Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz

Goodreads
Hannah Moskowitz site
Series: n/a
Copy obtained: e-ARC S&S Galley Grab for review
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release date: April 19th
Rating: 5/5

"Noah's happier than I've seen him in months. So I'd be an awful brother to get in the way of that. It's not like I have some relationship with Melinda. It was just a kiss. Am I going to ruin Noah's happiness because of a kiss?"


Across four sun-kissed, drama-drenched summers at his family's beach house, Chase is falling in love, falling in lust, and trying to keep his life from falling apart. But some girls are addictive...

First off, that blurb (taken from Goodreads) is misleading because it implies a heavy romantic focus. That is not the case at all, it's very much a focus on family. I hadn't read Hannah's previous book, Break, when I read the ARC for Invincible Summer, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from it. But whatever my vague expectations were, they were not what I got. What I got, was an emotional, heart breaking, kind of strange, and ultimately fantastic read!

Chase is almost 15 at the start of the book, and we join him as he and his siblings are arriving at their beach house as they do each summer. We're introduced to the family, and the next door neighbours who they've been friends with their whole lives. They always spend their summers messing around together. But as Chase is growing up and dealing with more issues, he sees things changing.

Invincible Summer only tells their story over the summers. Once the summer is over and they leave the beach house, it skips forward a year to them arriving the next one, covering 4 summers. It's an interesting choice for telling the story, but it works perfectly. You get told little snippets of Chase's life, and his family, away from the beach house but it's clear how much the place means to him and that he only really seems to feel alive at the beach, his real home as it were. I completely love the strange, screwed up, family dynamics here. Chase has an older brother who's always running away; a younger sister who acts like she's about 30; a younger brother who is deaf which creates it's own issues; and there's the baby sister who their mom is pregnant with at the start of the book. And there are issues with the parents as well. Throw in the friends next door who feature very heavily in Chase's thoughts and world as well, and you get even more interesting events.

No matter what's going on, it's all utterly engrossing and very, very intense. There is the odd laugh out loud moment, and some sweet moments that really made me smile. But a lot of the time I was aching for Chase. So young and so old at the same time. Very lost in many ways, trying to figure out what growing up means and where he fits in his family, how they all fit together. It's heart breaking in it's realness, even with the sometimes strange moments and connections. There are some almost surprisingly deep moments from Chase as well through a philosophy book he discovers and becomes somewhat obsessed with.

I could barely stop reading Invincible Summer once I started. It's intense, beautiful, powerful, gritty and raw. Ultimately heart breaking. I was in floods of tears through the last quarter of the book. It was a refreshing read in many ways, with the focus on family, not romance and with the way it's told as well. The blend of Chase's thoughts, screwed up family and philosophy. I was completely captivated by the narrative and characters. How this one family connected and fell apart through good times and bad. If you like gritty YA's, then this is a must read. It is easily one of my favourite reads of the year so far and one I'd highly recommend. Just amazing!!

All You Get Is Me by Yvonne Prinz

Goodreads
All You Get Is Me site
Series: n/a
Copy obtained: bought hb
Publisher: Harper Teen
Released: Dec 2010
Rating: 2.5/5

A summer of love, loss and justice.


Things were complicated enough for Roar, even before her father decided to yank her out of the city and go organic. Suddenly, she's a farm girl, albeit a reluctant one, selling figs at the farmers' market and developing her photographs in a ramshackle shed. Caught between a troublemaking sidekick named Storm, a brooding, easy-on-the-eyes L.A. boy, and a father on a human rights crusade that challenges the fabric of the farm community, Roar is going to have to tackle it all - even with dirt under her fingernails and her hair pulled back with a rubber band meant for asparagus.

I really liked the sound of this book, and I was very taken by the cover as well, so I was looking forward to reading it. It started out pretty well, Roar (short for Aurora, but no one calls her that) is pretty easy to like and her narrative is soft and inviting. The set up, city girl now living on a farm in the middle of nowhere and what that entails, is well drawn and I found myself wishing I was actually there several times.

But, a lot of the story didn't work for me quite as it should have. There are a few chapters, particularly early on, where they are Roar's retelling of what went wrong in the city, why she and her dad left. Which were okay in themselves, even if I did feel they slowed the forward movement of the story down, but it turned out there was little relavance to them. Yes, they explain where Roar is coming from, what she's like, and how much she's changing. But honestly, there was just too much. It didn't all need to be in there and most of what I needed to know I learned from just a few short paragraphs within those chapters. It just slowed things down without giving any real extra insight.

I also feel that overall, the book didn't seem to have a real focus. In theory, the focus is on Roar and how she's growing up and adapting to her new life, what it means, and falling in love for the first time. But there is a big sub plot as well, involving her father and what he's working on. Instead of creating an added intensity and something for Roar to be dealing with or involved in though, it seems to just kind of happen. Things flick between that and her romance and the other little things going on leaving just the surface scratched on most accounts and not really getting anywhere deeper.

I liked Roar, I liked some of the side characters as well, but the romantic storyline fell somewhat flat as well, and I didn't much like Roar's best friend Storm either. It's not a bad book by any means. It certainly has some good descriptions of farm life, and as I said, I kept wishing I was there. But while the story was strong enough that I wanted to finish it, I was left feeling kind of disappointed and unsatisfied. I think had the big secondary plot had more depth given to it, or had it been left out and the focus been left purely on Roar and her romance, I'd have preferred it. It's still a reasonable book though and I'm sure there are those who would enjoy the lighter read more than I did.

Flash Burnout by L. K. Madigan

Goodreads
Series: n/a
Copy obtained: bought, pb
Publisher: Graphia
Released: Oct 2009
Rating: 4.5/5

CLICK.

Saturated self-portrait: Blake, a nice guy, class clown, always trying to get a laugh, not sure where to focus.

CLICK.

Contrast. Shannon, Blake's GF. Total. Babe. Marissa, just a friend and fellow photographer. Shannon loves him; Marissa needs him. How is he supposed to frame them both in one shot?

This is a slightly strange book in some ways, but it's completely fantastic! It took me a little while to get in to it, but once I got used to Blake's voice, I was hooked. Blake is 15, happy to have a very hot girlfriend in Shannon, and then one photo changes things. In his photo class, he and Marissa talk a lot and as normal, he shows her some of his work he's done before the teacher asks for it. In one photo is a woman, that woman, unknown to Blake, is Marissa's mom. From there things start falling apart. Blake realises Marissa needs him, but Shannon wants him. And he's caught between the two, unsure how to manage either one.

I love the reality in this book. Blake's clueless innocence about girls; how he struggles with Marissa's situation not really wanting to be a part of it, but wanting to be a good friend; how he struggles to deal with Shannon and Marissa together. Plus I love his family, that there is a strong parental role and a solid relationship with his older brother as well. I really enjoyed getting to know all the characters in this story, they're all really well drawn. Marissa's story is one that's gritty and real as well, even though we only see it through Blake's eyes.

The whole book is a strange balance of humor and serious. It's very serious in some aspects dealing with some tough subjects, particularly in the second half. But I lost count of how often I laughed out loud as well. And maybe even more surprising was the way I could go from laughing out loud at something that was said or happened one moment, to aching for Blake or Marissa the next. Like a snap of the fingers, I was the opposite emotion. And it's not harsh or jarring, it just works.

Flash Burnout is wonderfully written. Smart, careful, so funny and very, very honest. It's surprisingly brutal in some respects, and surprising in general. It was not what I expected, but I found it very refreshing for that fact. The tension builds and builds right up to the end. There are some surprising twists, a few very unexpected choices. The characters grow through the book, learning from what happens to them and it's fantastically done. And the ending...just wow. Completely unexpected, and yet it fits perfectly! I loved this book so much. It kind of broke my heart. Flash Burnout is excellent read and I highly recommend it!

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Goodreads
Courtney Summer's site
Series: n/a
Copy obtained: bought, pb
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Released: Jan 2010
Rating: 4.5/5

Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard--falling from it is even harder.  Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around.  Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge.  If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day.  She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully.  Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

Tensions grow and the abuse worsens as the final days of senior year march toward an explosive conclusion in this dark new tale from the author of Cracked Up To Be.

I am so, so glad that I bought Some Girls Are despite not really enjoying Courtney's first book, Cracked Up To Be. I wasn't going to, but so many people talked about it and recommend it, and Courtney's new book, Fall For Anything, that I thought I'd get it and give it a try because I know that just because I don't like one book/series from an author, doesn't mean I'll dislike all their work. And this is one time where it's really paid off because Some Girls Are is a fantastic book!

Regina was one of the popular ones, one of those dreaded Mean Girls, best friend to the top of the tower, Anna. But now she's frozen out. Everything Regina's done to other students in the past is being done to her. She's caught between fear, a desire to fight back and the knowledge of just what those girls are capable of. What she's capable of.

I was hooked pretty much from page one of Some Girls Are. It just grabbed me and didn't let go, I finished it easily within a few hours. It's heart breaking really, very painful reading, for many reasons. Regina is such an odd character to me, not because she's not drawn realistically, because she is. But because I did feel very bad for her, the things she was going through, how she was suffering. And yet at the same time, I kind of hated her too. Because of some of the things she's done, how she handled certain situations (in the past more than what we actually see). There was this constant internal conflict going on in my head trying to figure out just how I felt about Regina. The winning emotion though was pain. It's such a painful journey for her. It's kind of hard to understand why she was as she was, one of that 'Fearsome Fivesome' and yet, completely simple as well. But if it can be considered as such, it's the only 'simple' thing about this book.

It's so complex, one thing after another, one twist, one action changing everything over and over. Regina attempting to figure out how to survive high school with people who really hate her, surrounding her, how to connect with those who she'd previously 'ruined' in a similar way. It's so real, and so emotional I was in tears repeatedly but I barely put it down because I needed to know what happened next. I needed to see if it could get worse, because surely it couldn't...but it did. Some Girls Are is an intense, thought provoking read. It captures the harsh realities of both sides of that popular/un-popular high school social structure extremely well and how bullying can destroy lives with a few well placed words. There were times when Regina was struggling to breathe through her panic, and I felt almost as bad. It was just that intense! There's a little romance involved, but it's every bit as conflicted and confusing as everything else going on. And I loved it. How Regina's relationships with those around her develops over the course of the book is just excellent. It's such a painful book, but I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this story. Fantastic work and now I'm really excited to get my hands on Fall For Anything and any future titles from Courtney. Just awesome.

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Goodreads
Jennifer Brown's site
Series: n/a
Copy obtained: bought pb
Publisher: Little Brown
Released: Sept 2009
Rating: 4.5/5

"The list was my idea. I didn't mean for anyone to die. Will you ever forgive me?"

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Val was as shocked as everyone else - but, despite her own serious injury, she's implicated in the crime because of the list. The list she and Nick made of people they hated. The list Nick used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating the rocky relationships with her family, her former friends, and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place, and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

There is a comment from the author in the back of this book which states that while most would say that this is a book about a school shooting, for her it's about Valerie, it's Val's story. And, having just finished and still in tears, I read that and went 'no kidding!' because that's exactly how I felt about it. Yes, it starts off about the shooting, but within a couple of chapters it wasn't about that for me, it was about a girl who loved, who had something terrible happen to her, and is lost in a sea of confusion and desperately trying to find a way out, feeling unable to turn to anyone. I can relate to that, being lost in confusion. I felt so much for Valerie as she tried to deal with what happened, what it means for her, what is says about her and the role she played in it all.

There is no question this is a powerful, thought provoking, tear-jearker of a book. The descriptions, the power to the flashback scenes of the shooting itself actually made me flinch when the gun went off. I cried for Val as she realised what some people thought of her. I was proud of her as she took steps forward. I ached for her almost the whole way through the book. Val is far from perfect, but that just makes her all the more real. I like how she's so conflicted about events and herself; how she learns and grows through the book from her own views changing; the pressure and hurt from her broken family and the others in the school around her. Not to mention the therapist. I love all the adult involvement in this book! Not all of them are nice characters nor are they all trying to help Val, but they're there and play a very real role and add a presence so often wrongly missing from YA novels.

I found Hate List very hard to put down, and if not for certain issues, I think I'd have easily read it in a single day instead of two. It's paced perfectly, with such well drawn characters and descriptions of the mess of emotions and reactions that really got to me. I got kind of lost in Val's journey and I was sad to get to the end of it. But I do love where this story ends. I won't spoil it for those who've not read it, but I do love it. A heartfelt, powerful book. I'm not sure I can say I enjoyed reading it, because with something dealing with such raw, broken emotions, so much pain, it's hard to enjoy it. But it is excellent reading, and I love it. I'm so glad I read this book, and I think it's one that could maybe help teens who are struggling, or parents of teens who a struggling. With bullying, family issues, life in general as much as anyone who has had to face such a tragedy. And it's certainly a book I'd highly recommend.

When The Stars Go Blue by Caridad Ferrer

Goodreads
Caridad Ferrer's site
Series: n/a
Copy obtained: bought
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Rating: 2/5

Dance is Soledad Reyes's life. About to graduate from Miami's Biscayne High School for the Performing Arts, she plans on spending her last summer at home teaching in a dance studio, saving money, and eventually auditioning for dance companies. That is, until fate intervenes in the form of fellow student Jonathan Crandell, who has what sounds like an outrageous proposition: Forget teaching. Instead, why not spend the summer performing in the intense environment of the competitive drum and bugle corps? The corps is going to be performing Carmen, and the opportunity to portray the character of the sultry gypsy proves too tempting for Soledad to pass up, as well as the opportunity to spend more time with Jonathan, who intrigues her in a way no boy ever has.

But in an uncanny echo of the story they perform every evening, an unexpected competitor for Soledad's affections appears. One explosive encounter later, Soledad finds not only her relationship with Jonathan threatened but her entire future as a professional dancer in jeopardy.

I had high hopes for this book. It sounded like an intense, romantic read and one I'd enjoy, I really liked the premise for it. But within a chapter or two it was pretty obvious this one was not going to work for me. I found Soledad hard to connect with. She's not exactly flakey, but very focused and the way she was blind to certain things and the general world going on around her irritated me.

The writing is good, but the book is written from Soledad's emotions and thoughts so it sometimes felt like I was wading through something not quite liquid as I tried to figure out exactly what was going on. The dance and music scenes are described beautifully, but Soledad can go from one place with one person to another with someone else with no description at all. One moment she's having a conversation with character b, next moment she's with character c and b is no where around. Have to play a bit of mental catch up and understand that actually, nothing has been ignored, it's just been left out of the script. When Soledad is actually interacting with other people, and when her thoughts are more specific and less general, then she showed the spark needed for me to like her and connect with the story. But it tended to just last for a sentence or two then I was struggling again.

Plot wise I didn't get with the story either. I did something I very rarely do with this book. When I was around the halfway point I skipped to the end and read a few paragraphs. I needed to know which of the two guys Soledad was going to end up with, because if it went one way, I wouldn't have bothered finishing it. As it went the other, I carried on with it, but it wasn't a quick finish. I found the characters hard to mesh with and I wasn't too impressed with the handling of certain issues either. One good thing about it though was how the second love interest came from an unexpected place. I really liked that part of it.

But throughout the book Soledad showed very little growth, right until the final couple of chapters. I actually really liked those final chapters, for the most part. It was a case of too little, too late for me though. It did redeem it somewhat for me, but not enough for me to have found it a particularly worth while read. I'm certain though that there are plenty out there for whom the style and story would work very well for. It's certainly got some intensity and heat to the dance scenes and a few parts of the romance as well, along with some realities of emotional abuse. It just didn't work for me.

Other Words For Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal

Goodreads
Lorraine's site
Series: n/a
Copy obtained: bought it
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release date: Jan 11th (US)
Rating: 4/5
Challenges: DAC 2011

When an unexpected inheritance enables Ari to transfer to an elite Manhattan prep school, she makes a wealthy new friend, Leigh. Leigh introduces Ari to the glamorous side of New York--and to her gorgeous cousin, Blake. Ari doesn't think she stands a chance, but amazingly, Blake asks her out. As their romance heats up, they find themselves involved in an intense, consuming relationship. Ari's family worries that she is losing touch with the important things in life, like family, hard work, and planning for the future.

When misfortune befalls Blake's family, he pulls away, and Ari's world drains of color. As she struggles to get over the breakup, Ari must finally ask herself: were their feelings true love . . . or something else?

Other Words For Love is a great debut novel. I liked Ari very quickly, despite finding the start a little slow. It's easy to get a good picture of Ari's personality and issues from the word go. And understand them as well. I don't think that blurb actually gives a real clear idea of what the book is about because while yes, the boyfriend plays a big role, it's not one the main factor at work, or I don't see it that way at least. More than anything this is the story of Ari growing up and learning to deal with things past and present and become her own person. I found Ari easy to relate to, particularly towards the end of the book. She's insecure, weighed down by her parents expectations and her sisters past failures, never feeling 'good enough' at anything or for anyone. I love how her character developed over the course of the book. Ups and downs, reactions and emotions, they're all realistically handled and I felt so much for Ari at times. She managed to irritate me as well, but more like a good friend who you know isn't being smart, rather than outright irritation that would make me want to stop reading.

Something I really loved about Other Words is that it's set in 1986. No internet, no cell phones and a different 'feel' to the book than the majority of what I read. It was a refreshing change of pace and something that worked incredibly well. Throw in an obvious connection between author and setting and it created an atmosphere that I soaked up and loved.

The relationships (parental, sibling, friendships, first love, etc) are all so well drawn! The way things change as people grow up, the impact events and words can have, and the depiction of how things can go so wrong without bad intentions. The selfish comments, the snide ones, the loving ones, they're all a part of life and I really liked how the bad things didn't get hidden away at all. I want to explain some parts of what made this book so brilliant for me, but that would hit spoiler territory so I won't. So I shall finish by saying that this is not your typical first love story, it's heartbreaking at times, bittersweet, beautiful and all around great! Will certainly be checking out future titles from Lorraine!

Entangled by Cat Clarke

Goodreads
Cat Clarke's site
Series: n/a
Copy obtained: bought it
Publisher: Quercus
Rating: 5/5
Challenges: BBC 2011, DAC 2011

"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?"

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

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.

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

If not for a couple of unavoidable interruptions I would have read Entangled in one sitting. When I was done, I could barely breathe past the heartache and shock. Too shocked and broken to cry even. I was so chocked up though that I spent the rest of the evening on the verge of tears. I kept looking over at the book on the shelf and could feel it all bubbling up again, my heart pounding, my throat closing. I hurt for and with Grace more than I have done for a character in a long while. Holy hell this book is incredible!!

Grace had my attention from page one. The first coherent (or semi-coherent at least) day she's had since waking in a strange room, being held by the mysterious Ethan. Grace's voice jumped straight off the page at me and dug her claws in. Confused, scared, lost and yet incredibly strong. Her instant questions were mine. But the question of 'what happened?' and 'why?' burned brightest right from the word go and just got stronger with each page. I didn't just want answers, I NEEDED them.

Grace is coping, barely, by writing on the paper provided. She remembers things from her past in an attempt to figure out what happened, and that's how we learn her story. Past mixes with her present seamlessly creating a captivating story. More questions kept popping up as new secrets were revealed, and those two big questions getting more insistent with each turned page and its elusive answers. The intensity just kept building and building. Sure I made guesses along the way of what had/would happen, some right, many wrong, but I didn't need to be right, I needed to KNOW. And then the ending. Finally answers. And all I could do was fight for breath.

A stunning, captivating, heart pounding debut. It's fantastically written, paced just perfectly. Grace is strong, damaged, not without some semblance of humor and utterly believable. The side characters are just as well drawn, just as interesting. Just as easy to love or hate. For a book with so much heartache, it's actually relatively light on angst, which is clever writing. This is the story of a girl, who could be any girl, any teenager, out there, damaged because of her past. Let's just say that Entangled is a must read. And that Cat is a new auto buy author for me!

Also check out the trailer:

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

Goodreads
Author's Website
Series? The Mockingbirds #1
Copy obtained: for review from UK Book Tours
Cover: 3/5
Rating: 8/10

Some schools have honor codes.
Others have handbooks.
Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds

Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way - the Themis way. So when Alex is date-raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds - a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers.

The Mockingbirds gets off to an intense, impressive start with Alex waking up naked in bed with a boy she doesn't remember. She's stumbling around, trying to get dressed and out of there, trying to remember what happened and panicking about exactly what could have happened. The confusion of emotions Alex is going through are very vivid and it almost feels like you're going through them with her. That intense and vivid writing continues throughout the book as Alex makes her choices of what to do and how she's coping with the aftermath of the rape.

I found The Mockingbirds very hard to put down. It's a very strong book both in writing and with the characters, most of whom I found to be really well drawn. It's brutally honest as Alex starts remembering things, and the roller coaster of emotions that go with the events. Even down to the littler details, like how she took different routes to classes to avoid the boy and wouldn't enter the cafeteria for lunch. I loved the idea of the Mockingbirds and how they worked too. I liked seeing Alex adapt and grow and stand up throughout the book and her reactions felt very real. It was hard reading at times because I got so wrapped up in Alex's emotions it felt like I was right there with her.

One thing that did bother me a bit though and stop this from getting a higher rating from me, is the lack of adult involvement. I can understands why Alex was adamant not to go to the police, although I wish any girl in real life facing the same situation would go to them. And I can understand her hesitance to speak up to any of her teachers as well, but I really wished she would have. I don't think it's the kind of thing where a student shouldn't find an adult to talk to. There is one scene in particular where there are a couple of teachers talking with Alex and another student after an incident in class and I would seriously hope that that is not a real portrayal of how any teachers at any boarding school would act now!

However, it is still a very strong book. I really liked how things worked out in the end and the roles various characters played, I won't mention details for spoilers sake but it was something I found very satisfying. It's a heart wrenching, powerful read and one I'd highly recommend! It is brutally honest and not easy as it doesn't hide any of the dark facts about date rape, but those are reasons to read it, not avoid it. This is a subject that needs to be talked about more, not less, so that girls who are raped don't feel that they can't come forward, so they can stand up and take their lives back.

How To Ruin series by Simone Elkeles

I loved Simone's Perfect Chemistry and then adored Leaving Paradise, so of course I had to try her How To Ruin series as well. The three books are pretty different to her others, for starters because they're only told from the girls point of view. I honestly wasn't too sure if I'd get on with this series, but having loved her other books so much, I was very willing to give them a chance. Turned out, they're every bit as awesome as her other books and very enjoyable reads!!

The main character is Amy, a 16 year old who is very insecure but pretends otherwise. She's the result of a one night stand and her father has never been around. Her mom is a serial dater and Amy has never truly felt like she belongs anywhere. She is a fairly bratty city girl who hates the idea of being away from civilisation.  So when her father suddenly takes her to meet his family back in Israel, at what is basically a sheep farm in the middle of nowhere, she's more than a little put out!! But that trip changes Amy and starts her out on a whole new path.

I love how Amy develops over the course of these three books, along with her relationships with those around her, her friends, boyfriend and her parents. The books almost made me cry a few times, much to my surprise and they're certainly emotional roller coasters. But there are so many laugh out loud moments as well!! I could barely put any of the three books down. Amy is very good at making mountains out of mole hills and creating drama when none is required. But it's all a defense mechanism. Amy's so often doing the wrong things for the right reasons, and its easy to understand why she is how she is.

I found Amy really irritating to start with, but by the end of book one I loved her. I thoroughly enjoyed some of the side characters as well, although a few of them are a little flat at times. Plot wise things sometimes get a little bit crazy, but it's all so much fun and so well told that it's hard to care. Most of it has a serious side as well, there are moments that really tugged at me emotionally, and those moments easily make up for any of the parts that are a little less than great. Romance plays a pretty big role in the story, it's perfectly played with simmering tension and some very steamy kisses.

I'd recommend all of Simone's books because they're all fantastic and these were no exception! If you've tried any of her books and loved them, you should love these too. If you've not tried her books yet, then these are as good a place as any to start!

Series overall rating: 8/10

Book 1: How To Ruin a Summer Vacation

"Moshav? What's a moshav? Is it "shopping mall" in Hebrew? I mean, from what Jessica was telling me, Israeli stores have the latest fashions from Europe. That black dress Jessica has is really awesome. I know I'd be selling out if I go with the Sperm Donor to a mall, but I keep thinking about all the great stuff I could bring back home."

Unfortunately for 16-year-old Amy Nelson, "moshav" is not Hebrew for "shopping mall." Not even close. Think goats, not Gucci.

Going to Israel with her estranged Israeli father is the last thing Amy wants to do this summer. She's got a serious grudge against the "Sperm Donor" for showing up so rarely in her life. Now he's dragging her to a war zone to meet a family she's never known, where she'll probably be drafted into the army. At the very least, she'll be stuck in a house with no AC and only one bathroom with seven people all summer - no best friend, no boyfriend, no shopping, no cell phone...

Goodbye pride - hello Israel.

Book 2: How To Ruin My Teenage Life

What's a girl to do when EVERYONE is conspiring to ruin her life???

My name is Amy Nelson-Barak and I'm seventeen years old. Here's my life right now: new step-dad, new step-sib on the way, new living sitch with my real dad (resulting in annoying new neighbor boy). Real boyfriend inconveniently living in different country (Israel). Forced entry into job market due to small misunderstanding re: my dad's credit care plus romantic indiscretions of one very irresponsible (but adorable) dog.

Book 3: How To Ruin Your Boyfriend's Reputation

Guess who's jetting off to the Holy Land this summer!

Yes, it's me - Amy Nelson-Barak. I've volunteered for ten days of military training in Israel with my friends. The Sababa brochure said it would be a "fun" summer experience. Okay, so I didn't sign up to prove I'm not a princess...I did it to surprise my hot Israeli boyfriend stationed at the same base.

Too bad nobody told me:

• It's hot in the Negev desert...like, so hot your makeup melts off and you get under-boob sweat spots.

• You can't sleep until 11 a.m.

• You shouldn't kill bees with your flatiron - don't ask.

• Peeing in a hole isn't easy (when you're a girl) - double don't ask. 

When I find out our team leader is my boyfriend Avi, I'm totally psyched...until I learn he has to treat me like all the other recruits. Can you say OY YEY!

You Against Me by Jenny Downham

"If someone hurts your sister and you're any kind of man, you seek revenge, right?

When Mikey's sister claims a boy assaulted her, his world begins to fall apart.

If your brother's accused of a terrible crime but says he didn't do it, you defend him, don't you?

When Ellie's brother is charged with the offence, her world begins to unravel.

When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide."

Mikey and his family are fairly poor, his mum is an alcoholic and he struggles to keep his youngest sister in school and food on the table. He has dreams of being a chef, while working in a pub, mostly as a cleaner, because he needs the money. But when his sister Karen is raped, things really start to fall apart. Intent on revenge he ends up heading around to the house of the boy responsible, but instead of finding him, Mikey finds the boy's sister, Ellie.

Ellie and her family are pretty well off. They're intent on proving Tom's innocence and believe money and saying that the girl is simply looking for attention will show that everything is fine, that he didn't do anything. Ellie was in the house the night Karen says she was attacked, but her older brother Tom insists nothing happened, so why shouldn't she believe him? Ellie wants to believe in him, wants things to go back to normal, but they're a long way from that. And when Mikey shows up at her doorstep, they get even more confused.

I really enjoyed this book! It's written in third person, alternating between Mikey and Ellie's stories, so we get the chance to see what's going on for both of them, how they're coping and what it's like from their points of view. It's not a very easy read. It's very painful in places and heartfelt, no avoiding the harsh truths of rape and its effects here.

Mikey and Ellie are both very believable characters and I ached for both of them as they fought to figure out the truth and their growing feelings for each other. I loved the connection between them, how it steadily built, how they both needed an escape of some kind without really realising it. But while there is a love story here, it's not the focus, not really. The main focus remains on the rape and what it means for both their families. Neither one can forget about it for more than a moment or two.

I really enjoyed the development of both main characters throughout the book as the story unfolded. I actually really like that this story wasn't told by the victim, but by the family. And on both sides of it, because rape isn't something that only affects the victim. I also really liked the other elements at play, like the difference in class between Mikey and Ellie and how that figured in to it all. Neither had an easy family life before the assault, and it's harder still for them after, let alone before they got involved with each other.

Overall, a very well written book. A heartfelt story with believable characters and actions. I was almost in tears a couple of times through the story. The late stages of it in particular really moved me. I love that it's unflinching in it's look at the realities of rape. I'd highly recommend this!

Rating: 8/10

Boys Don't Cry by Malorie Blackman

This is the new novel from Malorie Blackman, author of the Noughts and Crosses series. N & C is my favourite YA series ever. It's beautiful, heartbreaking, and the most powerful book/series I've read. If you've not read them, I seriously recommend you do. I'm not sure how available they are outside the UK, but if you're struggling to find them, you'll get them easily via Book Depository, just as you will this one.

With as much as I loved N & C, I was very excited to read this new book from Malorie. Totally different, but it promised to be another powerful book. It delivered. Boy's Don't Cry is the story of a 17 year old boy, Dante, waiting for his A-level results to come in the post. He's planning on University and a career in journalism after that. But instead of the post, he's confronted with his ex. Who has a baby with her, his baby as it turns out. She asks him to watch her for a few minutes while she pops to the shops around the corner for some basics. Except, she doesn't come back, and Dante is left with this baby who is almost a year old to take care of.

It took all of a couple pages to hook me. Dante's voice, his panic, disbelief and the rest of the vast mixture of emotions, come across sharply as he's faced with this huge life changing fact. He is a dad. Dante lives at home with his dad and younger brother, Adam. His mum died several years before so it's just been the three of them for a long time, struggling to get by. The different relationships between Dante, Adam and their dad are complex and vividly realistic. Just as Dante's struggle to accept his daughter, and his relationship with her, is. The whole family dynamic is changed by the baby and although we don't get to see much of them before the baby as she's introduced in chapter one, it's still obvious that's the case.

Although the focus of the book is on Dante and what being a teen dad is like, the choices and decisions he faces, there is a serious subplot revolving around Adam as well. I won't go in to detail because I don't want to spoil anything, but lets just say that while he may get much less page time (there are some short chapters from his POV as well as Dante's), his story is just as powerful. More so at times actually I felt.

The whole book is just fantastic, extremely hard to put down. It's honest, stark, brutal, beautiful and yes, very powerful as well. I think it should be a must read for teens and adults of both genders. I don't know how many times I cried reading this book but it was several. Sad tears from me while reading is fairly common, happy tears are not. This book had both from me. I went from happy tears straight to sad ones at one point as well. Amazing, heartfelt book. As expected, one of my favourites of the year as well.

Rating: 10/10

Mini Reviews

I've got three new mini reviews for you today, for two reasons. The first is because I didn't read the book in full so don't think it's fair to give a full review, but do want to comment on it. The second two are because they're for books not released until 2011 and I'm waiting until much closer to their release dates to post full reviews. But I thought I'd give you a taste of them and my thoughts now. All these three are YA titles.

The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy

"When the Prom Queen becomes your fairy godmother…
Sixteen year old outsider, Jess Parker, gets the chance of a lifetime: an invitation to join a secret society of popular girls dedicated to defeating the mean girls of the world. The Cinderella Society guides all new recruits through its top secret ultimate life makeover. It’s all part of preparing them to face down the Wickeds and win. Determined not to let the Cindys down, Jess dives in with a passion. Finally, a chance to belong and show the world what she’s made of.
… be careful what you wish for.
Jess’s transformation wins her the heart of her dream crush and a shot at uber-popularity. Until the Wickeds–led by Jess’s arch enemy–begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers the real force behind her exclusive society. It’s a high stakes battle of good vs. evil, and the Cindys in power need Jess on special assignment. When the mission threatens to destroy her dream life come true, Jess is forced to choose between living a fairy tale and honoring the Sisterhood… and herself.
What’s a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn’t want to wear it anymore?"

I received a copy of this for review thanks to Lynsey at UK Book Tours.

I really wanted to like this book. Just occasionally I really love a totally girly book and this sounded like a good one. But after 60 or 70 pages I found myself having to force myself to read it to a certain extent. I skimmed the rest of the way through the book because I did want to know what happened. Its entirely possible that in a different mood I could really enjoy this book, but at the time, I didn't. I liked the writing, the characters, the plot. It wasn't a superficial book, it went deeper than I expected. Normally that would be something that would keep my interest and I'd enjoy. I think if anyone is just a little more in to books like this than I am, then it would be a great read, I really do. So while I didn't read the book in full and get the full experience, I'd still recommend it. Like I said, another day and I may have loved it myself.

Afterlife by Claudia Gray [Evernight #4]

E-ARC received thanks to NetGalley and HarperTeen. Thank you! Release date: March 8th 2011

This fourth and final Evernight book (about Bianca anyway, Balthazar is getting his own book) was everything that it should have been. Dark, emotional, revealing and brilliant. It had to deal with a lot of issues left from the previous books, and after the shocking end to Hourglass [book #3] I did have to wonder how satisfying an ending there could be for the series knowing what we did about the characters, and how they felt about certain things. I shouldn't have worried. It was a fantastic book and I loved it beginning to end. If you liked the previous ones, this should be a hit as well. Rating: 9/10

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

 "In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees. . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what it is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place--and out of place, at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make--between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?"

E-ARC received thanks to NetGalley and HarperTeen. Thank you! Release date: January 4th 2011

Hmm, where to start....WOW. Awesome, amazing, fantastic, brilliant, wonderful, incredible, spectacular...

Saying I loved this book would be a massive understatement. It is without doubt one of my favourite reads of the year so far. I loved it from chapter one and could barely put it down. It dragged me in, held on tight and ripped me apart through a very emotional end. It's suburb. Fantastic, well rounded characters, a setting that's almost as alive as them, a story that's got depth, creativity and the mythology to make it real. You know how just sometimes you can start a book and within a few short paragraphs or pages you just know you're on to a winner? Something special that's going to leave an impression and be a lasting favourite? Yeah, that was this book for me. The twists to this story were expertly done and left me breathless. This was a debut novel? Seriously? *shakes head in disbelief* It was beautifully written, very funny in just the right places, and the characters...simply fantastic. There is one certain boy who I completely fell in love with. He is basically my perfect guy. Why isn't he real?! Adored it from beginning to end. If there is one book you must buy at the start of the new year, this should be it. Rating: 10/10

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

By now I'm sure all you book people have heard of SpeakLoudly one way or another, and how one man would like to ban 3 books, Twenty Boy Summer included, for reasons I personally can't begin to understand. But it was actually this issue that made me seek out this book to read now rather than later, because not only did it sound good, but I wanted to see if he mangled the plot of it as badly as he did that of Laurie Halse Anderson's awesome, Speak. Turns out, he really did. So here's my review of a book I wouldn't have read for months, if not for him trying to ban it and bringing it to my attention. So thank you Mr. Scroggins, for making me read an awesome book so much sooner.

"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."
"Okay"
"Promise me? Promise me you won't say anything?"
"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's out secret, right?"

According to Anna's best friend, Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie - she's already has her romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately hoe to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.

Anna and her next door neighbours, Frankie and her older brother Matt, have grown up together, always best friends, telling each other everything. Almost. Anna never told Frankie she had been in love with Matt since she was 10. Or that on her 15th birthday she finally got her wish and Matt kissed her. They spent a month together, hiding their relationship from Frankie. Then tragedy struck and Matt was gone. Anna has promised him she'd never tell their secret, now she has to take it to the grave, playing the supportive best friend to Frankie never telling her that she misses Matt just as much.

A year after his death the girls are off on vacation with Frankie's parents, and Frankie is determined they'll find a summer romance. If they can meet a boy a day, then it should be easy. Twenty days, twenty boys. Two girls grieving for the loss of the other part of their friendship. A friendship where once no secrets lived, now divided by something they can still barely believe happened.

I loved this book. It took just a couple of pages to have me hooked and if not for being ill and not able to read as much as normal, I'd have finished it easily in a day. Anna's narrative had me from the start, her easy voice drawing me in. The pain of Matt's death came across so sharply that despite being just pages in to it and knowing it would happen, I was tearing up. And tearing up many more times throughout the book as Anna tried to deal with the loss, the secret and moving on. Even though the book is written in first person from Anna's perspective, the pain coming across from her watching Frankie, and Frankie's parents, also deal with Matt's loss had me in tears as well. It was just so raw, it wasn't hard to imagine it being real.

It's a beautifully written story of two girls dealing with their grief and the different ways it can affect people. It broke me apart so many times while I was reading it, but it pulled me back together by the end as they learnt to deal and to move on. There was some summer romance involved which was soft, sweet and awkward in the right places. But it wasn't really the focus at any point, it was just another aspect of Anna dealing with her grief for Matt, her first love and her best-friend-thats-a-boy. It was pretty perfectly done actually, all of the book. The grief, the lies, the anger and the truth. It showcased the various reactions and issues that come up when dealing with the loss of a loved one, and the journey of learning to deal with it.

It was so hard to put the book down, even though I was pretty ill while reading it. It was just gripping in its beautiful, raw realness. It was a painful journey as both girls grew and changed on their journey and it came to what felt like a very natural, believable, satisfying conclusion. I would highly recommend it!!

Rating: 9/10

The Duff by Kody Keplinger

"Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her 'the Duff,' she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone."

The Duff: Designated, Ugly, Fat Friend. Apparently every group has one, and according to Wesley Rush, hottie man-slut who doesn't mind everyone knowing it, Bianca Piper is the one within her group of three. Bianca knows she's not as pretty as either of her two best friends, but 'the Duff' is a lable she never considered and instantly loathes. Enough to throw her cherry coke on Wesley when he informs her of it. See, Wesley, who is considered the hottest guy in school, wants to get either (or possibly both) of Bianca's best friends in to bed. And apparently they're more likely to notice and care if he's seen to be paying attention to 'the Duff' of the group. Actually telling Bianca that's what she is and what he's doing though, is not a smart move. She hated him before, now she despises him.

But then a few nights later disaster strikes. Bianca's parents are divorcing. She saw it coming, but her father, a recovering alcoholic, didn't. She's sat at the bar of the club all the high schoolers hang out at, where she first spoke with Wesley and he called her the Duff a few nights before, and when he sits to talk with her again, she does the unthinkable. She kisses him, and likes it. It's the escape she was looking for. Despite her loathing for him, she continues to find ways of getting in to his bed, hiding it from her friends and everyone else. Seemed like a simple escape for her, until she realises she's falling for him.

I really struggled to put this book down. Bianca is loud, not out loud, not to her friends, but her voice, the tone of the book, it's loud, brash and I couldn't turn away from it. She's insecure, already feeling inadequate next to her two best friends, but when Wesley actually says it, the way he does, she starts to reevaluate things in a very serious manner, wondering if maybe that's why her friends like her, because she's not as pretty as they are. Her life starts spinning out of control after that. She uses sex with Wesley to try and feel in control, but the more she does, the dirtier she feels, the more she loses control. Vicious circle. And some uncomfortable reading at times, relating (as I suspect everyone can) to Bianca's issues. And her biting sarcasm just makes things more fun and interesting.

Wesley. Typical asshole, the kind of guy you assume you know really well from a glance, but really don't. I wanted to slap him so hard so many times through this book! And yet, I ended up falling for him just like Bianca. Didn't like him a whole lot most of the time, but I did care as I got to know him better.

I loved how the relationship between them developed. I felt so bad for Bianca through so many things and could see just why she reacted the way she did to things. I was really proud of her at times as well, when she was standing up for herself. I think it's so easy to get in to this because everyone feels like the Duff some times. It's not always strictly fitting 'ugly, fat' part of the duff, but feeling that way, that next to the ones around you, you're not worth notice.

And that's where this book hit awesome for me. It's so believable, so realistic. The mess Bianca gets in to, how she tries to control things, how she ends up falling for a guy she hates and how Wesley learns a whole lot about himself as well. We only get to see things from Bianca's point of view, but it's not hard to see. The witty dialogue and the interplay between Bianca and Wesley, or Bianca and her friend even, doesn't hurt. There is a fair bit of bad language and a lot of sex in the book as well, which fits the realness factor, but it's something to be aware of if you're not such a fan, or for younger readers. Personally, I really loved this book. Not the most comfortable read at times, but it's completely compelling and very, very well done. The ending felt very fitting to me, and I was really pleased with how things worked out in the end. 9/10

Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles

SPOILER warning. This is the sequel to Leaving Paradise [review] and this review contains spoilers from that first book, read at your own risk.

Perfect Chemistry is possibly Simone's most recognized title, it seems to get a lot of mention on YA blogs (for good reason) and I loved it [review] as well. But Leaving Paradise is easily my favourite of Simone's books and I rate it as one of the very best YA books I've read. It's an intense emotional roller coaster that left me in tears and desperate for more. Finally the sequel is here and I finished it within a few hours of managing to get my hands on it. And you know what? It wasn't a let down in any way!

It picks up eight months after the end of Leaving Paradise. Caleb Becker is in trouble again and to avoid jail time he is forced to attend a summer camp of sorts. He's with a group of teens who have been seriously affected by teenaged drink driving, and they are going to other groups of teens to tell their stories. One big problem; Maggie Armstrong, the girl Caleb was convicted of hitting whilst driving drunk, the girl he left behind 9 months ago, is part of the group. Caleb thought he'd left Maggie and his problems behind him for good when he left Paradise, but now he's forced to face them. Meanwhile, Maggie is still adapting to being disabled, forever walking with a limp thanks to the accident. And they're both forced to confront the past, their feelings for each other, and the secret that tore them apart as they're on this journey.

I loved the set up for Maggie and Caleb's reunion. And I loved the other teens also on the trip, their own personal tales, all so different from one another, adding to the mix as they got to know each other better and some interesting relationships and bonds were formed. They all played off each other so well. They don't all get on, and the way they all act and treat each other is the kind of behaviour I think everyone can relate to in some way. I liked how it pushed Caleb and Maggie in different ways, and I liked getting to know the new characters as well.

But of course the focus is on Caleb an Maggie. Like Leaving Paradise it's told in alternating points of view, Caleb and Maggie, giving the reader the chance to see the truth about how they're both feeling. I love seeing that when they see very different sides of each other. I loved them both in Leaving Paradise and I love them even more now. They've both changed a lot since the events of LP, and the continue to grow and change throughout Return to Paradise as well. It's as intense and emotional a journey as LP, but in a different way. It's got an edge to it LP didn't have. There was a lot of pain in LP but it's more anger and heat that flows through RTP. There are some surprising moments and outcomes to certain events in this one, but it's also got some laugh out loud humor as well.

It's fast paced, I could not put it down. I was hooked once more in to Caleb and Maggie's story within a page. It's an awesome, satisfying conclusion to their tale and as a follow up to one of my favourite YA books ever, it's fantastic. Both this and LP have a realness to them, the way they don't flinch dealing with serious issues, that I just love. Caleb and Maggie are very complex characters with a lot going on for them both, together and apart. I can't explain how much I love them both, following their journey, the ups and downs they face. I can get angry at them, disagree with them, but ultimately, I love them both completely. A really awesome read and one I highly recommend!! 10/10

Waiting For You by Susane Colasanti

"Friendship...and falling in love?


"At the beginning of her sophomore year, Marisa is ready for a fresh start, and hopefully her first real boyfriend. Could it be popular, dreamy Derek? Or geeky Nash, who might just have a crush on her? Then there's the underground, anonymous DJ, whose podcasts are the hottest thing at school and who seems to totally understand Marisa. But she doesn't know who he is...or does she?"

I think this has to be my favourite of Susane's books to date. Marisa suffers from anxiety issues, and suffered depression in her freshman year at high school. Now she wants to make more friends, find a boyfriend and be 'normal' again. But it's easier said than done, especially when things aren't so great at home, or between her and her best friend, who has guy issues of her own.

I found Marisa very easy to like. I've suffered from depression and still suffer from some anxiety issues, so I found her very easy to relate to. I really enjoyed the story, how while not perfect, both guys were actually decent guys. It would be easy for one of them to have been drawn as a real jerk and make the answers obvious, but that's not the case.

Like Susane's other books, she does a very good job of creating a more rounded world showing bits of side characters stories, the issues seen but not dealt with in full. I like getting that little look, that shows it's not just the protagonist dealing with things. And that she's not just dealing with any single person, and her relationships with other people can affect the romantic relationship that is generally the focus as well.

It's actually not quite the easy, predictable story I expected. Yes, certain parts of it are, but there are little things along the way that surprised me and I liked them. Overall it was a really good, pretty quick read. It moves along at a pretty decent pace and the characters are well rounded with enough depth that you can get really sucked in to their lives. I really wanted to find out how things would work out for Marisa. Very enjoyable read! 9/10

Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti

"What if your soul mate is...your best friend's boyfriend?

Lani and Erin are lifelong best friends - and total opposites. Lani's a down-to-earth Taurus; Erin's a fiery Leo. Lani likes to do her own thing; Erin prefers an entourage. They've always had wildly different tastes, from pizza toppings to guys.

That is, until Erin starts dating Jason.

From the minute Lani meets Jason, she can't deny the amazing connection she feels with him. It's like they've known each other their whole lives. She's not sure if he feels it too - but even if he does, he's off limits. Lani's determined to ignore her feelings for Jason, no matter how powerful they are, rather than hurt her best friend. Then Erin goes away for the summer - and Jason seems to appear everywhere Lani turns. How long can she keep running from the guy who might just be the love of her life?"

I've read 2 of Susane Colasanti's previous books, When It Happens and Take Me There, both of which I really enjoyed. So I was looking forward to this one and hoping I'd love it as well. Sadly didn't happen. Honestly I didn't enjoy this book too much at all. The premise is fine, the plotting and pacing is fine, but I just didn't really like any of the three main characters.

Lani and Erin are supposed to be best friends. The forever kind having survived an traumatic accident together as kids. They've drifted of late, but they both still say they're best friends, still spend a lot of time hanging out. But from my view as a reader, there is little left there between them. Lani is a bug believer in fate and following her horoscopes, but when it comes to standing up for herself, to Erin, Jason, her parents and other friends, she's far too passive. She won't share her real feelings or she'll go with what someone else says because she feels its better to please them. I think she completely mishandles the situations she finds herself in and while I can understand her guilt getting the better of her, it just annoyed me.

Erin is one of the popular girls, she likes having people around her and being the center of attention. There was little about her behaviour, towards Lani and others, to like to start with. But when she, inevitably, finds out about Jason and Lani's feelings, she doesn't even attempt to hear out her 'best friend' she just tears her apart. Again, I understand why she's angry and why she feels the need to lash out, but the extent of her selfishness about it did nothing but irritate me. Not sure how she didn't notice the feelings between Jason and Lani from the start either to be honest, it was pretty obvious and that didn't help her credibility. And there just wasn't enough to Jason at all for me to form a particularly good or bad opinion of him. I wasn't impressed with how he handled his feelings for either girl, but there wasn't really anything to seriously dislike about him either.

My favourite part of this book was actually the subplot going on with Lani's other best friend, Blake. He held my interest and sympathy. I found myself getting really involved with his story, even though there was very little to it. I wanted more of him and his issues and less of the main story. I was surprised how much I ended up caring what happened to him and how impressed I was with how he dealt with the things thrown at him.

Overall it wasn't really a bad book. The initial plot, best friends both interested in one guy and trying to deal with it, is fine. But without likable characters, or at least being able to relate to them somehow, it just falls flat for me. Won't put me off Susane's other books, like I said at the start I've already really enjoyed a couple of hers, but this one just didn't work for me. Had it's moments, particularly with Blake, but that was it really. The ending wasn't great either, not really wrapping things up enough just kind of...stopping. Shame, I wanted to like this book. 5/10

Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols

Endless Summer is a 2-in-1 containing The Boys Next Door and it's sequel, Endless Summer. I'm reviewing the books separately, in this one post so you can ignore the ED one if you don't want the minor spoilers for TBND that are in it.

The Boys Next Door

Lori McGillicuddy is almost 16. She's grown up one of the boys, spending her summers wakeboarding with her older brother and the three Vader boys next door. She's long since had a crush on middle brother Sean, who's a couple years older than her, but now she's about to turn 16 she's decided she's had enough just being one of the boys and wants to be seen as a real girl. But her best friend, the youngest Vader, who is 16 as well, Adam, has other plans. Can he convince Lori that it should be him she's choosing instead?

I loved this book from the start. It's written in first person from Lori's point of view and her voice sucked me straight in. She's naive, sweet, strong willed and always up for an adrenalin rush. Her mom died when she was 5, and she doesn't have any real girl friends, so Lori is a little clueless when it comes to making herself more girly, mostly taking her ideas from fashion magazines. Which are something she never used to read. She decides that her best chance is to make Sean pay attention and get jealous by pretending to date Adam. Adam knows the plan, and goes along with it, but it's obvious from the start that he is in love with Lori and would very much like to make her change her mind about which brother she should be with. Nothing goes smoothly for Lori. Misunderstandings and other mishaps run rampant and she learns a couple valuable lessons along the way.

I also love that while the love story is the biggest chunk on the book, there is more to the characters than just that. All the main characters, Lori, Adam, Sean and their other brothers, have other little things going that we see a bit of. And how we see how the sibling rivalry between Adam and Sean affects the rest of them. They really hate each other and it makes for some hard moments for Lori watching sometimes. Adam suffers from ADHD, which Sean never stops ribbing on him for. It makes Adam something of a daredevil, willing to try the biggest, stupidest wakeboarding stunts without really caring about the consequences. His temper flares easily creating more issues for Lori at times, but he's so easy to love despite that.

Jennifer does a fantastic job of capturing the emotions of these teens. She really makes them come alive on the page and I was rooting for Lori and Adam from the start, despite the opposition they faced. There is such a sweet naivety to both of them a lot of the time, knowing that they both want things to be okay and neither really sure how to make that happen. It's a quick paced read, fun and quirky romance and I'd highly recommend it! Getting both this and the sequel together is a bonus, though if you already have TBND then it's still worth buying this for ED alone. I couldn't put either down and finished them both in a day. 9/10

Endless Summer

ED picks up right where TBND leaves off. Having finally gotten together, for real and not pretend this time, Lori and Adam are trying to figure out their new relationship a little. But one early, big mistake sees their parents ordering them to stay apart, for the whole of the rest of the summer. They're oddly not to happy about this new development and determined to see each other still, whilst trying to find a way back to each other that will be approved of. Like TBND, it turns in to one mistake after another, but with a bit more lasting pain and hurt to go with it.

Unlike TBND this is told in alternating POV's from Lori and Adam. So we get to see both sides, how each of them is really feeling, how they think the other is feeling and get a much better picture of whats really going on. I loved getting a look in to Adam's mind, seeing how he thinks, how he deals with things, how he really feels about having ADHD, Lori and Sean. It helps show just how well suited they are to each other as well.

Lori really isn't very smart in this book. She makes some surprising and slightly crazy decisions about how to try and make her dad think Adam is a good choice for her. I wanted to shake her at times and ask what the heck she thought she was doing, and ask if she was really blind to what it was doing to Adam. But I couldn't really get mad at her because I could understand why she made the choice. She wasn't trying to hurt anyone, she just wanted Adam back and while it wasn't the smartest move, it was what she believed would work. Her heart was in the right place, she just got a bit one-track about it.

There were a couple bits of ED that I felt dragged a little, but I was still hooked and still couldn't put it down. I loved reading them back to back, getting more of their stories because I just completely fell in love with these characters. A great read with some very funny moments in it. A must read! 9/10

Forget You by Jennifer Echols

"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. With her life 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."

Jennifer's previous romantic drama book, Going Too Far, is incredible. It's one of my favourite YA books of all time and because of it, I was really looking forward to this book. I wasn't let down. I do prefer Going Too Far, it would be hard to top it, or match it, but this is still a great read and if you liked Going Too Far then you should enjoy this one too. If you've not read it, then you should read this one as well as Going Too Far, as soon as possible.

Zoey is trying very hard to hold her life together. It's been falling apart for a while, but then one incident fractures it completely. Zoey makes a surprising, and not altogether smart, choice which causes her to try and do everything a certain way, the right way. But then the car crash happens and everything changes again. She's desperate to find out the truth of that night, without anyone, her best friends, her boyfriend, her swim team, finding out she doesn't know anything about that night. Or worse, that her family life is in crisis. Easier said than done. And strangely, the guy who's hated her for years, Doug, seems most willing to help.

I really enjoyed this book. Zoey's vulnerability and strong outer front drew me in and I had a hard time putting the book down. She's got a lot of issues to deal with, a lot of weight resting on her shoulders when it shouldn't be. I really felt for her as she struggled to figure out the events of that night and what happened to her, and also as she tried to deal with her family as they fell apart.

I think my favourite thing about Jennifer's work is how well she manages to write characters that come alive on the page. Love them, hate them, get mad at them, feel their pain, whatever it is, you feel it. I just feel like I get really involved with her stories and characters. The plot here is intense and troubled. Zoey doesn't make things easy for herself and some less-than-smart decisions make matters worse. But at the same time I could see exactly where she was coming from and what made her make the choices she did, even if they weren't all that great, or down right dumb. I felt so bad for her knowing those decisions were going to make things worse for her and knowing they had to happen anyway. And Doug and Zoey play so well off of each other as well. The chemistry between them slowly changes and grows in intensity as Zoey begins to figure out what happens adding more and more to both their characters.

I love how the characters grow and change through the book, most learning from some of the mistakes they've made and coming out better for them on the other side. That's how life is, people screw up, learn, grow and change, and it's not sugar coated here. It's a great read with fantastic characters and a gripping plot as Zoey attempts to discover the truth of the night of the crash and deal with it. The ending is intense, painful and brilliant. Incredibly hard to put down and I'd highly recommend it. 9/10