BITTERSWEET by Sarah Ockler, Cupcakes and Hockey Make a Delicious Combination

One thing I'm certain about when I pick up a Sarah Ockler novel is that the writing will be beautiful. I adored her book Twenty Boy Summer, so I knew I'd like this one too. She paints a scene like nobody else. She sets the atmosphere so well in this wintry setting that I could almost feel the snow falling on my face.

Here's your quickie synopsis: Hudson Avery gave up a promising competitive ice skating career after her parents divorced when she was fourteen years old and now spends her time baking cupcakes and helping out in her mother's upstate New York diner, but when she gets a chance at a scholarship and starts coaching the boys' hockey team, she realizes that she is not through with ice skating after all.

I really enjoyed this one! Hudson is a spunky girl who makes the best of the difficult situation their father created after leaving. The way she takes on the hockey players is hilarious and bold. The relationship between Hudson and her little brother, Bug, is one of the best parts of the entire book.  As I said earlier, the writing is fabulous! The dialogue is witty and the characters are well developed and memorable. Another satisfying story from Sarah Ockler!

Check out Sarah Ockler's other titles here. Watch the trailer below:

TEMPEST by Julie Cross, Fasten Your Seatbelts For This Time Travel Adventure, No DeLorean Necessary

This caught my eye because - time travel, obviously. But what kept me intrigued was how it was different from your typical run-of-the-mill time travel stories where you have to worry about changing things. In fact, it kind of reminded me of FRINGE in some aspects, because there are multiple timelines. Before I get to far into it, here:

Your Quickie Synopsis:  Nineteen-year-old Jackson uses his ability to travel through time after his girlfriend, Holly, is fatally shot during a violent struggle, but his journey two years into the past leads him to make a startling discovery about his father and the powerful enemies who will stop at nothing to recruit him for their own purposes.

Jackson finds out that his father is involved in a secret society that fights against another organization filled with time travelers trying to wreck havoc on the planet. Or maybe they're trying to save the world. It's not really clear in the beginning. In fact, the more you read, the more questions pop up. But, it's an adventurous story with a lot of puzzles. The relationship between Jackson and Holly is well developed, as is the complicated relationship between Jackson and his father.

Fair warning though, don't take three weeks to read it, like I did. Read it quickly, because if you don't you'll get confused with all the different time periods Jackson ends up in. I had to re-read a lot.

Bottom line: It's a fast paced adventure with good characters. If you like time-travel, you'll enjoy it. Also, it sets itself up to be a great trilogy. The second book, VORTEX, is out now, and the third will follow in January. Check out the author's website here.

Jessica Warman. BEAUTIFUL LIES

WOW! This one blew me away! It completely grabbed me at the first few pages and did not let go. In fact, I'm still baffled by it now - in a good way.

Your quickie synopsis: 
Eighteen-year-old identical twins Alice and Rachel have always shared a very special bond, so when one is abducted the other uses their connection to try to locate her.

You've heard about identical twins having a special bond, right? Well these twins have an even closer bond than your typical twins. They are monoamniotic-monochorionic, meaning that they shared the same amniotic sac and placenta in their mom's uterus. This is extremely rare, occurring in about 1% of twins. Bottom line - they share a unique bond.

The story begins with the twins, Alice and Rachel, meeting friends at the local fair. Alice abruptly decides to leave the group to hunt down a candy apple. A few mintues later, Rachel cannot find Alice anywhere. Her friends dismiss her worry, because Alice runs off on a routine basis. But Rachel can feel that something is seriously wrong. Alice did not just run off. This time, it's serious. She knows because strange clues begin showing up that prove Alice is in danger.

There are so many aspects to love about this book. From the third page, I was completely fascinated by the world the author created. The language is so descriptive and alive with sights, sounds, and smells. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing. But the gripping plot kept me going too. Wow, you have to be on your toes with this plot. Read carefully and pay attention. That's about all I can say without giving away spoilers. These spoilers are way too juicy and meant to be discovered on your own.

Check out the trailer below and the author's website here.

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!