Joe Schreiber. AU REVOIR, CRAZY EUROPEAN CHICK

Okay, I admit it. I picked this one up because of the title. Pretty catchy, right?

Your quickie synopsis: 
Perry's parents insist that he take Gobi, their quiet, Lithuanian exchange student, to senior prom, but after an incident at the dance he learns that Gobi is actually a trained assassin who needs him as a henchman, behind the wheel of his father's precious Jaguar, on a mission in Manhattan.


So the publisher dubs this a cross between FERRIS BUELLER and LA FEMME NIKITA. And that's pretty much correct. It's funny, but also a little crazy and violent. It's a rip-roaring good time! I enjoyed it thoroughly and can visualize this one being adapted to the big screen. In fact, it read like a movie, if that makes any sense.

It left me hanging at the end, so I went looking and found out that, yep, there's a sequel called PERRY'S KILLER PLAYLIST. If you like action sprinkled with witty sarcasm and humor, you'll love this one!

Check out the trailer below.

P.J. Hoover. SOLSTICE

I was familiar with PJ Hoover, because she's from a city close to me, Austin, Texas. But I hadn't read any of her books, until now.

Your quickie synopsis:
Eighteen-year-old Piper lives with her controlling mother amid a Global Heating Crisis, but when she gets her first taste of freedom she discovers a universe of gods and monsters where her true identity, kept secret from her birth, could make all the difference in the world.

So, as you can see, SOLSTICE begins as a dystopian book along the lines of ASHFALL and LIFE AS WE KNEW IT where the major problem is weather and/or planet disruption. A Global Heating Crisis has set in and causes temperatures to hover over 100.

Piper's mother has been super controlling all of her life. She hardly lets her out of her sight, except for school. So when her mom goes out of town for several days and leaves Piper alone on her own, Piper is intrigued, but excited. She ends up spending time with two different guys she just met, which is totally unlike her. But she's attracted to both of them for different reasons. One of them introduces her to a whole new world, the Underworld. He's a god. A Greek god. Piper realizes what her mom's been hiding from her.

What I enjoyed:
At first, I was a little confused by the mythology, because I thought I was reading a dystopian (I didn't read the book jacket - I like surprises). But as I kept reading, the story became richer and more intriguing. The characters were cleverly chosen and the setting was fascinating. Watching the way the gods inserted themselves into the human world to get what they want in their world was fun. I really enjoyed spending time in this world. I was sad to see it end. I'm hoping for a sequel!

Highly recommended for fans of Greek mythology!

Lisa McMann CRASH

I've read several other books by Lisa McMann, so this was an easy selection. I knew I'd love it. And I did. You can read my previous reviews here.

CRASH is the beginning of a new series. Here is your quickie synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Jules, whose family owns an Italian restaurant and has a history of mental illness, starts seeing a recurring vision about a rival restaurant, a truck crash, and forbidden love.

What I enjoyed:
I was intrigued at the beginning, but it didn't really grab me until mid-way through when it sucked me right in. The suspense was relentless from that point on. I began staying up way too late to find out what would happen next. The sense of urgency forced me to read the second half all in one sitting.

Another highlight of the book is the relationship between Jules and her brother. Trey is her rock and helps her throughout the book. Plus he's just a really fun, witty character. You will adore him! Her sister Rowan is also an important part of the family. I'm looking forward to seeing these relationships build in the next installment. Of course, there is another relationship that I'm sure everyone is eager to see develop, but I won't divulge any spoilers here.

Anyway, if you like suspense with a little physic visions thrown it, this one's for you!

Author Tidbit: Lisa McMann was a featured author at the Montgomery County Book Festival in January. As the official blogger for the festival, I was able to snag an interview. Click below to go straight to the interview.

Maria Semple. WHERE'D YOU GO BERNADETTE

I ADORED this book! It's wickedly funny. First of all, here is your quickie synopsis:

When Bee aces her report card she claims her reward, which is a trip to Antarctica, but her mother, Bernadette, disappears due to her intensifying allergy to Seattle and people in general, which has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands and Bee uses emails, invoices, school memos, private correspondence, and other evidence to try and understand why her mother has left.

The format is unique and captured my interest right away. It begins with Bea describing how she got her parents to agree to a family vacation in Antartica, then it jumps write into an email from Bernadette to her virtual assistant in India. Of course, you don't know this at first, so it's a bit curious. You think that maybe it's her actual secretary, in real life. Anyway, right away, you know this book was different because this is when you begin to glean the crazy-goodness that is Bernadette.

The book continues in emails and letters from various people to various other people like Bernadette's neighbor, a parent-teacher organization guru, police reports, hospital bills, etc. There is crazy-goodness from all directions! Really the only pretty normal characters are Bee and her father. But they are fabulous, rich characters too.

I adored this book because it is so uniquely funny and moving. There is so much more than I can describe here. If you like satire and wickedness sprinkled with a little unexpected warmth and truth, you'll love this!

In closing, the author's website is a sight to behold. For real. You must check it out for it's unique-ness. I promise, you've never seen anything else like it, ever. Go HERE.

This book is an Alex Award winner for 2013, meaning it's an adult book that has special appeal for teens.