Funeral Crashing Mysteries #1-3

(This is for a series; Brief thoughts follow the 3 book descriptions and star ratings.)

Adventures in Funeral Crashing by Milda Harris
Published June 16, 2011

About the Book

Sixteen year old Kait Lenox has a reputation as the weird girl in her high school, mostly because of her ex-best friend turned mean popular girl, Ariel, but maybe it has a little to do with the fact that Kait has a hobby crashing funerals. At one of these, Kait is outted by the most popular guy in school, Ethan Ripley. Yet, instead of humiliating her for all the world to see, he asks for her help, and Kait finds herself entangled in a murder mystery. Not only is the thrill of the mystery exciting, but more importantly Ethan knows her name! A little sleuthing is well worth that!

My Rating

4 out of 5 Stars on Goodreads

Adventures of a Graveyard Girl by Milda Harris
Published April 23, 2012

About the Book

Kait Lenox is back! It's Homecoming Dance time and Kait is excited. It's her first dance with a date and that date is none other than one of the hottest, most popular guys in her school, Ethan Ripley! For once Kait doesn't feel like a funeral crashing weird girl and it's the most perfect romantic evening ever...at least until a girl gets murdered in the high school bathroom. Rumors fly, panic ensues, and Kait can't help herself, she assigns herself to the case!

My Rating

4 out 5 Stars on Goodreads

Adventures in Murder Chasing by Milda Harris
Published September 14, 2013

About the Book

Kait Lenox is officially Ethan Ripley's girlfriend and she might even be kinda sorta becoming non enemies with her ex-bff Ariel Walker. Everything is going great! That is until Kait stumbles across another suspicious death at her favorite coffee shop, Wired. Not able to help herself, Kait sets out to investigate! 

Suddenly Kait's problems go from whether or not she should say the L-word to Ethan to fears that the murder she's investigating might not be murder at all. Should Kait follow her gut or is she just chasing murders?

My Rating

4 out of 5 Stars on Goodreads

Thoughts on the Series

I came across the first book in this series on a daily email I get that has free and inexpensive e-books that are available.  I pretty regularly download free or cheap e-books, but I often don't get around to reading them, as I really love and prefer real books.  I decided to read some of the e-books recently, though, and I started with this one.  I adored it, so I quickly bought the other two for really reasonable prices (like $2-3 each or so, the first was free).  The description I had read said the books were for fans of Nancy Drew and Veronica Mars, which intrigued me.  I feel like that was a great way to describe them, as Kait will certainly appeal to fans of those other teen sleuths.  These books a really cute, fun, easy reads, and they will keep you interested in finding out where the story will go.  I highly recommend them for anyone looking for cute, light reads.  They are great for tween readers of YA too, as there's nothing too inappropriate or anything in them.  

Blind

Blind by Rachel DeWoskin
Published August 7, 2014

About the Book

When Emma Sasha Silver loses her eyesight in a nightmare accident, she must relearn everything from walking across the street to recognizing her own sisters to imagining colors. One of seven children, Emma used to be the invisible kid, but now it seems everyone is watching her. And just as she's about to start high school and try to recover her friendships and former life, one of her classmates is found dead in an apparent suicide. Fifteen and blind, Emma has to untangle what happened and why - in order to see for herself what makes life worth living.

Unflinching in its portrayal of Emma's darkest days, yet full of hope and humor, Rachel DeWoskin's brilliant Blind is one of those rare books that utterly absorbs the listener into the life and experience of another.

My Rating

4 out of 5 Stars on Goodreads

From what I recall, I gave this 4 stars, but 3.5 would have been preferred if half-stars could be given.  I liked the book, but it seems like the book dragged on in many places; better editing was needed.  I appreciate books that have characters with some sort of diversity, though, as there aren't many.  I can't say I have come across many with a blind main character, and reading about the experiences of people with disabilities or different experiences than their own is important for teens, in my opinion, so this one gets kudos from me for that.

Trouble

Trouble by Non Pratt
Published June 10, 2014

About the Book

In this dazzling debut novel, a pregnant teen learns the meaning of friendship—from the boy who pretends to be her baby’s father.

When the entire high school finds out that Hannah Shepard is pregnant via her ex-best friend, she has a full-on meltdown in her backyard. The one witness (besides the rest of the world): Aaron Tyler, a transfer student and the only boy who doesn’t seem to want to get into Hannah’s pants. Confused and scared, Hannah needs someone to be on her side. Wishing to make up for his own past mistakes, Aaron does the unthinkable and offers to pretend to be the father of Hannah’s unborn baby. Even more unbelievable, Hannah hears herself saying “yes.”

Told in alternating perspectives between Hannah and Aaron, Trouble is the story of two teenagers helping each other to move forward in the wake of tragedy and devastating choices. As you read about their year of loss, regret, and hope, you’ll remember your first, real best friend—and how they were like a first love.

My Rating

4 out of 5 Stars on Goodreads

I remember really liking this one overall but having issues with the ending.  If I remember correctly, it seemed to end abruptly, and that's a peeve of mine.  Other than that, it was really good, and I liked the characters a lot.

Guy In Real Life

Guy in Real Life by Steve Brezenoff
Published May 27, 2014

About the Book:

From the acclaimed author of Brooklyn, Burning comes Guy in Real Life, an achingly real and profoundly moving love story about two Minnesota teens whose lives become intertwined through school, role-playing games, and a chance two-a.m. bike accident.

It is Labor Day weekend in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and boy and girl collide on a dark street at two thirty in the morning: Lesh, who wears black, listens to metal, and plays MMOs; Svetlana, who embroiders her skirts, listens to Björk and Berlioz, and dungeon masters her own RPG. They should pick themselves up, continue on their way, and never talk to each other again.

But they don't.

This is a story of two people who do not belong in each other's lives, who find each other at a time when they desperately need someone who doesn't belong in their lives. A story of those moments when we act like people we aren't in order to figure out who we are. A story of the roles we all play-at school, at home, with our friends, and without our friends-and the one person who might show us what lies underneath it all.

My Thoughts:

I gave this 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.  I didn't dislike the book, but I didn't love it either.  I had a hard time getting into for one.  I found it easy to put down and not pick back up for a while.  I think a big factor in that was just not really liking the main characters much.  Something about them each bugged me, and I just didn't care enough about them.  The story was interesting enough to keep me reading through to the end, though.

Reality Boy

Reality Boy by A.S. King
Published October 22, 2013

About the Book:

Gerald Faust knows exactly when he started feeling angry: the day his mother invited a reality television crew into his five-year-old life. Twelve years later, he’s still haunted by his rage-filled youth—which the entire world got to watch from every imaginable angle—and his anger issues have resulted in violent outbursts, zero friends, and clueless adults dumping him in the special education room at school.

Nothing is ever going to change. No one cares that he’s tried to learn to control himself, and the girl he likes has no idea who he really is. Everyone’s just waiting for him to snap…and he’s starting to feel dangerously close to doing just that.

In this fearless portrayal of a boy on the edge, highly acclaimed Printz Honor author A.S. King explores the desperate reality of a former child “star” who finally breaks free of his anger by creating possibilities he never knew he deserved.

My Thoughts:

A.S. King is such an amazing writer.  I've had the pleasure of being part of a Skype session with her and my book club, and I got to see her speak at the Texas Teen Book Festival a couple weeks ago too.  She's really totally amazing period!  I've yet to read anything by her that I haven't loved.

I'm not a big reality TV person at all.  I do love The Bachelor/The Bachelorette, but beyond that, I don't watch reality TV.  I always worry about the ones where families and kids are involved and how it's affecting the children psychologically.  I just see lots of therapy in the future for those kids.  This books delves right into that type of issue.  Poor Gerald; gosh, he's suffered.  I wish I could smack his mother around, and I'm not a violent person.  If you read the book you will get this...I feel like the lady at the hockey game and just want to give him a big hug.  This is a great, well-written, moving book about a timely topic.  I highly recommend this and any of A.S. King's books.

Rebel (Rebot #2)

Rebel (Reboot #2) by Amy Tintera
Published May 13, 2014

About the Book:

Wren Connolly thought she'd left her human side behind when she dies five years ago and came back 178 minutes later as a Reboot. With her new abilities of strength, speed, and healing—along with a lack of emotions—Wren 178 became the perfect soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation). Then Callum 22 came along and changed everything.

Now that they've both escaped, they're ready to start a new life in peace on the Reboot reservation. But Micah 163, the Reboot running the reservation, has darker plans in mind: to wipe out the humans. All of them. Micah has been building a Reboot army for years and is now ready to launch his attack on the cities. Callum wants to stick around and protect the humans. Wren wants nothing more than to leave all the fighting behind them.

With Micah on one side, HARC on the other, and Wren and Callum at odds in the middle, there's only one option left...

It's time for Reboots to become rebels.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed the follow-up to Reboot.  The book is told from both Wren and Callum's point of view, and Tintera does a nice job of giving each of them a unique voice.  I liked Wren to begin with, but I really liked Callum's chapters.  He's more someone that most can identify with, where Wren is fascinating because she's so different, at least so different from me personally.  She evolves and grows a great deal in this book, though, and Tintera did a great job of developing her character and Callum's as well.  The book brings up some significant moral questions from the perspective of the society and world Wren and Callum are living in, and seeing how both respond and handle those issues is very interesting.  Like with all dystopian books, politics and world-building are significant to the story, and Tintera does a great job with making things interesting, well thought out, and unique.  Sometimes dystopian novels can start to all seem too much like each other, but she really came up with something very unique here.  She has really developed, complex characters as well.  I'm impressed with her writing and look forward to more books by her in the future.

I'll Give You the Sun

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
Published September 16, 2014

About the Book:

A brilliant, luminous story of first love, family, loss, and betrayal for fans of John Green, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell 

Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

This radiant novel from the acclaimed, award-winning author of The Sky Is Everywhere will leave you breathless and teary and laughing—often all at once.

My Thoughts:

Normally I kinda cringe when I see "for fans of" type recommendations that mention phenomenal authors such as John Green (and David Levithan and Rainbow Rowell are certainly amazing too).  That's a lot of pressure for a book to live up to, and often I am let down at least little.  That is so not the case with this one.  What an incredible book!  It's beautifully written, and Jude and Noah are written with such rich voices.  They both come across so clearly on the page that you feel as if you know them and you care about them so much when reading their story.  So many times I felt my heart breaking right along with them.  The writing here is a work of art really and so fitting seeing as both of the main characters are artists.  Also, being the mother of twins who don't get along so well made so much of the book hit close to home for me as well (and my girls are both artists too).  Though a YA novel, this easily stands up alongside many of the best works of literary fiction.  This is definitely one of those books I want to wave in the face of anyone who knocks YA to show them the high quality of what the YA genre has been producing in recent years.  I HIGHLY recommend this one!

Also, I will get to meet the author in a few weeks!!  Jandy Nelson is one of the authors who will be at the Texas Teen Book Festival, and I can't wait!  Yay for author events!!!

Independent Study and Graduation Day

*I'm combining two books in one post, as these are the second and third books from The Testing trilogy. 

 Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau
Published January 7, 2014

About the Book:

In the series debut The Testing, sixteen-year-old Cia Vale was chosen by the United Commonwealth government as one of the best and brightest graduates of all the colonies . . . a promising leader in the effort to revitalize postwar civilization. In Independent Study, Cia is a freshman at the University in Tosu City with her hometown sweetheart, Tomas—and though the government has tried to erase her memory of the brutal horrors of The Testing, Cia remembers. Her attempts to expose the ugly truth behind the government’s murderous programs put her—and her loved ones—in a world of danger. But the future of the Commonwealth depends on her.

Graduation Day by Joelle Charbonneau
Published June 17, 2014

About the Book:

In a scarred and brutal future, The United Commonwealth teeters on the brink of all-out civil war. The rebel resistance plots against a government that rules with cruelty and cunning. Gifted student and Testing survivor Cia Vale vows to fight. But she can't do it alone. This is the chance to lead that Cia has trained for - but who will follow? Plunging through layers of danger and deception, Cia must risk the lives of those she loves - and gamble on the loyalty of her lethal classmates.






My Thoughts:

I really loved this series and highly recommend it.  I think Charbonneau writes exceptionally well, done fabulous world building, and has written such complex and interesting characters.  I especially love Cia and what an intelligent and compassionate girl she is.  There are a lot of decent to very good dystopian YA series out there, and I honestly feel this is one of the best, if not the best.  The third book, Graduation Day, also had some great supporting characters that brought so much to the story, such as Raffe and Stacia, and also what happens with Will in this book.  For those who have been bitterly disappointed in the final books of some other YA series (like Divergent, for example, which I was actually fine with), I believe that this one will leave you much happier.

Also, only one month until I get to meet this author at the Texas Teen Book Festival along with many others!  Yay!!  I booked the hotel today, so I am getting even more excited.

Reboot

Reboot by Amy Tintera
Published May 7, 2013

About the Book:

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

The perfect soldier is done taking orders.

My Thoughts:

This is one that my friend Sarah wrote about on her blog a while back, and I came across it at my library and recognized it.  Sarah and I have similar taste in books, so I knew I should check it out.  I really liked this one and now need to get the sequel to it.  Tintera has created a really interesting and unique dystopian world that I loved losing myself in while reading the book.  Her characters are well-developed, complex, and likable.  The book is very action-packed and keeps you engrossed and entertained page after page.  I'm really impressed that it's the author's debut novel, as it reads like a seasoned writer penned it.  If you like dystopian literature, be sure and check this one out. 

The Testing

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

Published June 4, 2013

About the Book:

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same? 

The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career. 

Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one. 

But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.

My Thoughts:

Wow!  I really loved this book and can't wait to read the other two in the trilogy.  I ordered them as soon as I finished this one and have them waiting.  Dystopian literature is definitely one of my favorite genres of literature, and this will take its place at the top of my list of favorite series I feel quite sure.  At least one book in, I actually like it as well if not better than The Hunger Games.  As with all dystopian series, there are elements of others that can be found in this one.  They have tendencies to mirror each other in ways, while still taking fresh approaches in their world building and plot points.  One of the major strengths of this series is Cia.  She is a wonderfully written main character.  She's a strong and intelligent female lead who has so many admirable qualities.  She's interested in engineering, science, and math, and she is brilliant in those areas as well.  I think she's a great literary role model for tween and teen girls.  I also really like that the book presents so many questions about humanity and morality in a way that makes you really think about them.  I'll have lots more to say about the series as I finished the 2nd and 3rd books I'm sure.  For now, I'll just say that I HIGHLY recommend this one!

One more thing I almost forgot to mention!  I am going to have the opportunity to meet this author (and many others) next month at the Texas Teen Book Festival.  I can't wait!

A Little Something Different

A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall
Published August 26, 2014

About the Book:

The creative writing teacher, the delivery guy, the local Starbucks baristas, his best friend, her roommate, and the squirrel in the park all have one thing in common—they believe that Gabe and Lea should get together. Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is reserved, Gabe has issues, and despite their initial mutual crush, it looks like they are never going to work things out.  But somehow even when nothing is going on, something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. Their creative writing teacher pushes them together. The baristas at Starbucks watch their relationship like a TV show. Their bus driver tells his wife about them. The waitress at the diner automatically seats them together. Even the squirrel who lives on the college green believes in their relationship. 

Surely Gabe and Lea will figure out that they are meant to be together....

My Thoughts:

This was such a cute book!  It's a love story, but it's told in a unique way.  It's the story of the couple told from fourteen different viewpoints, my favorite being the adorable little squirrel.  I really loved reading the story of Gabe and Lea told by everyone around them.  Even though they are not part of the fourteen viewpoints, there is a lot of dialogue between them and those people, so you still get a great feel for them as characters and for what they are thinking and feeling.  The book is super lighthearted and a quick, easy read.  You will adore Lea and Gabe and be rooting for them.  You will laugh at the squirrel and the bench.  Yes, one of the viewpoints is that of a bench!  Crazy as it sounds, it works really well with the story.

Oh, and check out that super adorable cover art!  Love it!

Also, read up on the publisher Swoon Reads.  This is their first book.

http://www.swoonreads.com/about

http://www.npr.org/2014/02/14/277021693/swoon-reads-the-next-romance-bestseller-selected-by-you

(Note:  I am tagging this as YA and New Adult because it could go either way.  It's not steamy like most New Adult tends to be, but the book is about college students.  The characters are more like YA characters in their amount of life experience and in how their relationship progresses.)

The Fever

The Fever by Megan Abbott
Published June 17, 2014

About the Book:

The panic unleashed by a mysterious contagion threatens the bonds of family and community in a seemingly idyllic suburban community.

The Nash family is close-knit. Tom is a popular teacher, father of two teens: Eli, a hockey star and girl magnet, and his sister Deenie, a diligent student. Their seeming stability, however, is thrown into chaos when Deenie's best friend is struck by a terrifying, unexplained seizure in class. Rumors of a hazardous outbreak spread through the family, school and community.

As hysteria and contagion swell, a series of tightly held secrets emerges, threatening to unravel friendships, families and the town's fragile idea of security.

A chilling story about guilt, family secrets and the lethal power of desire,The Fever affirms Megan Abbot's reputation as "one of the most exciting and original voices of her generation" (Laura Lippman).

My Thoughts:

Meh.  This is the second of Abbott's books I have read, and again, I am left feeling this way.  Her writing is a bit strange I guess, and both I've read have not delivered in the end or something.  Well, let me take some of that back...her writing is strange for the audience she is writing for.  I think her books are YA, but they read like literary fiction written for adults, but not in a good way for this genre at least.  Her characters are not likable, and they aren't interesting enough to get past that either.  With this book, what was causing the strange things happening with the girls was all over the place.  It was like she couldn't decide where she wanted the story to go.  In the end, the cause was boring.  It wasn't the worst book ever, but it just wasn't great for me personally. 

Isla and the Happily Ever After

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Published August 14, 2014

About the Book:

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.

My Thoughts:

I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book!  Perkins really knows how to give her readers what they want!  This book is super swoony and fabulous.  Loved Isla, loved Josh, loved Isla's BFF Kurt, etc.  I didn't think Perkins could top Lola and Cricket from Lola and the Boy Next Door, but I think I love Isla and Josh even more.  This is a book with an adorable story that makes you giddy.  It reminds you of what being a teenager was all about and your first big requited crush.  Super cute; I HIGHLY recommend!  BUT--Be sure to read all 3 books in the series, starting with Anna and the French Kiss, then Lola and the Boy Next Door, and this is the third.  They are all adorable, swoony, teen romance at its best!  I can't wait to see what is up next from Perkins!

Afterparty

Afterparty by Ann Redisch Stampler
Published December 31, 2013

About the Book:

Emma is tired of being good. Always the dutiful daughter to an overprotective father, she is the antithesis of her mother -- whose name her dad won't even say out loud. That's why meeting Siobhan is the best thing that ever happened to her...and the most dangerous. Because Siobhan is fun and alluring and experienced and lives on the edge. In other words, she's everything Emma is not.

And it may be more than Emma can handle. 

Because as intoxicating as her secret life may be, when Emma begins to make her own decisions, Siobhan starts to unravel. It's more than just Dylan, the boy who comes between them. Their high-stakes pacts are spinning out of control. Elaborate lies become second nature. Loyalties and boundaries are blurred. And it all comes to a head at the infamous Afterparty, where debauchery rages and an intense, inescapable confrontation ends in a plummet from the rooftop... 

This explosive, sexy, and harrowing follow-up to Ann Redisch Stampler's spectacular teen debut, Where It Began, reveals how those who know us best can hurt us most.

My Thoughts:

This one was so good that I was barely able to put it down all day.  I read every chance I got while running errands, while eating dinner, while working out, while waiting in the car while my daughters ran into the grocery store, and while staying up past 2 am to finish it.  It's that good.  Emma is awesome and very real, Siobhan is toxic and evil, and Dylan is uber swoon-worthy.  As I read in another review, elements of the book are like Mean Girls on steroids...especially Siobhan.  This isn't fluffy YA; it's dark and gritty and messy.  The writing is excellent; I really love this author's style.  The dialogue between characters is great, as is Emma's internal dialogue with herself.  She's immensely likable and realistic.  Instead of Emma the Good or Emma the Bad, as she struggles with, she's really just Emma the normal, very real teenage girl.  It's easy to relate to her struggle of figuring out who she is, as we all go through in our young adult years.  And the whole frenemy dichotomy is something all too common (who hasn't had one!), though, Siobhan takes it to all new levels.  This is one you have to add to your must read list. 

In Between

In Between by Jenny B. Jones
Published April 15, 2007

About the Book:

Can we overcome our past? 
Katie Parker is about to get a new life—whether she wants one or not. With her mom in prison, and her father AWOL, Katie is sent to live with a squeaky-clean family who could have their own sitcom. She launches a full-scale plan to get sent back to the girls’ home when she finds herself in over her head...and heart. When Katie and her new "wrong crowd" get into significant trouble at school, she finds her punishment is restoring a historic theater with a crazy grandma who goes by the name of Mad Maxine. In the midst of her punishment, Katie uncovers family secrets that run deep, and realizes she's not the only one with a pain-filled past. Katie must decide if she'll continue her own family’s messed up legacy or embrace a new beginning in this place called In Between.

My Thoughts:

I gave this 3 stars on Goodreads thinking more like 3.5 stars.  I liked it fine but didn't love it for a few reasons.  It is Christian YA fiction, but I had no idea until deep into the book.  Christian books just aren't really my normal thing to read not being a religious person.  If I had known that upfront, I probably wouldn't have read it as there are things about the book that bothered me exactly for this reason.  The book was a little judgmental, such as the way the Christian teens in the book are basically perfect or pretty close to it and the non-Christian teens being hoodlums basically.  That rubbed me the wrong way and being a good person, being smart, doing the right thing, etc. isn't mutually exclusive to Christians.  The judgmental stuff really affected my views on the book.  Without it, it was actually pretty good and would have been a solid 4 stars easily, even with the religious content.  I appreciated that it differed from many YA books in not having a boy somehow fix or solve the teen girl's issues.  That happens too much in books and movies for teens, so it's refreshing when that is in no way part of the story.  This was about a girl from a tough background (mom in prison, her in the foster system, etc.) finding her place in the world, and it could have easily slipped into that pattern.  The family dynamics between Katie and her foster parents and foster grandma were great, especially the grandma.  There was also a lot of humor in the book, and I really liked Katie's personality and sense of humor.  This is part of a series, but I'm unsure on if I will read the others.  This one was free for my Kindle, and if I could get the others for free too I might check them out.  I doubt I would pay more than 99 cents for them, though, as the judgmental stuff really did bug me.  I do think it's probably a great series for anyone looking for wholesome YA type literature for their daughter, especially if they are religious.  I would add, though, a good lesson on not judging others would go along well with it. 

The Break-Up Artist

The Break-Up Artist by Philip Siegel
Published April 29, 2014

About the Book:

Some sixteen-year-olds babysit for extra cash.

Some work at the mall.

Becca Williamson breaks up couples.

Becca knows from experience the damage that love can do. After all, it was so-called love that turned Huxley from her childhood best friend into a social-world dictator, and love that left Becca's older sister devastated at the altar. Instead of sitting on the sidelines, Becca strikes back—for just one hundred dollars via PayPal, she will trick and manipulate any couple's relationship into smithereens. And with relationship zombies overrunning her school and treating single girls as if they're second-class citizens, business is unfortunately booming. Even Becca's best friend, Val, has resorted to outright lies to snag a boyfriend.

One night, Becca receives a mysterious offer to break up the most popular couple in school: Huxley and the football team's star player, Steve. To succeed, she'll have to plan her most elaborate scheme to date—starting rumors, sabotaging cell phones, breaking into cars...not to mention sneaking back into Huxley's good graces. All while fending off the inappropriate feelings she may or may not be having for Val's new boyfriend.

No one said being the Break-Up Artist would be easy.

My Thoughts:

Super cute, fun book that is a really promising debut from the author!  While Becca doesn't always make the best choices, she's a really endearing character and one you can't help but root for.  She grows a lot through the course of the book, and there are some great messages in this book for teen girls.  The writing is really fresh and fun, and it's reminiscent in ways of the movies My Best Friend's Wedding and Mean Girls.  While it's not just like either of them, it has the same vibe or something going on.  Both are movies I love, so this is a great thing in my opinion.  Also, I really love the cover art!  That is what first caught my eye about the book when I saw it online the first time. 

This was also a book where I had the pleasure of meeting the author.  I met him along with several other authors at a panel at Half Price Books last weekend (he's the lone guy in the pic below).  I didn't even realize he was on the panel, but I was excited when I got there and saw that he was as I have had this book on my Amazon wishlist for a while.  It was great to pick up the book, meet the author, and get it signed.  Siegel seemed like a really fun guy and someone it would be a blast to be friends with.  I look forward to his next book!

The Boyfriend List

The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver (Ruby Oliver #1) by E. Lockhart
Published March 22, 2005


About the Book:

Ruby Oliver is 15 and has a shrink. She knows it’s unusual, but give her a break—she’s had a rough 10 days. In the past 10 days she:

lost her boyfriend (#13 on the list),
lost her best friend (Kim),
lost all her other friends (Nora, Cricket),
did something suspicious with a boy (#10),
did something advanced with a boy (#15),
had an argument with a boy (#14),
drank her first beer (someone handed it to her),
got caught by her mom (ag!),
had a panic attack (scary),
lost a lacrosse game (she’s the goalie),
failed a math test (she’ll make it up),
hurt Meghan’s feelings (even though they aren’t really friends),
became a social outcast (no one to sit with at lunch)
and had graffiti written about her in the girls’ bathroom (who knows what was in the boys’!?!). 

But don’t worry—Ruby lives to tell the tale. And make more lists.

My Thoughts:

This is the first book in a series, and I am still working on getting all of the others.  I have 1, 2, and 4 that I've managed to find at Half Price Books, but I've had no luck finding 3.  I'm going to review the first book for now, since I just read it, but hold off on reading the other three until I order it from Amazon.  I'll review the whole series at that time, as well as each of the other three individually. 

On to book #1 in the Ruby Oliver series.  This is super fluffy but also a cute book that does also have a message.  Ruby Oliver is dealing with things a lot of teenage girls deal with.  She has some misconceptions about relationships with boys, friends, and her parents.  She needs to make mistakes so she can learn from them.  She also needs to gain some self-awareness about the things she is doing wrong, the things that are making her life such a mess.  One thing I really like about the book (a bit of a spoiler) is that some swoon-worthy boy doesn't show up and fix things for her as often happens in YA books with girls like Ruby.  One of her problems is her dependence on boys for measuring her self-worth, and having a boy solve her problems would send the wrong message to other girls in her same situation.  Ruby, with the help of her therapist and her experiences, begins to learn things on her own, and that's important.  Another thing I really liked were the footnotes, as I'm a fan of using them myself.  Here, they put the reader inside Ruby's head a bit more and/or provide important history about situations and people that don't necessarily flow well to be part of the main story, but the details still add something.  The book touches on somewhat serious topics/issues without doing so in a heavy-handed way.  It deals with the sometimes rough and ugly sides of being a teen while still keeping things light and teaching something without being so blatant.  I think most teen girls would benefit from reading it.  

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Published May 23, 2005

About the Book:

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

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

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

My Thoughts:

I saw the film adaption of this back when it was out, and I remember really liking it, but I had forgotten specifics.  What little I can remember, I think the film was pretty different than the book, and Wikipedia confirmed my thoughts.  While I liked the film when I saw it, I think if I had read the book first, the film would have been disappointing.  The book's story is much better!  I adore another of the collaborations of Cohn and Levithan (Dash & Lily's Book of Dares), so I've always meant to read this one (especially having seen the movie).  I picked it up for $1 at the big Half Price Books Clearance Sale this summer where I was excited to find it (along with like 40 other books for dirt cheap...gotta love that!).  It's a quick read, only 183 pages.  The characters are great and very real.  They read like real teenagers that run in the circles that they do.  The writing is sharp and witty.  I love the pop-culture references as they are things I loved as a teen...Heathers, My So Called Life, Johnny Castle (Dirty Dancing), and The Cure for example.  I will have to try and forgive Norah for disparaging The Beatles, though. 

Something Like Fate

Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti
Published May 4, 2010

About the Book:

Lani and Erin are bonded for life. One thing that connects them is their fascination of fate. Lani wonders how much of our lives has already been decided and how much we can actually influence. Since the Unknown can unexpectedly change our lives forever, how much can we really control?

From the minute Lani meets Jason, she can't deny the intense connection they share. It feels like she's known him forever. She's not sure if he feels it, too. But it doesn't matter. Because Jason is Erin's boyfriend. Lani is determined to ignore her feelings for Jason, no matter how powerful they are, rather than risk hurting her best friend.

How long can Lani keep running from the boy who might be her destiny?

My Thoughts:

This was total fluff, but it was a cute book all in all.  The cover tips you off pretty quickly to what the story will be about, so there's no surprise that drama awaits you.  There is not much substance to it, and it's definitely just a quick, fun read.  That being said, sometimes that is all you are looking for.  I was looking for a quick, fun YA read for today.  This book totally fit the bill.  Colasanti has several books out, and this was my first of hers to read.  I liked this one enough that I would definitely check out others by her.  

Something funny...I had this sitting on the arm of the couch earlier today before I was going to start reading it.  One of my 14 year old girls walked by and stopped when she saw the cover.  She said, "oooooooh," indicating she recognized trouble/drama when she saw the cover.  I laughed so hard at her.  I later was telling hubby and my other 14 year old girl (they are twins) about it, and they wanted to see the cover to see what I was talking about.  The same "oooooooh" was both of their reactions.  I just thought that was really funny. 

Just One Night

Just One Night by Gayle Forman
Published May 29, 2014

About the Book:

After spending one life-changing day in Paris with laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter, sheltered American good girl Allyson “Lulu” Healey discovered her new lover had disappeared without a trace. Just One Day followed Allyson’s quest to reunite with Willem; Just One Year chronicled the pair’s year apart from Willem’s perspective. Now, back together at last, this delectable e-novella reveals the couple’s final chapter.

My Thoughts:

This e-novella does a nice job of wrapping up Allyson and Willem's story.  It's a very quick read at only 40 pages and a must for completing their story.  I really enjoyed the two books and this short conclusion to them.  For anyone who hasn't yet read them, it's now a complete series that can be read without having to wait for the next book to come out.  I love when I happen upon a completed series, so I can read it without the agonizing wait between books.