Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Summary:
Love ignites in the City That Never Sleeps, but can it last?

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.

Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series. (from GoodReads)

Review:
Oh my goodness I am so far behind on book reviews because I read this over the summer. Oy vey. Ok so from what I remember I enjoyed this book. I love this cute little series and how all the characters are interrelated. I also love that it's set in Paris. I'm excited to see what Stephanie Perkins comes up with next!

Rating: 8 out of 10.
FTC: library

2014/Dutton/352 pages.

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Summary:
The Pre-Sloane Emily didn't go to parties, she barely talked to guys, she didn't do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend—the one who yanks you out of your shell. But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just... disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There’s just a random to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-selected-definitely-bizarre-tasks that Emily would never try... unless they could lead back to her best friend. Apple Picking at Night? Ok, easy enough. Dance until Dawn? Sure. Why not? Kiss a Stranger? Wait... what?

Getting through Sloane’s list would mean a lot of firsts. But Emily has this whole unexpected summer ahead of her, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected) to check things off. Who knows what she’ll find?

Go Skinny Dipping? Um... (from GoodReads)

Review:Doesn't this book make you think of Kelly Clarkson's hit song with the same title? Surprisingly that song wasn't stuck in my head while I was reading Since You've Been Gone. Anyway, I definitely enjoyed Matson's latest novel but it's definitely not her best work.

The beginning of Since You've Been Gone does what a lot of YA novels do: puts the "best friend" on a pedestal while the protagonist berates herself for not being as pretty/outgoing/funny/spontaneous. Every few seconds Emily would talk about how Sloane would act and what Sloane would say and why Sloane is so much cooler than her. It's exhausting for the reader and also frustrating because I'm reading about Emily. Can you imagine having that train of thought in your head every time you interacted with someone from school? Yikes.

However, as Emily makes new friends and becomes more independent, that reliance on Sloane pretty much disappears, thank goodness. Emily actually has a personality that shines! I did think it was weird how Sloane fell off the grid; it's explained at the end and it kinda makes sense but it's also pretty weird.

Morgan Matson is known for her road trips (see: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour) and even this book has a mini one. But, she needs to stop saying that the license plates in Pennsylvania say "You've Got a Friend in Pennsylvania." I live here and they do not!!! I know they did at one point but I even checked and apparently they were retired in 1999. So this is super annoying because it's clear that she visited here awhile ago and for some reason still thinks it's how it is and puts it in TWO books.

Anyway, I did like this book especially seeing Emily make friends and become more independent. But I would have to say her first two novels are even better so if you liked this one you'll love those.

Rating: 8 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from the library.

2014/Simon & Schuster/449 pages.

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

Summary:
Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school-that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses but it's really a school for spies. Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the skill of a real "pavement artist"-but can she maneuver a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her?

Cammie Morgan may be an elite spy-in-training, but in her sophomore year, she's on her most dangerous mission-falling in love. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I decided to read this book because I love Ally Carter's Heist Society series and wanted to check out her other work. I still love Heist Society a lot more but this book was pretty cute!

I love the idea of strong female characters which is why I wanted to read this novel (the title is way too long) but this felt like a watered down version of Heist Society. Probably because these characters are still learning how to use their spy skills and Kat and her gang are actually out in the field. But I do love that they attend a secret school to learn how to be spies. What a fun concept and I really enjoyed that aspect.

I don't have too much to say about this book other than it's light and fun. It's definitely for a younger audience but if the older crowd wants to read it there's nothing wrong with that.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Summary:
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all. (from GoodReads)

Review:
This is a book that I immediately wanted to reread as soon as I finished it. I wish I owned a copy of it so I could go back and reread my favorite parts. That's how much I enjoyed To All the Boys I've Loved Before.

This story has so many fantastic elements that made me love it: a wonderful family dynamic, an illicit romance, a fake relationship, multicultural heritage, zany best friends, witty dialogue. The list goes on. The concept is super cute but equally hilarious. How mortifying would it be for all the boys you used to like to find out via love letter. Thankfully Lara Jean handles it fairly well. I would be a mess.

I loved the relationships between Lara Jean and her older and younger sisters. That was really the redeeming factor of this novel. The triangle between Lara Jean, Peter and Josh is also expertly written and not at all clichéd.

Can you tell I really enjoyed this novel? I would definitely recommend anyone to give it a chance. The ending is so frustrating but the fact that there is going to be a sequel makes me so happy! I can't have any of that cliffhanger nonsense.

Rating: 10 out of 10!
FTC: borrowed from the library.

2014/Simon & Schuster/368 pages.

The Story of Us by Deb Caletti

Summary:
Cricket’s on a self-imposed break from her longtime boyfriend—but she’s picked a bad week to sort out her love life. For one thing, her mother’s romance is taking center stage: After jilting two previous fiancés, her mom is finally marrying Dan Jax, whom Cricket loves. But as wedding attendees arrive for a week of festivities at a guesthouse whose hippie owners have a sweet, sexy son—Ash—complications arise:

Cricket’s future stepsisters make it clear they’re not happy about the marriage. An old friend decides this is the week to declare his love for Cricket. Grandpa chooses to reveal a big secret at a family gathering. Dan’s ex-wife shows up. And even the dogs—Cricket’s old, ill Jupiter and Dan’s young, lively Cruiser—seem to be declaring war.

While Cricket fears that Dan is in danger of becoming ditched husband-to-be number three, she’s also alarmed by her own desires. Because even though her boyfriend looms large in her mind, Ash is right in front of her.... (from GoodReads)

Review:
I truly adore Deb Caletti and I think her novels are amazing. However, I was not as enthralled with The Story of Us as I would like to be.

My main issue with this book was the letters that Cricket would write to her (ex) boyfriend Janssen. They really had nothing to do with the plot but served to explain the relationship between Cricket and Janssen to the readers. The letters acted as a stream of consciousness for Cricket and in my opinion, we got a lot of unnecessary information from them. I actually started skimming the letters because I didn't really care about them and they weren't essential to what was happening in present day. The only reason I even bothered at times was because I wanted to know why Cricket and Janssen broke up; she's very vague about the reasoning when she discusses the situation with other characters. That part was actually a little interesting and I would have liked to see that explored a little more.

The main gist of the story is that Cricket and her family are staying at this big beach inn for a week in preparation for her mother's wedding. I was excited for a great atmosphere so I could be engaged in the book (like how I was with the beach town in The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen). That didn't really happen for me. However, I did love all the supporting characters, especially Cricket's grandmother. They added a lot of color to the story.

This wouldn't be a romance if there wasn't another character on the side for the protagonist to choose between. This character was Ash, the son of the innkeeper. He wasn't even in the book that much nor did he have that great of a personality. Another reason why this book didn't keep me engaged.

Overall, I still love Deb Caletti and I still would recommend all of her books. But if you read this one and didn't like don't give up! Definitely try The Secret Life of Prince Charming or Stay.

Rating: 6 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from the library.

2012/Simon Pulse/389 pages.

Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin

Summary:
The New York Times bestselling author of Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and Baby Proof delivers another captivating novel about women and the choices that define them. This is the story for anyone who has ever wondered: How can I truly love the one I'm with when I can't forget the one who got away?

Ellen and Andy's first year of marriage doesn't just seem perfect, it is perfect. There is no question how deep their devotion is, and how naturally they bring out the best in each other. But one fateful afternoon, Ellen runs into Leo for the first time in eight years. Leo, the one who brought out the worst in her. Leo, the one who left her heartbroken with no explanation. Leo, the one she could never quite forget. When his reappearance ignites long-dormant emotions, Ellen begins to question whether the life she's living is the one she's meant to live.

Love the One You're With is a powerful story about one woman at the crossroads of true love and real life. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I really like Emily Giffin as a writer and I've read three of her books that I enjoyed immensely. However, I wasn't as enthralled by Love the One You're With as I wanted to be. It wasn't horrible, but Giffin's other novels have been much better.

It was hard for me to get into this book at first, but as I kept reading I liked it a little better. Giffin's books are all very similar: they're romance and so far have been about adultery. Now that's a topic that most people aren't interested in but she does a really good job of portraying the complex feelings that are often involved in these situations. For example, most people consider physical cheating to be the worst betrayal, but my AP English Lit class determined that emotional cheating was actually worse (we were reading Ethan Frome). That's sort of the theme of Love the One You're With: Ellen feels a connection with her ex-boyfriend Leo. She loves talking to him on the phone and emailing him and even though there's not much physical contact it feels like she's cheating.

The reason I didn't really enjoy Love the One You're With as much as I wish I did is because I didn't feel the connection between Ellen and Leo. I liked her husband Andy and I didn't like seeing her move away from him. Ellen was an infuriating character especially when Andy wants to move to Atlanta. She shies away from sharing her feelings and then it causes conflict in her marriage. I just didn't like the characters in this book as much as I did in Emily Giffin's other books.

Now Love the One You're With wasn't awful. I liked the relationship between Ellen and her sister. And Emily Giffin is a good writer so there were no complaints there. If you're looking for a romance novel, however, I would head for her other books first.

Rating: 7 out of 10.
FTC: purchased.

2008/St. Martin's Press/342 pages.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Summary:
A dazzling novel in the most untraditional fashion, this is the remarkable story of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who travels involuntarily through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Henry and Clare's passionate love affair endures across a sea of time and captures the two lovers in an impossibly romantic trap, and it is Audrey Niffenegger's cinematic storytelling that makes the novel's unconventional chronology so vibrantly triumphant.

An enchanting debut and a spellbinding tale of fate and belief in the bonds of love, The Time Traveler's Wife is destined to captivate readers for years to come. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I first wanted to read this book after seeing that it was being made into a movie. That was back in 2009 and I still haven't seen the movie because I wanted to read the book first! After finally picking up The Time Traveler's Wife, it's funny to see how different it was from what I expected!

I was expecting a romance, which is what I got, but I was also expecting Henry to be time traveling more. The movie made it look like he time traveled and his relationship with Clare was based on these infrequent meetings. However, Clare and Henry (once they meet in present day) spend a lot of time together. Henry time travels only every so often, usually when he's stressed, and is only gone for a few hours most of the time. It's not quite the romantic tragedy I was expecting. It's tragic for Henry because he's in constant danger when he time travels since he ends up naked in random places. He has no clothes, money or shelter so it's definitely horrible for him. But Clare only has to be without Henry for a little bit at a time so it was hard to feel really bad for her.

I also didn't know that Clare has been meeting with Henry since she was a little girl. At first it was kind of creepy, but it's older Henry visiting little Clare and he's already married to her. So when Clare finally meets up with the real Henry in present day he doesn't know her because his future self was the one visiting her. It's pretty confusing and I didn't understand how the time traveling worked in the beginning.

Time travel is always tricky to write about because it never makes any sense. I thought that Audrey Niffenegger did a pretty good job of conceptualizing time travel for this novel. When one goes to the past, he or she can't change anything so that prevents the universe from getting messed up. You can also visit yourself which is weird but pretty cool.

I thought that storytelling style was very unique, especially since events are written out of order. It allows a different perspective because some events have more clarity once Henry time travels to that place again. I liked that the book differentiated between Henry and Clare, but I wish their voices were more distinctive. I couldn't tell the difference between them and was constantly looking at the title to see who was narrating.

There was a lot of description in The Time Traveler's Wife, some was good and some was bad. I found myself skimming pages of exposition. This novel is so detailed and full of depth that it was almost too much. I actually forgot who some of the characters were (who is Isabelle?? she shows up at the end and I can't for the life of me remember who she is).

I kind of have mixed feelings about The Time Traveler's Wife, but overall I enjoyed the book. I probably won't ever read it again but I do want to watch the movie now. If you like long and finely detailed novels then this is probably the book for you.

Rating: 7 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from the library.

2003/MacAdamCage Pub/528 pages.

The Christmas Cookie Collection by Lori Wilde

Summary:
Four delightful novellas featuring characters from Lori Wilde's New York Times bestselling book The First Love Cookie Club. First published as e-originals, they are now available in one volume and in print for the first time. (from GoodReads)

Review:
For some reason I keep getting all these romance novels in the mail, most of them by author Lori Wilde. I'm not really a big fan of straight romance, but I finally decided to read this Christmas themed novel in order to get into the holiday spirit.

What was different about this book was that it had four novellas about four different characters, all involving romance and Christmas. The characters are pretty much all friends or acquaintances and all live in the town of Twilight, Texas. This is the corniest town around, because they have a legend that if you throw a penny in the fountain, you will be reunited with your first sweetheart. A cute concept but  if I lived there I would probably get tired of all the couples on vacation because Twilight is a popular tourist destination for honeymoons and Valentine's Day.

What I didn't like was that most of the relationships weren't that well developed, but that's obviously because each story is about 100 pages. The story I liked best was about a woman whose husband found out she had a baby thirty years before, and then her daughter ends up in Twilight. That story was actually pretty interesting. The others were cute but really weren't anything special.

If you like romance novels I'm sure you'd enjoy this one, especially if you're looking for something holiday themed.

Rating: 6 out of 10.
FTC: sent from publisher.

2013/Avon/384 pages

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

Summary:
Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.

Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo's sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby.

Emaline's mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he's convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby?

Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she's going?

Sarah Dessen's devoted fans will welcome this story of romance, yearning, and, finally, empowerment. It could only happen in the summer. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I haven't read a Sarah Dessen novel in such a long time (over 4 years) and I forgot how much I enjoy her books! For some reason I just sucked right into The Moon and More and couldn't put it down.

What I loved most about this book is that I wanted to live in it. The small beach town of Colby is very appealing. I love the beach in general and the tight-knit community just seems like a nice way to live. The way Dessen describes it, it's like a real place. Colby as been featured in a few other of her books (Keeping the Moon and Along for the Ride) and some of the characters in those books make small appearances! But I felt like Colby was actually a character in The Moon and More because there's the theme of small town vs. city life and the differences between them.

I also loved loved loved Emaline's family. She works for her grandmother's realty company so she spends a lot of time with them and I could see the love between them all (even though they could be super annoying). Seeing Emaline develop a relationship with her real father and half-brother was one of the best parts of the book. This novel really drives home the idea that there are all different types of family (Emaline has a "father" and a "dad" for goodness sake).

The romance was probably the weakest part of the novel and I think that was the point. In the beginning Emaline is dating her long-time boyfriend Luke but then moves on to the new Theo, who is from New York City and is supposed to be very sophisticated. Let me just say this: I did not like Theo at all, and I'm pretty sure the readers weren't supposed to. He's definitely not as sophisticated as described and quite frankly he's pretty annoying as a character. Even so, it was nice seeing a non-traditional love story featured in YA.

This book made me super nostalgic for summer and the beach, especially as it's snowing outside right now. I also loved that Emaline was going to East University for college. Pretty sure Dessen is referring to East Carolina University since the book takes place in North Carolina. Two of my uncles went there which is why I'm familiar with it. In addition, Emaline gets some flak for not going to Columbia. She got a full ride to a decent school (East) and a person would be crazy not to take that. Good job Emaline. Anyway, this is definitely one of my favorite Dessen books, which means you should go read it.

Rating: 9 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from the library.

2013/Viking Juvenile/435 pages.

Hooked by Liz Fichera

Summary:
When Native American Fredricka ‘Fred’ Oday is invited to become the only girl on the school’s golf team, she can’t say no. This is an opportunity to shine, win a scholarship and go to university, something no one in her family has done.

But Fred’s presence on the team isn’t exactly welcome — especially not to rich golden boy Ryan Berenger, whose best friend was kicked off the team to make a spot for Fred.

But there’s no denying that things are happening between the girl with the killer swing and the boy with the killer smile... (from GoodReads)

Review:I really loved the concept of Hooked. It featured things you don't usually see in YA: golf and Native Americans. I loved having a WOC as our protagonist and learning more about the sport of golf. This combination (along with the romance) got me hooked on Hooked.

It's easy to dive right into this novel because the character's voices are so well-written. The narration switches between Fred and Ryan, so we get both of their perspectives which are pretty different, especially at the beginning. It's easy to root for Fred and hard to like Ryan, but that changes as the book progresses. I loved seeing Ryan's character development and how he became a better person. I just wish Ryan and Fred's lovely relationship had developed that much too. They fell in love pretty quickly and I would have liked to see them be friends longer before they the romance angle was added in.

The author appears to making this a series because the sequel is about Fred's friend Sam and Ryan's younger sister. I'm not sure if I'm going to check it out yet but I would like to see how Fred and Ryan are doing in the future.

Rating: 7 out of 10.
FTC: received from publisher

2013/Harlequin Teen/363 pages.

Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill

Summary:
Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question.

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I love London so of course I'm going to pick up a book that is set here! Plus, romance and cute boys? Sign me up! I thought Meant to Be was a cute and fun story that anyone can enjoy.

Obviously I was first drawn in by the wonderful city of London. Since I've been there before, it was nice to revisit all the famous landmarks and tourist attractions that I saw. I would love to go back and I did for a time while reading Meant to Be.

Julia is an interesting protagonist, in that she's not the most likeable. She gets better in the end, but throughout the book she is set on finding her "meant to be" aka her soulmate. Julia uses her parents' supposedly perfect marriage as her guide to finding a boyfriend. This is problematic since her father died when she was about eight, so the memories of her family are definitely colored. Luckily she learns that no relationship or person is perfect and that will help her in the long-run.

Even though Jason could be pretty immature, I still enjoyed reading about him and seeing his and Julia's relationship develop. In the beginning they hated each other, but London brings them together. I was flying through the pages to see what would happen next.

Some of the aspects were a tad unrealistic. The students had way too many "cultural hours" (aka free time) on this trip and they each had their own hotel rooms! It is explained that their teacher knows the owner of this hotel but still. I loved that Julia is a swimmer (as am I) but would someone who won States in two events really go on a trip in the middle of her swim season (even though most swim seasons are finished by Spring Break, which is when this trip takes place)? I'm obviously nitpicking, but those were some things I was thinking about while reading.

Regardless, I still really enjoyed Meant to Be. The romance is cute, London is awesome and there's even some life lessons thrown in there. If you're looking for something light, make sure you check this out.

Rating: 7 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from the library.

2012/Delacorte/304 pages.

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Summary: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. (from GoodReads)

Review:
So I read The Distance Between Us in less than a day... That's how fast it sucked me in and I couldn't stop reading! This book is such a fun read so don't start reading it unless you have a few hours to devote to finishing the novel.

First off, I want to comment on the protagonist's name. Caymen has the same name as the Cayman Islands, a popular tax haven for the extremely rich. Interesting or ironic? Especially since wealth is a such a big part of the novel.

I did enjoy the theme of rich vs. poor and how money can affect a relationship. Normally I think these types of conflict are contrived but Xander wasn't merely well-off ... his family owns a chain of hotels and he's regularly featured in tabloid magazines. He's one of the business celebrities so I could see how that might cause problems in a relationship. Also, Caymen isn't even middle-class; her mom is the owner of a failing small business. They can't afford to hire any employees besides Caymen and her mom.

I loved seeing Caymen try to navigate her relationship with Xander. She had to deal with pressures from her mom (who doesn't like rich people), supposed pressures from Xander's friends and family and another potential love interest. But I think she handled it wonderfully and I'm happy to say that mostly everything worked out in the end.

The think the strongest point of The Distance Between Us is the likeability of all the characters. Caymen was awesome and her sarcasm was hilarious. Kasie West is very witty! Xander was amazing and will surely top some lists of favorite romantic interest in YA books. He wasn't perfect but that just made him even more interesting. Caymen's friends Skye and Henry were nice additions to the cast and I enjoyed it when they shared scenes with our illustrious protagonist.

Overall, The Distance Between Us is a fun, flirty romance novel. I can't wait to see what Kasie West comes out with next!

Anatomy of a Single Girl by Daria Snadowsky

Summary:
With Judy Blume-like honesty and insight, this sequel to Anatomy of a Boyfriend is about life after first love--romance, sex, friendship, family, and the ups and downs of life as a single girl.

After everything that happened—my first boyfriend, my first time, my first breakup—jumping back into the dating game seemed like the least healthy thing I could do. It’s not that I didn’t want to fall in love again, since that’s about the best feeling ever. But as a busy college premed still raw from heartbreak, which is the worst feeling ever, I figured I’d lie low for a while. Of course, as soon as I stopped looking for someone, an impossibly amazing—and devastatingly cute—guy came along, and I learned that having a new boyfriend is the quickest way to recover from losing your old one.

The moment we got together, all my preconceptions about romance and sex were turned upside down. I discovered physical and emotional firsts I never knew existed. I learned to let go of my past by living in the present. It was thrilling. It was hot. It was just what the doctor ordered.

But I couldn’t avoid my future forever.

In Daria Snadowsky’s daring follow-up to Anatomy of a Boyfriend, eighteen-year-old Dominique explores the relationship between love and lust, and the friendships that see us through. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I feel like I've come full circle after reading this book. When I was just beginning book blogging, Daria Snadowsky was one of the first authors to offer me a review copy, which was Anatomy of a Boyfriend. Now she offered me a copy of the sequel, Anatomy of a Single Girl, which I loved!

I really enjoyed the first novel, as it detailed Dominique's first experiences with a boyfriend and with falling in love. Many girls could relate to her confusion, heart ache, and butterflies as her relationship blossoms but eventually withers. It was so honest, even going over things like hooking up and sex. In Anatomy of a Single Girl, we get that same candor and honesty but it takes place after Dominique has finished her first year of college. She starts dating a guy, but it's definitely not the same relationship as the one she had with her first boyfriend.

I felt like I could relate to Dominique: she's still unsure around guys, she misses her best friend while said friend gallivants with her boyfriend, is serious about school but still wants to have fun. There were some parts, particularly when Dominique is around her new guy, where she becomes extremely irrational. It reminded me of the stereotype that women are "crazy" and "illogical" especially when it comes to relationships. That definitely rubbed me the wrong way and I even Anatomy of a Single Girl.
wanted to throw my book at the things Dominique would say and do. Luckily, she came around most of the time and those parts were the only things I disliked about

This book will really suck you in - I seriously couldn't put it down. Daria Snadowsky gave Dominique a great voice and I obviously wanted to know what would happen next between her and Guy. I enjoyed the character of Guy. He's smart, funny and he and Dominique have great chemistry.

In the end, I think that Anatomy of a Single Girl was an interesting and candid look at relationships. I'm so glad I got to revisit this world after about 5 years! I hope Daria Snadowsky keeps writing about Dominique because I would gladly read more books.

Rating: 9 out of 10.
FTC: sent copy by the author.

2013/Delacorte Books/227 pages.

If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin

Summary:
If he had been with me, he wouldn't have died.

Throughout their whole childhood, Finn and Autumn were inseparable—they finished each other's sentences, they knew just what to say when the other person was hurting. But one incident in middle school puts them in separate social worlds come high school, and Autumn has been happily dating James for the last 2 years. But she's always wondered what if...

The night she's about to get the answer is also one of terrible tragedy. (from GoodReads)

Review:
Laura Nowlin has created a captivating story, which is surprising because the premise of the book is so simple. Basically, the book is about the unusual relationship between Finn and Autumn. Their mothers have been best friends since they were young and the two families live next door to each other. They eat dinner together frequently and celebrate holidays as one family. This dynamic becomes unusual when Finn is a popular kid and Autumn is in the "outcast" clique. They don't talk in school but are around each other a lot, much to the chagrin of their respective groups.

If He Had Been With Me follows Autumn throughout her entire high school career, which sounds tedious but the novel had wonderful pacing. Even reading about class and prom and relationship drama was so interesting because it all revolves around the enigmatic Finn. There are even flashbacks perfectly placed in the story to enhance the narrative and add depth to Finn and Autumn's relationship. You're practically rooting for them to get together even though both are in other relationships. The tension jumps off the page when Finn and Autumn are in a scene together and those were my favorite parts to read.

Laura Nowlin has really got the teenage voice down pat. Autumn and her friends would say and do things that were similar to me and my friends. There were also some genuinely funny lines that made me laugh. If you read What We Keep is Not Always What Will Stay, this novel reminds me a lot of that book, with a quirky narrator and great writing. However, even with the lightheartedness that is present throughout most of the novel, the reader knows from the first chapter that something tragic happens to Finn. Though it's easy to forget this fact when you're reading about Christmas and touring colleges. I tried to put it out of my mind but it still hits you at the end. If He Had Been With Me confirms Autumn's assertion that sometimes sadness is beautiful.

With that said, I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to fans of contemporary fiction and romance or if you're looking for a deep read with a rich narrative.

Rating: 9 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from the library.

2013/Sourcebooks Fire/330 pages.

Two Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt

Summary:
There are two sides to every breakup.

This is Jordan and Courtney, totally in love. Sure, they were an unlikely high school couple. But they clicked; it worked. They're even going to the same college, and driving cross-country together for orientation.

Then Jordan dumps Courtney -- for a girl he met on the Internet.

It's too late to change plans, so the road trip is on. Courtney's heartbroken, but figures she can tough it out for a few days. La la la -- this is Courtney pretending not to care.

But in a strange twist, Jordan cares. A lot.


Turns out, he's got a secret or two that he's not telling Courtney. And it has everything to do with why they broke up, why they can't get back together, and how, in spite of it all, this couple is destined for each other. (From GoodReads)

Review:
I kind of stumbled upon this book by accident. I am a member of PulseIt and decided to look at what free books they were offering. I really enjoyed Lauren Barnholdt's Sometimes It Happens so I decided to read Two Way Street. I'm so glad I did because I seriously read it in one sitting, it was that good!

Two Way Street switches POV a lot: between Jordan and Courtney and then past and present between the both of them. I actually really liked that because we got to see what was going on during the road trip and what happened in the past when they were in a relationship. The story comes together very nicely and isn't jumpy at all.

I also thought that Two Way Street was hilarious, especially Jordan's thoughts and commentary on certain things. I think I laughed out loud a few times. Lauren Barnholdt really captured the teenage voice in this book.

The secret that Jordan is keeping is very interesting and you kind of figure it out pretty early on. I don't know how likely it would happen in real life but it still made for a good story!

The only negative I can say about Two Way Street is that it really dates itself by talking about MySpace a lot. I didn't realize that this book was published in 2007, when MySpace was really big. The old social networking site is discussed a lot because the characters are posting comments and whatnot on each other's pages. If MySpace had been replaced by Facebook this would have been totally modern (barring the talk of Instant Messenger and mp3s). I couldn't help but cringe every time MySpace was mentioned because it's so obsolete now.

Other than that, I really enjoyed Two Way Street and thought it was a fantastic contemporary novel. I can't wait to read more by Lauren Barnholdt!

Rating: 9 out of 10.
FTC: read on Pulse It

2007/Simon Pulse/288 pages.

Over You by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

Summary:
After the grand explosion of her relationship, seventeen-year-old Max Scott developed what every girl in the history of the world has been waiting for: a way to get over being dumped. Now Max is the go-to guru for heartbroken high-school girls all over NYC. But when her ex unexpectedly shows up in her neighborhood, Max’s carefully controlled world starts to unravel. With her clients’ hearts hanging in the balance, Max will have to do the seemingly impossible: get over him once and for all.

Brilliant at bringing humor to the trials and tribulations of the lovestruck, #1 New York Times bestselling authors Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus have crafted a tale that will resonate with any girl who has ever been in love or had her heart broken. It brims with smart observations, features a pitch-perfect teen voice, and will attract fans of Jenny Han, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Barnholdt. Readers are sure to fall head-over-heels for this sharp spin on breaking up, making up, and getting even. (from GoodReads)

Review:
The premise of Over You was confusing at first, but once I got into the story, I enjoyed this book immensely. It was even hard to put down! I haven't read anything by these authors before (though I have seen The Nanny Diaries movie) so I'm looking forward to reading more of their work.

What I didn't understand when I first started Over You is that Max runs a business in which she helps heartbroken girls get over their ex-boyfriends. It's pretty legitimate: she uses the basement of her apartment as an office and has two assistants. She gets referrals from previous clients and uses a step-by-step process to help these teens. It's ingenious and I just loved how smart Max is. The fact that she set this whole thing up is pretty awesome. She spends a lot of money, which seems unrealistic until you realize she got a grant from a wealthy client (it must have been one huge check).

Max set up Ex, Inc in order to get over her own ex-boyfriend and when he decides to attend college in New York, her world is thrown upside down. But at the same time, Max meets cute Ben, who she has a growing attraction to. I'm sure you can guess how this pans out but I still loved every minute of it. Max begins acting like all the girls who need her assistance but ultimately gets through it.

Unfortunately there were some flaws in Over You. I already addressed the one about the money. First, the book switches POV between several characters and doesn't indicate the change and since it's in third person I would get confused easily. It doesn't help that two characters (Max and Taylor) have names that are androgynous so I was get even more confused. Also, I didn't like that Max dropped out of school and was just planning on getting her GED. I don't know any parents who would let their child do that and still expect them to go to college. Max was applying to schools like NYU, which definitely wouldn't take someone with a GED. She had a connection with one of the professors but I honestly don't know if that would be enough. She should have just been "homeschooled" by her parents and got a diploma from the public school.

Regardless of the above, I still really enjoyed Over You and I recommend it to anyone who likes romance and intelligent heroines.

Rating: 8 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from the library.

2012/Harper Teen/304 pages. 

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Summary:
Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part, Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend attention.

Then Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: She and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. But what Lissa never sees coming is her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling...(from GoodReads)

Review:
I was really excited to read Shut Out because I love the concept! I wanted to see how this hook-up strike would go and I think it's super cool how Kody Keplinger incorporated her inspiration into the book (it's a slight retelling of the Greek play Lysistrata).

I think Kody Keplinger is a wonderful writer, which is especially impressive given how young she is! I think she's around my age which is crazy. But pretty awesome, too! The dialogue was realistic, which is always important in YA. I liked how the girls banded together in order to stop the feud (which is pretty ridiculous, if you ask me). Lissa becomes the leader and I really enjoyed her character. She just felt so real and  multi-dimensional: she has anxiety and OCD tendencies, but she's also super smart and sweet.

The romance with Cash Sterling (ok, what kind of name is that?) was very hot and steamy and obviously everyone was rooting for them to be together. Randy didn't seem too bad in the beginning, but than you realize that Cash is the much better choice.

My favorite part of Shut Out was the girl power and feminism. I liked the message that girls shouldn't be defined by their sexuality and that these double standards between men and women are ridiculous. Seeing that in YA was awesome and I hope the readers get a lot out of this theme.

Overall, I enjoyed Shut Out and loved the concept! I'm actually considering reading Lysistrata now!

Rating: 8 out of 10.
FTC: Christmas gift

2011/Poppy/273 pages.

Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin

Summary:
Tessa Russo is the mother of two young children and the wife of a renowned pediatric surgeon. Despite her own mother's warnings, Tessa has recently given up her career to focus on her family and the pursuit of domestic happiness. From the outside, she seems destined to live a charmed life.

Valerie Anderson is an attorney and single mother to six-year-old Charlie--a boy who has never known his father. After too many disappointments, she has given up on romance--and even to some degree, friendships--believing that it is always safer not to expect too much.

Although both women live in the same Boston suburb, the two have relatively little in common aside from a fierce love for their children. But one night, a tragic accident causes their lives to converge in ways no one could have imagined.

In alternating, pitch-perfect points of view, Emily Giffin creates a moving, luminous story of good people caught in untenable circumstances. Each being tested in ways they never thought possible. Each questioning everything they once believed. And each ultimately discovering what truly matters most. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I absolutely adored Something Borrowed (also written by Emily Giffin) and the movie, so I was super excited to read something else by this author. Heart of the Matter wasn't quite as good, but I still enjoyed it a lot.

I didn't realize that Heart of the Matter was going to be about cheating again, but I find this to be an interesting topic. For many people it's a deal-breaker, but on the other hand so many people take back their significant other after they've cheated. Another dimension to this is the type of cheating. Most people consider cheating to be doing something physical with another person. But what about emotional cheating? Which is worse? We talked about this in my English class after reading Ethan Frome, which deals with emotional cheating.

Heart of the Matter switches point-of-view between Tessa and Valerie. Tessa is the wife of Nick, a pediatric surgeon, who is having an affair with Valerie. Getting both sides made it tough to pick which was "right" because I sympathized with both Tessa and Valerie. In Something Borrowed, we only get Rachel's perspective and it is colored by the fact that Darcy is not a nice person most of the book. In Something Borrowed, the cheating seemed more acceptable because no one was married or had any kids yet. It kind of made it easier to stomach.

The only person I didn't like was Nick. He had to be one of the most selfish people I've ever read about. If you want to cheat on your wife, that's one thing, but he would forgo spending time with his kids to be with Valerie. He spend more time with her and her son than his own family, which I just thought was awful. Also, Valerie's son was Nick's patient, so the affair was extremely unethical in addition to being morally wrong.

I was so excited to see Rachel and Dex return, because they're one of my favorite couples. It just so happens that Tessa and Dex are siblings. Rachel and Dex have the perfect marriage, which is commented on by every person. It's almost sickeningly sweet. It would have been better if there was something going on to show that they are not a perfect couple, but since we didn't get their POV, there was no additional information.

Overall I really did enjoy Heart of the Matter, especially that it tried to describe the different aspects and perspectives of cheating. It can be a gray area at times, and I liked seeing that addressed. Emily Giffin is a really good writer and I'm looking forward to reading more of her work.

Rating: 8 out of 10.
FTC: bought used.

2010/St. Martin's Press/368 pages.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Summary:
Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I thought that Anna and the French Kiss was such a great novel and I was so excited to read more of Stephanie Perkins's work. Fortunately, she didn't let me down because Lola and the Boy Next Door was a fun and engaging read!

Lola was very similar to Anna. In Anna, she is in love with a boy who already has a girlfriend. In Lola, it's switched. Lola has the boyfriend and there is another guy pining after her. It was nice to see this side because I feel like many YA books follow the Anna plotline with a girl wanting a taken guy. There was a lot of tension between Lola and Cricket and I was pretty much dying for them to get together. I really like the way Stephanie Perkins wrote their relationship because it was very cute.

I think everyone was excited that we got to see Anna and St. Clair again in Lola! I was really interested to see how they were doing since the last book. Unfortunately, their relationship seemed to have progressed to the obsessive because they were never apart. I didn't like how they were so dependent on each other and hope that Lola and Cricket don't end up that way.

The star of the book, Lola, was quite the character. She has two dads which I thought was awesome. I've never read a book where the protagonist has gay parents, so that was a first for me. She is also a designer and loves fashion. Sometimes she stretched the definition of clothes and would wear actual costumes to school. I thought that was a bit excessive, but hey, whatever floats your boat.

Just like with Anna, I couldn't put Lola down! Now I can't wait for Isla and the Happily Ever After.

Rating: 9 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from library.

2011/Dutton/338 pages.

All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins

Summary:
One Happily-Ever-After Rocking Chair…

and no sign of any forthcoming babies to rock in ol' Georgebury, Vermont. For Callie Grey, turning thirty means coming to grips with the fact that her boss (and five-week fling) is way overdue in his marriage proposal. And way off track because Mark has suddenly announced his engagement to the company's new Miss Perfect. If that isn't bad enough, her mom decides to throw her a three-oh birthday bash in the family funeral home.

Bad goes to worse when she stirs up a crazy relationship with the town's not so warm and fuzzy veterinarian, Ian McFarland, in order to flag Mark's attention. So Ian is more comfortable with animals…. So he's formal, orderly and just a bit tense. The ever-friendly, fun-loving and spontaneous Callie decides it's time for Ian to get a personality makeover. But dang, if he doesn't shock the heck out of her, she might actually fall for Vermont's unlikeliest eligible bachelor…. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I ususally don't read mass-market romances, but I must say that I'm glad I picked up All I Ever Wanted. This book is just so darn cute. It's like a lighter, girlier, funnier, better Nicholas Sparks book, which makes it pretty awesome.

Some people might be turned off by this, but I adored the quirkiness of the characters, especially Callie. She is so relatable and is always getting herself into funny situations. Especially when she tries online dating. But I digress. Callie's family owns a funeral parlor and she lives with her grouchy, but loving, grandfather whom she calls by his first name. This is definitely non-traditional, but I liked it.

The romance aspect of All I Ever Wanted is VERY predictable. The summary basically tells you who Callie ends up. I didn't mind so much, though. The writing and dialogue is enough to keep you wanting to read more even if you have the plot all figured out. Plus, with all the wacky characters, there was plenty of laughs along the way.

I really enjoyed All I Ever Wanted and even though it is a "romance" novel, it has a lot more going for it than just some hot guys.

Rating: 8 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from library.

2010/Harlequin/318 pages.