This Side of Salvation Superfan Contest

Hey guys!

I'll be participating in a contest hosted by Jeri Smith-Ready for her new YA contemporary, This Side of Salvation, which comes out April 1st!

Here's the post about the contest! And the rules are here. It's easy to enter and looks like it'll be a lot if fun. Jeri is great with her fans and I'm excited to participate in another one of her contests. Her Shade series is easily one of my favourites and I can't wait to read this new book as well!

 Here's the book summary from Goodreads:

Everyone mourns differently. When his older brother was killed, David got angry. As in, fist-meets-someone-else’s-face furious. But his parents? They got religious. David’s still figuring out his relationship with a higher power, but there’s one thing he does know for sure: The closer he gets to new-girl Bailey, the better, brighter, happier, more he feels.

Then his parents start cutting all their worldly ties to prepare for the Rush, the divine moment when the faithful will be whisked off to Heaven…and they want David to do the same. David’s torn. There’s a big difference between living in the moment and giving up his best friend, varsity baseball, and Bailey—especially Bailey—in hope of salvation.

But when he comes home late from prom, and late for the Rush, to find that his parents have vanished, David is in more trouble than he ever could have imagined...

And of course, today's trading card with a quote from our main character, David Cooper:

Review: Perfect Lies

Perfect Lies
Author: Kiersten White
Published: February 18, 2014
Hardcover, 232 pages
4 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Annie and Fia are ready to fight back.

The sisters have been manipulated and controlled by the Keane Foundation for years, trapped in a never ending battle for survival. Now they have found allies who can help them truly escape. After faking her own death, Annie has joined a group that is plotting to destroy the Foundation. And Fia is working with James Keane to bring his father down from the inside.

But Annie's visions of the future can't show her who to trust in the present. And though James is Fia's first love, Fia knows he's hiding something. The sisters can rely only on each other - but that may not be enough to save them.

Mind Games was the kind of book that is exactly like its title. The whole time reading it, you're not sure what's real, who's good or what's really happening. It was one big mind game. It's sequel, Perfect Lies, made a lot more sense and helped me figure out just how this story was going to play out. This book was fast paced, full of action, and proved that girl should never be underestimated. When Fia decides not to go through with what the Keane Foundation told her too, she's suddenly on edge and trying to get out of the company. The only reason she stays is to be with James and to protect her sister, Annie. But Annie is seeing things she doesn't like, things that could mean Fia is in danger, and suddenly they are both on the run towards each other ready to end this once and for all.

This story is thrilling, fast, and full of twists and turns. So much happens in these 200 pages and I didn't want Fia and Annie's story to end. Keeping in pace with the first book, this is told from both sisters' perspectives yet happens in very different time lines. In Annie's view, we are counting down to the event that ends this book, while Fia is many months ahead, closer to the event. The girls don't see each other very much throughout the novel, but when they do - it matters. Their relationship is unusual, but they are sisters through and through and the amount of love they have for each other is unbelievable. Both would do anything for the other and both are willing to risk their lives to save them. They can't really trust anyone, but somehow they both find it in themselves to use their powers to save each other. Fia showed how fierce she is in the first book, but this one was all about Annie. She proves that just because she's blind does not mean she's weak. Her character grew so much over these pages that I was just rooting for her the whole time. And while the first book really focused on Fia and her relationship with James, this one was all about Annie finding her own love. It was beautiful and perfect and showed that love isn't about looks at all. It was wonderfully done and the sweetest moment when it was revealed. 

These girls will not leave my thoughts for a long time. This book was unique, fun and full of girl power. Who wouldn't want to live in a world where the girls get mind powers and the men are left with nothing? Well, a girl can dream. Any fans of White's Paranormalcy series will love these new girls, these new adventures, and this new world full of action and adventure. 

“She told me only people we love the most can destroy us, because no one else has that kind of power.”

Review: Uninvited

Uninvited
Author: Sophie Jordan
Published: January 28, 2014
Hardcover, 384 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report in bestselling author Sophie Jordan's chilling new novel about a teenage girl who is ostracized when her genetic test proves she's destined to become a murderer.

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.


The minute I opened this book, I was hooked. Jordan has created this world that doesn't seem too unlike our own where people are tested for HTS, aka the kill gene. Those with tendencies to become murders are labelled as such and become outcasts to society. Davy has a great life, a great boyfriend and goes to a prestigious school, but when she tests positive for HTS, suddenly everything is gone. She is uninvited from her school and is sent to public school to learn along side other carriers. Her new life as a carrier is off to a rocky start and it just shows how brutal her life will be from now on. Stuck in a basement with only a few students and a very sketchy teacher, Davy quickly finds herself trusting Sean, a fortified killer based on the tattooed confirmation around his neck. She knows she should stay away from him, but he is always there for her and she starts to see too much of herself in him.

I related to Davy right away. Not that I live a privileged life or anything, but I know I would hate it if I lost what I have. She reacted so perfectly, too scared to really say anything but dying to break away on the inside. The way she deals with being uninvited and thrown into this new school just shows how brave she is. The scariest thing is that this could happen so easily in our world. One word and we could be separated and those who have done wrong could easily be labelled as such for the world to see. I think that's what scared me most about this book - how easily it is for society to turn against you even if you haven't done anything wrong. Day has never murdered anyone, never done anything even close to it. But as soon as she is marked a carrier, the world assumes she will. And when she does use a violent act to protect herself (like any sane person would do) she is suddenly thrust into the same category as murderers. I needed to know more and I kept turning the page to see how Davy would survive this new world. Throughout the novel, I found myself realizing that I would react the same way as her, I'd do the same things she does to get out of awful situations and by the end of it, I was rooting so loudly for her that I can't wait to read the rest of her story.

This books shows that just because someone is characterized as something does not mean that defines them. Sean may have the mark around his neck but you can't judge a book by its cover. He is protective of Davy, knowing that she is going through the same thing as him. They are both labelled as something they're not and forced to live with the consequences. I fell in love with their relationship, hoping that they can both overcome the obstacles in front of them and make it through life unscratched. Jordan continues to impress me and based on the ending of this book, I know I'm in for more of a wild ride with the sequel, Unleashed. 

“Ironic. I'm here because of my inherent dangerousness, but it's my inherent politeness that makes me put up with this. With him.” 

Waiting on Wednesday: What I Thought Was True

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, where we spotlight an upcoming release we can't wait to get our hands on.

My WoW this week is:

What I Thought Was True
By Huntley Fitzpatrick
Expected publication date: April 15, 2014

From Goodreads:

From the author of My Life Next Door comes a swoony summertime romance full of expectation and regret, humor and hard questions.

Gwen Castle's Biggest Mistake Ever, Cassidy Somers, is slumming it as a yard boy on her Nantucket-esque island this summer. He's a rich kid from across the bridge in Stony Bay, and she hails from a family of fishermen and housecleaners who keep the island's summer people happy. Gwen worries a life of cleaning houses will be her fate too, but just when it looks like she'll never escape her past—or the island—Gwen's dad gives her some shocking advice. Sparks fly and secret histories unspool as Gwen spends a gorgeous, restless summer struggling to resolve what she thought was true—about the place she lives, the people she loves, and even herself—with what really is.

A magnetic, push-me-pull-me romance with depth, this is for fans of Sarah Dessen, Jenny Han, and Deb Caletti.

If you've read My Life Next Door then you know Fitzpatrick doesn't just tell light, fluffy, romantic teen stories. There is so much more in her pages and I can't wait to laugh, cry, and fall in love with these new characters. i'm sure it will be just as epic. 

Review: Ignite Me

Ignite Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Published: February 4, 2014
Paperback, 416 pages
4 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, called “a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love.”

With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her.


This series has taken me a whirlwind of emotion, making me rethink YA, rethink what I think is right, and rethink how life works. It built up from the first page, taking me into this world where people have thee abilities and no one is sure how to use them. The first book, Shatter Me, introduced Juliette, a scared girl with the power to kill with her body. Alone in a locked cell, we get into Juliette's head so completely that you're not sure what's real and what she's just thinking is real. Juliette's mind is a mess. Her thoughts are jumbled. She's not brave enough to say what she wants to say. She meets Adam, a man who can touch her without death, a man who promising the kind of world she's been waiting for. Juliette only gets stronger from there and in Unravel Me, we see her coming into her own. She hones in on her power and fights for her life, Adam by her side, but her growing attraction to Warner, the son of their enemy, can't be controlled. Enter love triangle and enter the ending you'll never see coming.

Juliette is me and you, and every girl that hasn't felt comfortable in her own skin. Yes, she can't touch anyone, but we've all felt like her, we've all been through what she's going through. She has grown up in so many ways over this series, and it was amazing to watch her grow into her own skin. In this book, she is now so confident in herself and her power that it's amazing to look at this world through her eyes. She no longer worries about what to say or how to act, she just does. I loved watching her journey as she not only discovered more about her powers and those around her, but also so much about herself. The dreaded love triangle snuck up on me, as I was dead set on loving only one of these boys, but ended up falling for both of them. It's amazing, as a writer, that Mafi was able to take the villain and turn him into a love interest. And guess what, we all loved it! I'm sure there's no one that still hates Warner after this book. His character probably developed even more than Juliette's, as we watched him go from one end of the spectrum to the other. He is a caring, loveable man in this book and I hate that I swooned over him, but I did. I was so against loving him, but he crept into my heart and stole it, just like he did to Juliette's. The only problem I had with how things played out was that it didn't seem completely realistic. She took a character and turned them into someone they definitely were not just to move the story. 

I wanted a huge ending. I wanted everything that we've been building up to to explode in a dramatic fashion. I was a little disappointed with how it played out, but that doesn't mean I didn't love it. That doesn't mean I didn't cry, knowing that this series is over. I will miss Juliette and Warner and all the other Omega Point characters that stole a piece of my heart. Mafi is a genius in her writing and I can't wait to see what else she has up her sleeve. 

“Words, I think, are such unpredictable creatures. No gun, no sword, no army or king will ever be more powerful than a sentence. Swords may cut and kill, but words will stab and stay, burying themselves in our bones to become corpses we carry into the future, all the time digging and failing to rip their skeletons from our flesh.”

Review: Split Second

Split Second
Author: Kasie West
Published: February 11, 2014
Hardcover, 360 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything.

The Pivot Point world blows me away. I love how easily West created these normal people with extraordinary talents. There is so much more to this world that I have yet to discover (and hopefully will be able to with more books!) and I would love to dive right back into this book. Pivot Point introduced us to Addie, a girl with the remarkable ability to see into two separate futures and decide which one to take. The book follows her through both futures, one where she is living in the compound with others like her, and another where she is the normal world falling for a normal guy. But when the unthinkable happens in one future, Addie is forced to pick the other one and erase all memories of the one she wished she could keep. Split Second starts where that one left off, Addie living in the compound with no memory of Trevor, the man she fell for in the norm world. So when she goes to the norm world for winter break and meets Trevor again, she can't help but feel like she knows him and is drawn to him quickly again. Her best friend, Laila, is the one who erased Addie's memories from her trip and after reading a note that Addie wrote her in the non-future, she knows she has the power to restore Addie's memories, she just has to figure out how. She enlists the help of Conner, a guy who has ways of getting ability enhancements. As Addie gets to know Trevor more and Laila learns to control her ability, the two girls discover new things about their lives, love, and the power they have over both.

Told from both Addie and Laila's perspectives, we finally get to learn more about what makes these girls great. We met Laila in the first book, but we didn't get inside her head. She struggles just as much as Addie does while also trying to overcome the complications of living in the compound. Addie falls into a new life in the norm world, remembering nothing of being there the first time. It was interesting knowing what I know from Pivot Point, knowing everything that Addie discovered but now knows nothing about. The dramatic irony was riveting and I couldn't wait to find out if Addie would fall for Trevor again, if Laila would be able to restore her memories. I know there are no more books in this series, but I wish there were. I wish I could learn more about these girls, what else happens in the compound after the events of this book and how their relationships will change. This could easily be a longer series and I would read anything that West wants to write. Both Addie and Laila are easy to identify with in different ways. Laila's home life is messed up and she will do anything for her brother. Addie's parents just got divorced so she is learning to live a new way, one in the compound and one in the norm world. I mostly love that the girls needed to learn about the norm world because it's so different from the compound. This series is a breath of fresh air from the other super power books. Each ability is mental, but the abilities are not the most important thing in this book. It's about living with who you are, finding out what you're really capable of and I love reading stories like this.

West has shown such talent in her writing. I fell in love with Pivot Point off the bat and read The Distance Between Us and fell even harder. Split Second solidified her spot in my top favourite authors and I'm excited to see what else she has in store for us, excited to see what else she can do and what other novels I can fall in love with. Addie and Trevor are so perfect together and Laila and Connor made my heart beat faster. This was a fantastic series and I wish it never had to end.

“Once Addie let someone in, she was impossible to forget. There was something about her that crawled inside a person and built a nice comfy home there, her goodness expanding until it filled every limb.” 

Review: Golden

Golden
Author: Jessi Kirby
Published: May 14, 2013
Hardcover, 278 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Seventeen-year-old Parker Frost has never taken the road less traveled. Valedictorian and quintessential good girl, she’s about to graduate high school without ever having kissed her crush or broken the rules. So when fate drops a clue in her lap—one that might be the key to unraveling a town mystery—she decides to take a chance.

Julianna Farnetti and Shane Cruz are remembered as the golden couple of Summit Lakes High—perfect in every way, meant to be together forever. But Julianna’s journal tells a different story—one of doubts about Shane and a forbidden romance with an older, artistic guy. These are the secrets that were swept away with her the night that Shane’s jeep plunged into an icy river, leaving behind a grieving town and no bodies to bury.

Reading Julianna’s journal gives Parker the courage to start to really live—and it also gives her reasons to question what really happened the night of the accident. Armed with clues from the past, Parker enlists the help of her best friend, Kat, and Trevor, her longtime crush, to track down some leads. The mystery ends up taking Parker places that she never could have imagined. And she soon finds that taking the road less traveled makes all the difference.

A pair off lovers die tragically one night and become the golden couple. Their names set in stone on a sign at the edge of town. They are known to everyone, they are who everyone strives to be. Parker Frost looks to them as most others do, the reason why the school has a great scholarship. She is ready to graduate and take that scholarship and get out of there. But when Parker gets ahold of Juliette's journal, she discovers that this couple may not be as golden as everyone thought and suddenly she wants to discover exactly how the lovers ended up at the bottom of a lake. So she decides to do something she'd never think of doing, this girl who has never skipped school, never disobeyed her family, goes on the road to piece together the story of Juliette and Shane that Juliette's journal is really telling her. Mix in Robert Frost poems at the beginning of every chapter and slight hints of his work throughout the novel, and this book wraps itself into a beautiful mystery full of lost love, new love, and finding out who you really are.

This is the perfect story of a girl on the cusp of life. She has everything planned out but decides that she wants to do something before she sets off on the plan. When she comes across the journal, she knows this is her key to going off the road she's planned to travel all her life. And the more she finds out about Juliette, the more she wants answers. Parker will remind you of yourself in many ways. A girl following the rules because she knows that's how she'll get the most out of life. But how long can you follow the rules until you realize that you're not living? I love that she took this risk, that she read Juliette's words and wanted to know more. Because as soon as she opened Juliette's journal, I was hooked. I wanted to know more about her life, her relationship with Shane, and of course about the mystery guy she met one night and can't get out of her head. Juliette is as much a character as Parker or her best friend Kat, or her crush Trevor. She breathes through the pages of her journal, begging Parker to find out what happened it her. And I needed to know too. I would have done the same in Parker's situation and I loved uncovering the mystery behind Juliette's death along side her. 

I devoured this book. The writing was beautiful and the mix of poetry added to the dreamy quality of the whole thing. Parker finally starts living life by taking the road less travelled. This is great, quick, adventure of a girl finding out who she is by finding out who someone else really is. There is bonding, romance, and a question about who we really are and how our perception of people changes the more we know about them. This was the perfect read about life on the verge of starting and people on the verge of living.

“One often meets her destiny on the road she takes to avoid it.” 

“But sometimes life gives us those rare moments where we do see chance as it’s happening. And in those moments, we have a choice. And sometimes we have to take a risk. And it’s scary. It makes us vulnerable. But I know now it’s worth it.” 

Review: Bright Before Sunrise

Bright Before Sunrise
Author: Tiffany Schmidt
Published: February 11, 2014
Hardcover, 288 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

When Jonah is forced to move from Hamilton to Cross Pointe for the second half of his senior year, "miserable" doesn't even begin to cover it. He feels like the doggy-bag from his mother's first marriage and everything else about her new life—with a new husband, new home and a new baby—is an upgrade. The people at Cross Pointe High School are pretentious and privileged—and worst of all is Brighton Waterford, the embodiment of all things superficial and popular. Jonah’s girlfriend, Carly, is his last tie to what feels real... until she breaks up with him. 

For Brighton, every day is a gauntlet of demands and expectations. Since her father died, she’s relied on one coping method: smile big and pretend to be fine. It may have kept her family together, but she has no clue how to handle how she's really feeling. Today is the anniversary of his death and cracks are beginning to show. The last thing she needs is the new kid telling her how much he dislikes her for no reason she can understand. She's determined to change his mind, and when they're stuck together for the night, she finally gets her chance. 

Jonah hates her at 3p.m., but how will he feel at 3 a.m.? 

One night can change how you see the world. One night can change how you see yourself.

Jonah and Brighton couldn't be any different from each other, yet in one night they will learn about the other, protect the other, and the end the night with very different opinions of the other. One night is all it takes to show who you really are to someone, to show that you aren't the person they thought you were. In one night, I fell in love with this book, and it's lingering with me still.

Jonah had to move to Cross Pointe, resident Stepford neighbourhood with perfect boxes for houses. He doesn't belong here. He belongs in Hamilton, where he grew up, with his girlfriend and friends. And he really doesn't want to be anywhere near Brighton, resident goody girl who keeps plaguing him to volunteer at school. So when he finds her in his house one Friday night, he freaks out, thinking she's following him, and this night, this moment, sends everything into motion. Because Jonah's girlfriend thinks he's cheating on her, thinks Brighton is the reason, so he's bringing her to Hamilton to show her off, just because he can, or because he likes her? Between the moments at his house and the party in Hamilton, these two lost teenagers will find each other in a way they never thought possible. In a night that changes everything, these two learn that first appearances aren't always right.

I love both of these characters. Told from both point of views (with clever chapter title from Jonah) we get to see into each of their minds as their lives collide. Jonah used to have everything going for him, he was a big baseball star and very popular. But when he moved, he lost his motivation to do any of the things he used to love. Stuck with a new family and desperately wanting his old life back, he vows never to get involved at his new school. But Brighton, who's on the verge of the fifth anniversary of her father's death, is broken into shards. So when Jonah offers to take her out, she jumps at the opportunity to get away from her grieving family for the night. The more they talk, the more the find in the other. So much happens over the course of the night, yet the find a way back to each other and realize there's no way they want the night to end.

This book is so romantic. It's the kind of romance I crave in YA. Two people who barely know each other are quickly brought together and forced to play nice and in turn finding something in the other they can't be without. Jonah and Brighton are broken, but together they just might be able to stitch up their wounds. This book is brilliant, beautiful and swoon-worthy. It touched me so much that I immediately wanted to open it up and start it all over again. Schmidt is a wonderful author and she has the talent to make me love every character in a book (even the ones I hate) Read it, fall in love, let their night change something in yourself. Let it remind you of your own night that changed everything. And if you haven't had one, let it promise you the possibility of everything. 

“He's wrong--high school isn't a pyramid with all the power clustered in a chosen few at the top--it's more of a movie theater with twenty-two screens showing simultaneously. The love story in theater three doesn't care what happens on the football field in theater twelve. Actors and audiences overlap on the screen in the hallways, but there's a place for everyone.”

Review: This Is What Happy Looks Like

This Is What Happy Looks Like
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Published: April 2, 2013
Paperback, 224 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

In This is What Happy Looks Like, Jennifer E. Smith's new YA novel, perfect strangers Graham Larkin and Ellie O'Neill meet—albeit virtually—when Graham accidentally sends Ellie an email about his pet pig, Wilbur. In the tradition of romantic movies like "You've Got Mail" and "Sleepless in Seattle," the two 17-year-olds strike up an email relationship, even though they live on opposite sides of the country and don't even know each other's first names.

Through a series of funny and poignant messages, Graham and Ellie make a true connection, sharing intimate details about their lives, hopes and fears. But they don't tell each other everything; Graham doesn't know the major secret hidden in Ellie's family tree, and Ellie is innocently unaware that Graham is actually a world-famous teen actor living in Los Angeles.

When the location for the shoot of Graham's new film falls through, he sees an opportunity to take their relationship from online to in-person, managing to get the production relocated to picturesque Henley, Maine, where Ellie lives. But can a star as famous as Graham have a real relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie's mom want her to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?


Anyone enjoyed The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, knows that Smith can write a hell of a romance in a short amount of time. TIWHLL is no different. Ellie O'Neill lives in Maine, Graham Larkin is a Hollywood actor. In a quick twist of fate, Graham accidentally sends Ellie an email. One email leads to many and soon Graham is deciding to film his next movie in Maine to be able to meet Ellie in person. But Ellie doesn't know Graham is an actor and a case of mistaken identity makes Graham go out with the wrong girl. But when they do finally meet, is it even possible for them to fall for each other when they live so far from each other and Ellie's mom doesn't want her in the media? A roller coaster of a ride, it's easy for fall in love with these characters and follow their journey like any good love story.

I've read some wonderful YA contemporaries lately and this one is by far one of my favourites. The characters are unique, Ellie is not like more heroines as she knows there are more important things in life than falling in love. Her mom fell in love early in life and though it did produce Ellie, she regrets most of the relationship. She doesn't want Ellie to go through the same thing she does, and Ellie wants to stay near her mom and help her out money wise. Graham isn't your typical actor either. He isn't interested in the girls he's supposed to be, he'd much rather talk to Ellie through emails and hang out with his pet pig. His relationship with his parents isn't as great as it used to be and he really wants to figure out where he's going next in life. When they meet, nothing and everything changes. Ellie tries to stay away from him but finds herself needing to see him, wanting to be near him. Graham knows it's best if he doesn't get involved with her but he can't help it that he loves her red hair and just wants to be close to her. Their moments are fleeting and wonderful, a summer full of love and possibilities. It's impossible not to fall in love with both these characters and root for them to have a happy ending. 

Told from both viewpoints, TIWHLL shows you that you don't need to be from the same world to fall in love. It's hard, but it's possible. Smith's writing is fluid and realistic, quotes that pop out in between moments that feel so real you must be beside the characters witnessing it. Summer is Henley, Maine is hot and full of tourists, but Ellie and Graham only need each other, only see each other. It felt like I was sweating in the hot sun along with them and sitting on the bus on the way to the Fourth of July picnic. I laughed, I cried and I flipped the pages hoping that everything would work out for Ellie and Graham. Just like Hadley and Oliver, these two meet each other out of nowhere, brought together by fate and knowing that it will take work to stay together. I love the idea that you don't have to live near each other to fall in love. Knowing that distance will not keep them from each other. I think that's more love than seeing them everyday. If you have to work to stay in contact, you will appreciate the moments you have together so much more. I'm excited for Smith's next book,  The Geography of You and Me, where we actually get to witness the aftermath of a fated meeting and see how well the couple does once they are separated again. Smith is a master at contemporaries and I'm eager to read more from her. 

“Exactly. How can you know it makes you happy if you’ve never experienced it?”
“There are different kinds of happy,” she said. “Some kinds don’t need any proof.”

“It was exactly as he’d thought it would be, like the first time and the millionth time all at once, like being wide awake, like losing his balance. Only this time, it wasn’t just him; this time, they were losing their balance together.”

Review: Foreplay

Foreplay

Author: Sophie Jordan

Published: November 5, 2013

Paperback, 320 pages

4 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Before she goes after the life she’s always wanted, she’s about to find the one she needs. 

Pepper has been hopelessly in love with her best friend’s brother, Hunter, for like ever. He’s the key to everything she’s always craved: security, stability, family. But she needs Hunter to notice her as more than just a friend. Even though she’s kissed exactly one guy, she has just the plan to go from novice to rock star in the bedroom—take a few pointers from someone who knows what he’s doing.

Her college roommates have the perfect teacher in mind. But bartender Reece is nothing like the player Pepper expects. Yes, he’s beyond gorgeous, but he’s also dangerous, deep—with a troubled past. Soon what started as lessons in attraction are turning both their worlds around, and showing just what can happen when you go past foreplay and get to what’s real…

I think this has been my favourite New Adult book yet. I'm still new to this genre and have been iffy about picking up some books. But Jordan's Firelight series is one of my favourite's and I just finished Uninvited, so I hoped that because I enjoyed her YA so much, I'd like something out she's written. I wasn't wrong. This book had as much fire and heart as her others and I had a really great time reading it. Pepper is very sweet and innocent and has her future planned out - she is going to marry her best friend's brother, Hunter. But Hunter only sees her as his little sister and she is determined to change this. The problem is she has no experience at all and doesn't want to go in unprepared. So when her friends tell her about a hot bartender who beds lots of women, Pepper is ready to track him down and get him to teach her a thing or two. But things don't work out as planned. Reece is hot yes, and he sure looks experienced, but he is also really good with kids, cares a lot about his bar and rescues girls from the side of the road when their cars break down. Can Pepper just be involved with him to gain experience or is the way he's making her feel going to interfere with her plans for Hunter? 

Pepper is an average girl and more relatable than some characters NA these days. She focuses on school, babysits to be able to afford it and tries to make her friends happy by going along with their plans. So when her friends finally get her to the bar, her awkwardness getting his attention. Everything Pepper has planned changes when she really gets to know Reece and would could blame her? Reece is not the player Pepper pegs him to be. He is sweet and caring, and shows his affection for her in more ways than one throughout the novel. I love that nothing goes as planned. As soon as we meet Reece, I knew he'd be more than a fling for Pepper. Both Pepper and Reece regret their first impressions of each other, gradually becoming more aware of each other and their needs throughout the novel. Their interactions are fantastic to read, both when they first meet and have very different opinions of each other and later when they can't decide the next steps to take. I fell in love with them as they discovered each other. The pacing is perfect, and it kept me on the edge of my seat, toes curled, as I begged Pepper to go to Reece every time she told herself not too. The amount of tension between them is frustrating, as I think I wanted them to get together more than they did!

The notable difference in YA and NA is easily pinpointed - there are no hold bars when it comes to sexuality in NA. I love the young love, the first kisses, and the stolen moments in YA, but I won't deny how enjoyable it was to read about physical contact in its truest form. Relationships are taken to the next level and it adds to the story in a way. I felt a real connection between Pepper and Reece as they experience real life moments that college students would definitely be involved in. The title tells it all, I supposed, and I wasn't let down. This whole book was foreplay and I didn't get satisfaction until the end. Throw in some humour, genius side characters (Emerson is the main character in the second book, Tease) and a very dramatic happy ending, and I'm willing to give NA another try. 

“I wouldn’t have waited this long for you. I would have already showed up at your dorm the minute I decided I wanted you. I wouldn’t leave until I convinced you that you were mine” 

Review: Sweetly

Sweetly
Author: Jackson Pearce
Published: August 23, 2011
Hardcover, 310 pages
4 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

As a child, Gretchen's twin sister was taken by a witch in the woods. Ever since, Gretchen and her brother, Ansel, have felt the long branches of the witch's forest threatening to make them disappear, too.

Years later, when their stepmother casts Gretchen and Ansel out, they find themselves in sleepy Live Oak, South Carolina. They're invited to stay with Sophia Kelly, a beautiful candy maker who molds sugary magic: coveted treats that create confidence, bravery, and passion.

Life seems idyllic and Gretchen and Ansel gradually forget their haunted past -- until Gretchen meets handsome local outcast Samuel. He tells her the witch isn't gone -- it's lurking in the forest, preying on girls every year after Live Oak's infamous chocolate festival, and looking to make Gretchen its next victim. Gretchen is determined to stop running and start fighting back. Yet the further she investigates the mystery of what the witch is and how it chooses its victims, the more she wonders who the real monster is.

Gretchen is certain of only one thing: a monster is coming, and it will never go away hungry.

Hansel and Gretel was never my favourite fairy tale. Not sure why, since I have a brother, so you'd think I'd relate to the thing, but I wasn't a big fan. So it took me awhile to pick up this book, not interested in it at all. But after reading the rest of the fairy tale retelling series by Pearce, I knew I had to read it, and it became my favourite of the four! Gretchen is adorable, a girl who's only ever known a life without her twin sister and has relied on her brother Ansel for everything. When they were kids, a witch stole their sister when they were on a walk in the woods. Gretchen has been running from the witch ever since then, but now she wants it destroyed. But when they are kicked out of the house and decide to drive to the ocean and start a new life, they are distracted by a small town that sucks them in. Sophia Kelly takes them in as her own, feeding them chocolate and falling for Ansel. Things seem too good to be true and soon sightings of the "witch" cause Gretchen to take things into her own hands. 

Gretchen and Ansel have the kind of relationship that my brother and I have. You don't want to do anything without the other one knowing and you know you're safe when you're near them. This is all fine and dandy, but it's important to have your own life too and you see this gradually transform their relationship as Gretchen gets to know Samuel, a local hunter, and Ansel gets closer to Sophia. The mysteries behind the town kept me guessing. There was no telling which residents were really bad and which had good intentions. The witch coming closer and how that played out was fantastic and tied into the series very well. This book gave me a much better perceptive of Fathomless, the third book in the series, and had a nice lead up to everything that would come together in the end of Cold Spell. Pearce has a fantastic way of weaving together worlds that we know from fairy tales and turning them into a whole new story. 

This new twist on the classic left a good feeling in my heart. I have a whole new perspective on the classic tale and know I'd enjoy it more if I read it again. It's nice when an author can take a well known story and turn it into something completely new and thrilling. This series is perfect for those who know the old tales and also for those who are new to them. The wonderfulness of it is that you don't have to read the original as these stand on their own. Werewolves, magic, and happily ever afters are great selling points to me, and I'd highly recommend this series for those fairy tale lovers out there. This is more gruesome and poignant, much like the original Hans Christian Anderson tales. 

“I should be mad. I should hate her. I should judge her. But there is some madness in love.”

Review: He Belongs With Me

He Belongs With Me
Author: Sarah Darlingtion
Published: March 4, 2014
ebook
Received an ARC from author in exchange for an honest review
4 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Two girls. One Leo.

Identical twins, Maggie and Clara Ryder, both grew up with Leo Maddox, billionaire playboy, apparent alcoholic, and heir to his grandfather's world-famous Maddox hotel empire. Their roles were cemented long ago: Maggie, as his best friend and Clara as his childhood nemesis.

But when a simple twist of fate changes everything and both girls start to fall for the lean, mean, ridiculously sexy and seemingly spoiled Leo... which girl will win his heart?

Throw in a little mischief, drama, and one smoking-hot bartender and lines are sure to blur. But one thing's for certain, neither good-girl Maggie nor rebellious Clara will be satisfied until they each figure out where they belong. 

*NEW ADULT ROMANCE. Recommended for 17+ due to sexual situations and adult language

I'm still new to the New Adult scene. I've read a few and I've noticed that they are drastically different than how Young Adult is written. There is less focus on discovering who you are and more focus on the relationships. They are swoony, dramatic, and all around a good time. They play out much like a romance novel and it's a nice change when you're reading a book and you know things are going to work out for the best. Even though they are identical sisters, Maggie and Clara couldn't be more different. Maggie fits her father's idea of country club class and Clara is rebellious to a fault, eager to get as far away from her family as possible. So when Leo, the girls' childhood friend, asks Clara to join him in New York for the weekend, both girls are confused. Clara was always the nemesis, the bad twin, and Maggie and Leo have been best buds since childhood. Clara never thought twice about her feelings for Leo (no way would she ever get together with him) but being in New York with him, the sexual tension is flowing through them and suddenly Clara doesn't know what she feels. Jealousy hits Maggie like a brick. Her and Leo don't really have feelings for each other, but she always thought if someone would end up with him, it'd be her. So when she's distracted by a hot bartender, someone she remembers from her past, she's not sure who to fight for. 

Told from both Maggie and Clara's viewpoints, this is a nice quick read that will have you rooting for both girls. The friendly competition between the twins is realistic, two girls that were born exactly the same trying to prove to the world that they are two different people. Maggie is known for being the good girl and Clara the bad, but both want to be known as themselves instead. There could have been more focus on the relationship between the girls instead of solely focusing on their relationships with Leo and Dean. There's never really any backstory as to why they don't get along. 

There's no doubt the men are dreamy. Leo Maddox is a playboy millionaire, a guy who has been in the twins' life forever. He drinks a lot, sleeps around, and shows off his money whenever he can - at least this is how he seems to most people. Get past all that and he's sweet, understanding, and ready to do whatever it takes to keep Clara. Guys in New Adult always seem to have the same makings - bad boy with lots of experience beneath his belt - but I like it when they prove me wrong like Leo did. He is genuinely a good person and maybe he's made some mistakes, but his love for Clara is something we dream of. Dean is worthy of this title too. He's done some things he's not proud of. He's hurt Maggie and now he's trying to make things right. Maggie isn't so easily persuaded but he fights for her. There isn't as much of a love triangle as I expected and I'm happy for it. The way everything plays out is believeable. Of course Maggie would develop a crush on Leo once she realizes he may not stay on the market. He's always been her go-to guy and it's now or never. 

Darlington tells this story fluidly, hints of suspense and twists and turns along the way made for an exciting read that had me wondering to the very end if I had predicted things right. And there's no denying how great those sexy scenes were. That's the fun part of New Adult - no hold bars. It's a nice change sometimes, don't you think? I'm glad I had the chance to read this as it gave me a better idea of the New Adult genre, I like to find ones I actually enjoy reading!

“Leo backed me against the door frame, his demeanor turning all 'take-no-prisoners' as he pinned me in place with his hips. His hands traced up and down the curve of my body until they wound their way through the loose strands of my hair. He was in control, I was totally at his mercy, and I. Didn’t. Even. Care.” 

Review: The Worlds We Make

The Worlds We Make
Author: Megan Crewe
Published: February 11, 2014
Hardcover, 288 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

The virus has taken away Kaelyn’s friends, her family, her home.

And now a deadly enemy threatens to take the one hope she has left:THE CURE.

When Kaelyn and her friends reached Toronto with a vaccine for the virus that has ravaged the population, they thought their journey was over. But now they're being tracked by the Wardens, a band of survivors as lethal as the virus who are intent on stealing the vaccine no matter what the cost.

Forced onto the road again, Kaelyn and her companions discover the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta is their best hope for finding scientists who can reproduce the vaccine. But with the virus already spreading among them, the Wardens hot on their trail, and hundreds of miles to cross, Kaelyn finds herself compromising her morals to keep her group alive. Her conscience seems a small price to pay if protects them and their precious cargo. Unless even that is not enough...

In the final installment in Megan Crewe’s captivating the Fallen World trilogy, Kaelyn is on the run from her biggest adversaries yet. While she continues to face horrific loss, her resolve is still strong. But to survive this shattered world, will she have to sacrifice all that's left of the girl she was?

This series has taken my heart for a spin. There are moments of sheer terror, especially in the first book, The Way We Fall, where we're not sure if our main character will make it through. A virus threatening a small island, slowly escalating onto the main shore, seeping across Canada and creeping into the United States. When Kaelyn discovers a vaccine, she knows she must get it into the hands of the right people. Leaving the island with a small group of friends, she sets off across Canada, making her way to Toronto. The Lives We Lost reveals more challenges, more threats and more loss as the group gets closer to the CDC, hoping it can be the place to save them. The story concludes with The Worlds We Make, the final stretch and suddenly everything Kaelyn thought she knew about the CDC, those chasing her, and the vaccine, seems like a lie. There's no way to trust everyone and putting the vaccine into the wrong hands could be the end of it. 

This book is a game changer, as most finales are. Kaelyn is forced to act in ways she never thought she would, and her loved ones are dying around her. Fear of what's to come haunts everyone and there's no telling how long they will last in this new world. Trying to keep her group alive, they cross the border into the States, finding new means of surviving. Seeing the world change through Kaelyn's eyes is heartbreaking. She wants what's best for everyone, but she also knows she can't just let people walk all over her. She doesn't hesitate to use her gun on those that could cause her harm, and she vows to do anything to keep the vaccine safe. She does some things that she regrets, but don't we all when we are in life or death situations? Fear changes us, and in a world that is falling apart at her feet, it's hard for Kaelyn not to change with it. I understand all of her actions. I know it was hard for her to do some of the things she had to do, but she did it to survive, and in the end, she realized that that is not who she really is and she will do anything to make things right. 

Crewe has perfected the end of the world. Her virus is something that seems likely, a flu gone wrong, and the way that it has spread over the world into an epidemic is all too real. Think SARS or Swine flu and we know how quickly these things spread. The way humans act when suddenly they cannot get everything they want is haunting and truly realistic in the way she writes. We become animals, fighting for survival and not caring who we take down with us. Humans become enemies. Food is something you will kill for and knowing there is a vaccine could mean a certain death at the hands of someone who wants it. Kaelyn's life has changed drastically and suddenly she has to make some choices she never thought she'd have to make. She is brave, determined and eager to give the vaccine to someone who will use it for the good of the world. Crewe asks questions that we don't know the answers to until it's too late - how would you react if a flue took over? Would you stay the same or would you change into someone else? How do you hold on to humanity when there seems to be nothing left. 

You hope. You hold onto hope. And you try to survive.

“What was the point in being human, in having brains that could develop vaccines and organize people across a continent, if all we did was behave like animals? This world, where all that matters was being in the strongest, biggest pack - it wasn't a world I wanted to save.”

*If anyone lives in the Toronto area, Megan will be hosting a book release party this Saturday, March 8,  at Bakka-Phoenix Books. more details here!*