Rainbow Rowell. ELEANOR & PARK

“Eleanor & Park reminded me not just what it’s like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it’s like to be young and in love with a book.” — John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars, for The New York Times Book Review

Yeah, that's all it took to pique my interest in this one. I'm sure that's all you need too. But...I'll give you a little more anyway.

The next thing that got me was that the book is set in the 80's and features some of my favorite music from that time period. But the beautiful writing and memorable characters kept me cherishing each page. I ADORE this book!

Eleanor and Park met on the bus. She was a new girl with no place to sit. She seemed to draw negative attention with her bright red hair and quirky clothes. She walked straight down the aisle, looking for a seat. She kept going, seeing none. Park grumbled at her to sit by him. He couldn't bear to see her continue walking right into the merciless teens that held court in the back. Eleanor and Park didn't speak. In fact, they seemed downright angry with each other for weeks. But over time, their relationship bloomed over comic books, cassette tapes, and secrets. 

The story is told in alternating points of view. It's enjoyable to see the romance bloom from both points of view. Plus, both characters are so vividly drawn that you want to feel the story from both of them. Also, the writing! Wow, the writing is brilliant. There is meaningful and witty dialogue aplenty! 

I couldn't find a trailer I liked, so check out the author's website instead. It's super, funky cool!

Nicholas Sparks. SAFE HAVEN

Katie moves to the small southern town of Southport, North Carolina with the goal of making a fresh start. Alex, owner of the general store, notices Katie seems quiet and scared when she comes in to purchase her few essential items every week. She's obviously been through sometime traumatic and seems to be hiding. Katie warms up to Alex's acts of kindness towards her, but is still nervous to get too close.

Katie begins to love her new life in Southport. But as she grows to love Alex, she must decide whether or not to let Alex completely into her life or to keep the dark secrets hidden and risk losing him forever.


If you've read a Nicholas Sparks book before, you know that it typically involves romance and tears. This does both, although I was pleasantly surprised that it also included a good amount of suspense in the second half. Additionally, I loved the way he shifts points of view throughout the main characters, so you really get into their head. It kept me anxiously flipping through the pages to get to the end.

A good storyteller creates characters you care about enough to continue reading. Sparks does that here. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. He definitely pulls the heartstrings, as he usually does.

Lara Avery. ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY

Bryce Graham was diving at the Olympic trials when she makes a slight mistake that nearly ends her life. She ends up in a coma for five years. But then she wakes up.

Everyone calls her a miracle. But it takes her a while to settle back into her life. Everyone else has moved on. Her best friend and boyfriend have graduated from high school and college. They are beginning careers. Bryce feels lost and unsure of herself.

Since her old best friend, Gabby, feels distant, she's become close with someone else. A med student named Carter watched over her in the hospital for years. They become close and he helps ease her transition back into every day life.

Although there's one aspect of her recovery that Bryce doesn't tell even Carter about. She begins having visions. Some are of the past, like while she was in the coma, while others are of the future. She isn't sure if her brain is playing tricks on her or if it's a symptom of something wrong. But she doesn't really want to know for sure, so she plans to ignore them - as long as she can.

This was an interesting read. I like the concept of missing five years of your life and trying to "catch up." I'm always fascinated by how the brain works and the effects of trauma to different parts of the brain.

There were some really lovely parts of the book that I enjoyed. Overall, a nice read!

David Levithan. EVERY DAY

"I keep looking at Roger's mother, who is so tired, so taxed. I feel as much belief in her as I do in God - I find faith in human perseverance, even as the universe throws challenge after challenge our way."

A (the character's name is "A") wakes up every day in a different body. It's been that way since birth. As a child, A didn't really understand what was going on, but now at sixteen, he has figured it out. (A doesn't identify as male or female, but it's easier to pick one than to keep using "he or she" or the even more cumbersome "the character.") He's able to access the memories needed to get through the day in each of the person's bodies he inhabits. He enjoys the everyday experiences and goes along just fine.

That is until he inhabits Justin's body and meets his girlfriend Rhiannon. He falls hard for her. He doesn't want to leave her. But he has no choice.

However, he manages to connect with her a few more times in different bodies. He finds a way to tell her about himself. He explains and finally convinces her that he travels from body to body. She feels the same way about him, but is reluctant to continue their relationship. A must find a way to make it work between them. After all, doesn't love conquer all?

I was intrigued by this concept and was excited to see how it played out. I think it worked well. I'm not sure I'm 100% pleased with the ending, but I think the author had no choice. You'll see what I mean when you read it. Please do read it.

One thing I really appreciated was the sheer number of mini-stories that the author had to create to depict all the lives A was traveling through. He had to create so many unique and interesting stories. Some were so compelling that I wanted A to stick around a few more days.

Another part that I loved was the relationship between A and Rhiannon. I felt the connection. I was moved by the connection. Overall, the book is unique and moving.

By the way, one of my favorite books of all time was written by David Levithan - DASH & LILY'S BOOK OF DARES. It's a great holiday book. After you read EVERY DAY, you should totally check this one out too!

For more on David Levithan, here's his website.

Deb Caletti. THE STORY OF US

Cricket has just graduated high school, but is still pondering if she’s going away to college. She is torn between spreading her wings or staying home. In addition to her life being at a crossroads, two relationships in her life are also evolving. Cricket has just told her longtime boyfriend, Janssen, that she isn’t sure about their future. Plus, her mother is getting married. Her mother has been at the threshold of marriage twice before just before suddenly ditching those previous boyfriends. Cricket feels anxious for her mother. She hopes this marriage will work. Cricket, her brother Ben, and their mother go stay at a bed and breakfast for the wedding. They meet up with extended family, as well as her future family members.

Deb Caletti is really stretching her legs in this novel. It feels more complex than her books. She uses an interesting technique to tell the story of Cricket and Janssen. Since Cricket is separated from him, she writes him letters. Their love story is revealed through these letters as she is telling him how she got to this point in their relationship. The novel is told in alternating chapters between her letters and the events leading up to the wedding.

The novel is character driven, as expected from Deb Caletti. It’s contemplative and philosophical. I felt Cricket’s ambivalence to moving on with her life. I vividly remember that point in my life when I had moved out of my family home and needed to take that next step. I feel Cricket’s trepidation about leaving her family and her entire life.

I continue to love Deb Caletti’s writing. She brilliantly picks just the right word at the right time. Again, I have beautiful quotes to share:

Doesn’t this perfectly capture that feeling when you've just graduated high school:

“Gavin said, you could be anyone now that you graduated? You could sit inside the warm, familiar room of someone’s idea of you. Or you could step out the front door and see if they’d been right, or wrong, all along.”

So insightful:

“Egos were hungry things. Like Ben and Janssen, you could feed it breakfast, and a half hour later it would want pizza. You could start out using and end up being used, and by the time I got back up to the house, Amy and Hailey seemed full and happy, and I felt nothing but empty and exhausted.”

My favorite:

“Stories are what you have when the place is gone and the dried-up roses have crumbled and the ring is lost and that old car is finally junked. Stories are where the meaning ends up.”

THE STORY OF US is beautiful, insightful and thoughtful book. Check out Deb Caletti and her other books here. I really loved STAY and THE FORTUNES OF INDIGO SKYE

Laini Taylor. DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE

"You were true to her, even if she was not to you. Never repent of your own goodness, child. To stay true in the face of evil is a feat of strength."

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE & BONE is one of the best fantasies I've read in a while. Laini Taylor is truly a gifted writer. Let me tell you right up front that my review won't even come close to doing it justice. But I'll forge ahead anyway.

Karou is a mystery to those around her. She attends art school, most of the time. But she tends to disappear from time to time, and she returns from these trips with injuries or illnesses. Her best friend has learned not to ask her about the details of her mysterious personal life.

What her friends at school don't know is that Karou was adopted as a baby into a family of chimaera, or what one might call monsters. Her father figure, Brimstone, is an interesting combination of lion, ram and dragon.

Although Karou has already moved out to her own apartment, she still visits Brimstone and his chimaera friends often at his shop. When she disappears on those mysterious trips, she is collecting odd items for Brimstone, who needs them for his sorcery. He's not forthcoming about what he does with these rare items. In fact, he's not forthcoming about a lot of things. Karou's own history is a mystery that she wonders about often. Then Karou meets an intriguing, beautiful angel named Akiva, who nearly kills her.

Karou discovers that she and Akiva are enemies on the opposite sides of a war between the chimaera and the angels. But Karou also feels an unusual connection to Akiva. Perhaps he can help unlock the mysteries of her past.

This is an original fantasy complete with fascinating characters, epic battles, and a fiery romance. The writing is exquisite. Laini Taylor has created a rich world that is pure perfection down to the tiniest detail. I was so delighted to see that this will be a trilogy!

You won't be able to put this one down!

Check out the author's website here.

And one of the trailers:

John Green. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS

John Green always writes such vibrant, spunky characters. My heart is full of joy while spending time with his characters. Even though the subject matter is heavier here, I still finished the book with feelings of great pleasure at having spent time with Hazel and Augustus.

Hazel and Augustus are quite the pair. Hazel has terminal cancer that affects her breathing, so she carries an oxygen tank. Augustus is in remission from cancer that caused the loss of his leg. Hazel is afraid to let Augustus get to know her or love her, because she's afraid that she'll die leaving him surrounded in grenade-like destruction.

Augustus can't help himself and charms her into a relationship. Hazel ends up a very willing participant. They both become obsessed with a book that ends rather suddenly. The character has cancer, so they assume that the author made some literary choice to end the book so suddenly, with so many unanswered questions, to symbolize her death. Together they ponder visiting the author in Amsterdam where they will convince him to divulge all the secrets of the characters.

They ponder a variety of subjects. They have such witty, smart and thoughtful conversations. They also deal with tragic events. The humor balances the tragedy beautifully.

All I can really do to convey the beauty of the book is to show you a quote:

While Hazel and her dad are discussing what he believes. He says,

"I believe the universe wants to be noticed. I think the universe is improbably biased toward consciousness, that it rewards intelligence in part because the universe enjoys its elegance being observed. And who am I, living in the middle of history, to tell the universe that it - or my observation of it- is temporary."

I was burning up my Nook with so many highlights! I could give you more, but then I would spoil too much of the plot. Read it yourself, trust me!

It's about love, pain, and living your life in spite of everything. The trailer doesn't give a lot away about the book, but it's beautiful, so I'm posting it anyway. Check out John Green in all his glory here.

Elizabeth Scott. AS I WAKE

I've read almost all of Elizabeth Scott's books, and lately I've noticed she's branching off into some unusual territory. (Check out my other reviews here.) This one reminds me of GRACE, because it's so inventive.

Ava wakes up with no memory of who she is, where she is, or anything about her past. Her "mom" tells her that she was in an accident and has lost her memory. But when Ava goes to sleep, she dreams of another place - a place that seems more real that where she is now. After she is re-acquainted with her "friends," she begins dreaming of them in this other world. She wakes up in one place, then wakes up in another. Which world is real? Who is the real Ava? And why does she have this heavy sense of fear while everyone else seems so carefree. The mystery really gets complicated when a boy called Morgan finds her one day and tells her that he knew they would find each other again.

This is one of those books that brings up way more questions than it answers. I'm not saying that the plot isn't resolved, because it is for the most part. But I'm saying that all these other questions come up while exploring this plot.
For example, what if there are multiple worlds and therefore multiple people exactly like us in these worlds. I begin to wonder things like...

• Would you have different personalities in other worlds?
• How would you survive in different worlds, within different societal challenges?
• Would you be drawn to he same people? 
• Would you love the same?
• Would your ambitions and desires be the same?
• and the mother of all questions - Would your fate be the same? Would you die in the same manner, at the same age?

Anyway, Elizabeth Scott continues to impress! The book is a combination thriller, science fiction, and love story all at once, believe it or not! Click below to read a little about the story behind the story and this idea of modal realism from her website:

Elizabeth Scott via kwout

Cat Patrick. FORGOTTEN

Imagine going to sleep at night and waking up the next morning not remembering the day before. At all. Zero. And imagine this happening to you every day. London Lane has this problem. Although, she does have forward memory. So, she remembers things like where her calculus class is located at school because she goes there in the future too. Plus, she knows events that will happen to her best friends in the coming months. Bizarre, right?

London's dad left her and her mother when she was six. Her and her dad had been in a terrible car crash where London died and was brought back to life at 4:33 am. This is the reason they assume her memory resets itself every morning at that time. London has never been able to remember her past. As a coping mechanism, she writes down all the important details of each day, so when she wakes up she can read her notes and function like a normal person.

Then she begins dating Luke. She's surprised each morning by how handsome he is, since she doesn't remember meeting him. Even with having her notes to remind her, it still feels like meeting him all over again. Even stranger, she doesn't remember him in her future. This makes her curious. If he's not in her future then what happens to them. Around the same time she met Luke, she begins having a memory of a funeral. Someone will die, but who?

Here is a section that really brings home what it feels like to remember forward, rather than backward.

    "I remember forward.
     I remember forward, and forget backward.
     My memories, bad, boring, or good, haven't happened yet.
     So like it or not - and like it I don't - I will remember standing in the fresh-cut grass with the black-clad figures durrounded by stone until I do it for real. I will remember the funeral until it happens - until someone dies.
     And after that, it will be forgotten."

The concept is fascinating and the reason I picked up the book. But the writing kept me reading. It's mysterious, psychologically fascinating and suspenseful! You'll love it! It really made me think! I wonder if this type of memory problem really exists or did the author make it up? Also, I love the selective-ness of it. If London decides she doesn't want to remember something, she just doesn't write it in her notes. How powerful is that? You can choose only the good stuff. And what do you do with knowledge of the future? It's all so fascinating.

This is a stunning debut by Cat Patrick. For more about her click here for her website. I cannot wait to see what she writes next!

Elizabeth Scott. BETWEEN HERE AND FOREVER

I've adored all of Elizabeth Scott's books. As you can see here, I've reviewed many of them. Some of them hit you over the head with their powerful prose and plot. Others have a quiet strength that builds to an emotional ending. BETWEEN HERE AND FOREVER is in the second category.

It sucks you in right away. Abby's sister Tess is in a coma. Abby has been visiting her every day since the accident. We learn from flashbacks and memories that Tess is the perfect daughter. Abby feels like Tess has always had it easy. She's pretty, smart and always knows how to act. Abby is the complete opposite. She feels pretty unsure of herself and has always been in Tess's shadow.

When a gorgeous guy begins working at the hospital, Abby gets an idea to wake up Tess. Eli had walked into Tess's room to drop something off and when he spoke, her eyes seem to move behind her lids. Surely, it's because she hears his voice, thinks Abby. So, she makes a deal with him to begin visiting her room and talking to her. Abby just knows that she'll wake up after listening to him. Then Eli will fall in love with her and everything will be back to normal.

But as Abby gets to know Eli, she discovers that she likes him. Plus, he's really acting interested in her. Abby's not sure how to handle that because guys never, ever like her when her sister is around. In addition to this inner conflict, Abby begins to discover some things about her sister that contradict her perfect image. She unravels the mystery surrounding her sister while attempting to unravel the mystery of her own trouble with love.

I enjoyed this sweet story of forgiveness, understanding and courage. You'll enjoy Abby's journey and root for her, like I did. Will she learn that she's worthy of love and be brave enough to give away her heart again?

For more about Elizabeth Scott and her fantastic books, go to her website. For more of my reviews of her books, go here for a listing.

Melissa De La Cruz. BLOODY VALENTINE

BLOODY VALENTINE is a Blue Bloods book. It's not a new chapter in the saga, but more of an extra special set of stories about some of the characters. As the title suggests, all three stories are love stories.

We get to spend some time with Schuyler's mom, Allegra, to see how she fell in love with a human. Oliver is featured in his own story about meeting an intriguing woman, who may help him get over Schuyler. Lastly, we have a story about Schuyler and Jack's upcoming bonding that leaves me wanting more. In fact, the whole book leaves me wanting more! (Pausing to check with the next novel is coming out...looks like it may be a while, so enjoy this!).

I just adore this series! As I've said before in my many reviews past, this series gets better with each installment. I loved TWILIGHT, don't get me wrong, but this is the smarter, deeper, more fascinating vampire series, for sure.

If you haven't read them yet, go out & get them!

By the way, I scored an interview with the author a while back, check it out here.

Feast your eyes on the gorgeous trailer:

Sarah Mlynowski. GIMME A CALL

I loved this one! Wow, it's so much fun! It's one of those adventures that you wish you could live out in real life. Check it out:

Devi is sulking about how her life as turned out. It's a few days before prom, but she's recently broken up with her long time boyfriend Bryan. They were together for almost 4 years. Because of the intensity of that relationship, Devi's best friends drifted away. She no longer had time with them. Now that she's broken up with Bryan, she has no one left. While thinking about how she wishes she could go back in time & re-do some of her decisions, she drops her phone in the "make a wish" fountain at the mall. After clumsily traipsing  through the fountain to retrieve the phone, she turns it on. Of course it doesn't work after being dunked. But then, she pushes a few more buttons and it comes on and calls some girl who identifies herself as Devi. Devi and the other girl go round and round and finally come to the conclusion that they are talking to themselves - four years apart. In other words, Senior Devi has called Freshman Devi.

Oooh, Senior Devi likes this! She figures she can make some changes to really set herself up in the future. But what she doesn't realize is that every decision has a consequence, some good, some not so good. And what if Freshman Devi doesn't want to go along with this plan to re-do her life?

This was a hysterical adventure with lots of plot twists. I love the idea of how one decision can change the whole course of your life. It's really a neat concept executed flawlessly.

I enjoyed a few other books by the lovely Sarah Mlynowksi. Check out the reviews here.

She's written a ton of great books, go here for her website.

Robin Brande. FAT CAT

Imagine cutting out all modern technology (cell phone, TV, computer, cars) AND all junk food (including all pre-made food) at the same time! I'm sure I could handle this for maybe a few days. But imagine doing this for an entire school year!

This is what teenager Cat Locke intends to do. She's determined to win the science fair this year and beat Matt, her nemesis and former best friend. To make a huge impression on the science fair judges, she decides to make herself the experiment. She wants to know if people would be healthier today if we lived as the early hominins (Homo erectus to be exact) from 1.8 million years ago did. If she eats what they did and engages in more physical activity like they did, will she be a healthier person. Would we be a healthier society?

It certainly won't be easy for her. But, since Cat can cook, she plans to cook all her food from scratch using only ingredients available to the ancient hominins. She begins walking to school and work. The withdrawals from sugar, artificial sweeteners and caffeine are rough at first, but she hangs in there. Her revenge against Matt fuels her in the beginning. She's been mad at him since the 7th grade for betraying her. Luckily she has an amazing best friend named Amanda who supports her 100%.

Cat has always been a little overweight. When the healthy eating and exercise cause her to slim down, the boys begin to notice her. Cat decides to take on an additional angle in her research. Are the guys noticing her because of the weight loss or is it her new found confidence?

There are so many wonderful things going on in this book, it's really difficult to articulate it all in this review. Cat is an intelligent, likable character, Her friend Amanda is an incredible best friend and seems like she'd be a lot of fun to hang with. Matt is a neat guy too. Even Amanda's boyfriend is written well. Cat really inspired me, and I hope that she inspires teen girls to think about their health and their bodies. I love the way science, health, confidence, friendship and love are all intertwined in such a smart and wonderful book!

I've heard a lot about the author's other book:

I think I'll have to read it now!



Click here to see more about the book and the author.

Elizabeth Scott. STEALING HEAVEN

All Danielle has ever known is a life of crime. Her mother and father are thieves. Her father went to prison when she was young, so it's just been Danielle and her mom most of her life. She never went to school. She was home-schooled, sort of. She didn't learn the traditional subjects from her mom. Her skills have been more "occupational" in nature: (they primarily steal silver- easier to fence than items more high-profile, like jewelry). Here is her describing her skills:

"Because of silver I can pry the molding off a window without making a sound. I know how to test for plate even though I don't usually need to. I can drive a car, climb into a house, deal with growling dogs. I know exactly how much your average nineteenth-century tea service weighs - in troy ounces, even- and how many pieces it has....For silver I learned the names of every plantation from Virginia to Florida. I can tell you which ones we've visited, which ones we want to, which ones we never will."

Although her mother thrives on their life of crime, Danielle is beginning to long for more. They travel constantly and never keep clothing or anything that would attach them to any of their burglaries. She wants a place of her own to call home. A place where she can buy things and keep them. She wants to make friends and give her real name. But she's never gone to school, so how would she even work a real job? Where would she even begin?

In this latest town that they're in, Danielle meets a guy that makes her really question her mother's lifestyle choices. She has begun to be more honest than she should with this guy. Several complications arise to thicken the plot. Danielle's mom wants her to steal from someone she's become friendly with. And the guy she's starting to really like is a cop. What will she do? Stick by her mom and do what she wants or betray her mom - the one person who has always supported her.

I've mentioned before how much I love Elizabeth Scott's books. So it's no surprise that I loved this one! I became attached to these characters. Danielle and her mom were both well developed, fascinating characters. I also loved Greg and Allison. The fact that the main characters were thieves was a nice twist. It was a refreshing plot. I highly recommend it!
More on Elizabeth Scott here.

Here are a few of her other books that I've reviewed:
Loved this one: review here


And here's the review of  her latest THE UNWRITTEN RULE  &  finally the review for SOMETHING, MAYBE. You can see I'm a huge fan! Her writing really resonates with me for some reason.
Check her out, if you haven't!

Elizabeth Scott. THE UNWRITTEN RULE

YAY! I was lucky to receive an ARC of THE UNWRITTEN RULE to review!

Sarah and Brianna have been friends since Kindergarten when Brianna saved Sarah from a bully. They’ve been close ever since. The boys always go for Brianna. Sarah has been the trusty best friend. She’s been there to encourage and support Brianna consistently and without question (even at her own expense).

However, now that Brianna is dating Ryan, Sarah is having major conflicts within herself. She had always like Ryan ever since he invited her to the dance in 8th grade. They didn’t end up going together that night due to unforeseen circumstances. But Sarah never stopped liking Ryan. Brianna doesn’t know that or simply refused to pay enough attention.

What should Sarah do? She knows she’s breaking the unwritten rule of friendship, but she’s never wanted a boy so much before. Does she ruin her friendship or does she allow her heart to break?

I love a great love story! What I really admire about Scott’s writing is the way she is able to portray so much energy and feeling between two characters. With only a word, a look, or a brush of a hand, you totally feel the chemistry between two people. I also love the way she gave Sarah and Brianna so much depth. Their friendship was complicated. I remember in SOMETHING MAYBE the way I was taken back to my own teen years with the authentic emotions created. I felt the same realness in this book. It feels like Scott has a direct link to the teenage heart!  And without giving too much away – I thought the ending was realistic and perfect!

Check out Scott’s other books at her website here.

My review of SOMETHING MAYBE

Melissa De La Cruz. THE VAN ALEN LEGACY

This was one of those reviews that took me a while to sit down and write, because there is sooo much going on in this book. I needed time to let in sink in. I know I say this every time, but this series really does get richer and more interesting with each installment.
We join Schuyler with Oliver on the run because of the events in Rio. She is blamed for Lawrence’s death. She can’t grieve for him in peace with her family and friends, because the Conclave thinks she killed him. Schuyler and Oliver are getting worn out from changing cities every few days to escape detection.
Meanwhile, back at home, Bliss has an intriguing visitor. Not your normal run-of-the-mill visitor; no, this visitor is a spirit inside of her. Sometimes she blacks out. Other times she witnesses what he’s doing, which really freaks her out. She feels like a tourist in her own body. She’s trying to remain strong and in control to figure out what he’s trying to accomplish.
Finally, the third point of view we get is Mimi. She’s with Kingsley on a Venator hunt for Jordan Llewellyn, who disappeared during the Rio incident. As we learned at the end of the last book, Jordan was no ordinary little sister to Bliss.
And all that was only in the first 20 pages or so. We learn more about the history of the angels, as well as what the Van Alen Legacy is and Schuyler’s part in it. I can’t really say much more without spoiling it. It’s incredibly satisfying, and it left me excited about the next installment.


For the author's website, click here.

Also, let me tempt you with a book trailer:



And even cooler is this interview with the author about the book! Check it out:

Terra Elan McVoy. PURE

Tabitha and her friends made a promise at the age of twelve that they would remain pure until they got married. They each wear a purity ring to symbolize their promise to God, their families and each other. The five of them have been friends for a long time. Tabitha and Morgan have been best friends since they were really young. They both believe deeply in their faith and each other. At least they did, up until a major event causes a blow to their relationship.

Tabitha begins seeing some characteristics in Morgan that shock her to the core. She begins to question not only Morgan, but her own belief system. She begins to wonder about the very foundation her purity promise is based on, as well as how to choose what is right and wrong. To make things more complicated, Tabitha begins dating Jake, a boy whose kisses make her tingly. How will he react to her purity ring?

Wow. There is so much packed into this book. I love how honest and smart Tabitha is. She is honest with herself, about all of the issues she is dealing with, and learns to be honest with everyone around her. That is really difficult for a teen (heck – it’s difficult for adults!). I also love the author’s spectacular writing. There is a scene where all the girls are having a conversation. But, as they are talking you’re getting what they really feel through either a look on their face or through Tabitha’s translation in her head. It’s a multi-layered conversation and would be extremely clunky, if not written so brilliantly by the author. I enjoyed it so much that I read it over & over. In fact, there were several parts that I savored slowly.

Loved it! Check it out!

Check out the author's website here.

Sarah Ockler. TWENTY BOY SUMMER

What a spectacular writer. This is Sarah Ockler’s first book and all I can say is WOW. I can’t wait for more from her. I’m so glad my copy isn’t a library book, because I dog-eared so many pages that I would be ashamed to return it to the library! For example, listen to this
“As the California announcement took an awkward dive out of Red’s mouth and flopped onto the table waiting for a response, all I could think was, A year later is still way to soon.” (how visual!)
And
“Once Frankie’s asleep, my best-friend superstrength disappears. My breathing shatters, tears blur the stars in the overhead skylight, and all the ghosts I tried to leave home float like dandelion seed wishes into our room.” (beautiful!)
There’s more magnificent parts, but I don’t want to give away too much of the plot.
So anyway, about the story. Frankie and Anna are best friends who’ve gone through a traumatic event together. They get a chance to go to the beach with Frankie’s family for three weeks. Frankie concocts a plan that includes meeting a new boy each day for a total of 20 for the summer. More boys means more chances to meet the right one – it’s scientific!
The summer is fun, but also becomes a major turning point for the girls. Secrets, lies, and heartache make for an unforgettable journey.
As you can already tell, I loved this book. I even took longer to read it because I wanted to continue to cherish it. The characters are wonderful and real. The emotions are raw and honest. The characteristics of first love are portrayed accurately and lovely. And the writing is to be enjoyed over & over again. Again I say, WOW!

For more on Sarah Ockler, check out her website here.

Cheryl Renee Herbsman. BREATHING

It seems fitting that I finished this book during my visit to Tennessee & Georgia. The southern dialect in the book matched the dialect of the people I encountered. I felt that I was literally in the setting of the book. Lovely.
Savannah usually spends her summer working at the library and studying SAT prep materials. She’s determined to get out of her small coastal Carolina town and go away to college. But this summer, she gets an unexpected distraction. She meets her soul mate and his name is Jackson. He’s staying with his cousins for a while. He’s cute, perfect and she falls hard for him. Savannah also has asthma, but since having Jackson around, she seems to be able to breathe easier. But after a few weeks together, Jackson has to go back home. The drama of losing him causes Savannah to have major breathing problems, literally and figuratively.
If you aren’t familiar with the dialect, it may be quite unusual at first or hard to get used to. It wasn’t for me, because I know people who speak in this southern dialect. So, it may or may not be your cup of tea. But it totally fit the characters and setting. It felt true. And the cover! Wow! It really captures the tone of the book. It’s wonderful.
I cherished every bit of this book. I loved the characters, the setting, the voice, everything! If you enjoy a love story, you'll love it.

I think this is the author's first book. I'm looking forward to more from her. Here's her website.

Elizabeth Scott. SOMETHING, MAYBE

And you think you’re parents were embarrassing when you were a teen? Um, probably not so much after reading this book. Hannah would probably hide what her mom does for a living, if she could, but since she does it online, that’s not really a option. Her mom dated an aging rock star years ago and became famous for it, among other things. Anyway, when Hannah and her mom first moved to Slaterville several years back, they gave her a lot of grief for her infamous parents. She learned to stay under the radar, so people eventually left her alone. Now in high school, she feels like she’s met her soul mate in Josh. Surely, he would realize it too, once he got to know her better. But this other guy, Finn, keeps getting in the way. She works with both of them. Josh is her dream guy and Finn is an annoying jerk. When Josh finally asks her out, she’s in heaven. Is he really the dream guy she imagined or is he someone else?
I really enjoyed this love story. It’s funny and real. There is an authenticity to the writing. In fact, it brought me back to some distinct moments in my life as a teen. Hannah’s teen emotions feel fresh, not cynical. There are things going on that I can’t say without spoiling it, but you feel her naiveté and remember when you felt that way. (or if you’re still a teen-hopefully you still feel that way)
This was a real joy to read! Can’t wait to read more from Elizabeth Scott.

I've heard that PERFECT YOU is awesome too:
For more on the author & her books click here for her website.