P.S. I Still Love You—Jenny Han

Title: P.S. I Still Love You
Author: Jenny Han
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2015
Pages: 337 p.
Source: Library
Compensation: None
Read: April 2017

Jenny Han’s P.S. I Still Love You

We were introduced to Lara Jean in To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and her story continues in this sequel. The last thing Lara expected when she and Peter pretended to be dating was that she and Peter would actually wind up liking each other. But that’s exactly what happened. Everything’s going great until people from both of their pasts start to intervene. Is it possible for Lara to go from having no real boyfriends to being in love with TWO boys at once?

I enjoyed this one just as much as the first book. This was definitely more focused on Lara’s love life than her family life, but her family still played a large role in the story. I was SUPER glad I had the ARC of the third book in the series so I didn’t have to wait for it. Definite read for fans of the first book!

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Never Always Sometimes--Adi Alsaid

Title: Never Always Sometimes

Author: Adi Alsaid
Publisher: Harlequin Teen, 2015
Pages: 320 p.
Source: Library e-book (I think)
Compensation: None
Read: November 2015 (I think)

Adi Alsaid's Never Always Sometimes

I almost forgot to review this book. Not because it wasn't good. Not because I didn't like it. I just simply forgot to put it on my Goodreads... And when you go months with just reading and not reviewing, well, you need to rely on your Goodreads to help you remember what you've read! From the gap in my log I am guessing that I read this in November. I am also guessing that it was an e-book since I seem to be reading a lot of e-books lately. I'm pretty sure I forgot to list it because I read it so quickly.

Anyway, I enjoyed Adi Alsaid's first book, Let's Get Lost, when I reviewed it for VOYA. I enjoyed this one too. Told in alternating chapters, Never Sometimes Always tells the story of best friends Dave and Julia who have decided in their senior year to do all the cliche things they promised they wouldn't. The only problem is that Dave is already doing one of the biggest things--falling in secret love with his best friend. He's pined for her since he met her but was always safely in the friend zone. Crossing things off the cliche list is presenting him with new opportunities--but sometimes you need to be careful what you wish for.

This was a really quick read for me. I liked Dave and I liked Julia (as oblivious as she was) and even though I have no official record of reading this, it has stayed with me. I remember staying up late into the night to finish. I'd recommend it to older YA readers (this is not a tween book) and look forward to Alsaid's future stories.

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Carry On--Rainbow Rowell

Title: Carry On
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: St. Martin's, 2015
Pages: 522 p.
Source: Library e-book
Compensation: None
Read: Dec 2015

Rainbow Rowell's Carry On

Simon Snow made his first appearance in Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl as the subject of Cath's fan fiction. Very reminiscent of Harry Potter and the Hogwarts magical universe, this book tells Snow's story as the chosen one destined to defeat the evil Humdrum. Unfortunately Snow is not a very good chosen one. His spells don't work right, he often doesn't know what to do, and he's more focused on his nemesis Baz than the actual Humdrum. He should be having a great final year at his wizard school--Watford School of Magics--but instead he's having problems with his perfect girlfriend, feeling distant from his father-figure school head, and he can't stop thinking about Baz.

Carry On has plenty of magic and monsters and supernatural things, but at it's heart it's a love story between two very unlikely people. Anyone who ever read Harry Potter fanfic (particularly the Harry/Draco plots) will love this book. Carry On was the name of Cath's story in Fangirl, but this book is not written by her (or by the author of the Simon Snow series in that world). This is Rowell's story inspired by her own work. It's not necessary to have read Fangirl to appreciate Carry On. The story itself is entertaining, especially to fantasy fans, but as usual it's Rowell's characters who make us come back for more. Simon is the main character, but Baz is the most complex and interesting and proof that everyone is not always show they seem to be.

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Heat of the Moment--Lauren Barnholdt

Title: Heat of the Moment
Author: Lauren Barnholdt
Publisher: Harper Teen, 2015
Pages: 304 p.
Source: VOYA
Compensation: None

High school senior Lyla McAfee has her whole senior trip to Florida planned out perfectly. She plans on losing her virginity to her boyfriend of two years (a plan mentioned four times in the first two pages), but first she needs to get there. She misses the school sponsored bus to the airport, so Lyla hops on the back of a motorcycle belonging to a classmate she barely knows so she can make it to the airport on time. She would not normally do that, but as a freshman she had scheduled an email to repeatedly be sent to herself as a senior (over the course of one day) saying, "Before graduation, I will… learn to trust." Lyla manages to get on the plane but the weekend does not go quite as she planned it. Her boyfriend is annoyed that she rode with another guy, she's rooming with ex-friends she has not spoken to in years, and the motorcycle guy keeps popping up in her life.

Lyla is not a particularly likable character. She is unforgiving; a trait that causes her to lie and try to cover up her own actions. She is concerned with trusting other people, but she is not very trustworthy herself. She does come to realize her mistakes by the end of the story and there is hope that she will mature in the next two books in this planned trilogy. This is a good addition to large teen collections with insatiable romance readers.

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The Bridge from Me to You--Lisa Schroeder

Title: The Bridge from Me to You
Author: Lisa Schroeder
Publisher: Scholastic, 2014
Pages: 336 p.
Source: VOYA & Publisher sent a copy separately
Compensation: none

I received a copy of this book to review for VOYA and then a few days later I got another copy randomly mailed to me from Scholastic. I guess the universe really wanted me to read this book.

Lauren is the new girl in a small town that revolves around its high school football team. It’s unclear at first why her mother has abandoned her, forcing her to live with her uncle and his family, and whether or not she deserves it. She has found a loving family with them but she is afraid it will not last and that nothing will work out for her. Colby is the high school football star being recruited by top ivy league schools who secretly wants to stop playing football and study bridges. To stop playing football would disappoint his father, so he keeps his wishes hidden and tries to do right by everybody else. When Lauren and Colby meet they both sense a kindred spirit and a chance at happiness.

The Bridge From Me to You is classified as a romance book but it is so much more. Lauren and Colby’s romance is sweet and slow, but it takes a backseat to larger themes of family and strength and finding one’s self. Lauren must deal with her issues with her mother before she can truly commit to a relationship with Colby, likewise Colby has to face his father. The author lets them work out these issues and develop a friendship instead of jumping into insta-love. The novel is written in alternating chapters of poetry (Lauren) and prose (Colby) that serve the story well. It is a very quick engrossing read that Sarah Dessen fans will appreciate.

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Better off Friends--Elizabeth Eulberg

Title: Better off Friends
Author: Elizabeth Eulberg
Publisher: Point (Scholastic), 2014
Pages: 278 p
Source: Publisher
Compensation: None

I get a lot of my books from the library and VOYA, but I'll also get books randomly mailed to me. Quite a few wind up being too juvenile so I skip them since I never actually asked for them. But once in a while I'm sent something that actually looks promising and YA. This is one of those books.

11-year old Macallan has had her world flipped upside down when her mom dies and is looking forward to the distraction of schoolwork. Levi is the new homesick kid in school looking for his first friend. Macallan is not really interested in anything with Levi until she discovers they both love an obscure British television show. They bond over the show and instantly become best friends. The older they get the harder it is to remain best friends when other relationships and love interfere. 

The book starts out with Macallan and Levi speaking directly to the reader, each with a different font, to set up the story. They continue speaking to the reader after each chapter. The chapters alternate Macallan's point of view with Levi's. Besides the font change, they each have distinctive voices and it's easy to tell who is narrating the chapter. Eulberg has done a good job of distinguishing her characters without resorting to simply using crass language for the boy's perspective. We're able to see both sides of the story so we don't automatically sympathize with one or the other. 

I've said before that I'm not much of a romance reader. I don't mind it if it's part of a larger story but if it's pretty much just pure romance it doesn't keep my interest. This book was different-- it is a romance, but it's about friendships and family and so much more. Better off Friends is funny and interesting and a good addition to any YA collection.

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The Chapel Wars--Lindsey Leavitt

Title: The Chapel Wars
Author: Lindsey Leavitt
Publisher: Bloomsbury, 2014.
Pages: 292 p.
Source: VOYA
Compensation: None

Holly has always been the responsible hard working grandchild, but it is still surprising when Grandpa Jim’s will leaves the 16 year old his wedding chapel. Equally as surprising is the letter she is supposed to hand deliver to a boy who just happens to be the grandson of her grandfather’s rival chapel owner and sworn enemy. Not at all surprising is that Holly falls in love with Dax and the two must hide their Shakespearean romance from their families. 

Lindsey Leavitt has written a funny, touching story of dysfunctional families and a loving grandfather’s last attempt at fixing things. Holly is the perfect example of a leader. She makes hard decisions for the company, even if they go against her personal wishes, and she does so with strength and grace. She may be confused and lost on the inside, but she still takes control of the family business and they trust her decisions. A good mix of funny and sad, the romance is just enough to be entertaining but not too much to overshadow the main story. Leavitt waits until the very last page before revealing Grandpa Jim’s letter to Dax, a strategy that works perfectly for our appreciation of the book. In a world of trilogies, The Chapel Wars stands alone as a funny, realistic, heartfelt novel that teens of all ages will enjoy.

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The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers--Lynn Weingarten

Title: The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers
Author: Lynn Weingarten
Publisher: HarperTeen, 2011.
Pages: 352 p.
Source: VOYA
Compensation: None

Lucy starts her sophomore year with a plan—to lose her virginity to her boyfriend Alex. Alex also starts the year with a plan—to break up with Lucy. Embarrassed and broken hearted Lucy meets up with three strange classmates who claim to be able to heal her heart but only if she can get a guy to fall in love with her and break HIS heart within seven days. At first Lucy balks at the plan, but then she gets the brilliant idea that she will use the magic the girls promise her to get Alex to fall in love with her again and hold on to him for good. Things do not quite work out the way she plans in this paranormal romance.

Although the backdrop of the book is magical, Lucy learns some real life lessons as well. She starts the week very naïve and insecure, but by the end of the seven days she has realized that love does not mean being someone’s biggest fan and always trying to please him. Lucy becomes a much more independent and powerful girl. The story starts slow but picks up speed quickly and the three girls—the sisterhood—are interesting characters. They are much more mature than Lucy and their lack of parental involvement leads to a lot of drinking, cursing and late hours. Nothing is out of character and the language makes sense for the story, but it makes this a definite teen and not tween book.

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The Goddess Test--Aimee Carter

Title: The Goddess Test
Author: Aimee Carter
Publisher: Harlequin Teen, expected date April 19, 2011
Pages: 304 p
Source: Netgalley courtesy of Harlequin Teen
Compensation: None

I requested this as an eGalley through the wonderful Netgalley website and was lucky enough to be approved. The only downside is that now I have to wait even longer for the sequel to come out since this one isn't supposed to be released until April 19, 2011.

There have been a slew of "paranormal romance" books lately thanks to the success of Twilight. It's hard to find one that hasn't been done before. Vampires and werewolves have been making the rounds for a long LONG time. Luckily though, every once in a while someone comes up with a different story. Aimee Carter has done that with The Goddess Test.

The Goddess Test opens up with a curious prologue that immediately sets the mysterious tone--Henry and Diana are examining a young dead girl and questioning why the girls keep failing and dying. Attention is switched to the main story with 18 year old Kate driving her dying mother to her childhood home. Kate is only interested in prolonging her mother's life and spending as much time with her as she can, but she's reluctantly drawn into high school drama. Things turn ugly when she agrees to go to a party with another high school girl Ava, who winds up dying. A mysterious man--Henry--appears and offers her a chance to revive her friend but only if she will agree to his proposal. Shocked and traumatized, Kate agrees to spend six months of the year with him, like the Greek Persephone myth.

It is nearly impossible to write a good summary of this book without spoiling all of the wonderful twists and turns.

Kate is a strong sympathetic character. She's had a rough life, caring for her ailing mother for most of her teen years. It's made her appreciate other people's lives, even if she's not overly open to friendships. All of Kate's actions are understandable and make sense for her character. The inevitable romance between Henry and Kate begins slowly and builds up deliciously until we are rooting for Henry as much as for Kate. The story is not all romance though, there's mystery and mythology as well. The Goddess Test is very well written and completely engaging. It is most definitely an engrossing page-turner (or the equivalent on an iPad) that is hard to put down. I'm anxiously awaiting the sequel (and hoping I can read that one early too!).
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Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover--Ally Carter

When I was a kid I loved Wonder Woman. I still do. That's why even though I blinked, I didn't really hesitate to drop $30 on a Wonder Woman action figure my daughter can actually play with. When I was a young adult (in the true sense of the word--in my 20s) I transferred that adoration to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And then when Buffy was gone I found Veronica Mars. Do you see a pattern?

I like strong girls.

Naturally then, I LOVE the Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter (she *is* a YA Author You Need to Read, you know.) The first one was "I'd Tell You I Love You, But then I'd Have to Kill You", the second was "Cross My Heart & Hope to Spy". I don't why it took me so long to get to the 3rd one in the series, but I'll blame my children.

I thought that finishing up the Gallagher Girls series would be the perfect followup to the Hunger Games series... something fun and light and fluffy. I was wrong. It's still fun, but in "Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover" Carter has taken the series to the next step. It's not a light, fluffy, beach read. It's more real. In the first two books the biggest problem was boys. Sure, the girls were in spy school and had to learn how to, you know, be spies, but it was trying to figure out boys that really gave them headaches. In the latest books, the girls are dealing with real life espionage, kidnapping and danger on top of mixed signals from boys.

In the 3rd book in the series, Cammie and her roommate Macey are in Boston watching Macey's father accept the nomination for Vice President of the United States. They wind up the target of kidnappers and must use their special spy skills to save themselves. They spend the rest of their junior year trying to figure out who the kidnappers were and why they were targeted. What they discover surprises them.

Carter has added depth to the characters as well as beginning a story arc giving the girls an enemy and making their work more meaningful. There's lots of adventure, humor, suspense, and a little bit of romance making this a must read.
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The Vast Fields of Ordinary--Nick Burd

The Vast Fields of Ordinary seems like your typical romance story. The main character is obsessed with a boy who is mean and verbally abusive but doesn't realize it until a nice sympathetic boy enters the picture. But this story is far from typical or ordinary.

Dade Hamilton is 18 years old and struggling with his homosexuality, his parents' crumbling marriage, and the disappearance of a young girl that deeply affects him. For most of his formative years he has been in "love" with Pablo--a boy who uses him sexually but hides their relationship from his girlfriend, friends and family. Pablo can't deal with his own feelings and lashes out at Dade all while demanding that Dade be willing and able to satisfy his needs. Dade finally decides he's had enough when he meets Alex Kincaid. Alex is slightly older and is also troubled--he sells marijuana--but is nonetheless the nice boy that Dade needs. Alex is caring and loving and shows Dade that he deserves to be treated with respect.

At the same time that Dade is finding himself, his parents are losing themselves. His father admits his infidelity, his mother copes with alcohol and pills, and neither one of them is truly there for Dade. But when he needs them the most, they come through for him. Their reaction to his homosexuality is both believable and genuine. They are surprised but not shocked. Disappointed but not devastated.

Nick Burd treats the homosexual aspect of the story realistically and with respect. Dade, Pablo and Alex are not stereotypes. They are real characters coming of age in a difficult situation.

The Vast Fields of Ordinary is a touching story of a boy's first real romance. This story could easily be boy-girl-boy. The fact that all characters are the same gender is not a HUGE deal. And that's kind of nice.

Breaking Dawn--Stephanie Meyer

I don't think Meyer will ever be able to match what she had with Twilight. I enjoyed New Moon and then the series started to lose it with Eclipse. And now we have Breaking Dawn. Twilight was just so GOOD. Breaking Dawn is, well, okay.

I read it quickly because I wanted to see how it all ended. I liked it better than most of my friends did. But there were problems. I'm not sure how I can go into them without spoiling the book. Let's just say the major plot points of this book felt like a cop-out to me. It felt like she didn't have a vision when she started the series, didn't anticipate the success, and she was grasping at straws at the end.

I enjoyed the book in the sense that I had heard so many negative things about it from my friends, that I thought it was going to royally suck. And when it didn't suck, I was pleasantly surprised. I think it's a must-read to conclude the series, but it's a bit disappointing.

Cross my Heart and Hope to Spy--Ally Carter

Sequel to I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You, this one is not *quite* as fun, but it's still entertaining and definitely leaves you wanting to read more stories. There's romance, spy-stuff, and loads of references to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. There was one sentence with both Buffy AND Veronica Mars and my head almost exploded! Lots of girl power. Good book.

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I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You--Ally Carter

Loved this book! This was just the right amount of fluff with substance that I needed. It's "romance" but there's enough adventure and other stuff in there to keep me interested. It takes place at an all-girls spy school. How cool is that? You can find a summary on Amazon. I don't have the time to write it out for you. I would definitely recommend it! Great read.

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