Review: The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh

Title: The Beautiful Series: The Beautiful #1 Written by: Renee Ahdieh Published: October 8, 2019 by G.P. Putnam Books for Young Readers (Penguin Group) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans provides her a refuge after she's forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent along with six other girls, Celine quickly becomes enamored with the vibrant city from the music to the food to the soirées and—especially—to the danger. She soon becomes embroiled in the city's glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group's leader, the enigmatic Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in the lair of La Cour des Lions, Celine battles her attraction to him and suspicions about Sébastien's guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret. When more bodies are discovered, each crime more gruesome than the last, Celine and New Orleans become gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose—one Celine is sure has set her in his sights . . . and who may even be the young man who has stolen her heart. As the murders continue to go unsolved, Celine takes matters into her own hands and soon uncovers something even more shocking: an age-old feud from the darkest creatures of the underworld reveals a truth about Celine she always suspected simmered just beneath the surface. At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful.

I really enjoy Renee Ahdieh's writing so when I heard she was coming out with a book about vampires set in New Orleans I was so excited to read it. And then I was even more excited to get a copy at ALA in June. And while the writing was beautiful and the concept is fantastic but it didn’t quite deliver on what I was hoping for.

One thing that I did like about this book is Renee’s writing. I have red all her books and she is an incredibly descriptive writer. Everything really comes to life in her books. In this case she is taking New Orleans in the 1870’s and adding supernatural elements. I remember going to New Orleans and hearing all the stories about ghosts, vampires, and witches so it made for the perfect setting for a book like this. And while I don’t know that there was a real feeling of time and place, I do feel like the setting was lush and engaging.

However, the plot was a little lacking for me. There really could have been a fantastic murder mystery to this book but it just didn’t deliver on that. I felt like the main character wasn’t really trying to figure out who was responsible for what happened. She was just sort of on the periphery of what was going on. I wish she had been much more involved in everything. When it comes down to it, this just felt like a serious case of first book syndrome when it came to the plot.

I think my biggest issue is that I am realizing how hard I am to please when it comes to books about vampires. To be honestX I really cannot handle the dramatic irony involved in most of the stories that involves vampires. I know there are vampires, and the characters do not so they look obtuse and it gets in the way of me liking them and the book.

And as far as the characters go, I think think they other thing that I didn’t love was the romance. This really felt like a throwback to an mid-2000’s YA with the romance. Not only did we have a love triangle but it was with two guys who were former best friends turned rivals who are obsessed with this girl after first meeting her. See what I mean about it all being a throwback? It just felt so trope-y and that really is not my thing. If it played with and attempted to subvert the tropes I would be here for it but it bought into them too much for my taste.

On the whole, I didn't enjoy The Beautiful as much as I was expecting. I know a ton of people loved this book, it just wasn’t for me. I wanted more from the plot and less from the romance. I think I am just the black sheep here.

I give The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh 7.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. If you are a fan of supernatural romances and are looking for something with a throwback YA vibe then check this out. But if you want a dark and gothic adventure and mystery, look elsewhere.

Have you read The Beautiful? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Review: From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon

Title: From Twinkle, with Love Written by: Sandhya Menon Published: May 22, 2018 by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: An aspiring teen filmmaker finds her voice and falls in love in this delightful romantic comedy from the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi.  Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy-a.k.a. Sahil's twin brother? Dream come true x 2.   When mystery man N begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it's Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only slightly inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she's fallen madly in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil. Twinkle soon realizes that resistance is futile: The romance she's got is not the one she's scripted. But will it be enough? Told through the letters  Twinkle writes to her favorite female filmmakers, From Twinkle, with Love navigates big truths about friendship, family, and the unexpected places love can find you.

I loved When Dimple Met Rishi, and I am picky about contemporary romances, so when I saw she had a knew book I instantly added it to me TBR. So when I was looking for a new audiobook from the library I saw this one and snagged it. And I am really glad I did because this was a fantastic contemporary romance.

What surprised me most about this book was the romance. You guys know me, I am a cold-hearted romancephobe who is really hard to win over in the ship department. But this book won me over. For one thing it's a fantastic slowburn. The relationship between Twinkle and Sahil takes the entire book to really develop. When it starts , all it is is a crush from Sahil but the more time they spend together the more you can see how much Twinkle likes him. And honestly I just wanted to shake her and make her realizes that the guy she is looking for is right there. But the best part for me is that it wasn't perfect. They both make mistakes and end up screwing things up, which made the relationship feel even more realistic and enjoyable for me.

But so much of this book was about relationships and that expended beyond the romance. Both characters had interesting family dynamics where they felt like they weren't seen an appreciated by their family which connected them even more to one another and to each other. I could completely relate to Sahil in particular and the fact that he felt like he was living in his brother's shadow. I know Sahil isn't a middle child but he definitely had that feel. And for Twinkle, the struggle with her friendships was the most relateable. For her, a lot of what she is doing is because she's trying to win back her former best friend who is now much more popular that here. She wants to be cool but at the same time, I like she didn't sacrifice her identity and interests to do that. She felt very realistic and that is what made me like her.

While I wouldn't really call this a coming-of-age story, I do feel like there were some really good elements of that to this book. For both Twinkle and Sahil they want to be seen and appreciated for who they are and what they are interested in. Twinkle definitely has good character development throughout the book though. In the course of creating this film and working with people who she thinks look down on her she realizes that she is the one not giving them a chance. Twinkle is like that episode of 30 Rock where Liz Lemon goes to her 20 year reunion only to find out she was a bully and not the sassy unpopular girl she thought she was. But unlike Liz Lemon, she realizes the error of her ways and grows from it.

The only thing I didn't love about this book, however, was the format. It sounded like a fun concept at first, to be writing diary entries to the female directors that she admires, but overtime I just became frustrated with it. Each chapter starting with "Dear Ava DuVernay" or "Dear Sophia Coppola" became a distraction for me. It would pull me out of the book sometimes even making me wonder who the person was she was writing to. Maybe it wasn't that much of a big deal if you read the book but with the audio, it was kind of an issue for me. But honestly, that was just a small personal complaint.

On the whole, this was a really good book. It was a cute contemporary romance with a good relationship and realistic characters you wanted to see succeed. There was good character growth and complex relationships beyond just the romance. Which honestly is all I look for in a contemporary novel.

I give From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you are a fan of contemporary romances and have not read Sandhya Menon you need to change that. And if you aren't a fan of the genre but are looking for one to read then I would still recommend it.

Have you read From Twinkle, with Love? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Girl at the Grave by Teri Bailey Blake

Title: Girl at the Grave Written by: Terri Bailey Blake Published: August 7, 2018 by Tor Teen (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Early Libba Bray meets Stalking Jack the Ripper and William Ritter’s Jackaby series in this richly atmospheric Gothic tale of murder and romance in 1850s New England  Valentine has spent years trying to outrun her mother's legacy. But small towns have long memories, and when a new string of murders occurs, all signs point to the daughter of a murderer.  Only one person believes Valentine is innocent—Rowan Blackshaw, the son of the man her mother killed all those years ago. Valentine vows to find the real killer, but when she finally uncovers the horrifying truth, she must choose to face her own dark secrets, even if it means losing Rowan in the end.  Debut author Terri Bailey Black unearths the long-buried secrets of a small New England town in this richly atmospheric Gothic tale of murder, guilt, redemption, and finding love where least expected..

When I first heard about this book I immediately knew I needed to read it. It's such a me book. A historical mystery set in New England? Yes, please. So I was completely excited when Tor approved my request on Netgalley. And while this was an interesting and atmospheric read perfect for fall, I didn't love it.

One thing that I did like was the setting. I am a complete sucker for books that take place in New England. I live in New England and I love it so much so when I find books that take place here that capture the spirit and atmosphere of New England I am all for it. This book definitely did that. It didn't lean to hard into it either. I'm not sure it had a distinctly New England feel but it had the vibe and felt familiar. It had an atmosphere that I loved. The other great thing about the setting is the small town aspect of the story. Mysteries are perfect in small town settings because everyone knows everyone and is in one another's business which makes suspects out of so many people. And this was definitely an interesting small town where that was the case.

The only thing about the setting that I didn't love was the historical aspect. I was super pumped to read a historical mystery because it is one of my favorite subgenres. However, this book was just a mystery with a historical setting. In my opinion, if you are going to write a historical novel you need to root the story in history. It doesn't have to be about a specific event but it should feel like the time period. This book just felt timeless and that's not really a good thing. Sometimes I would forget it was not set in the modern era and then they would talk about carriages. I don't know if it was a lack or research or just lack of historical grounding. I think the author should have just leaned into the historical setting more than she did.

The plot however was kind of hit or miss for me. I will say, I loved the mystery. It was a really fantastic mystery with lots of things that unfolded throughout the book. This is one of those mysteries where I suspect everyone at one point or another so I am able to figure out who the culprit is but their motives and what actually happened didn't get revealed until the end which I liked. However, there was so much focus on the romance in this book. There's one very small mention about finding love in the synopsis but it was definitely a big part of the plot. Which wouldn't have been that big a deal if I liked the romance, but I didn't. It was a love triangle that annoyed me so much because the character kept changing her mind. But then again, I am hard to please when it comes to romance.

As far as the characters, they were fine but didn't impress me much. Valentine is a fine protagonist and is relatively easy to sympathize with. She's the town outcast and I can feel compassion for her in that respect and I wanted her to solve the mystery but throughout the book she got very frustrating. For one thing she kept thinking she figured everything out and was always wrong. After awhile I stopped trusting her and that is never the good thing in a mystery protagonist. And then there is the romance. Because seriously, both romantic leads were not likable. Maybe I kept them at arms length because I suspected them of being involved in the murder in some way, or maybe they just weren't my find of characters but either way, I was not a fan. But it's kind of the name of the game when it comes to mysteries when you suspect everyone of murder.

All in all this was an okay read, but not the book I was hoping for. It had a good setting and an engaging mystery but there was way too much romance and I didn't connect with the characters. I wanted to love it, but sadly I did not.

I give Girl at the Grave by Teri Bailey Black 7.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow/Bypass. If you are a fan of historical romances and want one with a good mystery then check this book out but I would not really recommend it to anyone who doesn't like romances.

Have you read Girl at the Grave? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Cold Summer by Gwen Cole

Title: Cold Summer Written by: Gwen Cole Published: May 2, 2017 by Sky Pony Press (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Today, he’s a high school dropout with no future.  Tomorrow, he’s a soldier in World War II.  Kale Jackson has spent years trying to control his time-traveling ability but hasn’t had much luck. One day he lives in 1945, fighting in the war as a sharpshooter and helplessly watching soldiers—friends—die. Then the next day, he’s back in the present, where WWII has bled into his modern life in the form of PTSD, straining his relationship with his father and the few friends he has left. Every day it becomes harder to hide his battle wounds, both physical and mental, from the past.  When the ex-girl-next-door, Harper, moves back to town, thoughts of what could be if only he had a normal life begin to haunt him. Harper reminds him of the person he was before the PTSD, which helps anchor him to the present. With practice, maybe Kale could remain in the present permanently and never step foot on a battlefield again. Maybe he can have the normal life he craves.  But then Harper finds Kale’s name in a historical article—and he’s listed as a casualty of the war. Kale knows now that he must learn to control his time-traveling ability to save himself and his chance at a life with Harper. Otherwise, he’ll be killed in a time where he doesn’t belong by a bullet that was never meant for him.

This sounded like a really interesting book that is totally up my alley. I'm a sucker for time travel books and books set during WWII, plus I love the idea of the book exploring PTSD. And while this was an interesting read, it never took things to the next level.

As far as the plot goes, it was interesting but a little basic. To be entirely honest I'm not entirely sure what the main plot of this book was. I didn't even really know what it was building to until it was over. I think maybe for me this was probably a case of less is more, or more is less. because there was a lot going on here and none of it got much of the attention it really deserved.

One of those things in this book that I wish had a little more attention was the time travel aspect. It was really interesting, and a unique time travel story, but I felt like it really only touched the surface. Some of the more interesting things about this book was why and how the character was able to travel back to the future. But I wanted to learn more about that and see more about it but the author didn't give that to me. I would say that this aspect of the story is what I would call the world-building. And this world-building where they leave you with a lot of questions because it's trying to show instead of tell but only ends up info-dumping the basic info. I liked the time travel I just wanted more.

That is also how I felt about the historical aspects of the story. I like time travel so much, I think, because I like historical fiction. I like bringing a modern character into a historical period for their take on the time. And I was really excited about the World War II story. I was interested to see a stark and serious take on what it was like to being in battle. And yes, there were some of those aspects but it felt like it was only in the beginning. Mostly these parts were few and far between and I wanted more.

But this book is pitched as a Time Travelers Wife kind of a story, so of course we have to talk about the romance. This is probably the part of the book I am most torn about it. I mean I liked it, so I guess that should be a good sign because I don't always like romances. It was definitely cute. I think the thing I liked was that it's subtle. It's a subtle kind of romance. Not quite a slow burn, but not fast or instalove either. I honestly didn't know how I felt until the end when I wanted things to go a certain way. I guess that's a good thing. The romance did what it was supposed to do, it hooked me.

But I may have liked the romance because I liked the characters. They weren't anything extraordinary, but they were likeable. The book alternates perspectives between Harper and Kale. I think at the beginning I liked Kale better. He was the one travelling back in time and I found myself wanting to read his chapters more. But then as the books when on I actually grew to like Harper. I think she had pretty good development as she was getting acclimated to her new life and relationships. But in general I liked them both even though there wasn't much character development.

All and all this is an interesting read but I think it just had too much going on. It's a short read but I kind of wish it was a little longer so that we got more from the time travel and historical elements.

I give Cold Summer by Gwen Cole 7.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. If you are a fan of YA romances and are looking for a Time travel romance then pick this one up. But if you are looking for a complex time travel adventure there are probably other books that will be more up your alley. I do think that it was a little too little going from a lot of different things for me.

Have you read Cold Summer? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Title: The Unexpected Everything Written by: Morgan Matson Published: May 31, 2016 by Bloomsbury (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Andie had it all planned out.  When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future.  Important internship? Check.  Amazing friends? Check.  Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks).  But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life.  Because here’s the thing—if everything’s planned out, you can never find the unexpected.  And where’s the fun in that?

This was really adorable with great characters and the perfect combination with serious and lighthearted. But then again what do you expect from a Morgan Matson book. This is only my second book by the author but I have really loved the way she balances romance and life. It's realistic and entertaining and The Unexpected Everything was no exception.

First things first I actually really loved the romance here. This is high praise from me, because most of you know I am romancephobic and I don't usually like contemporary romances. But Morgan Matson just does them so well. In this book, it's not quite a slowburn but it wasn't insta-love either. The characters had to work at it and take their time to get together and stay together. It felt realistic and engaging. Plus when they were together it was fantastic with some really great kissing scenes. It was a cute YA romance perfect for summer.

But that wasn't the only great relationship here. There was a really fantastic family relationship here with Andie and her father who haven't spent so much time together since Andie's mom died. Despite some challenging moments they develop a really close relationship. I apprteciated that they fought but they cared and supported each other. I liked seeing her and her dad getting to know each other again. Then you have Andie's friends who are tight-knit and devoted to one another but still fight. Matson does a great job in making the relationships engaging and relatable.

But that's exactly how I would refer to these characters as well. Andie was a great character as she's going through a bit of period of change and growth. There's something simple and realistic about her characterization. Same thing with Clark, the romantic lead. He was pretty adorkable but very easily could have been a nerdy caricature but he wasn't. He was was likable and interesting. Morgan's characterization makes the characters come alive and feel like people you know and people you want to be friends with. It's one of the best things about her contemporaries, the characters feel so genuine and that helps you connect with the story.

This might seem on the longer side for a YA and especially a contemporary romance but it's compulsively readable and doesn't feel like it's over 500 pages. This is only my second Matson book but I'm definitely impressed with how she balances fun and humorous moments with serious and complicated things that life can throw at us. It built to a really complex ending where you could feel the drama and everything going completely wrong. Along the way it is incredibly well-paced and I was so engaged in reading it. It's a fast and entertaining story that I wanted to keep reading.

On the whole this was a great summer read with a great romance, likable and relatable characters, and a story that is serious and fun. I loved it and it is definitely making me think that perhaps I should read some more of the author's books.

I give The Unexpected Everything 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you are a Morgan Matson and/or a YA contemporary romance fan and you have not read this book you should totally get on that. It's a great summer read with great characters and a plot that balances fun with more serious moments, like all great contemporaries.

Have you read The Unexpected Everything? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You by Lily Anderson

Title: The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You Written by: Lily Anderson Published: May 17, 2016 by St. Martin's Griffin (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Trixie Watson has two very important goals for senior year: to finally save enough to buy the set of Doctor Who figurines at the local comic books store, and to place third in her class and knock Ben West--and his horrendous new mustache that he spent all summer growing--down to number four.  Trixie will do anything to get her name ranked over Ben's, including give up sleep and comic books--well, maybe not comic books--but definitely sleep. After all, the war of Watson v. West is as vicious as the Doctor v. Daleks and Browncoats v. Alliance combined, and it goes all the way back to the infamous monkey bars incident in the first grade. Over a decade later, it's time to declare a champion once and for all.  The war is Trixie's for the winning, until her best friend starts dating Ben's best friend and the two are unceremoniously dumped together and told to play nice. Finding common ground is odious and tooth-pullingly-painful, but Trixie and Ben's cautious truce slowly transforms into a fandom-based tentative friendship. When Trixie's best friend gets expelled for cheating and Trixie cries foul play, however, they have to choose who to believe and which side they're on--and they might not pick the same side.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not change my opinion. ***

I did not expect to be able to read this book any time soon but I had a small window in my reading schedule after finishing something earlier than planned so I squeezed this in and am really glad I did. It was seriously fantastic.

In one respect this is a really fun modern rebelling of Much Ado About Nothing. I'm realizing more and more that I love these Shakespeare retelling and this was no exception. It was an interesting and modern spin on the classic, one of my favorites. I like the comedies so much more than the dramas. But even if you don't know the original story you will appreciate this book. The author does a great job of taking the basics of the original story and not only bringing it into the current period, but putting her own spin on it. It's not a shot for shot retelling but it's pretty close in the best possible way.

The real heart of this book, and let's face it Much Ado About Anything, is in the relationships. If you're familiar with that play then you know the infamous Beatrice and Benedick relationship. Here we have Ben and Trixie. Like their classic counterparts this is a fantastic hate to love romance, a trope that is one of my all-time favorites and I will almost always get behind. Because oh the banter, you guys! When they were competing and fighting I absolutely loved the snarky digs and verbal jabs between them. But then when the love part clicked in, it was so freaking fluffy and adorable I could barely handle it in the best possible way.

But in general I really loved these characters. Part of the modern spin is that the book takes place in a school for geniuses, which worked so well with the quick-witted characters of the original. But they were also fantastic nerdy type characters talking and arguing about pop culture and geeky references that had me seriously fangirling. Trixie and Ben were fun but they also had a great group of friends around them. I loved that Trixie's friends Harper and Meg called her out for being too mean. And while Ben's friends did kind of blend together in my mind, it was great to see a solid group of nerds with shared and varying interests supporting one another. And another great thing about this books was the parents. Not only were they involved but they added something positive to the plot. It's sad that that is refreshing. But I honestly like Trixie's parents, they were fun in a realistic kind of way.

Plus on top of all of that, there was a fun mystery to the book. I wasn't able to predict who the culprit was hear and so I really love this book for keeping me guessing and the subtle clues that it unraveled. But the mystery is also my main criticism. The synopsis kind of gives away a bit too much (you may have noticed that I hid a portion of it, that's intentional) and the actual mystery elements didn't kick in until two-thirds of the book. I honestly thought that there would be more to this aspect of the story but I was perfectly fine with the contemporary romance aspect of the story then suddenly the mystery changed the plot completely. It's not that I didn't like the mystery, because I did, it just felt a little too late. I think more of it throughout the book or just rework the synopsis so it doesn't give away so much.

On the whole I absolutely melted for this book. I flew through it, laughing, fangirling, and swooning along the way. It's an amazing modern Shakespeare retelling with great geeky characters that I think everyone will love.

I give The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You by Lily Anderson 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. I really loved this book and I would totally recommend it to basically anyone. If you are a big contemporary fan then definitely get your hands on it. If you are a Shakespeare fan grab it for that aspect. But even if you just want something quick and fluffy then check this out.

Top Ten Tuesday: Reads I Liked in a Genre I Don't Usually Read

A weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

I read a little bit of  everything but of course I have a favorite genre (fantasy) and genres that I read often (historical fiction). For this prompt it was easy to pick a genre. Contemporaries aren't usually my thing. But if you saw my discussion post few weeks ago then you know that I am breaking out of that comfort zone a little bit and reading some more contemporaries, even a few romances. So here are ten I read last year and loved. They are unintentionally in a particular order.

1.) Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson 
(Add to Goodreads / My Review)
You knew this one was coming. It's the contemporary romance that made me realize that I don't hate contemporary romances. I talk all the time about how much I liked it and that this surprised me.

2.) Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
(Add to Goodreads / My Review)
I'm not sure what exactly inspired me to read this one but all the great reviews probably. It was my favorite debut of 2016 and super cute and adorable and funny.

3.) Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
(Add to Goodreads / My Review)
I mean you could say that this is historical fiction because I'm pretty sure it's set in the 90's. But it has the feel of a contemporary romance and it's wonderful.

4.) I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios
(Add to Goodreads / My Review)
I know a lot of people really liked this book but I was still nervous. But it was insanely relateable with great characters and a romance that I definitely shipped.

5.) Dumplin by Julie Murphy
(Add to Goodreads / My Review)
I was surprised at the tone of this book. It's not all girl power, big girls are beautiful. It has those elements but there's a lot of insecurity too which made it all the more amazing and enjoyable.

6.) Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
(Add to Goodreads / My Review)
This was a really complex story that dealt with mental health in a way that was fantastic and honest. I thought it was a great coming of age story and a great romance and friendship.

7.) Top Ten Clues You're Clueless by Liz Czukas
(Add to Goodreads / My Review)
This is another one with a mystery, which is why I read it, so it may not belong on this book but it's also a really cute book about friendship and a sweet romance.

8.) Everything, Everything by Nicole Yoon
(Add to Goodreads / My Review)
I had heard really good things about this book and I ended up reading it because I heard there was a good plot twist. It was actually a pretty good story of family and I liked the romance too.

9.) My Best Everything by Sarah Tomp
(Add to Goodreads / My Review)
This is such a complex contemporary. I mean it's about moonshine you guys. But it's a great romance and coming of age story about a good girl exploring the real world for the first time.

10.) More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
(Add to Goodreads / My Review)
I really should not have liked this book. It's contemporary, a romance, and it's sad on purpose and has some of my triggers. But it was a really beautifully written book.

What Contemporary Romances do you like? Any recommendations for me based on the books that I listed? What genre do you not read very often? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: My True Love Gave to Me by Stephanie Perkins and more

Title: My True Love Gave to Me Compiled By: Stephanie Perkins  Published: January 24, 2014 by Del Rey (Random House) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins.  Whether you enjoy celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or New Year's there's something here for everyone. So curl up by the fireplace and get cozy. You have twelve reasons this season to stay indoors and fall in love

Have you ever read a book that you thought might not work for you, but you decided to give it a try anyway? I mean reading tastes change. Sometimes books surprise you. So when I saw that this was my book club book for December, despite the fact that I don't usually like short stories or contemporary romances, I decided to give this one a try. Unfortunately, despite liking a few of the stories, it wasn't my kind of read.

For one thing I just generally don't like short stories. I am the kind of reader who likes to be able to get to know a character on a deeper level. I don't often connect with someone right away so I need to be able to take time to get to know them. I want to see some character growth or development. With short stories I often feel like just when I am relating to the character it's over. And same can be said with the plot of the stories. Just when I'm starting to enjoy things, it's over. Now, I'm not saying that authors can't make it so I connect with a character or world in a short story, but that's often tough for me. So in a book full of short stories, I'm already at a disadvantage.

But some authors were able to do that for me. My favorite was probably Midnights by Rainbow Rowell. I have yet to read anything by Rainbow that I didn't love. She just puts so much humor in her writing and always creates characters who feel realistic, making them easy to relate. I found her story to be really fun and unique. I also really liked Krampuslauf by Holly Black. Despite being a prolific writer I have only read one Holly Black book and I didn't love it. But I found her story to be really interesting. It was a little darker than some of the others and had more fantasy to it which in a book of mostly contemporaries I liked that. It took a turn about halfway in which honestly reinvigorated my enjoyment of the book. I was honestly feeling a little bored before that.

There were also a few stories that I thought were pretty good. The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer by Laini Taylor for example. This one was also a little darker and had some fantasy elements. I also think Laini did a good job with characterization. What the Hell Have You Done Sophie Roth by Gayle Forman was also pretty good. I've been avoiding reading her books because I don't do sad on purpose but this had good characterization and plot development. Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter was good as well. I love Ally Carter and though this one was pretty fun because it had a bit of a mystery to it and if it didn't then I figured out the twist.

Many of the other stories while not particularly bad, just seemed to blend together for me. Even some of the ones I listed already didn't have much of a hook for me. They either felt like they were a little short or sometimes even too long. In general this book is geared towards fans of romances. It's all about couples getting together. Most of the stories felt like a bunch of holiday insta-love stories or holiday meet-cutes straight out of Hallmark made-for-TV movies. For most of them if this was maybe the beginning of larger book I think I would liked them a little bit more. But not being a fan of short stories, much less romances this book wasn't my cup of cocoa.

On the whole, while I did find this to have some good stories My True Love Gave to Me isn't my kind of read, being someone who is not really a fan of short stories or contemporary romances. But I know a lot of people really loved it so if you are a fan of romances don't let my thoughts persuade you against it.

I give My True Love Gave to Me compiled by Stephanie Perkins 7.5 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. If you are a fan of contemporary romance and are looking for something to get in the holiday spirit then pick this book up. If you are not then I would probably pass on this book.

Have you read My True Love Gave to Me? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

Title: I'll Meet You There Author: Heather Demetrios Published: February 3, 2015 by Henry Holt (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: If seventeen-year-old Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby on her hip, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing standing between straightedge Skylar and art school are three minimum-wage months of summer. Skylar can taste the freedom—that is, until her mother loses her job and everything starts coming apart. Torn between her dreams and the people she loves, Skylar realizes everything she’s ever worked for is on the line.  Nineteen-year-old Josh Mitchell had a different ticket out of Creek View: the Marines. But after his leg is blown off in Afghanistan, he returns home, a shell of the cocksure boy he used to be. What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise—a quirky motel off California’s dusty Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into an unexpected friendship and soon, something deeper.

I'm not a big contemporary fan. And I'm even less of a fan of romances. Despite seeing all the rave reviews about this book when it came out and people trying to sell it to me as one of their favorite contemporary reads I didn't have much interest. Bur I'm going the local FYA Book Club and this is their November read. So I picked it up and honestly, I was pleasantly surprised. But I'll Meet You There is that rare contemporary romance that really impressed me.

Maybe that was because the characters were so relateable. As a small town girl who always wanted to get out into the wider world I can absolutely relate to Sky and her desire to leave Creek View behind. But I can also relate to her struggle with actually leaving. It's this really subtle conflict and inner turmoil that makes Sky so interesting and complex while making the book so engaging. And in general, Sky is just a really interesting and likeable character. She is the perfect balance of strength and vulnerability. She's independent without seeming fake, she's tough but sensitive, she's just so real. And Josh too was so complex and relateable. Throughout the book you get a few peaks into his head where you get to know him and his struggle better. He had his own demons to deal with and I felt just as invested in his happiness. There are also lots of interesting secondary characters including the MC's families, Skylar's friends, and Marge the owner of the motel who I really liked. The book was full of quirky and engaging characters that felt so realistic.

A lot of why I don't enjoy contemporary romances is because of well, the romance. I've mentioned before how I'm romancephobic, so it's hard to please me in the love department. But I did enjoy the relationship here. Maybe the romance worked because it was a rally great slowburn.  At the beginning of the book I could understand why the characters has a connection, they obviously liked each other and had a history of friendship. But that was all it was for me, and frankly them. But as the book developed the crush and romantic feelings grew so strong that it was almost painful. About halfway through the book I just wanted to smoosh their faces together. And that feeling went on honestly for most of the rest of the book. They were just so good together despite their vulnerabilities. Or maybe because of them. And what I liked about it was that it wasn't perfect. It was messy and they argued and they tried to get together and it didn't work. It again, just felt so true to life.

I also really liked the setting of this book. Creek View, California is definitely an interesting place. Heather does a great job of describing the town in a visually interesting way. In a way where it feels bleak but also charming. From the crappy motel that Sky works at, to the one restaurant in town, to the trailer park she lives in. It all jumps off the pages in a cinematic way. Sometimes stories about small town life can seem cliche but this never did. The town in general came alive. I'm not sure if it was the people or that you could feel the characters connection to it but it seemed like the kind of places you wanted to visit but would not want to stay too long. It felt like a really interesting place and like the perfect location to tell this kind of story.

There is just so much to like about this book. At it's heart it's a great character-driven story. I loved seeing both Skylar and Josh develop and grown throughout the book both together and separately. They both had great character development and it made the book so engaging. This book is more on the serious side of things but it still worked really well. One of my criticisms about contemporary YA is that it often seems to be sad for the sake of being sad. Or too serious and overly-dramatic. I like serious, I'm okay with sad, but I think you can write a sad and serious book without forcing the subject and that's what I'll Meet You There did. There are a lot of issues about family, life, society, war covered here and it never felt forced or overwhelming. It was sentimental and affecting but it wasn't all-consuming. I liked that.

I give I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios 9.5 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. I know by the fact that people freaked out on my via all forms of social media when I said I was reading this book that it is beloved. Now after reading it I can see why. It's an engrossing read with realistic and relateable characters. A must read whether you are a contemporary fan or not. If you are looking for a good book with great characters who are far from perfect pick this up.

Have you read I'll Meet You There? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins

Title: Until We Meet Again Author: Renee Collins Published: November 3, 2015 by Sourcebooks Fire (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: They exist in two different centuries, but their love defies time  Cassandra craves drama and adventure, so the last thing she wants is to spend her summer marooned with her mother and stepfather in a snooty Massachusetts shore town. But when a dreamy stranger shows up on their private beach claiming it's his own—and that the year is 1925—she is swept into a mystery a hundred years in the making.  As she searches for answers in the present, Cassandra discovers a truth that puts their growing love—and Lawrence's life—into jeopardy. Desperate to save him, Cassandra must find a way to change history…or risk losing Lawrence forever.

*** I received and advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion ***

When I saw this book on Netgalley I was immediately attracted to it. It sounds like an interesting time travel story with a star-crossed romance and a complex plot. Totally up my alley. And while I did really enjoy it, some parts didn't totally work for me. Okay, so now that you have read the synopsis who wants to take bets as to which part of the book I enjoyed and which part of this book didn't quite work for me? By now this should come as no surprise to you.

One thing I did love about this book was the general plot development. I went into it expecting this to be a pretty typical time travel storyline but it had that and more. The time travel stuff was actually pretty interesting. I wasn't at all sure what was going on with that part of the story, and there was even a period where I thought maybe this wasn't time travel at all but when it really started diving into the aspects and the effects of time travel, that's where it hooked me. It had a real interesting feel to it that both felt traditional and creative. As someone who loves time travel stories I enjoyed all the nods to the tropes. I also really liked the 1920's subplot. I wouldn't really call it historical fiction but it did have some great elements of the period. But the thing that I liked most about it was that there was so much mystery with this plot point that kept me reading and had me curious and questioning. And while the reveals didn't come as much of a surprise it did keep me engaged and intrigued throughout most of the book.

However the pacing didn't quite work for me. I already mentioned that I wasn't at all sure what was happening with the time travel stuff in the beginning and I think that was part of what slowed the book down for me. I'm not sure if it was trying to build exposition or suspense but it didn't completely work And while most of the middle of the book had me really engaged in the action and mystery, it took it's time before it really got to that plot development. This is not a very long book but it took me longer to read than I expected because it took me awhile to get into it. I also felt like reaching the actual conclusion took a little too long as well. I actually found myself thinking "just get to the end already." But when it was all over I was actually wishing there was more. It was such an odd feeling because by that point in the story I was so invested in it, I wanted to see how it would end but I didn't actually want it to be over. And speaking of that ending, that was the moment I realized that I actually liked this book. It was such a perfect ending. Not at all what I expected and totally bittersweet but so perfect.

As far as the characters go, I am a bit on the fence when it comes to them. Many of them were interesting and engaging but some more than others. To be entirely honest, I found the characters in the 1920's to be much more engaging than the ones in the present. I really liked Lawrence, the male lead. I mean who doesn't love a charming poet from the 1920's. I also found Fay really complex and interesting. She is kind of his love interest before he meets the main character and I loved her development throughout the book. Plus Lawrence's family and friends were really interesting as well. Cassandra however didn't totally jump off the page for me. She felt a bit one-note to me. I liked her commitment to solving the mystery but I'm not sure I can point to any specific personality traits for her that I either liked or didn't like. She just felt a little basic. Which is really a shame because we have the same name and I always want to like characters named Cassandra.

And I'm not sure if it's the fact that I didn't love the female lead or because I am in general not a huge fan of romance, but here that subplot didn't totally work for me. It started as a bit of your typical insta-love romance so I didn't have an immediate connection to it (side note probably that was one of the reasons I didn't enjoy the beginning of the book). But as things went on it did grow into a more star-crossed thing that I liked. But as someone who is hard to please when it comes to romance I will say that it had it's moments and by the end it did actually kind of grow on me. And then again when I was finished reading I actually had to question whether or not I even shipped it. It saw such a perfect and sweet ending that I may actually have enjoyed the romance. Most of the book I was so unphased by the relationship, I mean at one point on Goodreads I complained about how I wanted less kissing, but by the end I had sort of changed my tune.

On the whole, Until We Meet Again was a good read with lots of good elements. Despite some things that didn't really work for me, in the end it was an interesting and engaging read that left me wanting more.

I give Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. If you are looking for a good YA time travel romance ala The Time Traveler's Wife or Outlander then I would definitely recommend this book. Fans of romances will probably enjoy it more than if you are looking for something with a complex Science Fiction/Fantasy time travel thing but it does have a bit of both. It had a really interesting plot and despite not totally connecting with the characters or romance I enjoyed it.