Autoboyography by Christina Lauren

Publications: September 12th 2017 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Description:

Three years ago, Tanner Scott’s family relocated from California to Utah, a move that nudged the bisexual teen temporarily back into the closet. Now, with one semester of high school to go, and no obstacles between him and out-of-state college freedom, Tanner plans to coast through his remaining classes and clear out of Utah.

But when his best friend Autumn dares him to take Provo High’s prestigious Seminar—where honor roll students diligently toil to draft a book in a semester—Tanner can’t resist going against his better judgment and having a go, if only to prove to Autumn how silly the whole thing is. Writing a book in four months sounds simple. Four months is an eternity.

It turns out, Tanner is only partly right: four months is a long time. After all, it takes only one second for him to notice Sebastian Brother, the Mormon prodigy who sold his own Seminar novel the year before and who now mentors the class. And it takes less than a month for Tanner to fall completely in love with him.

My thoughts:

This was my first Christina Lauren book and after finishing I can for sure say I will be picking up more by this pair! Autoboyography was such a fun quick read! I flew through it in 2 sittings for it being about 400 pages long! It had the perfect mix of fun cute fluffy moments with more dramatic ones and I couldn't stop reading.

I loved both of the main characters, Tanner and Sebastian. It was cool that they were both writers

The main character, Tanner is bi and the label is discussed and are misconceptions challenged throughout the story which I appreciated!

Reading Autoboyography was actually educational for me. Going in I knew nothing about Mormons and LDS. I obviously can't speak on the accuracy but the authors note said the two authors did research and from other reviews it sounds like it was accurate. I thought it was so interesting have religion as such a big part of the story. I haven't come across many contemporary books with religious characters.

I loved how Sebastian challenged Tanner's prejudices and sterotypes about Mormons and his family's lifestyle. 

I really liked. The friendship aspects of the story too. The authors explored how it's important to hold on to friends when you go into a relationship which I think os very important.

I will definitely be picking up more of Christina Lauren's books in the future!

Thanks for reading,

A :)

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Publication: June 5th 2018 by Berkley (first published May 30th 2018

Goodreads Description:

A heartwarming and refreshing debut novel that proves one thing: there's not enough data in the world to predict what will make your heart tick.

Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases--a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.

It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice--with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan--from foreplay to more-than-missionary position...

Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but to crave all the other things he's making her feel. Soon, their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic... 

My thoughts:

I was pleasantly surprised by The Kiss Quotient but it also was not what I was expecting. It was my own fault, the only thing I knew about The Kiss Quotient before going into it was that if you liked The Hating Game you'd like it. So I want in expecting it to be similar enough but it wasn't. 

Stella was such a fun main character. I loved reading about! Her personality really comes off the page and she was so well developed she was a joy to read! I really liked her. Stella also has  autism which is a big part of her character, I can't speak on the rep but she's an ownvoices character as the author also has autism. I found it very interesting learning about how Stella deals with her autism as I've studied it in college briefly and have always been interested in learning more. Of course Stella is fictional and only one persons experience it was nice learning more about autism.

While I really liked Stella I wasn't a huge fan of Michael. One aspect of his character was cool but I can't say what because of spoilers but mostly he just felt very one dimensional. I didn't feel for him at all.

The romance was alright but I wasn't super invested in it or rooting for them. I felt like there was hardly any time spent getting to know each other. A bit of an insta-love situation. It's steamy but not romantic.

The thing I didn't like was kind of my own fault. I really should have read the description first because this is not my kind of book based on the description. It was a lot steamier than I expected which threw me off. I wish they'd toned it down a bit, as it got a bit repetitive and I wasn't a fan of how much smut there was, I ended up skimming a lot of it. I know now after reading the description that I should have expected that but I was silly and went in blind.

The Kiss Quotient wasn't what I expected but had fun reading for the most part. 

Thanks for reading,

A :)

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Publication: July 2nd 2013 by HarperTeen

Goodreads Description:

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about. 

My thoughts:

The Distance Between Us is a great light easy quick read that's perfect for summer. I flew through it in one sitting in a handful of hours. This was my second West book and I have to say her books are great filler books to pick up when you've finished a big series or a dark fantasy and need a quick break. They are super easy and cute to read but i will say they don't leave much of an impression when you're done. I had fun while reading The Distance Between Us but since finishing I haven't really thought about it.

I felt like the characters were very surface level but I wasn't looking for overly complex layered characters when I picked up The Distance Between Us. I liked Caymen; she had a very dry sense of humour and her sarcastic dialogue was fun to read. I liked Xander too, he was very respectful and I liked how he challenged Caymen's prejudices she had about rich people.  

This is a YA romance so of course it was a big part of the plot. There were a good few cute moments but I wasn't necessarily shipping it. It was cute at time and their banter was fun but nothing to get invested in.

The plot was very predicable and very convenient but because I read it so quick I didn't mind and I didn't pick this book up for a complex plot that had me on the edge of my seat or anything.

It was interesting reading a book where money was a big issue for the characters because it's not something I come across a lot in my reading. I liked how the book explored prejudices and biases and stuff in relation to finances.

There was nothing noteworthy about the writing. It was nice and easy to read.

I've read 2 Kasie West books now, this one and On the Fence, and I think  I liked On the Fence better. I will definitely be picking up more of her books in the future when I want a quick light read!

Thanks for reading,

A :)

Save the Date by Morgan Matson

Publication:June 5th 2018 by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers 

Goodreads Description:

Charlie Grant’s older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can’t wait—for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster—all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect.

The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster.

There’s the unexpected dog with a penchant for howling, house alarm that won’t stop going off, and a papergirl with a grudge.

There are the relatives who aren’t speaking, the (awful) girl her favorite brother brought home unannounced, and a missing tuxedo.

Not to mention the neighbor who seems to be bent on sabotage and a storm that is bent on drenching everything. The justice of the peace is missing. The band will only play covers. The guests are all crazy. And the wedding planner’s nephew is unexpectedly, distractingly…cute.

Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she’ll realize that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future.

My thoughts:

Save the Date was a lighthearted, family orientated story with lots of hijinks but it just didn't live up to my expectations of a Morgan Matson book. I had fun reading for the most part but it is definitely my least favourite Morgan Matson book; it was just missing something.

This book was so funny with everything falling apart. It was actually ridiculous how everything that could go wrong went wrong. It was hilarious to me at the start but towards the end I was over it, it was too unrealistic and I knew what was going to happen. The hectic mess of everything falling apart was stressing me out too at times.

I also didn't like the main character Charlie. I usually love Morgan Matson's protagonists because I can see myself in them and they few real but Charlie was so annoying. She felt very young and naive and I could relate to her at all. Her obsession with her brother's friend, Jesse, drove me mad. She was so blinded by her childhood crush. Her attitude towards her brother's girlfriend threw me off too; she was very cold to her. And Charlie was such a bad friend to her best friend. I felt like I was reading about a 13 year old.

While Save the Date is about a wedding it is not romance heavy at all. The blurb was misleading- I expected more of a focus on Jesse and the wedding planners nephew and was sitting around waiting for something to happen. I love Morgan Matson's books for their cute romances and love interests but the 'romance' was a tiny sub plot in this book. I was a bit disappointed about it.

I loved the focus on familial relationships though! The Grants are a big family and it was so much fun reading all the different dynamics between brother's and sisters and parents. I loved all the siblings interactions; they were so much fun and full of banter and bickering which is exactly like me and my siblings.

The plot felt a bit like this was the 'before' of the real story, of that makes sense. I felt like this was all leading up to the actual story. The plot was also very predictable because of everything going wrong I just started assuming it would go wrong. 

I really liked the message about putting people on a pedestal and building them up into something they're not in our minds and how that stops us from seeing them as just people like everyone else. 

I loved the little cameo of characters from The Unexpected Everything! 

Save the Date is long but fast to get through. It has some very sweet family moments but it's not a cute contemporary romance like Morgan Matson's other books. It ended up being my least favourite book from her.

Thanks for reading,

A :)

Upside Down by Lia Riley

Series: Off the Map, #1

Publication: August 5th 2014 by Grand Central/Forever

Goodreads Description:

If You Never Get Lost, You’ll Never Be Found

Twenty-one-year-old Natalia Stolfi is saying good-bye to the past-and turning her life upside down with a trip to the land down under. For the next six months, she'll act like a carefree exchange student, not a girl sinking under the weight of painful memories. Everything is going according to plan until she meets a brooding surfer with hypnotic green eyes and the troubling ability to see straight through her act.

Bran Lockhart is having the worst year on record. After the girl of his dreams turned into a nightmare, he moved back home to Melbourne to piece his life together. Yet no amount of disappointment could blind him to the pretty California girl who gets past all his defenses. He's never wanted anyone the way he wants Talia. But when Bran gets a stark reminder of why he stopped believing in love, he and Talia must decide if what they have is once in a lifetime . . . or if they were meant to live a world apart.

My thoughts: 

Upside Down is one of the most addicting books I've read this year! I literally stayed up all night reading it without meaning to; it was such a fun easy quick read! I'd definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a quick new adult romance book.

Natalia, the main character, was likeable enough. She's dealing with a lot of stuff in the story and has lots of flaws which made her feel real and human to me. I liked how she was independent she was and how she wasn't struggling with self confident issues like many other NA female protagonists.

I had a hard time liking Bran, I knew straight away he was trouble. He has a lot of issues too and he's not a nice guy. He's actually a bit mean at times. I didn't love him but I did warm up to him a bit as we got to know him. He does make some bad decisions which turned me off but he might redeem himself in later books.

The romance was good, I liked how Bran wasn't used as a way to 'fix' Talia. They definitely have their issues as a couple but their relationship was fun to read about.

There is some OCD representation which I don't think I've ever come across in my reading. The whole book isn't about Talia dealing with her OCD but it is mentioned a good few times. One of the other characters tees picks up on Talia's rituals but doesn't treat her any different which I liked. I can't speak on the rep but from other reviews it seems like the author did a good job as it's ownvoices.

I also want to highlight that one of the side characters is anorexic and it is talked about so if that's triggering for you maybe skip this one.

I was so excited when I heard Upside Down was set in Australia because it's no somewhere I've ever been or read about. There was so many Australian stereotypes though which annoyed me. I felt like the author went overboard on it.

Upside Down was full of drama, tragic backstories and emotional hurt but that's what made it so quick to read 

I wasn't left dying to pick up the next book but I had a lot of fun reading Upside Down and will be picking up the rest of the books when I want something quick and easy to read!

Thanks for reading,

A :)

Take Me On by Katie McGarry

Series: Pushing the Limits, #4

Publication: May 27th 2014 by Harlequin TEEN

Goodreads Description:

Acclaimed author Katie McGarry returns with the knockout new story of two high school seniors who are about to learn what winning really means.

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it's his fault his family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for. 

My thoughts:

I love all Katie McGarry's books so it's no wonder I really enjoyed this one too. Take Me On starts of during the ending of Crash into You so I'd recommend reading that one first; it's not necessary but you will be spoiled for the ending if you read Take Me On first.

The main character Haley was such a joy to read. I loved her straight away, she was nothing like other female character in YA contemporary. She was so stubborn and independent and I loved it! She was in a very difficult situation but stayed strong and thought things through before making decisions. I loved her chapters. It's was also fun having a female character who was involved in a mostly male dominated sport.

It took me a lot longer to warm up to West. He has a great character development arc over the course of the book but in the beginning I just didn't care about him. He can be quite impulsive and makes things more difficult for himself when it's not necessary but he has a good heart.

Their relationship had its ups and downs but I loved how they worked together as a team and always did what they could to help each other out.

I loved how this book touched on some more serious topics like homelessness. It was interesting reading from the perspective of a homeless main character as it's not something I rally come across in my reading. It really made me think about how lucky I am to have what I have and not to take it for granted.

This isn't a cutesy romance contemporary it's more of a dramatic one. There was lots of drama in this book, lots of lying and fighting but there was some heart warming moments here and there too.

I was so happy we got to see Abby, Rachel and Isaiah in this book. I thought we wouldn't since Haley doesn't run in the same circles and the characters from the previous books but we did!

Take Me On was not my favourite in the Pushing the Limits series but did really really like it; I just love Crash into You and Dare You To more!

Thanks for reading,

A :)

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Publication:Published August 9th 2016 by William Morrow

Goodreads Description:

Nemesis (n.) 

1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome;

2) A person’s undoing;

3) Joshua Templeman.

Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy can’t understand Joshua’s joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy’s overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.

Now up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her her dream job…But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn’t hate Joshua. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game. 

My thoughts: 

I had never read chicklit/adult contemporary before picking up The Hating Game but I'd heard so many people raving about it I decided to give it a go and I am so glad I did I was only a few pages in and I was hooked. It was such a fun read and one I throughly enjoyed!

I loved reading from Lucy's perspective. She was such a quirky cute character. There were times when she came across a bit childish but for the most part I found her to be a very entertaining main character.

I loved Josh too. He was not what I was expecting when I picked this book up. He was such a sweetheart. He did start to become a bit possessive and protective later in the book which I wasn't a fan of though. 

The romance was so much fun to read. I love the enemies to lovers trope so when I heard that's what this book was I was so excited. Sally Thorne did an excellent job taking a trope that is always used and made it into something so much fun. There was so much angst and build up I loved it! I was getting so impatient reading because tension was there I was just waiting for the two to realise they loved each other. I was so invested in their relationship.

There wasn't much of a plot with it being a romance but the plot that was there was very predictable. I knew when there was going to be drama and why before it happened.

The Hating Game was so addicting it was ridiculous, I didn't want to go to bed I wanted to keep reading. I had the best time with this boo and will for sure be picking up more books like it in the future! This was an excellent introduction to the genre!

Thanks for reading,

A :)

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

Series: Creekwood, #2

Publication:  April 24th 2018 by HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray

Goodreads Description:

Leah Burke—girl-band drummer, master of deadpan, and Simon Spier’s best friend from the award-winning Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda—takes center stage in this novel of first love and senior-year angst.

When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she’s the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.

So Leah really doesn’t know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. With prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high. It’s hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting—especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.

My thoughts: 

Leah on the Offbeat was a quick easy read. I flew through it in one day. That being said though I was a bit disappointed with it.

I am a huge fan of Simon Vs the Homosapiens Agenda so I was over the moon when I heard we were getting a second book with my favourite characters but I was disappointed with it. I didn't get that giddy feeling I got with Simon, I was expecting to be smiling and laughing and gushing at all the cute adorable moments but I wasn't. As I was reading I felt like I was reading fan fiction. The story just didn't live up to what I know Becky Albertalli can write. 

The plot was very weak, as in there was none. It took me a good 100 pages to get into the story and even then I wasn't hooked. 

I loved Leah in Simon so I was so excited to read a full book all about her. Surprisingly I ended up not liking her much while reading. I found her to be very related in some ways (she draws fan art of percabeth and Nina and Inej and reads Drarry) but she is also an awful person. Her constant lying, negativity and cursing drove me mad, she was also rude to others and was just a pretty bad friend overall. I feel bad saying it because there are parts of her that I see myself in but she was a very unlikable main character and not the Leah we got in Simon.

The romance also brought my opinion of this book down. It just didn't make sense to me at all. I was so confused when I realised what direction we were going in. I didn't feel any chemistry between Leah and her love interest and it just felt out of the blue given what we know about her in Simon. There was no cutesy moments that had me gushing and I just couldn't believe that they two characters liked each other. It felt like fanfiction. The relationship was very odd and I was rooting for it or invested at all. 

The best thing about this book was seeing Simon and Bram being all cute and coupley! They were so adorable and I loved any time they had page time! 

Overall I had a weird reading experience with Leah on the Offbeat, I felt like what I was reading wasn't canon, and therefore couldn't believe what was happening. 

Thanks for reading,

A :)

Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Series: Starfield, #1

Publication: April 4th 2017 by Quirk Books

Goodreads Description:

Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic science-fiction series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck and her dad's old costume, Elle's determined to win - unless her stepsisters get there first.

Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons - before he was famous. Now they're nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he has ever wanted, but Starfield fandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Darien feels more and more like a fake - until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise. But when she disappears at midnight, will he ever be able to find her again?

Part-romance, part-love letter to nerd culture, and all totally adorbs, Geekerella is a fairy tale for anyone who believes in the magic of fandom. 

My thoughts:

Anyone who's knows me knows I am a huge fan of all things Disney and retelling related so when I picked up Geekerella I was sure I was going into a new favourite book. Unfortunately I was left disappointed. Geekerella fell flat for me and I ended up not enjoying it as much as I thought I would. 

Maybe it's because I've read/seen too many retellings of Cinderella but I felt like I was just sitting around waiting for certain aspects of the story to play out. I also think my expectations were way too high; I went in looking forward to a cute fluffy fun read and Geekerella just didn't deliver.

I found Elle to be a very average character. There was nothing interesting about her except that she was a fangirl. I could relate to her a bit because of that but I wasn't emotionally invested in her character. I wasn't rooting for her or happy/sad for her when things when good/bad.

I did enjoy the friendship between Elle and the girl who works at the food truck, Sage. Their relationship was probably the only thing I was interested in. I wish we had more from Sage- she was the only interesting character to me.

I didn't buy into the romance between Elle and Darien. I felt like they didn't know each other that well to love each other so quickly.  They only texted a few times and I felt like the content of the texts wasn't enough for them to fall in love with each other over, felt unrealistic to me.

I definitely think Geekerella was written for the for younger end of YA (13/14ywar olds). The writing was very simplistic and the characters acted quite young to me. I wanted Elle to grow up- she was constantly going on about what she thinks others think of her and never stood up for herself and I wanted her to get over the I'm-not-worthy-of-anything thing going on. I found it super annoying and was rolling my eyes but I think younger readers will probably relate to her in this regard whereas I, as a 21 year old, felt she was acting like a kid.

I did think it was cool that the story centred around fandom and fandom culture. There was some cool references to fandom culture like talk of meet cures and ships and whatnot which was fun.

Overall Geekerella was an alright read but nothing amazing. I think my expectations were too high and a younger reader would have enjoyed it more.

Thanks for reading,

A :)

Crash into You by Katie McGarry

Series: Pushing the Limits, #3 

Read my review of book 1, Pushing the Limits, here and my review of book 2, Dare You To, here!

Publication: November 26th 2013 by Harlequin Teen

Goodreads Description:

From acclaimed author Katie McGarry comes an explosive new tale of a romance forged in the fast lane 

The girl with straight A's and the perfect life—that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy family…and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker—a guy she has no business even talking to. But after the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind. 

The last thing Isaiah needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks. But when their shared love of street racing puts their lives in jeopardy, Isaiah and Rachel will have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other. 

My thoughts:

I can't decide if I liked Crash Int You more than Dare You To or not because I really really liked both of them for different reasons! Crash Into You is definitely a contender for the favourite spot in the series.

The main character, Rachel, was so relatable and easy to like. She suffers from panic attacks which I hardly ever come across in my reading so it was cool to see that and I'm sure those with anxiety will appreciate it. I loved how how quiet and awkward she was, it was nice to read something different than all the loud outspoken sassy snarky girls I usually read about these days in fantasy books. She felt very real and because of that I couldn't help but enjoy reading about her.

Of course I still loved Isaiah. He was one of my favourite characters in the previous books so it was great to have in him the spotlight for once and learn more about his backstory and what he's going through. 

We do get to see Noah and Echo in Crash Into You, more than we saw them in Dare You To but I felt like Noah was acting out of character a bit. We also get to see Beth but I wanted more of her.

The plot of this one was more more dramatic than the other books. There was some super cute moments here and there and couldn't help but smile while reading but the stakes were a lot higher in this one compared to the others which I liked. It made for a more engaging read and I wanted to find out what was going to happen.

I was happy with the ending but I wouldn't say no to more about Rachel and Isaiah in the future. They have a very interesting dynamic because they are so different but at the same time they are very similar.

I had a lot of fun reading, like I also do with Katie McGarry books, and I can't wait to pick up the next one!

Thanks for reading,

A :)

If There's No Tomorrow by Jennifer L Armentrout

Publication: September 5th 2017 by Harlequin Teen

Goodreads Description:

A single choice can change everything.

Lena Wise is always looking forward to tomorrow, especially at the start of her senior year. She’s ready to pack in as much friend time as possible, to finish college applications, and to maybe let her childhood best friend Sebastian know how she really feels about him. For Lena, the upcoming year is going to be epic—one of opportunities and chances.

Until one choice, one moment, destroys everything.

Now Lena isn’t looking forward to tomorrow. Not when friend time may never be the same. Not when college applications feel all but impossible. Not when Sebastian might never forgive her for what happened.

For what she let happen.

With the guilt growing each day, Lena knows that her only hope is to move on. But how can she move on when she and her friends’ entire existences have been redefined? How can she move on when tomorrow isn’t even guaranteed? 

My thoughts:

If There's No Tomorrow was a fun super addict read but it was not my favourite Jennifer L Armentrout book by a long shot. I enjoyed my time reading it but it wasn't anything original and it didn't leave a last impression.

I liked the main character Lena. I liked how she like how she loved reading and we actually got to see her reading and prioritise her reading. It was also cool how she played volleyball. While I didn't agree with all her actions I did think they were believable and I think Jennifer L Armentrout did a good job portraying what a person would feel like after what happened in the book.

Like all of Jennifer L Armentrout's books, If There's No Tomorrow was so much fun. There were some great funny lines and there were a good few ACOTAR references that had me laughing. It's clear in this book that Jennifer L Armentrout is a fan of Sarah J Maas.

I loved how the tone of the book completely flipped from lighthearted to very serious after the "choice" that's talked about in the blurb. It was very well written, I felt the whole atmosphere change.

The choice that changed everything was not the most original idea but an important one to discuss. I did feel like it could have been executed better though. I felt like the author added nothing original to the idea. We've seen this story a thousand times and wanted something more from it.

Overall it was a fun quick read but not my favourite, I much prefer Jennifer L Armentrout's paranormal stuff.

Thanks for reading,

A :)

Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee

Publication: June 6th 2017 by Simon & Schuster

Goodreads Description:

After a shout-out from one of the Internet’s superstar vloggers, Natasha “Tash” Zelenka finds herself and her obscure, amateur web series, Unhappy Families, thrust into the limelight: She’s gone viral.

Her show is a modern adaptation of Anna Karenina—written by Tash’s literary love Count Lev Nikolayevich “Leo” Tolstoy. Tash is a fan of the forty thousand new subscribers, their gushing tweets, and flashy Tumblr GIFs. Not so much the pressure to deliver the best web series ever.

And when Unhappy Families is nominated for a Golden Tuba award, Tash’s cyber-flirtation with Thom Causer, a fellow award nominee, suddenly has the potential to become something IRL—if she can figure out how to tell said crush that she’s romantic asexual.

Tash wants to enjoy her newfound fame, but will she lose her friends in her rise to the top? What would Tolstoy do? 

My thoughts:

I had the best time read Tash Hearts Tolstoy! I absolute loved it. It was such a quick addictive fun read!

I loved Tash, she was so well developed and rounded not like other YA contemporary characters who are generic self insert type characters. On top of being obsessed with Tolstoy and making videos she's a vegetarian, Buddhist and identifies as asexual. I loved how there was so many aspects to her!

I also loved how big a role friendship had in this book. Tash's relationships with her best friend Jack and Jack's brother Paul where the 2 main ones. Jack and Tash's friendship was excellently crafted. Their personalities were so different from each other and it made their relationship so complex but it worked. I loved how they argued with each other but always came back together. I also loved Tash's friendship with Paul. He was such a sweet character and they had such a supportive friendship!

Tash being ace is not the main part of the story which I liked but does have a role. I thought it was done sensitively and in a way that educates readers who aren't familiar with the under represented sexuality. I can't speak on it's authenticity but I've heard/read ownvoices reviews from JennaClareK on YouTube on the asexuality rep and she thinks the author did a a great job on it.

I wasn't a huge fan of Thom, I didn't buy into his and Tash's online flirting. I didn't see that much chemistry between them and I was very disappointed with Thom's character arc. Some of his actions later in the book felt very forced and out of character and he ended up feeling like a plot device in my opinion. I think what he did was definitely an important thing to have in the book but was executed badly.

This is a YA Contemporary so of course the plot was very predictable. Not really a critique but something to keep in mind. 

My only big issue with Tash Heart's Tolstoy was the side plots with Tash's family and Jack and Paul's family weren't developed enough to impact the story and could have been left out. They didn't add anything substantial to the story.

As someone who watches YouTube and web series it was so cool reading about someone behind the videos. All aspects of the process were mentioned such as scheduling, scripting, filming, editing and even the amount of time it takes to reply to emails and interact with fans on social media!

The ending was satisfying but I wouldn't say no to following these characters around more. I had a lot of fun reading about Tash and her friends and would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a quick read!

Thanks for reading,

A :)

What I Lost by Alexandra Ballard

*trigger warning for eating disorders on this book and blog post!*

Publication: June 6th 2017 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) 

Goodreads Description:

What sixteen-year-old Elizabeth has lost so far: forty pounds, four jean sizes, a boyfriend, and her peace of mind. As a result, she’s finally a size zero. She’s also the newest resident at Wallingfield, a treatment center for girls like her—girls with eating disorders. Elizabeth is determined to endure the program so she can go back home, where she plans to start restricting her food intake again. She’s pretty sure her mom, who has her own size 0 obsession, needs treatment as much as she does. Maybe even more. Then Elizabeth begins receiving mysterious packages. Are they from her ex-boyfriend, a secret admirer, or someone playing a cruel trick? 

My thoughts:

*I am placing a big trigger warning for eating disorders on this book! There is content in this book that could be trigger to some such as discussion of weight, size, calories, unhealthy eating behaviour and anxiety around eating.*

What I Lost is the eating disorder story I have been looking for. Ballard captures the raw intensity of what it's like to live with an ED and what it's like to be in recovery. While some parts were difficult to read I had an amazing time reading Elizabeth's story!

I loved how Alexandra Ballard discussed some of the more medical stuff associated with eating disorders that are usually not mentioned in the media. There is mentions of lanugo, Mitral Valve Prolapse (a heart condition), the girls get bone density tests and much more which was great to see represented. 

I really enjoyed reading Elizabeth's journey in recovery, I was cheering her on and loved reading the moments she had a breakthrough as well as feeling connected to her and her experience. I related to Elizabeth and the girls a good bit and while I was reading I felt like I really got to know Elizabeth and was rooting for her. The author captured living with and ED in an authentic manner and I found myself picking out little details here and there thinking 'Yes!!yes that's right! She gets it!' I also loved how Elizabeth goes through a bit of an identity crisis of who she was with/without her anorexia. I felt it was a realistic portrayal of someone with an ED.

While this book is really about Elizabeth's recovery, I did really enjoyed the mystery aspect of the plot of who was sending her the gifts. I was guessing the whole time and coming up with theories as I read which added a fun lighthearted side to a sometimes difficult read.

Elizabeth's friendships with the other girls was also a highlight. Their relationships were definitely complicated because of the situation they were in but they felt real and I liked that. They supported each other and wanted what was best for each other. Some is the side characters fell a bit flat but 2/3 where developed enough for me to care about them 

It was also super interesting having the parents as a big part of the story. The impact Elizabeth's parents had on her behaviours and her treatment had a bigger role than I expected. We even got to see how her treatment was effecting them. It is important in a story like this to include families because they are a big part of the recovery process. 

What I Lost is different than Paperweight and Wintergirls but a good different, a great different actually. This books are great but in a different way. What I Lost is a more of an uplifting read because this is a story about recovery.

I really enjoyed What I Lost and definitely recommend if you are looking for a book about eating disorders that doesn't shy away from the reality of living with one and has a strong focus on recovery. 

Thanks for reading,

A :)