Book Review: 99 Days by Katie Cotugno

Pages: 384

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Pub. Date: April 21, 2015

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done. Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.” Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me."

Molly should be excited for her summer back home in the idyllic town of Star Lake, but she is dreading it. She hasn't been back since it happened.  She hasn't even talked to her former best friend since she left for boarding school, mostly because she couldn't deal with it all. She has 99 days of summer vacation until she goes to college. How bad can it be? Actually, it can be pretty bad since the Donnellys, her ex-boyfriend's family, hate her and she feels betrayed by her mom, who seems to care more about writing her next bestseller than her own daughter's actual feelings.  On her first week back, Julia Donnelly, her ex-boyfriend's sister, eggs her house and then she runs into her ex-boyfriend's brother, Gabe, which makes things even awkward, because he wants to hang out.  Didn't he get the memo that she is an outcast this summer? Katie Cotugno's 99 Days is an emotional story. It's filled with a lot of drama, a lot of bad decisions, but more importantly, it's a tale about growing up and figuring things out for yourself.

Oh, Molly. I wanted to love you in 99 Days. Truly, I did. But she was kind of a really horrible person. She up and left her best friend without so much as a goodbye all because of some drama that went down with her ex-boyfriend. All of the drama is because of her though and her choices. I mean we all make mistakes though so I decided to give her a second chance. Plus, I did not like the horrible bullying that she was experiencing from so many of the mean girls in Star Lake, specifically, Julia. Man, I just wanted Molly to stand up for herself. To say, "That's enough!" However, she slowly gains confidence, but she was really put through the ringer. 

So, I gave Molly a second chance, but honestly, I am still lukewarm about her despite all of this, not because of her initial catastrophic mistake, but because she kept making similar mistakes in 99 Days. I mean WOW. Did she not learn? She was finally making some progress with new friends in Star Lake and she just let her ex-boyfriend, Patrick, come back into her life and make waves. I desperately wanted her to break the vicious cycle, but sometimes in adolescence, it's tough to do that.

Gabe, Patrick's brother, convinces Molly to leave the comforts of her bedroom behind and actually start enjoying summer, so because of this, I liked Gabe in 99 Days. He's older, smart and I liked him a heck of a lot more than Patrick. But there's definitely a love triangle brewing here and one with brothers no less! So, cue all the drama. 

What I thought Cotugno did really well was illustrate the issue with double standard in our society. A girl makes a mistake, specifically with cheating, and they are labeled a whore. A slut. And other horrible names. A guy does it and they get rewarded. A slap on the back and a high five. A guy doesn't get bullied like a girl does and that's the case in 99 Days. I mean it takes two to tango, right? 

So, if you are looking for a drama filled book with a fantastic summertime setting that portrays first love and all of its complexities, definitely check out 99 Days.  It was tough for me to read this book, because I wanted to literally reach through the pages and have a talk with Molly.  But ultimately, I think Cotugno gets teenagers, betrayal and the fragility of the teenage heart, which she depicted beautifully. 

Book Review: The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters

Pages: 368 

Genre: YA Historical Fiction

Pub. Date: October 14, 2014

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Olivia Mead is a headstrong, independent girl—a suffragist—in an age that prefers its girls to be docile. It’s 1900 in Oregon, and Olivia’s father, concerned that she’s headed for trouble, convinces a stage mesmerist to try to hypnotize the rebellion out of her. But the hypnotist, an intriguing young man named Henri Reverie, gives her a terrible gift instead: she’s able to see people’s true natures, manifesting as visions of darkness and goodness, while also unable to speak her true thoughts out loud. These supernatural challenges only make Olivia more determined to speak her mind, and so she’s drawn into a dangerous relationship with the hypnotist and his mysterious motives, all while secretly fighting for the rights of women. Winters breathes new life into history once again with an atmospheric, vividly real story, including archival photos and art from the period throughout."

Olivia Mead wants more for her life than to just marry, host parties, and look pretty, except she is living in the early 1900s in Oregon, where the general population is looking down upon female independence.  Olivia is caught attending a suffragist rally, which sends her conservative father into a tail spin.  Instead of talking with her about it, he decides to hire a famous hypnotist, Henri Reverie, to hypnotize her into being a docile woman content with her place in society.  During the hypnotism, he asks Henri to make it difficult for Olivia to talk about controversial issues and Henri also adds to the hypnotism that she'll be able to see people's true natures, which in turn, isn't something Olivia has bargained for.  Now she is able to see people for who they really are, which at times can be an extremely scary sight.  On top of this new complication, she is starting to have feelings for the charming hypnotist, Henri, despite her father's wishes that she aim higher.  The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters is a spell-binding historical read that blends supernatural elements perfectly. Not only did I find the historical details intriguing, the plot kept me turning the pages late into the night.

Olivia first encounters Henri at a theatrical performance where he hypnotizes her in front of the whole audience in The Cure for Dreaming.  Their relationship doesn't stop there.  As I mentioned, Olivia's father hires Henri to hypnotize her into being a "proper" woman and less interested in things like the suffrage moment.  Their relationship starts out as a friendship, but then slowly becomes more, especially when she finds out a little bit more about the real Henri. 

So, I am dying to talk about Olivia's father in The Cure for Dreaming. Wow!  I don't think I have actually hated a character in quite sometime and Winters did such a great job making him a dark and corrupt character. My skin crawls just thinking about him and his motives were just as dark. I couldn't wait for Olivia to get away from him.  He takes things too far and don't even get me started on his dental office….it's the stuff of nightmares!

Winters also does a fabulous job bringing the early 1900s to life in The Cure for Dreaming. I can't say I have read that many books set during this time period, so I found it all very fascinating. Plus, Winters incorporates many period photos as well as quotes from the time period, which only adds to the creepy atmosphere of the story and brings to life the time period even further. 

Even though The Cure for Dreaming is important in the fact that it deals with the women's suffrage movement, it also has some creepy supernatural aspects to it, which make it the perfect read for this time of year. If you like your historical fiction to be absorbing with a touch of paranormal, then I highly recommend The Cure for Dreaming. I know I will be checking out Winters' other novels as soon as possible.

Book Review and Giveaway: Queen's Gambit by Elizabeth Fremantle

Pages: 424

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

Pub. Date: August 6, 2013

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Widowed for the second time at age thirty-one Katherine Parr falls deeply for the dashing courtier Thomas Seymour and hopes at last to marry for love. However, obliged to return to court, she attracts the attentions of the ailing, egotistical, and dangerously powerful Henry VIII, who dispatches his love rival, Seymour, to the Continent. No one is in a position to refuse a royal proposal so, haunted by the fates of his previous wives—two executions, two annulments, one death in childbirth—Katherine must wed Henry and become his sixth queen.  Katherine has to employ all her instincts to navigate the treachery of the court, drawing a tight circle of women around her, including her stepdaughter, Meg, traumatized by events from their past that are shrouded in secrecy, and their loyal servant Dot, who knows and sees more than she understands. With the Catholic faction on the rise once more, reformers being burned for heresy, and those close to the king vying for position, Katherine’s survival seems unlikely. Yet as she treads the razor’s edge of court intrigue, she never quite gives up on love."

We all know the story of Henry VIII and his six wives, but not many authors focus on Henry's last wife, Katherine Parr.  Katherine Parr finds herself newly widowed, in her thirties, with no interest in being queen, that is until Henry sets his sight on her.  She is actually in love with Thomas Seymour, a well-known courtier, but her affair is cut short due to Henry's interest in her.  Before she knows it, she finds herself as Henry's queen and caring for him while also trying to navigate through his many explosive moods.  If only she could conceive an heir, it would secure her position as we all know what happens to Henry's queens if he is unhappy.  Plus, there are people at court who want to take her down and Katherine simply hopes to get out of this alive.  Elizabeth Fremantle's debut, Queen's Gambit, is an interesting glimpse into the life of Katherine Parr and Henry's last years as king.

I really liked living in Katherine's world; she is intelligent, caring and romantic as demonstrated through her love affair with Thomas Seymour.  She is a bit of a reluctant queen as she knows she can't turn down Henry and ultimately, her heart lies with Thomas.  Despite her true feelings, Katherine accomplishes a lot while queen; she isn't just a figurehead or Henry's pawn.  She has an interest in Protestant reform, writing, medicine, as well as Henry's daughters, Mary and Elizabeth.  But not everyone at court likes Katherine...this is the Tudor Court after all, so it was definitely an entertaining ride.

Fremantle also focuses on Katherine's maid, Dot, who is also quite interesting as she has to get used to life at court, which is unlike anything she has experienced before. Her subplot was well done and definitely suspenseful as Dot finds herself in a few precarious situations in Queen's Gambit.

Fremantle portrays the aging and ill Henry VIII very well. It's just as I pictured him. I found myself cringing at many points in Queen's Gambit due to the fact that Katherine would simply have to be in the same room with him.  He's unpredictable, uncontrollable, smelly, and an obese ogre in the novel and I truly felt for Katherine.  She definitely made the best of a "bad" situation and once Thomas returned to court, sparks ignited between them once again, even if it was through a simple look.  I couldn't help but wonder if they would end up together.

Queen's Gambit is a delight, especially for fans of the Tudors and those who want to learn a bit more about Katherine Parr.  Fremantle's debut is a solid one and I plan on checking out what she writes in the future.  Thanks to Simon and Schuster, I am hosting a giveaway for one copy of Queen's Gambit to US readers.  Please refer to my giveaway rules and the deadline is November 4th. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review and Giveaway: How To Be a Good Wife by Emma Chapman

Pages: 288

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: October 15, 2013

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "In the tradition of Emma Donoghue's Room and S.J. Watson’s Before I Go to Sleep, a haunting literary debut about a woman who begins having visions that make her question everything she knows. Marta and Hector have been married for a long time. Through the good and bad; through raising a son and sending him off to life after university. So long, in fact, that Marta finds it difficult to remember her life before Hector. He has always taken care of her, and she has always done everything she can to be a good wife—as advised by a dog-eared manual given to her by Hector’s aloof mother on their wedding day. But now, something is changing. Small things seem off. A flash of movement in the corner of her eye, elapsed moments that she can’t recall. Visions of a blonde girl in the darkness that only Marta can see. Perhaps she is starting to remember—or perhaps her mind is playing tricks on her. As Marta’s visions persist and her reality grows more disjointed, it’s unclear if the danger lies in the world around her, or in Marta herself. The girl is growing more real every day, and she wants something."

Marta Bjornstad is suffering a bit from empty nest syndrome. Her only child, Kylan, has moved out and is busy with his career in the city.  Her husband is always busy with his job as a teacher and is extremely dedicated to his students.  Marta, a bored housewife, finds her life to be utterly tedious, but things start to liven up a bit once she starts seeing things.  For example, she finds cigarettes in her purse and finds herself smoking them, yet she has never smoked before.  She also starts to have visions of a blonde girl, but she isn't sure if she is imagining things, because she has gone of her medication without her husband knowing.  As she gets off her medication, she starts to have more visions and demonstrates some strange behavior, but what is more upsetting is the fact that she realizes she has no memories of her life before her husband.  Marta starts to question everything and the further she searches her memories, the stranger and more chilling it gets.  Emma Chapman's debut, How To Be a Good Wife, is an edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller that had me flipping pages dying to know what on earth was happening to Marta.

Marta's life really freaked me out. She is definitely a troubled person, but I felt for her as he husband is controlling and manipulative. Her mother-in-law is also a nightmare and made me roll my eyes on more than one occasion. She is the one who gave Marta the book How To Be a Good Wife which outlines her wifely duties that seem very seem very retro and demeaning. I felt the walls of Marta's world closing in, especially as he went through her mundane life.  She has no hobbies, no friends, and finds herself cleaning, cooking, and drinking wine to get through the day.  Marta is also hyper-focused on her son to the point where she can't even let him go and ends up alienating him.  As she stops taking her medication, more of her memories come back to haunt her as well as visions of a young girl.  It took awhile for me to get used to Marta's perspective as she is the quintessential unreliable narrator, but How To Be a Good Wife is the type of story where you just have to go with it and trust that the author will explain things as the story unfolds.

How To Be a Good Wife is the perfect read for the fall. I love curling up with a spooky read and this book is just that. It's not too freaky (otherwise I wouldn't read it), but it's haunting, really makes you think and try to figure out what is happening to Marta. Chapman does a great job building suspense as things come to the surface for Marta and the reality begins to set in.

My only issue with How To Be a Good Wife is the resolution. It felt really sad and I wish things would have turned out differently for Marta; however, it fit the eerie quality of the novel.  Nonetheless, Chapman is a talented debut author that is definitely on my radar and I will keep an eye out for her future work.

Thanks to St. Martin's, I have two ARCs to give away to two lucky readers from the US/Canada.  Please refer to my giveaway rules and be sure to enter using the Rafflecopter below. The deadline is October 27th. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Pages: 384

Genre: YA Sci-fi

Pub. Date: December 10, 2013

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.  Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.  Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever? Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it."

Tarver Merendsen, a well known war hero, is aboard the Icarus which is a huge luxury spaceship.  Lilac LaRoux is also aboard this ship and at first glance seems to be a normal girl, except she is the daughter of the richest man in the world.  Tarver, who doesn't come from much, approaches Lilac one night and although Lilac is actually interested in him, she must feign disinterest as she knows that a relationship with him wouldn't be a disaster. They are from two different worlds.  But just as she is entertaining the idea, the ship is being catapulted across space and the people on board find out that they must prepare to disembark on escape pods as the ship is pulled out of hyperspace.  Tarver helps Lilac during this chaos and in turn, she shows him where other escape pods are kept.  Surprisingly, Lilac knows a lot about electricity and is able to fix the wiring in the escape pod just in time. Lilac and Tarver find themselves crash landing on an unknown planet that holds many, many secrets.  Will these two survive? Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner's debut, These Broken Stars, is a wholly captivating tale that captures everything that I love about science fiction. 

Lilac and Tarver couldn't be more different, but that's where the whole opposites attract piece comes in. Since fate has thrusted them together, they find that they must work together in order to survive on the planet.  Readers know that there was an initial spark between the two during their first meeting, so we can only assume that a romance will blossom as they spend more time together and boy, did I LOVE their relationship in These Broken Stars. There were many swoon-worthy moments and I thoroughly enjoyed both characters, especially Tarver.    

The setting is incredible. I thought Kaufman and Spooner did an outstanding job developing this unique world as well as the mysterious planet Tarver and Lilac landed on.  I was completely mesmerized by the setting and it was definitely one of the things that I loved the most in These Broken Stars.

There's a ton of action in These Broken Stars. It's not just about the romance. Lilac and Tarver must learn to adapt and survive, so there's a lot of moments where my jaw dropped in shock as well as twists to the story.  As Lilac and Tarver explore the new planet, readers can't help but be completely hooked as they uncover more and more secrets, which includes many action-packed and suspenseful moments.

One thing that I loved about These Broken Stars was the storytelling and the technique that Kaufman and Spooner used. I don't want to say too much, but each chapter focused on an alternating point of view between Lilac and Tarver. It was done very well.  In addition to that, at the end of each chapter readers get snippets of Tarver being questioned about his time on the unknown planet. It was the perfect little nugget of information that made me desperate to find out what exactly happened.  It was awesome foreshadowing and I thought it was a brilliant technique employed by Kaufman and Spooner.

So, needless to say, I adored These Broken Stars. I highly recommend it, especially if you are looking for a new science fiction novel to read with some romance, edge of your seat action, and a memorable setting.  It's going down as one of my favorite books of 2013. 

Book Review: The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe

Pages: 352

Genre: YA Fantasy/Historical Fiction

Pub. Date: April 3, 2013

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Lora Jones has always known that she’s different. On the outside, she appears to be an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. Yet Lora’s been keeping a heartful of secrets: She hears songs that no one else can hear, dreams vividly of smoke and flight, and lives with a mysterious voice inside her that insists she’s far more than what she seems. England, 1915. Raised in an orphanage in a rough corner of London, Lora quickly learns to hide her unique abilities and avoid attention. Then, much to her surprise, she is selected as the new charity student at Iverson, an elite boarding school on England’s southern coast. Iverson’s eerie, gothic castle is like nothing Lora has ever seen. And the two boys she meets there will open her eyes and forever change her destiny. Jesse is the school’s groundskeeper—a beautiful boy who recognizes Lora for who and what she truly is. Armand is a darkly handsome and arrogant aristocrat who harbors a few closely guarded secrets of his own. Both hold the answers to her past. One is the key to her future. And both will aim to win her heart. As danger descends upon Iverson, Lora must harness the powers she’s only just begun to understand, or else lose everything she dearly loves. Filled with lush atmosphere, thrilling romance, and ancient magic, The Sweetest Dark brilliantly captures a rich historical era while unfolding an enchanting love story that defies time."

Eleanore, or Lora, Jones is an orphan and has lived a very sad life at an orphanage in London.  For years, she has hide her special "abilities" as it only brings unnecessary attention and horrific consequences, such as electroshock therapy.  Then things change for the better.  Lora is chosen to attend a fancy bording school, Iverson, as a charity student and this ultimately changes her life forever.  Iverson is a lot different than what she is used to, obviously, and it takes sometime for her to become acclimated as most of the girls are mean and snub her.  Plus, living in Iverson's gothic castle is unlike anything she has experienced before.  Right away, Lora feels a connection with Jesse, the groundkeeper at Iverson, as well as Lord Armand, who is pretty much the antithesis of her. There's much, much more than meets the eye with both boys along with deep secrets surrounding their lives.  Lora is also coming into her own and learning about her "abilities," just as danger comes to Iverson.  Shana Abe's The Sweetest Dark is a thrilling fantasy that fans of paranormal romances and dragons will enjoy.

Lora's life prior coming to Iverson reminded me of something out of a Charles Dickens novel where the underdog is an orphan/poor and finds her luck has changed; thus, she is able to start over in a sense.  Lora definitely is a character that I enjoyed and I found The Sweetest Dark to be focusing on Lora's coming-of-age.  

Lora's initial attraction and connection with Jesse was a bit insta-love-ish, but once Abe explained Lora's abilities and where her attraction to Jesse was coming from, it seemed to make more sense.  The love triangle with Armand is a bit different and not your usual love triangle, so that didn't seem to bother me.  I like that Abe really makes the characters of Jesse, Armand, and Lora to be pretty unique and their back stories, as well as emerging abilities, reflect that.  While I really liked the character of Jesse, I couldn't help but be intrigued with Lord Armand, who in my mind was totally Chuck Bass in the best way possible.  

The setting is what I enjoyed most about The Sweetest Dark. I love the post Victorian time period of 1915; plus, the setting of a boarding school on the coast of England is to-die-for. I loved the Gothic castle, the tower that Lora lived in and the whole boarding school vibe.  I thought Abe did a great job creating a vivid historical setting.

There were moments towards the second half of The Sweetest Dark that I thought were a bit far-fetched and unbelievable, even for a fantasy novel.  Things sort of progressed quickly and the climax of the novel was no doubt suspenseful, but for me, not very believable. That was really my only issue, which comes up quite often for me regarding fantasy novels:  the overall believability.  

I never thought I would like stories about dragons, but Sophie Jordan's Firelight series changed my mind as well as this novel.  I am definitely going to check out the sequel, The Deepest Night, which just came out last month.

Book Review: Five Summers by Una LaMarche

Pages: 384

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Pub. Date: May 16, 2013

Source: NetGalley

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "The summer we were nine: Emma was branded “Skylar’s friend Emma” by the infamous Adam Loring... The summer we were ten: Maddie realized she was too far into her lies to think about telling the truth... The summer we were eleven: Johanna totally freaked out during her first game of Spin the Bottle... The summer we were twelve: Skylar’s love letters from her boyfriend back home were exciting to all of us—except Skylar...Our last summer together: Emma and Adam almost kissed. Jo found out Maddie’s secret. Skylar did something unthinkable... and whether we knew it then or not, five summers of friendship began to fall apart.  Three years after the fateful last night of camp, the four of us are coming back to camp for reunion weekend—and for a second chance. Bittersweet, funny, and achingly honest, Five Summers is a story of friendship, love, and growing up that is perfect for fans of Anne Brashares and Judy Blume's Summer Sisters."

Emma, Jo, Skylar, and Maddie attend Camp Nedoba every summer and are the best of friends.  One summer they make a promise to be good friends and support one another.  Many years later, they aren't the best of friends as they had hoped, but meet up for a camp reunion.  Things start to go haywire for all the girls due to boys (of course!), secrets, and lies.  There's Maddie, who has a secret about her family and hasn't been forthcoming with any of the girls.  Then there's Jo whose Dad runs the camp and everyone views her as being just like her Dad, which doesn't help out in the dating department.  Emma is the resident "good girl" who has a long time crush on Adam, another camp goer, but he is secretly seeing someone else.  Lastly, there's artsy Skylar, who also has issues with her family and feels like a she isn't good enough for her artist father.  All the girls must address their issues and what better place to do that than at their beloved camp?  Una LaMarche's debut, Five Summers, is a story about friendship and the difficult hands that sometimes life deals us.  Fans of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series will gravitate to this similar read.

I connected the most with Emma as she seemed the most relatable to me in Five Summers.  Readers get to know her through first person narration and flashbacks to camp when she was younger.  Her obsession with Adam is the main focus and during the reunion weekend, she wants to spark things back up with him.  She had the opportunity to kiss him many years ago, but didn't take it and has regretted it since then.  But Adam is pretty much a player and is seeing someone else.  If Emma knew who he was seeing, it would break her heart and this secret is dying to come to the surface.

The other girls are interesting enough in Five Summers, but not as much as Emma's storyline in my opinion.  The narration also jumps to flashbacks to former summers focusing on each girl as well as third-person narration of the reunion's events.  It's a bit jumpy and I would have preferred the focus narrowed a bit more.  I think the LaMarche was trying to make it similar to Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in that we get into the head of each girl; but ultimately, in combination with the many flashbacks, this made for a choppy read.

The setting of Camp Neroba was a lot of fun in Five Summers and this was my favorite part of the book. I loved reading about their adventures from day to day and what they did at camp in the past as young girls.  I wish more young adult "summertime" books would take place at camp.  There's something magical about it and the possibilities seem endless.

Five Summers is geared toward younger teen readers and I can see middle grade females who are looking to fill a void left from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants liking this story as well as the idea of friendship conquering all.  But my bottom line: Although Five Summers is a cute read, I think Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants does this concept a bit better.

Book Review: The Lake House by Marci Nault

Pages: 400

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: May 7, 2013

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "VICTORIA ROSE. Fifty years before, a group of teenage friends promised each other never to leave their idyllic lakeside town. But the call of Hollywood and a bigger life was too strong for Victoria . . . and she alone broke that pledge. Now she has come home, intent on making peace with her demons, even if her former friends shut her out. Haunted by tragedy, she longs to find solace with her childhood sweetheart, but even this tender man may be unable to forgive and forget.  HEATHER BREGMAN. At twenty-eight, after years as a globe-trotting columnist, she abandoned her controlling fiancé; and their glamorous city life to build one on her own terms. Lulled by a Victorian house and a gorgeous locale, she's determined to make the little community her home. But the residents, fearful of change and outsiders, will stop at nothing to sabotage her dreams of lakeside tranquility.  As Victoria and Heather become unlikely friends, their mutual struggle to find acceptance with their neighbors and in their own hearts explores the chance events that shape a community and offer the opportunity to start again."

Fifty years ago, a group of good friends decided that they would always stay in their perfect lakeside community of Nagog.  Nagog is pretty much like Pleasantville. Everyone knows everyone and the houses are handed down from generation to generation.  Victoria Rose grew up there, but instead fled the community many years ago as a teenager for Hollywood and made it as a successful actress. Her friends never forgave her, except for Molly. She has since returned home to Nagog and is trying to get past all the events of her life that still haunt her.  However, she has come to find that her former friends aren't very accepting of her.  She's also haunted by her former flame who once proposed to her and she has never really gotten over him.  Meanwhile, a young writer, Heather Bregman, moves into one of the homes on the lake, which sends the community into an uproar as they definitely don't welcome newcomers.  Heather is looking to find a place she can call home, but the Nagog residents are anything but welcoming to her.  Thankfully, she has found a friend in Victoria and they both try to start over in their new lives. Marci Nault's debut novel, The Lake House, is a quintessential feel good read that made me want to cozy up with a blanket and a warm cup of tea.

Heather was an interesting character in The Lake House. On one hand, I liked that she was trying to move on from her manipulative fiancé, but on the other hand, she was pretty immature and lacked confidence.  She grew up as the novel progressed and I ended up liking her more and more, especially her friendship with Victoria.  Victoria, even though she was a much older character, was really the star of the show for me in The Lake House. Her interesting career in Hollywood, the ups and downs of her life, her relationships, and her return home to Nagog were all captivating.  I wish I had a neighbor like Victoria.  But by no means has Victoria's life been a bowl full of cherries.  She has dealt with some sad turn of events and she returns home home with the hopes that she can finally heal in Nagog.  Even though Victoria and Heather seem like a "odd couple," they end up having much more in common than they thought and find solace in their unlikely friendship as they both aren't accepted initially into Nagog's community.

Let's talk about the setting of The Lake House. It was lovely and everything you would expect in a beautiful lakeside town.  I seriously want to move there and I'm not even a big fan of lakes, which demonstrates what a great job Nault did in describing it.  The residents of Nagog are just as interesting as the setting and it seems everyone has their own story and secrets.  One of my favorite characters was Heather's next door neighbor, a feisty older man who still has a lust for life.

One thing that I especially loved about The Lake House were the flashbacks to Victoria's childhood at Nagog, which seemed so very idyllic.  I loved learning more and more about her teenage years, what happened to her, and why she pretty much ran away from what essentially seems like the "perfect place."  The narration focuses on Heather and Victoria, but from time to time, it branched out to other Nagog residents, which I also really liked as it helped me to get to know the community.

The Lake House didn't set my world on fire by any means, but it was comforting and delightful, which make it a fantastic read to curl up with on a rainy summer day.

Book Review: How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

Pages: 320

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Pub. Date: May 7, 2013

Source: Edelweiss

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Rosie’s always been impulsive. She didn’t intend to set her cheating ex-boyfriend’s car on fire. And she never thought her attempts to make amends could be considered stalking. So when she’s served with a temporary restraining order on the first day of summer vacation, she’s heartbroken—and furious. To put distance between Rosie and her ex, Rosie’s parents send her on a cross-country road trip with responsible, reliable neighbor Matty and his two friends. Forget freedom of the road, Rosie wants to hitchhike home and win back her ex. But her determination starts to dwindle with each passing mile. Because Rosie’s spark of anger? It may have just ignited a romance with someone new…"

 Rosie has been a bit impulsive her whole life and everyone knows this about her, but she has never done anything like this before.  She finds out that her boyfriend, Joey, cheated on her and while burning all of the gifts he has given her, she accidentally sets his car on fire.  She tries repeatedily to apologize to Joey, but he views all of her attempts to contact him as stalking and now he has a temporary restraining order out of her.  This summer was supposed to be all about the beach, romance, and fun, but now she is facing one of the worst summers of her life.  Rosie's parents are worried that she won't keep her distance from Joey, so they send her off on a road trip with her ever-reliable next door neighbor, Matty.  He and his two friends are driving to Arizona, so that way his friend will have a car out there for his freshman year of college.  Rosie thinks that this trip is going to be a major drag, but by the end of it, she learns more about herself and can see things much more clearly.  Jennifer Salvato Doktorski's novel, How My Summer Went Up in Flames is a fun and light debut about a memorable cross-country road trip.

Rosie really irritated me at first in How My Summer Went Up in Flames.  She is just SO very impulsive and didn't really get how serious the situation with her ex-boyfriend was.  I find it odd that her parents would allow her to go on a road trip with three other guys based on her previous behavior, but, hey, it made for an entertaining story.  She spent most of the road trip really not having fun, but then started to gain perspective and branch out a bit, which is, essentially, what traveling is all about.  Although I had a hard time connecting with Rosie, I still had fun with her witty dialogue and feisty antics.

Matty is a good guy who is practically Rosie's brother in How My Summer Went Up in Flames. He has been planning this road trip with his friend Spencer and Spencer's brother, Logan, for sometime now. They are taking Logan's car out to Arizona and then flying back. I really liked Spencer, Logan and Matty and loved some of their nerdy interests, which Rosie pretty much shunned for the first half of the trip.  There is a bit of a love triangle in How My Summer Went Up in Flames and it was rather predictable.  I guess that is expected when you are the only girl (except Avery for a few days!) on a road trip with three other boys.

While on the road trip, they visit Avery, a wealthy girl from Dallas, whom Logan befriended during college orientation.  Surprisingly Avery and Rosie hit it off, which is one aspect of How My Summer Went Up in Flames that I liked.  Rosie also has a best girl friend at home and it was refreshing to see such good friendships amongst girls without all the usual drama.

I liked the road trip aspect in How My Summer Went Up in Flames and some of the fun places they visited are the Country Music Hall of Fame, Dollywood, Graceland, the Grand Canyon, etc.  I felt that Morgan Matson does road tripping a bit better in Amy & Roger's Epic Detour; however, How My Summer Went Up in Flames was still an entertaining read.

If your summer isn't complete without a road trip book and you want something light with a spunky main character on the side, check out Salvato-Doktorski's debut, How My Summer Went Up in Flames.  

Book Review: Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland

Pages: 304

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Pub. Date: May 7, 2013

Source: NetGalley

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "For Cricket Thompson, a summer like this one will change everything. A summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, and the indomitable Clayton family. A summer when she’ll make the almost unattainable Jay Logan hers. A summer to surpass all dreams. Some of this turns out to be true. Some of it doesn’t.  When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy that forces the girls apart, Jules becomes a stranger whom Cricket wonders whether she ever really knew. And instead of lying on the beach working on her caramel-colored tan, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support herself in paradise for the summer. But it’s the things Cricket hadn’t counted on--most of all, falling hard for someone who should be completely off-limits--that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality. A beautiful future is within her grasp, and Cricket must find the grace to embrace it. If she does, her life could be the perfect shade of Nantucket blue."

Cricket Thompson is best friends with Jules Clayton whose family life is the polar opposite of hers.  Cricket's parents are divorced and her mom is depressed and pretty much hides from the world.  Because of this, Cricket spends most of her time over at Jules' house hanging out with her family, especially her effervescent mother, Nina.  Nina insists that Cricket come along to Nantucket with the family this summer; this thrills Cricket.  A summer of lounging on the beach with her best friend sounds divine; plus, her crush, Jay, will be there this summer, too.  However, tragedy strikes and Nina dies suddenly, which thwarts their plans to bring Cricket along this summer.  Obviously, this is a devistating and untimely loss for the Clayton family, including Cricket who feels like an honorary member. Cricket is still determined to spend the summer on Nantucket (just not at the Clayton house) in order to support her best friend. She gets a job working as a maid at the local inn and although this sounds less than ideal, it still means she gets to spend time with Jules and maybe even hangout with Jay. Things get worse when Jules starts distancing herself from Cricket, which leaves her all alone on the island without any friends.  Even though the summer doesn't turn out like she planned, it ends up being a summer to remember.  Leila Howland's debut, Nantucket Blue, is the quintessential beach read that fans of Sarah Dessen will throughly enjoy.

In Nantucket Blue, Cricket, although is well-intentioned, can be a bit obsessive about the Clayton family. I could see why Jules could feel a bit smothered from time to time, because Cricket is just-so-darn enthusiastic about them.  She is always over there and admires Nina tremendously, mostly because she is looking for something that her family can't provide her. This normally doesn't bother Jules until Nina tragically dies and Jules finds she needs her space.  I started to then really feel for Cricket, because here she is on Nantucket without any friends other than the Claytons and Jules gives her the blowoff.  This forces Cricket to think outside the box by making some new friends and getting a job. In the process, Cricket and learns about herself and life.

Some of my favorite characters are the secondary characters in Nantucket Blue, like Cricket's colleagues at the inn.  In addition to working as a maid for the summer, she finds herself taking an internship with a writer and even finding time for romance. I don't want to ruin it by saying who she falls for, but it's the type of romance that is oh-so-swoon worthy, but also a bit off limits.  Cricket must really think about the consequences of her actions when she falls for this particular person in Nantucket Blue. 

The setting of Nantucket Blue is to-die-for. I loved every second of it.  Between the beach parties, the starry night sky, the descriptions of the island and its people....let's just say I was in literary heaven.  It left me wanting to plan my own escape to Nantucket.  

Nantucket Blue is so much more than just a light beach romance. Cricket faces some tough situations all the while trying to navigate through her grief, her issues with her family, her complicated romance, and put back together her friendship with Jules.  Yes, Nantucket Blue is pure summertime deliciousness, but it has so much more depth than your average beach read, which is why I recommend it to fans of Sarah Dessen, whose books are the same way. 

Book Review: Riptide by Lindsey Scheibe

Pages: 268

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Pub. Date: May 8, 2013

Source: NetGalley

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "For Grace Parker, surfing is all about the ride and the moment. Everything else disappears. She can forget that her best friend, Ford Watson, has a crush on her that she can’t reciprocate. She can forget how badly she wants to get a surf scholarship to UC San Diego. She can forget the pressure of her parents’ impossibly high expectations. When Ford enters Grace into a surf competition—the only way she can impress the UCSD surfing scouts—she has one summer to train and prepare. Will she gain everything she’s ever wanted or lose the only things that ever mattered?"

Grace Parker lives a pretty sheltered life despite the fact the fact that she is going to be a senior in high school.  Thanks to her overprotective parents, she doesn't do much other than study, surf, and hangout with her best friend, Ford.  Her parents want her to be valedictorian and attend an Ivy League school; however, Grace has different plans. She wants to go to UCSD and join the surf team.  This tremendously clashes with her parents expectations as they think surfing is pretty much a waste of time.  Secretly, Grace enters a surf competition and she knows the scout for UCSD will be there. She is going to spend most of her summer training for this big moment.  Thankfully, her best friend, Ford, will help her prepare, but things start to get sticky when Ford realizes he has feelings for her.  Plus, her parents have different plans for her this summer.  Readers will question whether Grace will stand up for what she wants or become a pawn in her parents' chess game.  Riptide by Lindsey Scheibe is much more than a light beach read about surfing. It deals with some serious issues and the idea of following your dreams at all costs.

Grace is the type of character that I love rooting for. She plays by the rules, she's smart, tries to please her parents, and loves to surf.  Ford has a major crush on her and she has feelings for him too, but she feels like she can't cross the line into romantic territory with him.  What if it doesn't work out? Will she lose her best friend?  Plus, Ford's internship is with Grace's domineering dad and he specifically asks Ford to look out for Grace....meaning keep all boys away from her since he doesn't want her to be distracted from her studies.  If Ford doesn't do what Grace's dad asks of him, it could impact his internship as well as his future.  So, needless to say, becoming more than friends isn't quite as simple as it initially appears in Riptide.

Grace's parents are horrible. Seriously. I would get anxious when Grace's dad would enter the storyline. He was THAT horrible.  He is a major control freak from everything down to her chores, what she wears, where she goes, who she hangs out with and how she acts.  Their relationship was so messed up and Scheibe definitely did a good job portraying this as I was feeling anxiety and stress right there along with Grace.  I never knew what was going to upset her dad and make him act violently in Riptide.  Her mom could have been a friend to Grace, but instead she nitpicked her every outfit, was brainwashed by her husband, and seemed to always be putting Grace down.  I felt bad that Grace had no one to confide in other than Ford. I really wanted her to have a female BFF, but that wasn't happening.  Obviously, Grace's home life is a disaster and surfing is one way she escapes.

One thing that I loved about Riptide was the surfing aspect.  I have never read a book that deals with surfing and it was fun to be lost in Grace's world of bonfires, San Diego beaches, ocean spray and hot surfer guys.  I could tell that Scheibe is someone who has surfed before because everything down to the description of the killer waves and the surfer lingo was spot on.

I did have a few issues with Riptide. The story is told from both Grace and Ford's point of view by alternating each chapter.  Sometimes Ford's voice was a little too similar to Grace's and I wish that it had just been from Grace's perspective.  I wanted more of a romance or tension between Grace and Ford, but that really didn't happen.  It was definitely a very, very slow burn, but most of the time, Grace and Ford acted immaturely.  

Although Lindsey Scheibe's debut didn't "wow" me, I think it would make for a fun beach read, but be forewarned that this story deals with domestic violence and isn't all just sunny days and tan lines.  So, if you are looking for a beach read that has a serious edge to it, check out Riptide this summer.

Book Review: The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles

Pages: 448

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Pub. Date: May 14, 2013 (paperback) - E-book is out now

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Meet Rochelle Evans: pretty, popular--and never been kissed. Meet Noah Flynn: badass, volatile--and a total player. And also Elle's best friend's older brother...  When Elle decides to run a kissing booth for the school's Spring Carnival, she locks lips with Noah and her life is turned upside down. Her head says to keep away, but her heart wants to draw closer--this romance seems far from fairy tale and headed for heartbreak.  But will Elle get her happily ever after?"

Rochelle has grown up alongside the two Flynn brothers, Noah and Lee.  Lee is her best friend and Noah, known as Flynn, is really just a guy that she secretly adores. He's older and the quintessential bad boy who is always getting into fights.  Rochelle, or Elle, has crushed on him for years, but has always been like a little sister to Flynn.  Things change as Elle gets older and when she and Lee organize a kissing booth for the Spring Carnival, things start to get complicated for Flynn and Elle.  She wants more than anything to be with Noah, but is afraid of the damage it may cause to her friendship with Lee. Her friendship with Lee means everything to her.  The Kissing Booth, a debut by teenage author Beth Reekles, is a frothy good time.  Teenage girls will love to be lost in The Kissing Booth this summer.

Elle kind of irritated me.  It's not that Elle was overly girl, it's just her preoccupation with Flynn and the girlfriends' preoccupation with Flynn that was oh-so-drama filled.  But then I remembered, that's how teenagers are.  So, you could say Elle is your typical teenager, except she has a guy as a best friend,  Lee.  Lee is a straight-up awesome guy; he's almost too perfect when it comes to Elle.  I liked how Reekles showed that a girl can be best friends with a guy and it doesn't always have to be romantic.

Flynn is your typical good looking, star athlete, who is super smart, rides a motorcycle riding, and ends up in many a fist fight.  All the girls at Elle's school were overly obsessed with him.  Normally I would be all about this bad boy as well, but he was a bit too violent and protective of Elle. It was almost too creepy. I would have felt smothered this personally.

What is so impressive about The Kissing Booth is the fact that Reekles is a teenager. Incredible! I applaud her for writing such a fun contemporary read at such a young age.  Let's be honest, if I were a teenager, I would be ALL about this book and would have probably read it in one sitting at the beach this summer.  In fact, it reminded me a little bit of The Boys Next Door by Jennifer Echols.

I had a few issues with The Kissing Booth. First, it's set in California, but Elle and her friends use some British terminology from time to time. (Reekles is British.)  Also, Elle's dad is way too laid back. He is aware of her drinking and staying out all night at parties, but seems so "cool" with it.  I feel like she should have at least gotten into trouble for a few of her antics as she is only sixteen years old.  

The Kissing Booth isn't a perfect read, but it's the kind of read that's fun mind candy.  As a teacher, it excites me to see a teenager published and I can't wait to read more of her work in the future as I know it will only improve as she gets older.

Book Review: Poison by Bridget Zinn

Pages: 288 

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pub. Date: March 12, 2013

Source: Netgalley

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend. But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses. Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her? Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon."

Kyra is a Master Potioner and is best friends with Princess Ariana.  But now she is running from the army who is tracking her because she tried to kill the princess.  Yes, Kyra tried to kill her best friend, because she has been having visions which show that massive destruction will come to the kingdom if the princess lives. Kyra feels she had no choice but to take matters into her own hands.  However, her poisonous dart misses and she never misses, which is why she is on the run.  While on the run, Kyra takes part in many adventures.  For starters, she seeks help from an organized crime lord, who in turn gives her a tracking pig. While on the road, she also encounters a fellow traveler, Fred, witches, and even goblins.  Readers are wondering if Kyra will be able to save the kingdom after all.  Poison, a debut by Bridget Zinn, reminds me of the old-school fairy tales and fantasies I read when I was a child.  There's adventure, a sweet romance, action, a fiesty heroine, scary creatures, and did I mention there's an adorable pig?

Kyra is the type of heroine I love. She's strong, she's smart, and she's independent.  She is able to make potions that will confuse her enemies, put them to sleep, or even kill them.  She is so good at it that she works for the royal family, which is why she has become close with the princess.  Normally Kyra wouldn't betray a friend, but her prophetic visions show the kingdom falling apart if the princess takes over.  Kyra knows what she has to do, even if it means killing her best friend.  

Kyra meets so many fun characters on the run.  I loved her interactions with love interest, Fred.  They were too cute, especially when his dog decides to befriend her pig, Rosie. Aww! Rosie is such an adorable addition to Posion; it had me getting all nostalgic for Hen Wen from The Chronicles of Prydain. All in all, Kyra is more than just a murderer in Poison as there is more than meets the eye with her.

The one issue I had with Posion was the world-building. I wanted to learn more about the kingdom and the surrounding lands as well as the many creatures that go bump in the night, such as the goblins or witches that haunt the woods.  Once I got past that, I was able to get lost on Kyra's quest and even a little surprised by some of Kyra's secrets.

Posion is definitely going to go on my classroom bookshelf. I think my seventh grade students would especially like this adventure as it's perfect for middle grades.  I immediately looked up when book two was going to be published, but was deeply saddened to find out that Bridget Zinn passed away from cancer last year. I wish I had something eloquent to say, but it's just so heartbreaking. Instead I leave you with Bridget Zinn's final tweet: "Sunshine and a brand new book. Perfect."  I couldn't agree more.