Friday, November 4, 2016

YA Review: Love Me Never by Sara Wolf

Love Me Never by Sara Wolf
Publication Date: April 5, 2016
Publisher: Entangled
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Purchased


Summary (from Amazon):
Previously published as Lovely Vicious, this fully revised and updated edition is full of romance, intrigue, and laugh-out-loud moments.

Don't love your enemy. Declare war on him.

Seventeen-year-old Isis Blake hasn't fallen in love in three years, nine weeks, and five days, and after what happened last time, she intends to keep it that way. Since then she's lost eighty-five pounds, gotten four streaks of purple in her hair, and moved to Buttcrack-of-Nowhere, Ohio, to help her mom escape a bad relationship.

All the girls in her new school want one thing—Jack Hunter, the Ice Prince of East Summit High. Hot as an Armani ad, smart enough to get into Yale, and colder than the Arctic, Jack Hunter's never gone out with anyone. Sure, people have seen him downtown with beautiful women, but he's never given high school girls the time of day. Until Isis punches him in the face.

Jack's met his match. Suddenly everything is a game.

The goal: Make the other beg for mercy.
The game board: East Summit High.
The reward: Something neither of them expected.

Review:
Isis Blake fell in love with the wrong guy, who used her insecurities against her. She was told she was ugly and fat and that no one would ever love her. After Isis loses weight and moves, she finally feels she can start over. But then at a party she watches as Jack makes a girl cry and it reminds Isis of the time she let a boy do the same to her. So she punches him and spreads a rumor about him, because it's what he deserves. Jack is empty inside. He doesn't feel anything and is angry at the world and sick of girls declaring their love for him. And then Isis punches him in the face and declares a war. Pretty soon they're trying to one up each other but their battle of wills turns into something more. Can Isis put her past behind her and move forward and can Jack admit he has feelings, or is it too late for both of them?

Although this novel takes place in high school, the prose reads much older and the problems that the characters face throughout the novel make the book feel more mature. While there isn't any explicit sex scenes or violence, there are other darker themes throughout the novel that would make it a better read for older teens or even adults. I was pleasantly surprised by Love Me Never and I know I'll have to read the rest of the series (there are three total) to see where Isis and Jack end up. Isis is a great heroine. She's snarky and doesn't let anyone walk over her, but she also has insecurities that she's trying to work through. She's not perfect, which makes her relatable. Jack on the other hand is cold and harsh and at times very mean to Isis. He has a hard time feeling anything because of his past and the fact that Isis makes him feel things angers him, so he takes it out on her. I loved the relationship because it felt so real. It wasn't even close to perfect but it was raw and powerful, and something I won't be able to forget about anytime soon.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Love Me Never to anyone looking for a young adult novel with an enemies to lovers storyline. But if you aren't in the mood for a depressing or raw read, I would recommend staying away from this one.

Rating: 



Wednesday, November 2, 2016

YA Review: The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia

The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia
Publication Date: October 4, 2016
Publisher: Imprint
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Giveaway


Summary (from Amazon):
Seventeen year-old Frankie Devereux would do anything to forget the past. Haunted by the memory of her boyfriend's death, she lives her life by one dangerous rule: nothing matters. At least, that's what Frankie tells herself after a reckless mistake forces her to leave her privileged life in the Heights to move in with her dad—an undercover cop. She transfers to public school in the Downs, where fistfights in the halls don't faze anyone and illegal street racing is more popular than football.

Marco Leone is the fastest street racer in the Downs. Tough, sexy, and hypnotic, he makes it impossible for Frankie to ignore him...and how he makes her feel. But the risks Marco takes for his family could have devastating consequences for them both. When Frankie discovers his secret, she has to make a choice. Will she let the pain of the past determine her future? Or will she risk what little she has left to follow her heart?

Review:
After Frankie watches her boyfriend die, she begins to live life dangerously. But it soon catches up with her when she's caught driving drunk and gets transferred to live with her undercover cop father in the Downs. Changing schools sucks, but it also gives Frankie the chance to start over—even if starting over happens to be at a school with daily crime and dangerous people, including Marco, an illegal street racer. Frankie's attracted to Marco the first time she spies him in the parking lot, but she doesn't know if she's over her ex-boyfriend enough to move onto someone else, even if Marco makes her feel alive for the first time since the devastating accident. Will Frankie be able to work past her memory loss and put her boyfriend's death behind her and embrace Marco, or are they just too different?

Frankie was a great character. She wasn't the typical shy heroine that let people walk all over her. Instead, she stood up for herself and what she believed in, which I appreciated. She also had a sarcastic attitude, which set her character apart from other characters in the novel and made the story more interesting as a whole. Marco was also a good character, but I didn't feel the connection between Frankie and Marco as much as I would have liked. I felt like the relationship was too rushed and unrealistic. They fell in love too quickly, which made it hard to root for them as a couple, especially because Marco did illegal things that could ruin Frankie. The novel wasn't just about romance, though, but also about Frankie trying to get over the death of her boyfriend. She was traumatized, which is shown throughout the novel with fainting spells and flashbacks, and I thought the author took care of that devastation well, which made Frankie more relatable.

Overall, I recommend The Lovely Reckless to anyone looking for a contemporary young adult novel with a bad boy hero.

Rating:  


Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that highlights future releases we're excited to read.

Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill
Publication Date: December 27, 2016
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Amazon Link: HERE


Summary (from Amazon):
Seventeen year-old Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow. She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, a legendary bounty hunter—that is, until her father is murdered. The alleged killer is none other than Cohen Mackay, her father's former apprentice. The only friend she's ever known. The boy she once loved who broke her heart.

She must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has always made her different will make her a force to be reckoned with.

Why I'm Waiting:
I love the sound of this one! The summary reminds me of The Hunger Games and I love to read about kick butt heroines. It also sounds like it could contain a love/hate relationship and second chance romance—which are two of my favorite tropes.

What books are you looking forward to?

Monday, October 31, 2016

Adult Weekly Releases (10/31/16 - 11/6/16)

***The book covers and summaries may contain adult content







YA Weekly Releases (10/31/16 - 11/6/16)

Here are this week's new releases:

Monday - October 31, 2016
1.) Before Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn
Summary (from Amazon):
In a world where all seventeen-year-olds receive a memory from their future selves, Logan Russell's vision is exactly as he expects—and exactly not. He sees himself achieving his greatest wish of becoming a gold-star swimmer, but strangely enough, the vision also shows him locking eyes with a girl from his past, Callie Stone, and experiencing an overwhelming sense of love and belonging. 
Logan’s not sure what the memory means, but soon enough, he learns that his old friend Callie is in trouble. She’s received an atypical memory, one where she commits a crime in the future. According to the law, she must be imprisoned, even though she's done nothing wrong. Now, Logan must decide if he'll give up his future as a gold-star swimmer and rescue the literal girl of his dreams. All he'll have to do is defy Fate.

Tuesday - November 1, 2016
2.) Forget Me Always by Sara Wolf
Summary (from Amazon):
Previously published as Savage Delight, this fully revised and updated edition is full of hilarity, drama, and heartbreak.
It’s been three years, twenty-five weeks, and five days since Isis Blake fell in love, and if she has it her way, it’ll stretch into infinity. Since then, she’s punched Jack Hunter—her nemesis-turned-maybe-something-more—in the face, survived a brutal attack by her mom’s abusive ex thanks to Jack’s heroics, and then promptly forgotten all about him.
The one bright spot for Isis is Sophia, the ephemeral girl who shares Isis’s hospital stay as well as a murky past with Jack. But as Isis’s memories return, she finds it harder and harder to resist what she felt for Jack, and Jack finds it impossible to stay away from the only girl who’s ever melted the ice around his heart.
As the dark secrets surrounding Sophia emerge, Isis realizes Jack isn’t who she thought he was. He’s dangerous. But when Isis starts receiving terrifying emails from an anonymous source, that danger might be the only thing protecting her from something far more threatening. Her past.
3.) The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Summary (from Amazon):
Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true? 


4.) Infinity by Jus Accardo 
Summary (from Amazon):
There are three things Kori knows for sure about her life:
One: Her army general dad is insanely overprotective.
Two: The guy he sent to watch her, Cade, is way too good-looking.
Three: Everything she knew was a lie.
Now there are three things Kori never knew about her life:
One: There’s a device that allows her to jump dimensions.
Two: Cade’s got a lethal secret.
Three: Someone wants her dead.

5.) A Million Worlds with You by Claudia Gray
Summary (from Amazon):
The fate of the multiverse rests in Marguerite’s hands in the final installment of the Firebird trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray.
Ever since she used the Firebird, her parent’s invention, to cross through alternate dimensions, Marguerite has been at the center of a cross-dimensional feud. Now she has learned that the evil Triad Corporation plans to destroy hundreds of universes, using their ultimate weapon: another dimension’s Marguerite who is wicked, psychologically twisted, and always one step ahead.
Even though her boyfriend Paul has always been at Marguerite’s side, the Triad’s last attack has left him a changed man, and he may never be the same again. Marguerite alone must stop Triad and prevent the destruction of the multiverse. It’s a battle of the Marguerites . . . and only one can win.
6.) Spin the Sky by Jill MacKenzie
Summary (from Amazon):
Magnolia Woodson wants nothing more than to get her and her sister, Rose, out of the pitifully small, clamming-obsessed Oregon town that hates them—she just doesn’t know how. Forced to put up with the snide comments and hateful looks the townspeople throw at them, Mags thinks she’s destined to pay for the horrible, awful thing her mom did—and that she’s left her and Rose to deal with—until the day she dies.

But when a nationwide televised dance competition posts tryouts in nearby Portland, Mags’s best friend, George, says they haveto go and audition. Not only have they spent the past fourteen years of their lives dancing side-by-side, dreaming of a day just like this, but also it could be Mags’s chance of a lifetime—a chance to win the grand-prize money and get her and Rose out of Summerland, a chance to do the thing she loves most with everyone watching, a chance to show the town that she’s not—and has never been—a “no-good Woodson girl,” like her mother. But will the competition prove too steep? And will Mags be able to retain her friendship with George as they go head-to-head in tryouts? Mags will have to learn that following her dreams may mean changing her life forever.


7.) The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid
Summary (from Amazon):
A Diabolic is ruthless. A Diabolic is powerful. A Diabolic has a single task: Kill in order to protect the person you’ve been created for. 

Nemesis is a Diabolic, a humanoid teenager created to protect a galactic senator’s daughter, Sidonia. The two have grown up side by side, but are in no way sisters. Nemesis is expected to give her life for Sidonia, and she would do so gladly. She would also take as many lives as necessary to keep Sidonia safe.

When the power-mad Emperor learns Sidonia’s father is participating in a rebellion, he summons Sidonia to the Galactic court. She is to serve as a hostage. Now, there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia. She must become her. Nemesis travels to the court disguised as Sidonia—a killing machine masquerading in a world of corrupt politicians and two-faced senators’ children. It’s a nest of vipers with threats on every side, but Nemesis must keep her true abilities a secret or risk everything.

As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis learns there is something more to her than just deadly force. She finds a humanity truer than what she encounters from most humans. Amidst all the danger, action, and intrigue, her humanity just might be the thing that saves her life—and the empire.


8.) The Amateurs by Sara Shepard 
Summary (from Amazon):
As soon as Seneca Frazier sees the post on the Case Not Closed website about Helena Kelly, she's hooked. Helena's high-profile disappearance five years earlier is the one that originally got Seneca addicted to true crime. It's the reason she's a member of the site in the first place. So when Maddy Wright, her best friend from the CNC site, invites Seneca to spend spring break in Connecticut looking into the cold case, she immediately packs her bag. But the moment she steps off the train in trendy, glamorous Dexby, things begin to go wrong. Maddy is nothing like she expected, and Helena's sister, Aerin Kelly, seems completely hostile and totally uninterested in helping with their murder investigation. But when Brett, another super user from the site, joins Seneca and Maddy in Dexby, Aerin starts to come around. The police must have missed something, and someone in Dexby definitely has information they've been keeping quiet. As Seneca, Brett, Maddy, and Aerin begin to unravel dark secrets and shocking betrayals about the people closest to them, they seem to be on the murderer's trail at last. But somewhere nearby the killer is watching . . . ready to do whatever it takes to make sure the truth stays buried. First in a new series by the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Pretty Little Liars series, Sara Shepard, The Amateurs is packed with the twists and turns, steamy romance, and stunning revelations that her fans have been waiting for.

9.) Bad Blood by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Summary (from Amazon):
When Cassie Hobbes joined the FBI's Naturals program, she had one goal: uncover the truth about her mother's murder. But now, everything Cassie thought she knew about what happened that night has been called into question. Her mother is alive, and the people holding her captive are more powerful—and dangerous—than anything the Naturals have faced so far. As Cassie and the team work to uncover the secrets of a group that has been killing in secret for generations, they find themselves racing a ticking clock. New victims. New betrayals. New secrets. When the bodies begin piling up, it soon becomes apparent that this time, the Naturals aren't just hunting serial killers. They're being hunted.

10.) Saving Hamlet by Molly Booth
Summary (from Amazon):
Emma Allen couldn't be more excited to start her sophomore year. Not only is she the assistant stage manager for the drama club's production of Hamlet, but her crush Brandon is directing, and she's rocking a new haircut that's sure to get his attention. But soon after school starts, everything goes haywire. Emma's promoted to stage manager with zero experience, her best friend Lulu stops talking to her, and Josh--the adorable soccer boy who's cast as the lead--turns out to be a disaster. It's up to Emma to fix it all, but she has no clue where to start. One night after rehearsal, Emma stays behind to think through her life's latest crises and distractedly falls through the stage's trap door . . . landing in the basement of the Globe Theater. It's London, 1601, and with her awesome new pixie cut, everyone thinks Emma's a boy--even Will Shakespeare himself. With no clue how to get home, Emma gamely plays her role as backstage assistant to the original production of Hamlet, learning a thing or two about the theater, and meeting an incredibly hot actor named Alex who finds Emma as intriguing as she finds him. But once Emma starts traveling back and forth through time, things get really confusing. Which boy is the one for her? In which reality does she belong? Will Lulu ever forgive her? And can she possibly save two disastrous productions of Hamlet before time runs out?

11.) The Best Possible Answer by E. Katherine Kottaras
Summary (from Amazon):
AP Exams – check
SAT test – check
College Application – check
Date the wrong guy and ruin everything you’ve spent your whole life working for– check
Super-achiever Viviana Rabinovich-Lowe has never had room to be anything less than perfect. But her quest for perfection is derailed when her boyfriend leaks secret pictures of her to the entire school—pictures no one was ever meant to see. Making matters worse, her parents might be getting divorced and now her perfect family is falling apart. For the first time, Vivi feels like a complete and utter failure.
Then she gets a job working at the community pool, where she meets a new circle of friends who know nothing about her past. That includes Evan, a gorgeous and intriguing guy who makes her want to do something she never thought she’d do again—trust. For the first time in her life, Vivi realizes she can finally be whoever she wants. But who is that? While she tries to figure it out, she learns something they never covered in her AP courses: that it’s okay to be less than perfect, because it’s our imperfections that make us who we are.
12.) Seriously Shifted by Tina Connolly
Summary (from Amazon):
Teenage witch Cam isn’t crazy about the idea of learning magic. She’d rather be no witch than a bad one. But when a trio of her mother’s wicked witch friends decide to wreak havoc in her high school, Cam has no choice but to try to stop them.
Now Cam’s learning invisibility spells, dodging exploding cars, and pondering the ethics of love potions. All while trying to keep her grades up and go on a first date with her crush. If the witches don’t get him first, that is.
Can’t a good witch ever catch a break?


13.) We Are Still Tornadoes by Michael Kun and Susan Mullen
Summary (from Amazon):
It's the summer of 1982, and for Scott and Cath, everything is about to change. 
Growing up across the street from each other, Scott and Cath have been best friends for most of their lives. Now they've graduated high school, and Cath is off to college while Scott stays at home trying to get his band off the ground. Neither of them realized that their first year after high school would be so hard. 
Fortunately, Scott and Cath still have each other, and it's through their letters that they survive heartache, annoying roommates, family dramas, and the pressure of figuring out what to do with the rest of their lives. And through it all, they realize that the only person they've ever wanted to turn to is each other. But does that mean they should think about being more than friends? One thing is clear, Change is an inescapable part of growing up, and we share unbreakable bonds with the friends who help us navigate it.
14.) You in Five Acts by Una LaMarche
Summary (from Amazon):
At a prestigious New York City performing arts school, five friends connect over one dream of stardom. But for Joy, Diego, Liv, Ethan and Dave, that dream falters under the pressure of second-semester, Senior year. Ambitions shift and change, new emotions rush to the surface, and a sense of urgency pulses between them: Their time together is running out. 

Diego hopes to get out of the friend zone. Liv wants to escape, losing herself in fantasies of the new guy. Ethan conspires to turn his muse into his girlfriend. Dave pines for the drama queen. And if Joy doesn’t open her eyes, she could lose the love that’s been in front of her all along.

An epic ensemble piece in the vein of Fame and Let’s Get LostYou in Five Acts is a eulogy for a friendshipthe heartbreaks, the betrayals, the inside jokes, the remember-whens. And the tragedy that changed everything.


15.) Flip the Bird by Kym Brunner
Summary (from Amazon):
Mercer Buddie wants two things in this world: a girlfriend and the chance to prove to his master falconer father that he’s not a flake. With hunting season fast approaching, fourteen-year-old Mercer has only a short time to work with Flip, a red-tailed hawk he irreverently named to show his dad that falconers don’t have to be so serious all the time.
     

When Mercer meets Lucy, he falls hard for her gorgeous looks and bubbly personality. He thinks his love life is about to take flight, until he discovers that Lucy and her family belong to a fanatical animal-rights organization called HALT—a group that believes imposing any sort of restrictions on animals is a form of cruelty. Mercer soon realizes that if he wants to keep seeing Lucy, he’ll need to keep his love of falconry and his family’s raptor rehabilitation center a secret from her, and Lucy’s involvement with HALT from his family.
     

With humor and honesty, Mercer’s story shows how growing up means making difficult choices…and sometimes, being rewarded in unexpected ways.

Thursday - November 3, 2016
16.) Dan and Phil Go Outside by Dan Howell and Phil Lester
Summary (from Amazon):
YouTube sensations Dan Howell (danisnotonfire) and Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) were just two awkward guys who shared their lives on the Internet…until now.

Dan Howell and Phil Lester, avoiders of human contact and direct sunlight, actually went outside. Traveling around the world on tour, they have collected hundreds of exclusive, intimate, and funny photos, as well as revealing and candid side notes, to show the behind-the-scenes story of their adventure.
 
Fans of Dan and Phil’s #1 New York Times bestseller, The Amazing Book Is Not on Fire, and their more than 10 million YouTube subscribers will love this full-color book featuring never-before-seen photos and stories from Dan and Phil.



There's so many releases this week! What are you planning on picking up?





Sunday, October 30, 2016

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Thursday, October 6, 2011

Read-a-Thon: CANCELLED!!!!!

Under much consideration, I have decided to cancel the Scaredy Books Read-a-Thon. Only ten people signed up total (including myself) and I don't think it would be worth it with just that amount of people.

I'm so sorry to everyone who was looking forward to it, and for telling you guys so late. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and if you want to join a read-a-thon, My Shelf Confessions is hosting the Wonderfully Wicked Read-a-Thon from October 21 to October 23. If you want more info go here.