Review: Easy by Tammara Webber

Title: Easy
Author: Tammara Webber
Published: 6th November 2012
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Source: Own Copy

He watched her, but never knew her. Until thanks to a chance encounter, he became her saviour…
The attraction between them was undeniable. Yet the past he’d worked so hard to overcome, and the future she’d put so much faith in, threatened to tear them apart.
Only together could they fight the pain and guilt, face the truth—and find the unexpected power of love. - From Goodreads.

I loved this book so much. How do I talk about it without going into to much detail and giving away the story? This was not a nice story, but it was one that stayed with me weeks after having finished the book. The subject matter dealt with in this book was handled cleverly, keeping it as the focus of the story, but not dwelling on it too much or similarly dismissing it. I feel like I am talking in circles here, but I just loved this book so much.

When Jacqueline is almost attacked, she thinks her life can't get any worse. She has just been dumped by her long term boyfriend and now she is attacked outside his fraternity house while a party goes on inside. Lucas comes to her aid, a boy who Jacqueline shares a class with but has never noticed before. Lucas has noticed Jacqueline however and this horrific night is one that will stay with both of them for ever.

Jacqueline and Lucas were such well written characters that I loved both of them form the start. The chemistry between them sizzled off the page and these characters kept me reading from the first page. The storyline was delicate and handled extremely well with the right amount of action to make this an enjoyable and thrilling read.

Jacqueline is a complex character who develops and grows stronger and more confident as the story progresses. She starts as someone who has had her self-confidence smashed at the beginning with her boyfriend of 3 years breaking up with her. This is someone that she has followed to school Felicity style and suddenly she is alone. Lucas is the kind of character that builds someone up and reading about him made me wish I had known someone exactly like him when I was at university.

I can't believe I had this on my kindle for so long before I read it. An amazing, fantastic and toe curling, piece of "new adult" contemporary fiction that I will probably read again soon. I can't wait to read anything else written by Tammara Webber!!

Review: Hooked by Liz Fichera

Title: Hooked
Author: Liz Fichera
Published: 31st January 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: eARC with thanks to NetGallet and Publisher

When Native American Fredericka ‘Fred’ Oday is invited to become the only girl on the school’s golf team, she can’t say no. This is an opportunity to shine, win a scholarship and go to university, something no one in her family has done.

But Fred’s presence on the team isn’t exactly welcome — especially not to rich golden boy Ryan Berenger, whose best friend was kicked off the team to make a spot for Fred.
But there’s no denying that things are happening between the girl with the killer swing and the boy with the killer smile...
GET HOOKED ON A GIRL NAMED FRED.

I am happy to put my hands up and state that I honestly know nothing more about golf, other than it's a good walk spoiled!! This did not hinder my reading of this book though. There were a couple of terms that I had no idea about, like eagle and birdy*, but this did not stand in the way of the story or decrease my enjoyment in any way.

Fred loves playing golf and was self taught on the course that her dad works at as a Gardener. When the school coach offers her a spot on the school team Fred accepts, unfortunately it means that Ryan's best friend is being kicked off the team to make space. Fred must now face the challenge of being the only girl on the team, and having feelings for one of her team-mates.

I seem to have been reading a number of books at the moment that have alternating narrators. It is pure coincidence  but this is another book with alternating voices. In this book this was a useful device, without having heard Ryan's thoughts his actions would seem really strange. Hearing the story from both sides allows us to properly see this story unfolding and how the characters develop and is less biased towards the views of one character.

I really enjoyed this book and thought the story was a compelling one. The Native American aspect also gave the story and additional layer and some interesting insights that added to my enjoyment of reading this. I love a good contemporary read and this ticked all the boxes for me, although it did not become unputdownable until I was into the second half of the book. I look forward seeing what Liz Fichera comes up with next!


* These may not even be the right golfing terms, they just sound right. I also know that my dad has told me what they mean in the past, but I forgot about 5 seconds after being told!

Review: The List by Siobhan Vivian

Title: The List
Author: Siobhan Vivian
Published: 1st April 2012
Publisher: Push
Source: Own Copy

An intense look at the rules of high school attraction -- and the price that's paid for them.
It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn't matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up.
This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, "pretty" and "ugly." And it's also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection of the two.

Siobhan Vivian has a gift for giving stereotypical characters depth and complexity. I read this right off the back of Burn For Burn since I enjoyed the writing and the story. Every year a list is made which names the prettiest and ugliest girl from each grade. This story highlights how each girl is changed by the list and how it is a curse for most no matter which side of the list you fall on.

This written in the same style as Burn for Burn with each chapter being a different character. This can at times get a little confusing as there are eight different characters. There was a lot going on here with many issues trying to be covered across too many characters. The stories that I really enjoyed and wish had been focused on more were Jennifer and Margo or Lauren and Candace. I found that these were the most interesting stories and these characters had the biggest life changes through the novel.

I enjoyed this book, and I like the way each of the characters, in their own way, develops through the course of the story. Most of the characters have a turning point that changes the way their character views everything around them and makes them a more likeable character.

This had an interesting story and was not something I had seen tackled previously, but at times I felt that the pace dropped away, or the particular character chapter I was reading was a bit of a slog to get through. I always enjoy watching the way Siobhan Vivian shapes her characters and turns them into real girls who each have flaws and issues, but maybe with 8 girls she bit off a bit more than she could handle.

Review: Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

Title: Lock and Key
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Published: 22nd April 2008
Source: Own Copy

"Ruby, where is your mother?" Ruby knows that the game is up. For the past few months, she's been on her own in the yellow house, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will probably never return.That's how she comes to live with Cora, the sister she
hasn't seen in ten years, and Cora's husband Jamie, whose down-to-earth demeanor makes it hard for Ruby to believe he founded the most popular networking Web site around. A luxurious house, fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a future—it's a dream come true. So why is Ruby such a reluctant Cinderella, wary and defensive? And why is Nate, the genial boy next door with some secrets of his own, unable to accept the help that Ruby is just learning to give? - From Goodreads

With my love of contemporary fiction growing quickly, I now have another author to add to my list with Sarah Dessen. This was the first Sarah Dessen book I have read and I can assure you that it will not be the last!! I had heard many good things about her so I decided to randomly pick up one of her books to read and this was the one I set my hands upon. I knew what to expect from contemporary fiction, what I was not expecting was how this book would grip me and not let me go. I think if you could fall in love with a book, I would be on my way as I could not put this down.

Ruby has been living on her own for a while now. She has been trying to make ends meet and keep herself out of trouble at school so that no one will find out that her mother left a few months ago. After the authorities find out she is on her own she is placed in her sisters custody, the only problem is that Ruby has not seen her sister Cora in ten years. Ruby has no idea where she fits into Cora's life and would rather set off on her own again than stay and find out.

Ruby was a great character. Right from the start of the book I empathised with her and wanted her to find a safe home to live in with people who loved her. I was solidly on her side right from the start, however this did not stop me from wanting to grab ruby and shake her to try and stop her from making some really stupid mistakes. Even though she does really stupid stuff, you can see through this whole book how much Ruby wants to keep her life together and I found myself rooting for her the whole way through.

The other characters in this book are also great and there was no one in the story that made me want to punch them. Even Ruby's control freak older sister Cora is well meaning, even if some of her guilt and remorse is misdirected. In contrast, Nate the boy next door seems like he leads a charmed life and it seems like he has everything, but he is far more complex and as his story unravels we learn that Nate is just as tortured as Ruby is.

This book was not too deep or dreary and the story kept going at a good pace. I never felt like there were any parts that I was struggling to get through, the plot just kept pulling me along. There were nice touches throughout this book and I really liked that all the characters were flawed in some way, it made them all very likeable. This was a good story with an engaging character who does stupid things.

This was a great book, I don't think it was ground breaking in any way, but I was engaged for the whole book and I admit that I got a bit teary on occasion. I think that I will be reading more Sarah Dressen books whenever I am in need of some really good contemporary fiction. Is there a Team Sarah Dressen I can join?

Review: Pieces of Us by Maggie Gelbwasser

Title: Pieces of Us
Author: Maggie Gelbwasser
Published: 8th March 2012
Publisher: Flux
Source: eArc thanks to NetGalley and Flux

Two families. Four teens.
A summer full of secrets.

Every summer, hidden away in a lakeside community in upstate New York, four teens leave behind their old identities…and escape from their everyday lives.

Yet back in Philadelphia during the school year, Alex cannot suppress his anger at his father (who killed himself), his mother (whom he blames for it), and the girls who give it up too easily. His younger brother, Kyle, is angry too—at his abusive brother, and at their mother who doesn’t seem to care. Meanwhile, in suburban New Jersey, Katie plays the role of Miss Perfect while trying to forget the nightmare that changed her life. But Julie, her younger sister, sees Katie only as everything she’s not. And their mother will never let Julie forget it.

Up at the lake, they can be anything, anyone. Free. But then Katie’s secret gets out, forcing each of them to face reality—before it tears them to pieces. - From Goodreads

This book was nothing that I was expecting. From the description what I was expecting was a book about four broken teens coming together over the summer, but what I got was a book that was far more sinister. This book was a brutal look at abuse and "victims" set over the period of a year.

Katie and Julia are sisters and Katie is the star, at home and at school. Julia can't compete for her mother's love with Katie, the star cheerleader "The Pyramid Girl". Alex and Kyle's father killed himself after finding out that their mother was having an affair. During the summer Katie, Julia, Kyle and Alex all meet at their Russian Grandparent's summer houses and they have the chance to leave their normal selves behind to become Katya, Yulya, Sasha and Kostya. In the past summer and school lives have always been kept separate but soon the worlds begin to bleed together. As secrets get revealed the lives for the four of them change in ways that mean they will never be the same again.

I hit a barrier with this book almost immediately with the writing style. This book is written from the perspective of all four of the major characters. Often this can enhance the flow of a story giving the reader the opportunity to experience different perspectives. In this instance we were able to see parts of the story from different viewpoints, but I felt like switching narrator interrupted the flow of the story dragging us away from what was going on. My other issue with this was that 3 of the character's stories were written in the first person and Kyle's was written in the second person. I found this was like running into a brick wall every time I came across one of his chapters. This style was used for Kyle as he himself does not want to admit how much he is suffering, but for me the change in perspective was off putting.

It is very difficult to talk about this book without giving away too many of the plot points as they are littered through the book and spring upon you like they were laying in wait for you to get over the previous shock. I can however talk about the characters in this book. I disliked Katie at the start of the book finding her shallow, superficial and oblivious to her sister's pain. However as Katie evolved through the book and her pain she became a tragic character who became consumed with her own problems. On the other side of this we have poor ignored Julia who just wants her mother's love and approval. However as Julia starts to get some attention she becomes a cold and heartless person I had no time for.

Another character I had no time for during the whole book was Alex. I hated the way he spoke about women. He was full of hate and this pored onto the page making his chapters uncomfortable to read. We also can see that the hate that is in Alex waiting to explode manages to seep out of him every so often in sadistic ways. I could find nothing redeeming within Alex and nothing that made me think I would ever want to spend any time with him. Again Kyle for me was on the other side of this, as much as I hated how his chapters were written, he was possibly the character that I liked the most. He was broken even at the start of the book but there was a sweetness and a naivety to him that made him seem younger than he was.

I did not enjoy reading this book as the subject matter to me was very raw and brutal. Where I can see that this book tackles these issues with a sense of purpose and delivers them up with some style and grace, it was not my cup of tea. I found it a disturbing book and personally I like a little less reality and pain with my reading.

Review: The Lifeguard by Deborah Blumenthal

Title: The Lifeguard
Author: Deborah Blumenthal
Published: 1st March 2012
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Source: eArc from Netgalley and publisher

It's an unsettled summer for Sirena. Back in Texas, her family's splitting apart, but here in Rhode Island, at the cottage of her aunt, it's a different world. There are long days at the beach and intriguing encounters with Pilot, the lifeguard with shamanic skills. Sirena explores her obsession with Pilot and discovers his mysterious--almost magical--gifts. - From Goodreads

I had absolutely no idea what this book was about when I started reading. I had skimmed the blurb, but honestly it was the cover that hooked me and the fact that I think the guy on the front looks like Lucas Scott (Chad Michael Murray) from One Tree Hill. It looked to me like it would be an easy going summer read but I found it to be quite different. I wanted to like this book so much, and I did to start with, but by the end of the book I was glad it was over.

Sirena's parents are getting divorced in Texas and to save her from dealing with the mess of this they decide to send her to spend the summer with her aunt in Rhode Island. Sirena uses this chance to spend time on the beach where she meets the Adonis lifeguard, Pilot. Confiding in her new friend and mentor Antonio, the 80 year old painter she spends her days painting with, Sirena discusses her home life and her obsession with Pilot. After an accident on the beach, we begin to see that there may be more going on with Pilot than we were first led to believe.

I actually liked Sirena at the start of the book. Her whole world as she knew it is beginning to fall apart, and she spends the beginning of the book being quite dark and moody. Then one day on the beach she meets the Lifeguard and everything about her I related to and liked disappeared. Suddenly she could think of nothing but him she stopped being so dark and twisty and started obsessing over Pilot all the time. I would not have too much of a problem with this, but I feel we never really get to know Pilot past how he looks and that left me feeling very detached from him as a character.

In terms of their relationship, I wanted there to be much more between the two of them since Sirena was so obsessed. I was waiting for the relationship to take off, and for a while it felt like it was building up to something good, and then.... it fizzled out!! If the relationship could have been pushed a little further, even if they had spent more time together and we had a deeper insight into what it was about Pilot (apart from his looks) that made him so amazing, then I probably would have understood a bit more and felt a bit happier.

My other problem was that I felt that the book did not know what it wanted to be. It started like most other contemporary romance / summer reads, however every so often some paranormal element would be introduced. The ghosts, magic healing or vengeful stingray all seemed like they were going to be explained, or even visited again later in the book, but then it would be dropped or have no explanation by then end of the book. So am I honestly to believe that there are people just wandering about on the beach that can magically heal people and this is not a magical power?

I think I would have enjoyed this book much more if it had chosen a genre and stuck with it all the way! There were some great parts to this book, and as I said I loved the main character at the beginning and I thought some of the secondary characters were great. Unfortunately for me this book felt like it had a split personality disorder and it left me feeling frustrated that it did not quite deliver as a contemporary romance or a paranormal romance. It was certainly an unusual read and would be perfect for someone who may feel like they are stuck in a genre rut and need to read something completely different.

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

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Published: 2nd Jan 2012
Publisher: Little Brown
Source: Borrowed from AB

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. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that 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 in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it. - From Goodreads

There was a lot of hype surrounding this book prior to release and shortly after release. This sometimes makes me a little weary as I hate to be let down and disappointed if the book does not live up to my expectations. A few pages in I was so happy to find that this book was as cute as I was hoping it would be and I related to the main character. If you can get past the title of this book without gagging, and I was reading this book around a few people who audibly complained when they saw the title (lay off boys - I need to hang out with girls more), then this is a lovely book you will not want to put down.

Hadley is flying from London to New York for the weekend to attend her Fathers wedding to a woman she has never met. Hadley is not in a great mood when she misses her flight and ends up having to wait in the airport for the next flight when she meets Oliver. Oliver is flying home to London for the weekend also. During the time they spend together in the airport and then on the plane they click. This connection they have formed brings them together in different ways during the following day in London and it shows you what a difference a day can really make.

This was such a sweet story and it had some great characters. I enjoyed seeing Hadley's progression form a girl who was so angry and hurt by her father to seeing that he is human and just trying his best. I thought Hadley was easy to relate to and like. I enjoyed seeing how she tries to deal with her claustrophobia and the panic that sets in. I understand that this story is being told over the course of a day, and certain creative liberties have to be taken, but I found a few things a little hard to believe. Her transition from hating her father and what he did to having no negative feelings towards him at all and understanding and forgiving all his actions in the space of a few hours seemed a little too easy for me, but maybe I just hold a grudge really well!!

Every good romantic story needs a crushworthy guy and this one did not fail. Oliver is a charming Londoner who is tall with messy brown hair. The more we get to know Oliver through the course of this book the more  I grew to love him as a character. He had some of the more touching moments and the book and it totally melted my heart.

I really liked this book and found it to be a very easy read with an extremely cute story line with two adorable people and I finished it super fast, it even brought a tear to my eye a few times. There was something tiny missing for me though. I can't put my finger on it, it just did not have the same magic as some of the other contemporary romance books I have read recently. Don't get me wrong, that is not to say I didn't enjoy it, it was just that I was not ready to run away and have babies with it. This was a good book with great characters and a charming story. I would recommend it to anyone who liked a bit of contemporary fiction.

Review: Hushed by Kelley York

Title: Hushed
Author: Kelley York
Published: 6th December 2011
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Source: eARC (thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing)

He’s saved her. He’s loved her. He’s killed for her.

Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn’t protect his best friend, Vivian, from what happened when they were kids, so he’s never stopped trying to protect her from everything else. It doesn’t matter that Vivian only uses him when hopping from one toxic relationship to another—Archer is always there, waiting to be noticed.

Then along comes Evan, the only person who’s ever cared about Archer without a single string attached. The harder he falls for Evan, the more Archer sees Vivian for the manipulative hot-mess she really is.

But Viv has her hooks in deep, and when she finds out about the murders Archer’s committed and his relationship with Evan, she threatens to turn him in if she doesn’t get what she wants… And what she wants is Evan’s death, and for Archer to forfeit his last chance at redemption. - From Goodreads

I had read a few things about this book before I started it and I was excited to read it as it sounded like an all out thriller. Archer has always looked out for Vivian and does what he thinks is in her best interest, even if that means killing! When Archer meets Evan he starts to let his walls fall and starts to build the relationship he has always wanted from Vivian. The only problem is that Vivian does not want to share Archer with anyone and she will go to some extreme lengths!

Right from the start I felt that Archer reminded me of a young Dexter Morgan! Cold and detached, the only time we see any kind of emotion from Archer is when he is with Vivian and trying to comfort her. I did not like particularly like Archer as a character as I disliked his actions and, as I have said, I found him cold and distant. That being said I thought he was one of the most interesting characters I have read in a long time.

Then there was Evan and Vivian. It seemed obvious right from the start that Vivian is bad news. she completely manipulates Archer and most of the other people around her. It also seems like she ends up in one destructive relationship after another! Evan on the other hand is a sweet and nice guy who has no ulterior motives past wanting to be with Archer. I really enjoyed that Archer was torn between sweet Evan and Vivian, who he has had on a pedestal for years.

I thought that the tone of this book was much more serious than anything I had read in a while. For me the characters were what kept me reading and involved to the end. I thought the story running through the book was quite dark and disturbing, but I enjoyed it and I liked seeing it spiralling out of control. The only part of the story I had an issue with was Evan and Archer towards the end of the book. I think Evan's reactions were nowhere close to a "normal" person's reaction. That spoiled it a little for me, but I loved the ending I thought it was exciting and tense and I was satisfied by the last page.

I enjoyed this book and was only let down by the minor points above. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys thrillers, lgbt fiction or contemporary fiction.

Review: Entangled by Cat Clarke

Title: Entangled
Author: Cat Clarke
Publisher: Quercus Publishing Plc
Published: 6th January 2011
Source: Own Kindle Copy

The same questions whirl round and round in my head:
What does he want from me?
How could I have let this happen?
AM I GOING TO DIE?

17-year-old Grace wakes up in a white room, with a table, pens and paper - and no clue how she got here.

As Grace pours her tangled life onto the page, she is forced to remember everything she's tried to forget. There's falling hopelessly in love with the gorgeous Nat, and the unravelling of her relationship with her best friend Sal. But there's something missing. As hard as she's trying to remember, is there something she just can't see?

Grace must face the most important question of all. Why is she here?

A story of dark secrets, intense friendship and electrifying attraction. - From Goodreads

I knew very little about this book when I picked it up except for the fact it has a rocking cover, the blurb on the back and the girl has the same hair colour as me! This book was nothing like I was expecting and it took me on a journey I didn't expect.

Grace has decided to take her life. Before she goes through with it in a children's playground she speaks to a stranger on the swings and before she knows it she is being taken into a van and then she wakes up in a white room with a bed, a desk, pens and a stack of paper. After a while Grace starts to write her life story not knowing how long she is going to be in the room or if she will ever get out of it alive.

This whole book is a mystery from the start and the more we learn about Grace the more we realise that her life is troubled and more messed up than even she knew. I was unsure if I liked Grace. To me she seemed selfish, right from the start when she was considering suicide I took a disliking to her. After reading the book and hearing her story I am not sure if she is just selfish or incredibly damaged.

Grace also has a problem with self harming. I had read a review on Amazon where the reviewer believes that this book glamorises cutting. To me there was no glamour involved in this and you could clearly see that after a while even grace knew she had a problem. This problem is one that Grace struggles to control and for us helps to see how she views herself. I used to know a girl who also struggled with this, to a much lesser extent as far as I knew. In a way this book helped me see that there was very little I could do for her besides be her friend.

For the whole book we are as clueless as Grace is about what is going on. Why is she locked in this room? Who is Ethan and is he helping her or keeping her captive. Information is trickled to us slowly so that we are kept as much in the dark as Grace is, however I personally felt there were lots of questions left unanswered that I really wanted to know the answer to. The writing felt raw, powerful and gritty and that was what kept me on the journey.

Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Title: If I Stay
Author: Gayle Forman
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Published: 9th April 2009
Series: If I Stay #1
Source: Own Kindle Copy

In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces - to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heart-wrenchingly beautiful, Mia's story will stay with you for a long, long time. -From Goodreads

This book stunned me from the very beginning. It was nothing that I expected. This was a fresh new take on a story that I will admit made me cry quite a bit and left me speechless.

From the first chapter you are thrown into Mia's life, with her happy Family, love of classical music and amazing boyfriend. I was completely sucked in from the first page and then the crash. The way the crash was described was so heartbreaking and out of her whole family Mia is the only one who did not die on impact. However Mia is not OK.

This story is told by Mia while she is in the coma and her observations from her out-of-body experience. We hear Mia talk about her past and experience what is going on in the present. I loved the use of past and present, and often when I was wrapped up in Mia's description of her life as it was, I would forget what was actually going on.

I have been thinking about this book for months not quite sure how to express my feelings for it. I loved this book even though there was a rawness to it which made me ache inside and be grateful for everything I have. I don't want to keep gushing over how emotional a read this was for me. It made me cry, but it made me happy at the same time. To me this felt like a stand alone book as I would be completely satisfied to just leave the story as it is, but I am happy to be given the chance in Where she Went to read more!

Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Published: 29th September 2011
Publisher: Dutton
Source: Own Kindle Copy

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. - From Goodreads

Oh Stephanie Perkins, won't you be my best friend? I will make us cookies and we can hang out in my flat drinking wine, eating cookies and you can tell me stories forever. Kind of like a cool, fun and in no way scary version of Misery! No? Well that's cool, if you could point me in the direction of whoever you based Cricket on then? Thanks!!

So I loved this book! I may have enjoyed Anna and the French Kiss more, but I think it was just because it was new and exciting. This book was filled with everything I needed and made me feel all happy and warm inside! Lola has the spirit of Lane Kim from Gilmore Girls (I love the scene where she is rocking out on her own in Rory's room and Rory and an Lorelai just watch her) and the creativity of... well.... Lola. I can't think of anyone else who wears different wigs teamed with anything from a tea dress, to Chinese print pyjama bottoms or a 1950's gingham dress she made herself. She is so adorkable!

The relationship between Lola and her two dads was wonderfully written and I thought it worked really well. It also made me smile when I saw how they acted towards Lola's rock-band boyfriend Max - can I also just say that I love that Max has a tattoo of Max, from Where The Wild Things Are, on his arm - compared to how they acted with Cricket. Cricket, the tall, gangly, geeky, handsome and sweet boy who reminded me of a slightly more suave Seth Cohen, from the OC. The perfect boy next door.

Oh and the appearance of Anna from Anna and the French Kiss made me laugh out loud and clap my hands with glee!! Fantastic. Stephanie Perkins, please never stop writing books. Your stories are like watching my favorite romantic comedy while I am wrapped up in a blanket with cookies, wine and my girlfriends! They make me so happy, I can't wait until the next one .

Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Dutton
Published: 2nd Dec 2010
Source: Own Kindle Copy

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited? - From Goodreads

Why did no one take me by the shoulders, shake me, then force me to sit down and read this book? It was on my kindle for at least 8 months before I got round to reading it, and now I feel like slapping myself and yelling "WHAT WERE YOU WAITING FOR?!?" How can I describe my love for this book? I think this book rekindled my love of contemporary romance novels - thank you Stephanie Perkins.

So the story follows Anna in her last year of school. This is not a normal year as her father has decided it would be best for her to spend the year at an American school in Paris! Some people might think "Paris, how amazing", but Anna is going to Paris without any knowledge of the language and leaving her friends, family, possible boyfriend and job. What a nightmare! Luckily she quickly makes friends and meets Meredith, Josh, Rashmi and St Clair. 

Ah, St Clair... Etienne St Clair. Charming, handsome, British (apparently that makes American girl's toes tingle!) and unfortunately dating Ellie! Boo! 

I love Anna! She is total geek-tastic. A film fanatic, who can happily spend every evening in the cinema on her own enjoying every type of film there is to offer, is someone I could get to know. Even more than that there were some absolute gems that made me laugh, like her complete inability to order food at school. Anna is the friend I think everyone could use in their lives.

This book was a joyful emotional rollercoaster. The ups were fantastic and the downs left you wanting to reach into the book and give Anna a hug. When I finished the book I felt completely satisfied, wanting more and planning a trip to Paris (I mean really I am so close, why have I never been?). Stephanie Perkins I need you writing more books!!

Review: Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph

Title: Shrinking Violet
Author: Danielle Joseph
Publisher: MTV
Published: 5th May 2009
Source: Own Copy

High school senior Teresa Adams is so painfully shy that she dreads speaking to anyone in the hallways or getting called on in class.
But in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks out - doing mock broadcasts for Miami's hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather. When a slot opens up at The SLAM, Tere surprises herself by blossoming behind the mike into confident, sexy Sweet T - and to everyone's shock, she's a hit!
Even Gavin, the only guy in school who she dares to talk to, raves about the mysterious DJ's awesome taste in music. But when The SLAM announces a songwriting contest -- and a prom date with Sweet T is the grand prize - Sweet T's dream could turn into Tere's worst nightmare... - From Goodreads

When I was growing up I was a huge fan of the film Pump Up The Volume. If you are not familiar with this Christian Slater masterpiece, he is a shy guy who comes alive on his pirate radio station which causes havoc and rebellion amongst his peers. So when I was perusing the YA US import shelves at the bookstore across the road from my flat and read the back of this one, there was no question I was going to buy it. When I got home, before I had even properly taken my coat off, I was eagerly starting the book.

Teresa, or Tere as everyone knows her, Adams is shy. She is not just nervous in front of people but is scared every day that someone will as her a question as when she has to talk to someone it feels like there is a lump of peanut butter jamming her throat. The only time she is ever relaxed and herself is when she is alone in her room pretending to be a DJ for one of the programmes on her stepfather's radio station.

When one of the DJ's quits leaving an opening at the station, an unpredicted outburst from Tere has her helping out as an intern after school. A series of events culminates in Tere becoming her on air persona, Sweet T, and becoming the prize in a competition, win a prom date with Sweet T.

I loved the character of Tere. I thought she was sweet and funny. I could see that her shyness was not just something she had to get over it was actually a real problem for her. I thought she was a well written character and I actually felt myself being nervous for her at some points. I also really liked Tere's mother and stepfather. I thought they made a good pair even if Tere's mother pushes the mothering too far.

I have to say that I loved this story from beginning to end. My only tiny gripe with it would be that Tere does begin to stand up for herself a little towards the end. I wonder why does she find her voice now? How quickly standing up for herself turns from a crippling fear to something she can do when needed. Either way I felt happy at the end of the book and wonder why I never considered a career as a DJ!

Review: Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

Title: Something Like Fate
Author: Susane Colasanti
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Published: 4th May 2010
Source: Own Copy

Warning Review Contains Spoilers!

Best friends Lani and Erin couldn't be more different. Lani's reserved and thoughtful; Erin's bubbly and outgoing. Lani likes to do her own thing; Erin prefers an entourage. There's no possible way they could be interested in the same guy. So when Erin starts dating Jason, Lani can't believe she feels such a deep connection with him, and it may be mutual. The more Lani fights it, the more certain she feels that it's her fate to be with Jason. But what do you do when the love of your life is the one person you can't have? - From Goodreads

I could have read this book easily in one sitting on holiday if my friend had not insisted we go for a walk and get a massage! Let me read my book woman (although the massage was spot on!). This book had an writing style I found offputting but I thought the characters were very realistic as teenagers right from the beginning (for some this may be good or it may be bad!).

I was torn with this book. There were some things I liked and there were some things that really annoyed me. Since I like lists, I will summarise these in list form starting with the good.

What I Liked
1. The Gay Best Friend - You have got to love a gay best friend and this one is particularly blunt and fantastic. 

2. The Parent's obsession with turning out the lights and not turning the heating up!! - This is how I grew up. My parents would refuse to turn the heating up ("Put on another pair of socks if your feet are cold" - My Dad) and you often got the light turned out on you (most often when we were in the bathroom!!!). So to me this was really familiar, realistic and to me amusing.

What I Didn't Like
1. The Writing - I am pretty sure when I was at primary school we were taught that it was bad form to start every other line of speech " Then I said 'blah, blah...'" we get know how dialogue works. (I was also told at primary that swallowing chewing gum would kill me - hmm...) To me it felt a little childish.
 
2. Lani needs to stand up to her bitch BFF - So I can be rather feisty at times, but I really think even a timid person would stand up to being treated like trash by a "friend"! Personally for me Erin would have been a goner as soon as she crossed me once.
 
3. The BFF - As should have been clear by the quotation marks above, I think Erin is no friend to Lani, especially not a best friend. I have a fairly close knit group of friends and in the past we have done some pretty crappy things to each other, however I think real friends are like family; things may seem awful when you are fighting, but you know you will make up eventually.
 
4. The coincidences!! - To me some of the coincidences are totally ridiculous! They both think of different water in terms of shapes and colours (is this not a disease?). Why only water? What about fruit juice or milk? NOT A COINCIDENCE, JUST WEIRD!!
Also they played together when they were babies? I live in the capital of Scotland, and if I stop 10 people on the streets of Edinburgh around my age, I will be connected somehow to at least half of them. If I narrow this down to speaking to people in the catchment area of my high school, or primary school, we will have gone to most of the same places, know the same people and probably have played with each other at some point. NOT A COINCIDENCE, JUST STATISTICS!!
I could go on, but I think I will leave it there!

Sorry for shouting, rant over, there was just so much about this book that rubbed me the wrong way. I think if it had been a longer book I may have given up. The things which annoyed me may be enjoyable for another reader, but for me I found them hard to overlook.

Rating: 1 / 5

Review: Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty

Title: Charmed Thirds
Author: Megan McCafferty
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Published: 24th April 2007
Series: Jessica Darling #3
Source: Own Copy

Jessica Darling continues to grow, groove, lust, and hook up. In this witty follow-up to Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings, Jessie studies and romps through three years at New York's Columbia University. When not soaking up Ivy League ambiance, this exuberant undergraduate is busy salvaging her long-distance relationship with her high school boyfriend Marcus Flutie, now a candidate for nirvana at an unaccredited Buddhist college in California. As usual, Jessie's perceptions are somewhat less ethereal but probably more interesting to readers. A stylish teen funfest. - From Goodreads

Jessica Darling, you are such a complicated girl. Just when I think we are similar and I probably would have done the same thing in your position you turn around and do something completely different. I love you, but sometimes you make me want to never speak to or hear from you again.

I admit I am being a tad over dramatic with that, however I see that it is the mark of a good character that I feel so totally that she could be a real person. No matter if I like her or loathe her at any specific point in the book I can't help but think of her as a real person.

I think that this was my least favorite of the Jessica Darling books so far purely because it covers 3 years in the book and I would have preferred to skip most of it and look at a more targeted period in her life. What about Marcus, I hear you ask? Well let me just say that we see Marcus at the beginning of the 3 years but we have to bear in mind that he is at school across the country, and that kind of strain is hard on a relationship. There were some "romantic" (not really romantic at all) situations that Jessica got herself into that made me laugh as you can relate to all of them and may well have been in the same situations yourself.

I will read the final books in the series, but for me they have started to lose a little of the magic which made me devour the first two books in only a couple of days. Lets hope that the next books can recapture it and that it has not been lost along with Jessica Darling's youth.

Review: Raw Blue By Kirsty Eagar

Title: Raw Blue
Author: Kirsty Eagar
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia
Published: 29th June 2009
Source: Own Copy

Carly has dropped out of uni to spend her days surfing and her nights working as a cook in a Manly café. Surfing is the one thing she loves doing … and the only thing that helps her stop thinking about what happened two years ago at schoolies week.

And then Carly meets Ryan, a local at the break, fresh out of jail. When Ryan learns the truth, Carly has to decide. Will she let the past bury her? Or can she let go of her anger and shame, and find the courage to be happy? - From Goodreads

Raw is the perfect word in this title. The whole book is raw like an open wound with emotion dripping from every page. If there is one book I could give a hug and a cup of sweet tea to then this would be it! Look at it, even the cover is beautiful!

This is the story of a girl who at the start of the book is just trying to survive day to day. Every day for Carly is surfing and working to make the money she needs to surf. The back story of Carly's trauma is slowly revealed through the book, but it does not feel like this is being kept a secret from us, more like Carly is telling when she can.

The other characters in the book are also amazing and only add to the story. While on the subject of the other characters - Ryan!! Why can't I have my own Ryan? It is easy to see why Ryan keeps Carly afloat, he is charming, supportive, patient and smoking hot!! 

Right from the get go this is an extremely Australian book, using what can only be described as Australian sounds. I thought this was funny and my years of watching Neighbours and Home and Away when I was younger paid off. I also think that these years of viewing Home and Away made me think that surfing is super cool. I have no knowledge of surfing or any of the lingo but I never felt confused about the surfing talk.

I loved this book so much I think it will forever bin in my top 5 books. If you have not read it yet then out down whatever you are doing and get yourself a copy!

Review: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Publisher: Knopf Books
Published: 28th August 2008
Source: eBook

From Goodreads:
It all starts when Nick asks Norah to be his girlfriend for five minutes. He only needs five minutes to avoid his ex-girlfriend, who’s just walked in to his band’s show. With a new guy. And then, with one kiss, Nick and Norah are off on an adventure set against the backdrop of New York City—and smack in the middle of all the joy, anxiety, confusion, and excitement of a first date.

This he said/she said romance told by YA stars Rachel Cohn and David Levithan is a sexy, funny roller coaster of a story about one date over one very long night, with two teenagers, both recovering from broken hearts, who are just trying to figure out who they want to be—and where the next great band is playing.

Told in alternating chapters, teeming with music references, humor, angst, and endearing side characters, this is a love story you’ll wish were your very own. Working together for the first time, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have combined forces to create a book that is sure to grab readers of all ages and never let them go.

Review:
A life lesson I live by is that anyone who likes or can reference My So-Called Life gets my vote. Well this book had two!! I saw the film before I read the book and love it, so I knew the story before I picked up the book.

This is a story which takes place through the course of one evening and each chapter alternates between Nick and Nora. The writing style is fun and light and runs along bringing you with it. I found this very easy and compelling and managed to finish the book very quickly. I liked the book better than the film. The alternating aspects gave you a better view of the situations... however there were times when this insight did make me want to shake the characters and yell at them!

There are also lots of pop culture and music references peppered through this book. I know lots of books try and veer away from references so as not to age the story. I may have been just the right age when I read this, but I got all of the references (or maybe I missed some and didn't even notice) and I felt that this increased my enjoyment of the book and did not hinder it.

I liked both the characters of Nick and Nora and often at times I really related to Nora and felt that her actions were very similar to something I probably would have done myself. If you want a light and feel good read I would recommend picking up this book. I will leave you with some fantastic quotes and let you all know that I love Jordan Catalano!

I kind of hate Nick right now, too, but there's someone else higher on my list, someone I hate more than Saddam Hussein and any asshole named Bush combined, hate more than that fuckhead who cancelled My So-Called Life and left me with too-small boxed DVD set that does not answer the questions of whether Angela and Jordan Catalano ever did it, or if Patty and Graham got a divorce, or if there really was something to all that lesbian subtext between Rayanne and Sharon.

If Caroline were here, we could dissect Nick via My So-Called Life Script/ Jordan Catalano moments.

Review: Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Title: Forget You
Author: Jennifer Echols
Publisher: MTV
Published: 20th July 2010
Source: eBook

WHY CAN’T YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU FORGET . . . AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER? There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon. But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people— suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.

OK, OK, I admit it. I love Jennifer Echols and contemporary YA fiction. This book to me was heaven and I tried to read it as slowly as possible to spin out my enjoyment. Unfortunately I ripped through this novel in a couple of hours.

Zoey has to be perfect and have everything around her perfect, this does not make for a lovable lead character, but early on in the novel Zoey's world is flipped upside down giving us the opportunity to see through her barriers to the more likable and honest girl underneath. It did not take me long to get swept up into Zoey's world and enjoy seeing all the mistakes made along the way. As with Going to Far you see Zoey's mistakes and sometimes find you want to shout at and shake her. However this all just adds to Zoey's character and helps you see how she grows throughout the book.

In this novel Zoey loses her memory in an accident. I thought this was beautifully told. As the story is written in the first person we also have no knowledge of the period in question which is missing from her memory. We also only ever see Zoey's side of the story with her conclusions and assumptions for situations. I like that we never know what Doug is thinking, this makes his actions unpredictable and keeps you on edge.

I love the writing of Jennifer Echols and this book did not disappoint me. I preferred Going to Far due to the chemistry and, hello, John After! However this did not disappoint and I recommend to anyone who likes, or would like to try, contemporary YA fiction.