Book Review: Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?
Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.
The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans.

It's been a long time since I read Sarah Dessen's books. Last time I tried and ended up not liking it. I didn't actually finish it either. Oops.

The last one I ended up loving was probably Along for the Ride. So it's been a while.

This wasn't bad. Not terribly great, but not bad. 

I liked Sydney (the narrator), I could relate to her and could understand how she felt about all the stuff in her life. I liked Layla (narrator's best friend) and her huge french fry obsession. Fries are serious business. Their friendship felt real and was good for both of them. I felt like their friendship should've had a better focus than Sydney's love life.

Her love life was a slow, slow burn. I'm all for that because I hate the whole "I just met you, and this is crazy but I love you" thing. But, damn, it was like they got together because they each smiled at each other. There was no other basis for a romantic relationship than continuing doing what they always had done but with the occasional kiss. There was no chemistry between them. It was like the were put together for the sake of a romantic plot.

Ugh. There were no swoons; hell, there were no purely romantic moments between them. I don't understand. I digress.

Now, there was the whole Creeper McCreep. You know from the moment he's introduced and Sydney's reaction to him that something bad will happen. I kept waiting for her to say something or for him to do something but it doesn't. It doesn't happen until like the last few pages. (Spoiler?) What the heck? Why hint at something that big only to have a quick thing happen as like a sidenote? I'm not trying to diminish the severity of situations like that, but it felt like it was being pushed to the side as a plot point. That kind of stuff is not a plot point and should be treating carefully and with respect to the victims of those situations. 

I don't know. This book just didn't do it for me. There was no pulse in the story. It was flat. Like it was a really long checklist of everything that could possibly happen to a teenage girl. 

Maybe it was just me but it just kind of fell flat for me. Which is sad because I like Sarah Dessen. She's not a bad writer. But this was a bit of a snoozer.

Whether I read her next book is undecided. I might just wait until the library has it. Maybe. 

Read: May 2015

My Rating: 3 stars / 5 stars

Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J. Maas

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

I can not tell you how excited I was when I found out that Sarah J. Maas was publishing a Beauty and the Beast retelling. 
I was really, really excited.
The story was great and a new twist on a classic tale that has not already been done before. I was apprehensive when I read that the "Beast" was faerie. I don't like to read faerie/fairy/fey novels anymore. Too many in my earlier years and they end up making me angry at Tinkerbell. Can't have that. This book did that genre a great service. 
It wasn't what I was expecting at all but it was still a really great story. The plot takes a little time to get going and once it does, it doesn't let go. I actually liked the end a lot better than the beginning. I can see how the series might go and I'm excited for it. 
But damn, that plot twist. If only you said something, girl. If only.

While I did not enjoy this book as much as her Throne of Glass books, it's definitely worth a try if you're a fan of Sarah J. Maas. Her writing is so magnificent. Regardless of the plot. It's the plot that got me on this one but I love her writing. 
I will probably be reading the next one when that comes out. It'll be exciting and interesting that's for sure. 

Read: May 2015
My Rating: 4 stars / 5 stars

Book Review: The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she has to think fast. After all, she'd been telling her friends about him for months now. This was supposed to be the night she proved he existed. So when she sees a cute guy waiting to pick up his sister, she enlists his help. The task is simple: be her fill-in boyfriend—two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. After that, she can win back the real Bradley.
The problem is that days after prom, it's not the real Bradley she's thinking about, but the stand-in. The one whose name she doesn't even know. But tracking him down doesn't mean they're done faking a relationship. Gia owes him a favor and his sister intends to see that he collects: his ex-girlfriend's graduation party—three hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.
Just when Gia begins to wonder if she could turn her fake boyfriend into a real one, Bradley comes waltzing back into her life, exposing her lie, and threatening to destroy her friendships and her new-found relationship.

Kasie West is easily one of my favorite authors. She's written wonderful novels like Pivot Point Series, On the Fence and The Distance Between Us. 
This is definitely a new favorite of hers. Probably 3rd favorite- with Pivot Point and The Distance Between Us first and second. 
Her writing is so brilliant and thought-out that I end up finishing the entire book within a 24-hour period because everything just flows. The Fill-In Boyfriend was no exception to this. In fact, I liked it a lot better than her previous contemporary novel, On the Fence. 
The characters are so well-written and they are fun to read as well as see them (usually) fall in love. The book is a contemporary romance, so if "chick-lit" isn't your thing, this might not be for you. Plus it has one of my favorite tropes/cliches: the pretend romantic lover that turns into real love. I'm a sucker for romance and cliches.

You get to see the characters evolve through out the book and actually see the chemistry between them. It didn't feel forced or written purely for a romantic plot; these characters are compatible, bring out the best in each other and very comfortable with just being near each other. 
It's just a wonderful read and great quick read for a trip to the beach. 
I also highly recommend the rest of Kasie West's books. They're awesome.

Read: May 2015
My Rating: 5 stars / 5 stars

Book Review: End of Days (Penryn & the End of Days #3) by Susan Ee

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR THE SERIES IN THE SUMMARY
After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all.
When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?

It's finally here!!!

I've been eagerly awaiting this book to come out. Like, going to Barnes and Noble almost everyday to see if it's there. 
I gobbled this up.
This is the last book in the Penryn & the End of Days trilogy (Angelfall and World After). If you ever need a reference on how to end a really well-written and successful series- use this as your guide. It ends the series perfectly and with justice.
The story was filled with tension and really had me engaged to see what was going to happen next. I didn't even have time to think about my predictions for where this was going to go; I just read. Most of the time I didn't figure it out until Penryn (the narrator) had figured it out. 
Great job, Susan Ee. Four for you, Susan Ee. You go, Susan Ee.

God, Penryn and Raffe have changed so much over this series. They've developed and learned so much about themselves and each other. 
The ending was unexpected, but good. Very good. Very happy with it.Would have really enjoyed an epilogue, though. 
I can't believe it's over now. I read the first two earlier in the year. Now it's over. No more.
10/10 would recommend for a wonderful series and story. 
I await whatever Susan Ee has to write next.

Read: May 2015
My Rating: 5 stars / 5 stars

Book Review: Tether (Many-Worlds #2) by Anna Jarzab

Tether, the sequel to Tandem, continues the captivating tale of rebellion and romance that spans parallel worlds.
Everything repeats.
Sasha expected things to go back to normal once she got back on Earth. But now that she knows parallel worlds are real, and that an alternate version of herself exists in a world called Aurora, her old life no longer seems to make sense . . . and her heart breaks daily for Thomas, the boy she left behind. Troubled by mysterious, often terrifying visions and the echoes of a self she was just beginning to discover, Sasha makes the difficult decision to journey once more through the tandem.
Thomas is waiting for her on the other side, and so is strange, otherworldly Selene, Sasha’s analog from a third universe. Sasha, Selene, and their other analog, Juliana, have a joint destiny, and a new remarkable power, one that could mean salvation for Selene’s dying planet. With Thomas’s help, Sasha and Selene search for the missing Juliana. But even if they can locate her, is Sasha willing to turn her back on love to pursue a fate she’s not sure she believes in?

I've been counting down the days until I had this book in my hands.
It was kind of worth the wait.
This is the sequel to Tandem, which I read in December of 2013. So I've been waiting a good while.
Would've helped had I re-read the first one but it was too bad to catch on and remember all that had happened. Plus, any book dealing with parallel universes requires some kind of knowledge to fully understand or it will be hard to follow.
The thing I didn't like was that it was really fast-paced. It went from "I wish I was there (the parallel universe)" to actually being there. Like, calm down, let her longing show, so that the reader is more excited to go. Then there was they whole "does he love me anymore???" to a heavy makeout session. Calm. Down. Give me more of that angst. Let her actually believe it before you bring out the truth.

Maybe that was just me, but it was really quick. Also, each book is supposed to be longer than the previous one, have you not seen the Harry Potter series?
I'm still really excited for the next - and last- one. 
Not sure what it'll be like but it will be good. Don't know how, since there hasn't been a set "bad guy" throughout the books. No linking villain set to destroy every universe.
Hopefully I won't have to wait another two years to find out. I want all the books right now.

Read: May 2015
My Rating: 4.5 stars / 5 stars

Book Review: The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

Brimming with heartfelt relationships and authentic high-school dynamicsThe Start of Me and You proves that it’s never too late for second chances.
It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, it’s high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live?

This is Emery Lord's second book. 
It's wonderful. Even better than her first, which is saying a lot.
The Start of Me and You is the perfect fluffy romance read, great for the beach or chilling out in the sun. 
I enjoyed this novel greatly because the protagonist was really easy to understand and collect for a introverted nerd like myself. You get to see, literally, these to characters fall in love.
Very, very slowly.

If that's not your jam, then maybe brace yourself or not read it. 
However, it's great to read her journey in falling in love and see her be in love before she even realizes it. And her love interest is a huge nerd, so they are pretty adorable.
She also has some issues to get over herself. This is not a "love fixes all". Love doesn't come into play until the end, but she begins to accept her problems and conquer them. 
This leads to a lot of angst- which I love. 

The ending was great but after reading the entire thing, I just wanted a tiny bit more romance. There aren't a lot of swoons, so a little epilogue would've satisfied me. 
I'm such a hopeless romantic. These romance novels are going to be the death of me.
10/10 would recommend if you want a cute little romance novel.
Also check out Emery Lord's Open Road Summer.

Read: May 2015
My Rating: 5 stars / 5 stars

Book Review: Chaos (Guards of the Shadowlands #3) by Sarah Fine

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR THE SERIES IN THE SUMMARY
With Juri in control and everything in absolute chaos, Lela plunges into the depths of hell to free Malachi from creatures that have waited decades to exact their revenge. But the Judge has her own way of doing things, and Lela must work with Ana, the new Captain, who has a very personal mission of her own. Together, they infiltrate the most horrifying realm either has yet encountered in the Shadowlands—the bitter landscape ruled by the Mazikin.
The stakes could not be higher, and Lela must accept the help—and love—of people she barely knows or trusts. As alliances and loyalties shift and she realizes the soul she came to save isn’t the only one in need of rescue, can Lela summon the strength to see the fight through to the very end? 

Oh dear, I've finished another series. 
I loved this series, so it's even sadder to see it end. Hopefully more people will read it and it will cause just as much pain to them as it did for me. That's what marks a great book- emotional turmoil.

Ah, sweet, sweet pain.
While this book did the rest of the series justice and gave me an ending that was very, very generous; it felt a little too fast-paced for me. I would've enjoyed a break between each monkey wrench thrown into each plan. It would have been nice to calm down and think everything is going fine only to realize you have about a hundred pages left. 
But maybe I'm just a cruel sadist. 
This series is one of my favorite for many reasons.
1. It has a POC (person of color) as the protagonist and it's not catered to or ignored. She's just not white, nothing crazy.
2. The story was wonderful and highly imaginative. 
3. Character development from book to book was extraordinary. Even development in each book was amazing. You have to keep reminding yourself that these aren't real people. 
4. It displays what it's like to have PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) without the protagonist being magically cured when she falls in love or conquers her fear. It's a constant battle that is shown throughout the books.
It's just a great book, a great series and a great story.
Highly recommended for those who want a captivating adventure story. 

Read: May 2015
My Rating: 5 stars / 5 stars