Review: Second Chance Summer

Second Chance Summer
Author: Morgan Matson
Published: May 8th, 2012
Paperback, 468 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Taylor Edwards' family might not be the closest knit - everyone is a little too busy and over-scheduled - but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor's dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains. 

Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven't actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend... and he's much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.

As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they're more aware than ever that they're battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance - with family, with friends, and with love.

There's no beating around the bush on this one - it's a tearjerker. Taylor's family hasn't really been that close, but when her dad is diagnosed with cancer, suddenly everything is going to change. One last summer at the lake house will bring the family together like never before. It was an amazing summer full of family, friendship and love and I was in love every step of the way. Taylor's last time at the lake house was memorable for all the wrong reasons. She left without saying goodbye to her first "boyfriend" (they were twelve) Henry, and her best friend, Lucy. Back after so many years, she's not surprised with the hostility they both show her once they realize she's there for the summer. But this is a summer for second chances, and throughout the book, we watch Taylor redeem herself and find out how she became so good at running away. This is a typical summer book with a dash of grief mixed in. The more Taylor learns to live, the more she realizes her father won't be able to anymore. The hope and loss is strong and every chapter brought me closer to an ending I would never be prepared for.

Every character in this book was great and well-rounded. Taylor was very typical for a seventeen year old girl, she liked to run away from problems and I won't lie when I say I've done the same. Her and Henry are awkward at first, but you can tell right away that he cares about her and wants them to be friends again. Lucy is not so easily persuaded and Taylor works really hard over the summer to earn her friendship back. They work together at a concession booth on the beach and the close quarters certainly made for great tension while their friendship was on the rocks. I was very happy when they became friends again as strong female friendships are so fun to read in books. I love when an author makes it as important as the romance because a seventeen-year-old girl would tell her friends everything. I remember how important friendship was at that age, and even now I don't know what I'd do without my best friends. Taylor's family was very realistic as well. Her older brother is an awkward brainiac who also finds love over the summer and it's the cutest damn thing. Her little sister, Gelsey, is a talented ballerina who takes after her mom and is constantly the center of attention. My favourite part with her is when Lucy and Taylor teach her how to have a proper sleepover, something every little girl needs to know!

Throughout the book, there are flashbacks to Taylor's twelve summer, a time when things were easier and everything was happy. It played really well into the story and made Taylor's redemption that much stronger. The closer I got to the end, I knew the summer was coming to an end. As Taylor grew closer to Lucy and spent romantic moments with Henry, her father's death longed in the back of her mind. Matson certainly knows how to tug those heartstrings. Taylor grew closer to her family, spent time with her father and made new memories over the summer. Family is the main focus of this book and even though Taylor spent her days with her friends, the times with her family were more important than anything. Summer stories hold a certain place in my heart. They are always hopeful and fun and nights spent looking out at the lake as the sunsets is what dreams are made of. Matson has weaved together a tale of summer love, summer friendship and moments that will forever be captured in my heart. You'll want to hug your dad and your family after this book. You'll want to say "I love you" to everyone you love before it's too late. This one is a keeper, and sometimes you need a good cry, right?

"A thousand moments that I had just taken for granted - mostly because I assumed that there would be a thousand more."

"And I've realized that the Beatles got it wrong. Love isn't all we need - love is all there is."

Review: Stealing Parker

Stealing Parker
Author: Miranda Kenneally
Published: October 1st, 2012
Paperback, 242 pages
4 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Parker Shelton pretty much has the perfect life. She's on her way to becoming valedictorian at Hundred Oaks High, she's made the all-star softball team, and she has plenty of friends. Then her mother's scandal rocks their small town and suddenly no one will talk to her.

Now Parker wants a new life.

So she quits softball. Drops twenty pounds. And she figures why kiss one guy when she can kiss three? Or four. Why limit herself to high school boys when the majorly cute new baseball coach seems especially flirty?

But how far is too far before she loses herself completely?

Parker quickly became one of my favourite Kenneally characters. Her school status has been taken away and instead of sulking, she starts living a life that gathers a lot of attention. She starts making out with a lot of different guys, wearing skimpier clothes, and doing whatever she feels like doing. The other kids at Hundred Oaks High have been treating her awfully since her mom came out of the closet. It's awful, yet much too real, and she feels like an outcast now, so she takes revenge by doing whatever she pleases. But she's not happy, she wants to play softball again but she can't stand to be near the girls who whisper about her behind her back. So when she's offered the manager job for the guys' baseball team, she takes it, and quickly becomes infatuated with the new assistant coach, Brian.

Kenneally covers a whole lot of topics in her books. Love, sex, friendship and family. Her characters have flaws and they grow so much throughout the book. Like in Catching Jordan, this book focuses on a sport, in this case baseball, and I love that sports play a big theme in her books. I didn't know much about football, but baseball I love so I was glad to have a book where there would be scenes of games and Parker still being in love with the sport. Teamwork is the best part of sports and Kenneally has captured that camaraderie between players and the friendships that are built over time. Parker, like Jordan, has a lot of guy friends and she may or may not have made out with a few of them. But once Brian comes along, she's ready to kiss a real man and she'll stop at nothing to get him. Their relationship isn't healthy at all. They meet in secret and he does not want to take her out in public or have her meet any of his friends. It's not fun to read about Parker in this situation, but it's important to the story and in life. Girls put themselves in relationships like this all the time and tell themselves its fine, but it's not. Girls need someone who will treat them fairly and lovingly. Drew, Parker's long time friend, treats her perfectly and they get along great, perhaps there is something more there? And Corndog, one of the other players, who lives to annoy but also has a soft, sweet side that he only shows Parker. It soon becomes apparent that we have no idea who Parker might end up with and I loved that, knowing there are these guys that treat her nicely and deserve to make her happy. This is one of the parts I love about Kenneally's books, you never really know who the main will end up with and you don't really know who you're hoping she ends up with until the end.

Romance is the heart and soul of these books. Her girls are teenagers, falling in love for the first time and discovering the ups and downs of having that happen. What I love is that it's not just about the romance. Friendships run deep and they are constantly a part of the books, which is so important to me since girls tend to forget their friends when they're in love (we've all done it). Family plays a huge part too, especially in this one as Parker needs to learn to forgive her mom even though she did nothing wrong. Hundred Oaks is very religious, with church cliques and shunning. Parker's family was once part of the loving community, but after her mom came out, they were shunned away. It felt very old-fashioned, but I understand that there are still places like this all over the world and it was great to see this side of the religion. Throughout the novel, Parker writes letters to God, showing us this side of her that she's not quite sure of anymore. It hurts me that there are people who treat others like this, but I know how realistic it is.

This book made me laugh, cry, and swoon like crazy. I couldn't put it down and even now that I've read all of Keneally's books, this one still stands at the top. Parker is my favourite kind of heroine, trying to bring herself back up after falling and doing some things she's not proud of. The characters were wonderful and I was happy to see some that I met in Catching Jordan. I'm a sucker for books where other characters make cameos, so I know I've picked the right series to read.

"You only live once, and if something feels right to you and you want it, you should go after it."

Review: Since You've Been Gone

Since You've Been Gone
Author: Morgan Matson
Published: May 6, 2014
Hardcover, 449 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

The Pre-Sloane Emily didn't go to parties, she barely talked to guys, she didn't do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend—the one who yanks you out of your shell.But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just... disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There’s just a random to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-selected-definitely-bizarre-tasks that Emily would never try... unless they could lead back to her best friend. Apple Picking at Night? Ok, easy enough.Dance until Dawn? Sure. Why not? Kiss a Stranger? Wait... what?

Getting through Sloane’s list would mean a lot of firsts. But Emily has this whole unexpected summer ahead of her, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected) to check things off. Who knows what she’ll find?

Go Skinny Dipping? Um...

I've been waiting for a good friendship book for awhile now. I think it's important to highlight friendships more than romance in YA because really, how many of us really found our true love in high school? My first few boyfriends were not love at all, but my friends were always there for me. So here's Emily, a normal girl who keeps to herself and likes to run. One day she runs by one of the old houses in her town and meets Sloane, she doesn't look back. Sloane changes Emily for the better. Emily actually starts living and they become fast friends, doing everything together. We get to watch their friendship form in flashbacks, but it's enough to show you that Emily loves Sloane. So when Sloane disappears one day and all that's left is a list of things she wants Emily to do over the summer, Emily feels lost, but determined. She thinks if she completes the list Sloane will come back to her. It drives Emily to do things she never thought she'd do with people she never thought she'd do them with. 

Emily's summer is one for the books. I loved following her and checking off items from the list alongside her. With the help of Frank, the cute guy she's known forever but never really hung out with, and a few other friends, Emily somehow manages to have a perfect summer without Sloane. She finds out more about herself than she thought possible and does things she never would have imagined. I think I'll make a list of my favourite things about this book:

1. Emily's younger brother is a daredevil. He doesn't have a big part, but when he's in the book he is either hanging out at the top of door frames or climbing way too high at the rock climbing wall. He was adorable.

2. The flashback scene where Sloane and Emily go to a flea market and haggle their way into getting two pairs of sunglasses super cheap. It was the perfect friendship moment.

3. Frank Porter. He was the perfect book boyfriend (well expect for the fact that he had a girlfriend)

4. The list of course. It was simple, but not. There was a lot of things on that list that I might not want to do either. So I was really proud of Emily the whole time!

5. The drawing that Gideon draws on Emily on their way to the Orchard. He's not a big character, but the flashbacks with him were cute.

6. The running playlists. I'm a big fan of playlists, so I love when authors include them in books!

7. Frank's birthday being the same day as mine. July 19th. Just saying.

8. Emily and Frank dancing the night away at a wedding. It was one of those moments that stand out in books where you know the tables will soon be turning between two characters.

9. The chapter titles being items from the list. It worked really well.

10. The cover art and layout of everything. This is a big part to the book. The inside cover, the back cover, even underneath the cover, portray pictures of Sloane and Emily doing things that happen in the book. I love having a picture to go along with a description and the cover models fit Sloane and Emily perfectly. Kudos Simon and Schuster!

This one the perfect summer read, the perfect YA contemporary and the perfect book about friends. I hope to find more books like this, hope to read all of Matson's books and can't wait to spend the summer with my best friend (hopefully she doesn't disappear on me!)

“I somehow knew that the particulars didn't matter. She was my heart, she was half of me, and nothing, certainly not a few measly hundred miles, was ever going to change that.” 

“Real friends are the ones you can count on no matter what.
The ones who go into the forest to find you and bring you home.
And real friends never have to tell you that they’re your friends.” 

Review: The F-it List

The F-it List
Author: Julie Halpern
Published: November 12, 2013
Hardcover, 256 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

With her signature heart and humor, Julie Halpern explores a strained friendship strengthened by one girl’s battle with cancer. 

Alex’s father recently died in a car accident. And on the night of his funeral, her best friend Becca slept with Alex’s boyfriend. So things aren’t great. Alex steps away from her friendship with Becca and focuses on her family. 

But when Alex finally decides to forgive Becca, she finds out something that will change her world again—Becca has cancer. 

So what do you do when your best friend has cancer? You help her shave her head. And then you take her bucket list and try to fulfill it on her behalf. Because if that’s all you can do to help your ailing friend—you do it.

There are a lot of "cancer" books out there. Some have become so popular (The Fault in our Stars) and others hang out under the radar (Send me a Sign) but they all have one thing in common: they will tug at your heartstrings and make you cry. There are some that read as a morbid tale, making everything in the story and everything you feel afterwards feel like death. I feel reluctant to plunge into some of them, knowing that I will be depressed and cry and someone may die, but I read them anyway and The F-it List takes everything that I love about reading these kinds of books and turns into a story of friendship and love with cancer hanging out in the background. It starts out with a blast. Alex's father has recently died so Alex is already in grieving. When she finds her best friend, Becca, in bed with her boyfriend. an unforgivable action, Alex blocks Becca from her life, spending the summer without her for the first time in forever. But when school starts up in September, Alex gets news she would never expect to hear - Becca got cancer over the summer. Finally realizing she needs to forgive her so that she can be with her friend during this time, Alex puts everything else aside to help Becca. Their relationship quickly goes back to normal, or as normal as it can be with cancer in between them. Becca shows Alex her bucket list and begs her to help her complete it just in case. It's takes some convincing, but soon Alex is ready to check some things off the list.

Becca's list is exactly what you'd think a teenage girl would have on her list. There are some silly things like eating a hot pepper and prank calling people, but there are also more important things like making love with someone you love. This book is written so perfectly for a cancer novel, completely turning it into real life with cancer. Becca does not let it rule her even as it eats away at her and Alex stays strong even when she can't bear to look at her dying friend. Becca takes to flirting with the boy next door and Alex starts spending time with a boy from school who she's seen at horror conventions in town. As much as they stick together, they also start new lives, exploring new things while checking off things from the F-it list. 

There is a lot of swearing and sex themes in this novel, and that may be different than what we see in most YA novels, but it's realistic. Teenage girls want to kiss boys, want to do more than that with them and anyone dealing with cancer would be angry. There are so many nerdy references, like comic books, horror movies and conventions. This added to the story so much giving it a life of its own and letting us focus on things besides the cancer. Every relationship in this feels real. Alex and Becca struggle to stay happy at times when there is so much to be unhappy about. Alex is still very guarded since the death of her father and even though she loves being around Leo, there are moments where he can't fix everything. I love their secret hiding place at school and I love how it becomes something so much bigger as the book goes on, especially when things aren't going so well with anybody. 

I won't lie when I say you'll cry, but you'll also laugh and smile and  get excited when they meet Bruce Campbell. Friendship isn't always easy and grief is harder to deal with than everything else. The only thing we can do is learn to survive after everything and learn to move on when we don't want to. This book made me want to write my own bucket list and do everything on it now just to be able to say I'm living life to the fullest. 

“I wished I could erase the message, suck the word “sorry” from the En glish language, and hack it to pieces with a rusty ax.” 

Review: The Disenchantments

The Disenchantments
Author: Nina LaCour
Published: April 18, 2013
Paperback, 307 pages
4 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Colby and Bev have a long-standing pact: graduate, hit the road with Bev's band, and then spend the year wandering around Europe. But moments after the tour kicks off, Bev makes a shocking announcement: she's abandoning their plans - and Colby - to start college in the fall.

But the show must go on and The Disenchantments weave through the Pacific Northwest, playing in small towns and dingy venues, while roadie- Colby struggles to deal with Bev's already-growing distance and the most important question of all: what's next?

To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect going into this book. In fact, I must not have read the back cover very well because I didn't even realize the narrator was a male until I read the first page. I knew there'd be music, some drama, and hopefully some laughs, and I was mostly right, though none of it was the way I expected it to be, which turned out to be perfect.

Colby and Bev's relationship is one of a kind. She's this gorgeous girl who fronts a girl band. She makes out with random people and she likes to live life as freely as possible. Colby likes routine, like schedules and plans. So when Bev tells him that she's going to college in the fall instead of taking off to Europe with him like they'd planned, Colby doesn't know how to process this information. He's furious, for good reason, and she's told him while they're on the road with her band, The Disenchantments, on the final tour before everyone's life changes. Watching all this unfold through Colby's eyes gives this story that different edge that it needed. If this were narrated by Bev, I don't think it would have struck readers as much. 

What I loved most was that this played out like a John Green novel. He's one of my favourite authors and his characters have a way of sticking with you long after the last page. They are funny and multi-dimensional and his plots are unlike anything out there. LaCour has the same spirit as Green. Her characters jump off the page and not just because they all have such different looks. They are each so strong in their own ways and the minor characters we meet throughout the story hit you as hard as the mains. This is a road trip book, which Green does so well, that never bores. Each night the band plays a different venue, each more random than the last. The band is not very good which made me laugh since the band is everything to them. I love that they kind of suck, it's much more realistic that way. Garage bands are just about the music, and boy did these girls love the music.

The small things that happened are what made me love this book. Meg's tattoo, the lost amp, the graffiti, Colby's art and Bev's carvings. This book was full from beginning to end. Each new town brought new characters, new challenges, and moments where I wasn't sure if Colby and Bev would make it through the trip together. Colby's voice put me right in the van with these girls, the pain he felt every time he looked at Bev and knew he couldn't have her. The longing in his voice whenever he spoke to his parents. The need to leave his mark on the world, and the familiar feeling of not knowing what you'll be doing with your life when everyone around has it all planned out. This book hit that area after high school and before the rest of your life right on the head. We all feel lost when we graduate from what we know. Some people go off to school, others take a year off, and then there are those that just want to see the world and escape real life fir awhile. Plans change, people change, and all you can do is try to keep going, try to make new plans and love the people anyway. This book captured every feeling I felt when school ended, and I love how it all played out. This was not a typical love story, it was about friends who have changed without each other knowing it, and dealing with what comes next. Beautiful writing and wonderful characters made this a heartwarming read that made me glad it wasn't the comedy I thought it would be.

“Searching, always. And yes, we all are, or soon will be, disenchanted, I still want to know it all: the heartbreak, the fear, the friendship, the anger, the love. All of it.”