been given fair warning.

Faythe is sure that war is coming but she's not sure what expect. There hasn't been a full-scale civil war in the werecat community in decades and everyone was kind of hoping to keep it that way. Unfortunately with Malone creeping in on the Faythe's pride's territory by trying to declaw her and having her brother murdered, there doesn't seem to be much other recourse.

Of course Faythe's problems can't possibly end there because due to extenuating circumstances she's got to choose between the two men that she loves. Marc has known her since she was a rebellious teen and has been her sturdy rock. Unfortunately in her darkest hours, after Ethan's death and when she thought Marc was dead too, she gave in to her needs and had a tryst with Jace. He had always been there trying to convince her to him a chance and now he's got the opportunity. Too bad whoever she is with will one day become the Alpha of the Pride and at the moment Malone is doing everything he can to make sure neither of them are eligible.

When the Territorial Council meets to vote on their new head, the werecat community shatters and nothing is the same. Friends and family will die, new bonds will be forged, and old ones will be lost forever. For Faythe, at least one thing is certain: she will keep her Pride.

This was an amazingly incredible finale to one of the best urban fantasy series I have ever read. Rachel Vincent is a master at weaving an enticing and enrapturing tale and she is at her best with this novel. Watching all the books' details combine into a believable and emotional conclusion was quite fascinating. Faythe is as kickass as ever and the reader can't be disappointed in her performance. While I was very sad to see some of my favorite characters fall in the war, I completely understood the necessity. And let me just say, I was quite pleased with Faythe's choice in mate. Go Team _a_ _! (He he, you thought I was going to tell you didn't you? Silly people) Seriously, if you enjoyed the other novels or haven't tried them yet, I assure you that they're worth it!

After the Kiss by Terra Elan McVoy

Love triangles are not typically this well spoken. Camille is the typical new girl in town with a chip on her shoulder thanks to a not-so-wonderful guy in Chicago. Becca is a relatively smart local chick infatuated with poetic, jock Alec. These two girls have more in common than they think when it turns out that Alec kissed Camille at a party. Being unaware of Alec's girlfriend situation, Camille does nothing to stop the kiss and, being Alec's girlfriend, Becca does everything she can not to lose her mind.

Each girl has her own issues and each one of them seems drawn to different parts of Alec, but in the end one of them has to lose.

Terra McVoy is a genius!! I was rather skeptical of this book at first because I find the "love triangle" story overused, but this was fresh. If you look deeper than just the surface you'll see more than angsty teen drama written in verse. The language of each girl is very distinctive and deliberate. There is so much feeling involved in these girls' stories that the novel begs to be read out loud.

Becca was such a nice girl that I had a hard time relating to her until she started to really look at what was important to her. I thought her whole outlook was a bit narrow and I was thrilled to see her rise up to the challenge of really getting to know herself as a person. Camille was such a difficult girl to like and that was very intentional. She's a tough nut to crack and watching her come out of her prickly shell was amazing. Terra said it best in her appearance at Quail Ridge Books, she really tried to start the girls out as opposites with exaggerated characteristics and them bring them into a harmony or balance where each girls seems to take on characteristics and mannerisms of the other.

A wonderful book that I highly recommend, After the Kiss is an instant hit!

ARC for review provided by Around the World Tours

Waiting on Wednesday: Meanicures

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Meanicures by Catherine Clark is scheduled to arrive in bookstores on October 12th and I'm very intrigued. I don't think I've ever seen any of her other books, but this blurb piqued my interest.

When three best friends get together, the first thing they talk about these days is always the mean girls in their lives. They decide to banish their enemies by holding a ceremony and burning slips of paper with the mean girls' names on them. But soon afterwards, they discover themselves becoming mean, and they must find a way--with a little help from the owner of their local beauty shop--to reverse the ceremony and revert to the sweet (mostly), kind (if slightly imperfect) personalities. Catherine Clark's first middle-grade novel is a humorous look at the mysterious--and wonderful--nature of friendship.

From Goodreads

We all know what middle school is like. It is the toughest time in most kids' lives because they don't really feel like they fit in anywhere and they are quite awkward due to puberty setting in. I'm sure we could all name a mean girl or two who made our lives difficult. This take on burning a paper effigy of something they despise is not new, but definitely not something I have seen in a younger novel. I'm impatient to see how these girls begin to morph into that which they loathed and how they emerge from the other side.

What are you waiting on this week?

The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos

Julia knows she's not normal. Being able to feel other people's emotions isn't normal, but she's dealing with it. She has learned to avoid crowds and has even become popular among new mothers for her amazing ability to so accurately interpret their babies' needs. So it comes as no surprise that she is walking home, alone, through the woods, when she senses an intense blood-lust. Terrified, she runs and falls over a cliff only to be rescued by the dashing Nicholas.

After several whirlwind interactions, Julia finally realizes that there is something off about Nicholas. He's different every time she sees him and he's always on his way somewhere else, but he can be so sweet to her. When kids in her school start disappearing and Nicholas is all too familiar with the details, Julia begins to question everything she knows about him and the missing teens.

I can't really explain it well, but this book is best described as "foggy." There was so much that was unclear in this book, not just the storyline but the writing as well. It was so blasé that I couldn't really jive with it. While we get to know Julia quite well, as she is very self-aware, I felt like the other characters were empty. There was nothing to them or their plot-lines.

What I certainly missed in all of this was the fact that this was going to be a vampire book. That really irked me. I would have preferred an every day serial killer to vampires. The scenes were so familiar and yet so irritating. There was no comfort or enjoyment in this book for me.

In summation, this book just completely underwhelmed me. While I know there are people who have enjoyed this book, I am not among them. Although if you like alternative vampire lore, try it out.

Jump by Elisa Carbone

P.K. flat-out refuses to go to boarding school. Just because she ditches her boring classes at her stupid high school and spends more time climbing a rock wall and dreaming of being outdoors does not mean she is boarding school material. That's when she comes up with the great idea of running away with a climbing buddy to the Western wilds in search of primo rock. The downside is that none of her friends want to go with her.

That is until Critter comes bouldering her way in the rock gym. They make off the next morning and make their way out to the Red Rocks. Hooking up with another climber, they manage to put in a new route and start to make their way out of the canyon. That's when things get a little... complicated.

It turns out that Critter is on the run... from the cops... for breaking out of a mental hospital. P.K. and Critter have to decide if they can continue to trust one another and how far they are willing to go to preserve their freedom. There's only so much rock to be climbed and what will happen when they get to the top?

This was an amazing book! I spent a good part of my teenage years playing weekend excursioner by hiking and rock climbing and generally enjoying myself. This book appealed to my outdoorsy side. There is a lot of technical rock climbing speak used in the book, which may turn many people off, but I found it interesting and just as easy to skip over since it wasn't vital information.

P.K. was a typically disgruntled teenager with a free spirit. While I don't think running away is a smart idea, ever, I still admire her courage for seizing her opportunity at a life-long dream. Critter was a big old mess, but in a fun way. His brain, actions, and general demeanor were like a puzzle that every time I thought I was getting it all put together, another piece jumbled my plan. He was a real riot to watch evolve.

The storyline was quite amusing in that "highly improbable" way because the universe would have to be perfectly aligned for everything to go exactly how they needed it to in order for the story to work. Although, I like to think it's totally plausible. This is a nice read that I think is perfect for those looking for some outdoorsy fun, that they can safely do from their favorite reading spot. Enjoy!

This is What I Want to Tell You by Heather Duffy-Stone

Twins Nadio & Noelle has lived in the gatehouse on the professor's property all their lives. As children, they befriended Keeley, the daughter of the professor, and have been inseparable ever since. Keeley and Noelle have always been like two halves of the same person with matching mannerisms and behavior. Nadio was always along for the ride, but never up front and center stage.

After spending a summer all separated, the trio come back together to find that nothing is as is was when they left. Nadio spent his summer running alone and writing imaginary letters to his absentee father. Noelle found a new friend into new things and managed to fall hard for tattoo-covered fry cook Parker. Keeley is still reeling from her summer at Oxford and has an awful burden from that experience.

Each of these three are hiding the truth from one of the others and everything culminates when Nadio and Keeley admit that their feelings for one another are no longer strictly platonic. What will they do to persevere, what will they have to sacrifice to be happy, and can they all be happy together?

Heather Duffy-Stone has done an incredible job with this novel. Told in the alternating view points of the twins, This is What I Want to Tell You is unparalleled. I can't think of another book that handles this common and yet complex a situation. There are at least three different stories told in the narrative, but if you include the smaller characters, there are a few more. Each story has its own attributes and complexities and at the same time they're all standard issues that teens face every day. There's drugs, issues at school, peer pressure, sex, and heart ache at every corner.

I really felt as though I related to each of the characters on some level and that they were all meant to be recognizable. I'm sure you could place someone from your high school in each of these roles and better understand their situation. The writing style really lent itself to an omnipotent presence because when one chapter left off, the next picked up from a different point of view. I know that many books can accomplish this, but (for lack of a better explanation) this was just different.

The situations were believable, the characters superb, & the writing was, in a work, magical. I truly hope to see more from this writer. She knows her stuff well and if she can pull it off again, I'd place her in the same AMAZING category as Simone Elkeles & Jennifer Echols. While my library didn't own this one, I was able to InterLibrary Loan it from another institution. Let me reiterate, it was well worth it. Find out if your local library can do the same for you!

I leave you with a fabulous teaser quote from the book:

Why don't people ever see the way other kinds of love can wreck you? What about the way being left out of love can wreck you? p.148

Virgin Territory by James Lecesne

Virgin Territory explores the power of faith and our need to believe in miracles. Sixteen-year-old Dylan Flack is uprooted from his cozy life in New York City by the death of his mother of cancer the night before 9/11. He finds himself transplanted to Jupiter, Florida, and in the chaos of the move discovers that his father has lost their treasured collection of family photos. Dylan feels that he has begun to lose the memory of his mother's face, and without access to those pictures of their past together, each day stretches darkly into a future without hope.

Enter: the Virgin Club, a nomadic group of trailer kids whose mostly single parents drag them all over the country in search of sightings of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Although not looking for membership in any club, Dylan falls in love with their leader, Angela, who believes that change occurs in direct proportion to desire and the willingness to take risks. In a series of misadventures and brushes with the law in what Dylan comes to think of as "virgin territory," she teaches Dylan to risk a future without his favorite parent. Miraculously his newfound courage leads to a long overdue confession from his father that brings them closer together and catapults Dylan into a future that holds more promise.

From Amazon

So, yeah. I had a really hard time with this book. It sounded like an interesting premise about faith, redemption, love, and longing. That's what it was about, in the end, but the execution was very poor. I felt like the author was trying to make Dylan deeper than he really was and that all Dylan's crazy thinking was just a distraction from the non-story. The tone was so jumpy from one extreme to the next that I had a hard time keeping up. Not to mention that Angela just frustrated me beyond belief!! She was quite shallow and her actions spoke much louder about her motives and character than her words ever did.

Honestly, I'd have to say that unless you really want to try it, I'd pass on this book. It just wasn't my cup of tea. There is an audience for every book and unfortunately I did not fall into that category for this one.

The Education of Bet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Elizabeth "Bet" Smith has always been a lowly maid's daughter. She has known her station her whole life, but it has never prevented her from wishing for more. Living a comfortable life between family & servant in Grangefield Hall with Will Gardener & his Uncle, Bet has truly wanted for nothing; other than the education that Will doesn't desire.

After hearing of Will's dreams of military service, Bet hatches a fantastic plan. What if Will goes off to the military & Bet takes his place at the new school? As preposterous as it sounds, Bet manages to fool Will's Uncle and so Will goes along with the plan.

After splitting up at an inn, Bet continues on her way to Betterman Academy. School it turns out is nothing like Bet could have imagined. She has a roommate (the impropriety!!), the boys are raucous & cruel, and there are dances. Even harder to deal with than these things are the growing feelings Bet has for her roommate. What's a girl-disguised-as-a-boy to do?

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. While I could figure out the base storyline at the beginning of the book, I still enjoyed watching this particular version unfold. Bet was such a colorful and articulate character that I truly enjoyed watching her struggle to understand the behavior of those around her and the decisions she had to make regarding her own reactions. Will, while mostly absent from the main storyline, was quite entertaining as well. He was that rogue boy every girl dreams of during this time period. There was a little mystery to him, but really he just wanted to be himself.

The interactions of the characters were what made this book such a success! I could not imagine this book being pulled off nearly as well if the characters had been flat and unengaged. They all had their roles to play from the dashing rogue, to the bully, to the stern, silent type. Everyone dealt with each other in such a particular fashion that, even if the subject wasn't identified, you knew who was speaking or doing the action. That is a rare quality in a book that I truly enjoy & admire the author's ability to pull it off.

A wonderfully charming read, The Education of Bet is one that I feel deserves at least one read. Take a peek. I promise it'll be worth it.

My many thanks to Around the World Tours for loaning me this book.

No and Me by Delphine de Vigan

Lou Bertignac is super-duper smart. So smart, that she skipped two grades and is a veritable pariah. Her social skills are deeply lacking due to her overactive thought process and easy ability to get lost in a daydream of thought. Despite being petrified of public speaking, her professor has demanded her subject for her oral presentation. Lou mumbles something about homelessness and is off the hook. That is until she meets No.

No is a tough-as-nails street girl who took a liking to Lou. the girls begin to meet up on a regular basis to discuss the intricacies of being a young, homeless girl. No bounces between being defensive and overly-emotional as quickly as she bounces from the soup kitchen to a friend's couch. After watching her go through this, and after the presentation is done, Lou invites No to come live with Lou's family.

The girls learn a lot about many different things, but most importantly they learn about themselves. When No's past comes back to grab her, it will take all the girls have in common, and even the things that make them different, to keep her from slipping back into oblivion. With the help of trust school hunk Lucas, Lou & No just might be able to make both their hopes into reality.

Such a powerful novel! Delphine de Vigan has earned her awards for this little gem (Prix des Libraires 2008, Révélation Roman 2007 & Prix Littéraire du Rotary). There is such emotion and force behind not only the subject matter, but the characters. These girls feel so real to me. Lou was impeccably precocious and overly-intelligent for her age, and yet she maintained a sort of innocence. No was incredibly tragic, but stoic at the same time. She wanted to be able to trust someone enough to just let go, but her need for control made that very difficult.

This book was different from some other realistic fiction books that I've read primarily because it is French. As some of you may or may not know, my undergrad degree is in French & International Studies and I studied abroad in Angers, France for a semester. My love of the language, people, and culture is something that I carry with me every day and this book just took to my heart. Homelessness is a very large problem in France and what this book did was take a taboo subject and bring it to the forefront. Mme de Vigan is poetic and unafraid to tackle difficult subject matter. For that I say "Bravo." If your French is a little rusty, don't fret, this fantastic book is coming stateside in early August. Be sure to check it out! I leave you with a small snippet of Mme de Vigan's poetic words.

"And our silence is filled with all the world's impotence. Our silence is like the return to the origin of things, their true state." p.51 of the uncorrected advance proof.

Thanks to Around the World Tours for the opportunity to read this fabulous book!

Swoon at Your Own Risk by Sydney Salter

Polly Martin has no problem attracting guys. Her problem lies in keeping them. In the last year alone she has won and lost Jack, Gareth, Sawyer, Hayden, and Kurt. Some of them were very brief relationships (does hooking up on a trip constitute dating?) and some were a little longer. The main thing they all had in common was that Polly chose to emulate whatever her current guy was interested in. Thus landing her a summer job working under Sawyer at a lowly cowboy-themed water park, unsure of what she really wants, unsure of who she really is, and swearing off guys.

On top of all her dating drama, Polly worries about the fact that her mother has to take a part time job as a food angel to help pay the bills, her grandmother (the love advice columnist Miss Swoon) is moving in with them, and her decimated relationship with her father and little sister. Even with all this going on, Polly still manages to catch the eye of geek turned hottie Xander Cooper. Will she be able to wrestle her own issues into submission so she can enjoy Xander or will Polly simply retreat and hide?

Swoon at Your Own Risk is an odd little story that jumps around a lot. Not only do you jump from stories about ex-boyfriend #1 to ex-boyfriend #5, but there is also some seriously extra nonsense. There was so much drama going on between family members, friends, and co-workers that I was having trouble keeping up. Many of the characters I thought were minor, turned out to be pretty important to understand the plotline and then others that were given some serious spotlight fizzled.

The writing was fine and I really did enjoy a) the column entries from Miss Swoon, b) the blog articles from a co-worker (I've only seen a blog used effectively in one other book, Stalker Girl), and c) the poetry-like snippits from Xander's journal. All of these pieces added depth to an otherwise shallow story. I have to admit that many of the events seem improbable at best. I honestly can't believe that someone can get so many "extra chances" to improve performance at a job. Sorry.

In general, this was a fluffy read that was only mildly enjoyable. If you like drama and gossip, this book is good for that, but not really much else.

This book was graciously provided by Around the World Tours.

Queen of Secrets by Jenny Meyerhoff

Queen of Secrets by Jenny Meyerhoff was supplied by Around the World Tours and is set to be released June 22, 2010.

Esther "Essie" Green is ecstatic to be a sophomore on the cheerleading squad! She's been dreaming of getting to do this for quite some time and believes that it will help her place in the high school hierarchy immensely. She's starting to learn her place when she gets a shock: her cousin, Micah is on the football team. As if that's not bad enough, Micah is quite staunch in his religious beliefs and wears his kippah even while playing football. Essie is mortified, until she realizes that no one knows they are related. She decides to keep that a secret, so it won't hurt her chances of moving up in station.

As the school year progresses, the football team members continue to pick on Micah for being "weird" and even manage to toilet-paper his house. Essie doesn't know what to do with herself. On the one hand, she has gained popularity and even attracted the attention of her longtime crush Austin, but at what cost? Is getting to be popular and feeling overly-cherished more important than standing up for what's right?

I really wanted to like this book. I really did. I went in thinking that this was an interesting premise (especially with the religious element) and that I could really get behind it, but I found this book lacked a lot. The characters were very... predictable. Almost cliché actually. There didn't seem to be any real emotion behind the characters' actions other than jealousy and guilt.

While I did enjoy watching Essie grow as a person, I felt it took way too long. The story was just dragging along waiting for her to finally make up her scattered mind about what she wanted to do. Micah was the only character that I felt I could really relate to and that I cared about at all. Essie was just too flippant and self-absorbed, up until the end. The cookie-cutter friends were pretty much absent and I felt like they were just filler as no significant action really happened with them.

If you want a simple, light, predictable read, then this is great for that. There were some funny moments and there were some intriguing thoughts, but there was no real depth. Questions are answered almost immediately, so there is very little suspense. Give it a shot though, you may like it better than I did.