Review: Saving June By: Hannah Harrington

Title: Saving June

Author: Hannah Harringtion

Published: May 1st, 2011

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

Goodreads Summary: 

‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’

Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.

When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going, California.

Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanor and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.

Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down again.

My Thoughts:

I will admit that I was hesitant to read Saving June only because it seemed like such a heavy read, I didn't know if I was ready to read about teenage suicide or that I could handle the emotional roller coaster I knew it would take me on. But, let me just say that this book was amazing and I completely enjoyed every single piece of it.

Harper is left dealing with the aftermath of her sister's suicide, everyone including her is in complete shock.  Her and June were always the complete opposites. I really enjoyed Harper's character she wasn't fake and she seemed completely real throughout the book. I felt her pain but, the book wasn't overwhelming or depressing which made me very happy. It felt like a coming of age story and I felt what Harper decided to do with her sister's ashes was brave and memorable. 

My absolute favorite part of the whole book was Jake and Harper's relationship. They had such an amazing banter with each other and I loved watching their love and hate relationship. Harper did not like Jake from the very beginning of the trip, she can't understand why he has offered to take her and her best friend  all the way to California for her sister, while wondering what kind of relationship him and her sister shared. Although I have been reading a lot of road trip books lately, I loved this one the most. It felt so much more like Harper's journey then a road trip although it still had it's fun aspects to it. 

Jake was one of those guys that you can't help but love, he loves music especially the classics and he was determined to teach Harper and Laney all the facts about his favorites. I loved that he didn't feel dumbed down or shallow, I could tell he was deep even if you didn't get to see it all right in front of you. He was complicated and broken, He was definitely unlike most of the boys you read about in  YA because he felt so completely real to me that he could exist in real life (at least in my dreams he does lol)

Laney, definitely added a bit of lighter side to the book and she did make me smile so many times throughout the book. She added humor and a different view on the situation, she loves old movies and actors who died too soon. She wants to be the next Marilyn Monroe and even though she was only a secondary character, I feel like I got to know her just as much as I did the rest of the characters.

Hannah Harrington's debut was amazing, it was one of those books that after reading it I felt completely satisfied, it also made me think. I called my sister just to remind her how much I loved her because this book really made an impact on me. It felt like a celebration of life, love, and happiness. Saving June takes a tragedy and reminds you of what's important in life, read this one and you won't regret it!

Happy Reading!

Kristin

What's Next (18)

I am so excited to be participating in a new meme every Thursday hosted  by Iceybooks, this meme is designed to help us bloggers get some help from our reader's on what to read next, so every week I will post 3 books that I am trying to decide between and you guys can vote on which one you think that I should read next. Cast your vote through the poll at the bottom of this post.

Happy Reading!
Kristin

 Blood Red Road (Dustlands #1) By: Moira Young
Goodreads Summary:

Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.
Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.
Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetically minimal writing style, violent action, and an epic love story. Moira Young is one of the most promising and startling new voices in teen fiction.

 Meant To Be By: Lauren Morrill
Goodreads 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.

Between You & Me By: Marisa Calin
Goodreads Summary:

 Phyre knows there is something life-changing about her new drama teacher, Mia, from the moment they meet. As Phyre rehearses for the school play, she comes to realize that the unrequited feelings she has for Mia go deeper than she’s ever experienced. Especially with a teacher. Or a woman. All the while, Phyre’s best friend—addressed throughout the story in the second person, as "you"—stands by, ready to help Phyre make sense of her feelings. But just as Mia doesn’t understand what Phyre feels, Phyre can’t fathom the depth of her best friend’s feelings . . . until it’s almost too late for a happy ending. Characters come to life through the innovative screenplay format of this dazzling debut, and unanswered questions—is "you" male or female?—will have readers talking.

What Should I Read Next?

Blood Red Road

Meant To Be

Between You and Me

Create your own poll

Waiting On Wednesday!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, that highlights upcoming book releases that everyone is waiting on.

This weeks selection is:

Title: The Rules For Disappearing
Author: Ashley Elston
Published: May 14th, 2013
Edelweiss Summary:

She’s been six different people in six different places: Madeline in Ohio, Isabelle in Missouri, Olivia in Kentucky . . . But now that she’s been transplanted to rural Louisiana, she has decided that this fake identity will be her last.

Witness Protection has taken nearly everything from her. But for now, they’ve given her a new name, Megan Rose Jones, and a horrible hair color. For the past eight months, Meg has begged her father to answer one question: What on earth did he do—or see—that landed them in this god-awful mess? Meg has just about had it with all of the Suits’ rules—and her dad’s silence. If he won’t help, it’s time she got some answers for herself.

But Meg isn’t counting on Ethan Landry, an adorable Louisiana farm boy who’s too smart for his own good. He knows Meg is hiding something big. And it just might get both of them killed. As they embark on a perilous journey to free her family once and for all, Meg discovers that there’s only one rule that really matters—survival.

My Thoughts:

I am really, really intrigued by this one, I think that the plot sounds awesome and different and adventurous, What are you waiting on this week?

Happy Reading!

Kristin

Review: Amber House By: Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed, & Larkin Reed

Title: Amber House

Authors: Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed, Larkin Reed

Published: October 1st ,2012

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars! 2012 Favorite!

Goodreads Summary:

"I was sixteen the first time my grandmother died . . ."

Sarah Parsons has never seen Amber House, the grand Maryland estate that's been in her family for three centuries. She's never walked its hedge maze nor found its secret chambers; she's never glimpsed the shades that haunt it, nor hunted for lost diamonds in its walls.

But all of that is about to change. After her grandmother passes away, Sarah and her friend Jackson decide to search for the diamonds--and the house comes alive. She discovers that she can see visions of the house's past, like the eighteenth-century sea captain who hid the jewels, or the glamorous great-grandmother driven mad by grief. She grows closer to both Jackson and a young man named Richard Hathaway, whose family histories are each deeply entwined with her own. But when the visions start to threaten the person she holds most dear, Sarah must do everything she can to get to the bottom of the house's secrets, and stop the course of history before it is cemented forever.

My Thoughts:

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for review.

The first thing that I have to say is that Amber House completely and totally blew me away, I had no expectations when I began reading this book but, it exceeded every single one of them and gave me an amazing story to become engrossed in.  These three authors have blended together an incredible story that is full of everything that a fantastic YA book needs.

Sarah Parsons and her family are returning to their family owned home Amber House in Maryland because Sarah's grandmother has passed away. Amber House has been in her family for centuries and as walk into this house it shows, it is full of every piece of her family's history the good and the bad from portraits to antiques, her ancestry is in this house. Sarah has not got to visit Amber House before because her mother and grandmother did not get along but, she definitely is taking this opportunity to find out everything she can about her heritage and Amber House, she uncovers so many secrets that you cannot even imagine. I was completely jealous throughout this whole entire book. How cool would it be to have this amazing old house full of so much history in your family that was free for you to explore, full of secret passages and hidden treasures, who wouldn't want the chance to explore such an amazing house.

Sarah was a great main character, she did not shy away from the gift she found out she had most of the time, she got to take a glimpse into history and watch her ancestors go through their lives making decisions and living with their consequences, it sounds like a completely remarkable gift but, a terrifying one at that. My second favorite character was Sarah's little brother Sammy, he was such an amazing kid and so adorable that every single time I got to read about him my heart completely melted. He is autistic but, he was Sarah's cheerleader and side kick throughout the story and he gave it so much warmth and heart just by being a part of it. But, what YA book would be complete without a love triangle? Sarah is having one between Jackson, the grandson of her grandmother's best friend who has lived on the Amber House property for years and the wealthy son of a senator, Richard, whose father is an old friend of Sarah's mother. I didn't cringe or hate the love triangle in this book at all because it was not the focus of the book and it didn't overshadow the wonderful plot that was Amber House. Jackson and Richard  both had such a different relationship and repo tour with Sarah, I couldn't decide which one of them deserves to be with her. The last thing that I want to mention is Sarah's mother, I absolutely hated her character throughout the whole book, at times it seemed like it was intentional, the authors wanted you to hate her to but, I really, really did. She was self absorbed and selfish, she didn't seem to care much about her children at all, she seemed fake and I just couldn't stand reading about her at all, I just wanted to jump into the book and yell at her so many times!

Overall Amber House was an incredible book, it has literally everything that I could have ever asked for in a book, I loved the plot so much and I really felt like it was not something that I had read before in the YA genre and we definitely need more books like this one. Amber House was a rich story that was full of secrets and intrigue, a captivating read. I was also so excited to find out that this is the first in a trilogy because the ending completely threw me for a loop and I am glad that I will get some answers and I am beyond excited to continue on with Sarah and the story of Amber House. Who knows what will happen next? Everyone should definitely check this out, it is honestly full of something for everyone!

Happy Reading!

Kristin

Review: Starling (Starling #1) By: Lesley Livingstone

Title: Starling (Starling #1)

Author: Lesley Livingston

Published: August 28th, 2012

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

Goodreads Summary:

Mason Starling is a champion fencer on the Gosforth Academy team, but she's never had to fight for her life. Not until the night a ferocious, otherworldly storm rips through Manhattan, trapping Mason and her teammates inside the school. Mason is besieged by nightmarish creatures more terrifying than the thunder and lightning as the raging tempest also brings a dangerous stranger into her life: a young man who remembers nothing but his name--the Fennrys Wolf. His arrival tears Mason's world apart, even as she feels an undeniable connection to him. Together, they seek to unravel the secrets of Fenn's identity as strange and supernatural forces gather around them. When they discover Mason's family--with its dark allegiance to ancient Norse gods--is at the heart of the mystery, Fennrys and Mason are suddenly faced with a terrifying future.

Set against the gritty, shadowed back-drop of New York City, this first novel in award-winning author Lesley Livingston's epic Starling Saga is an intoxicating blend of sweeping romance and pulse-pounding action.

My Thoughts:

I absolutely adored this book, it was so much fun to read. The Norse mythology was awesome, I didn't know a lot about it before reading the book but, I felt like I learned everything I needed to know to understand the book, each character was so distinct and I could picture exactly what they were like in my head, it was full of mystery, suspense, and awesomeness! This is the first book of Lesley Livingston I have read and it definitely will not be the last.

Our main character Mason Starling is your average teenage girl, besides the fact that she goes to a super expensive and private boarding school for the uber rich and elite. She is an amazing fencer and you can really tell how much she loves it. Everything changes after fencing practice one night when a storm hits the school crashing a giant tree into the gym and a mysterious man appearing naked fighting zombielike creatures that Mason and her friends can't believe they are seeing. This is only the beginning for Mason Starling and her friends and family.

Mason was one of those main characters that I felt was completely relatable. She wasn't super popular but, she wasn't nerdy either. After the mysterious attack and man leave her reeling she isn't content to just brush it all away and pretend it never happened. She is determined to help the mysterious man named Fennrys Wolf who crashed into her life and when everyone else can't see why she would waste her time on him she doesn't seem to care.

Now onto her amazingly hot love interest Fennrys. I totally picture him as the spitting image of Chris Hemsworth (who played Thor), so dreamy. He was sweet, kind, tough, endearing, and I could go on and on about how much I adored him.

We learn a lot about the Starling family, who are descendants of Norse people, it was so fascinating to read about all of the mythology and it was woven into the story so perfectly that it didn't bore you or seem out of place it stemmed from each character and came together to make the tale complete. I will admit that I really hated Mason's father Gunnar Starling and her brother Rory Starling. I don't want to give away why but, I will definitely say I could not believe these two and the plans they cooked up together. She also has another brother named Rothgar or Roth, and I was totally swooning over him, riding his motorcycle all geared up in leather, and he was not who he seemed to be in the beginning of the book and he really surprised me, I can't wait to see where his character goes in the next book.

On to the romance, I really enjoyed reading about Mason and Fennrys, it wasn't really insta-love, I never remember reading that either one of them was in love with the other and I was so happy about that. It was obvious they had feelings for each other but, it was ruined by either of them falling madly in love with each other in a matter of days.

Overall, this book was incredible, it has everything that you could ever want to read about all packed up into one, the ending left you with a complete cliffhanger and I am dying to read the next book and find out what happens. Ugh! I hate waiting. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys mythology it was intriguing and it kept my interest. I really think that everyone should read it  because it was just plain awesome, action, adventure, romance, mythology, hot boys, what else could a girl ask for? Definitely pick this one up!

Happy Reading!

Kristin

Review: The Other Normals By: Ned Vizzini

Title: The Other Normals

Author: Ned Vizzini

Published: September 25th, 2012

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

Given the chance, fifteen-year-old Peregrine “Perry” Eckert would dedicate every waking moment to Creatures & Caverns, an epic role-playing game rich with magical creatures, spell casting, and deadly weapons. The world of C&C is where he feels most comfortable in his own skin, so when his parents ship him off to summer camp Perry is sure he’s in for the worst summer of his life.

Everything changes, however, when Perry gets to camp and stumbles into the World of the Other Normals. Perry’s new otherworldly friends need his help to save their princess and prevent mass violence. As they embark on their quest together, Perry realizes that his nerdy childhood has uniquely prepared him to be a great warrior in this world, and maybe even a hero.

Bestselling author Ned Vizzini delivers a compulsively readable and wildly original story about the winding and often hilarious path to manhood.

My Thoughts:

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for review.
 

I have never read any of the other books by Ned Vizzini but, after reading this one I really want to check them out, he is one of those authors that had me laughing out loud and smiling throughout the whole book and it definitely kept me in a good mood throughout the whole read.  I do have to admit that there was some stuff I really liked about this book and some stuff that I just thought was ok, I enjoyed the book but, I didn't completely fall in love with it. 

Perry is just you average teenage boy nerd, he spends his days going to school and coming home to play Creatures and Caverns, by himself in his room every day. His parents and his brother don't seem to get him at all, they think they are helping him when they decide to send him off to summer camp, they want him to make friends and "become a man" but, Perry has other ideas on how he would like to spend his summer that is until, he sees his own creatures and cavern's character running away from him in camp, so of course what does he do, he follows him and is thrown into the world of other normals where he become the character of his creation that he has always dreamed of being. 

Vizzini has such an amazing gift for writing, each of his characters is completely memorable and the entire book is full of humor and that I completely loved, it's not often that I find myself laughing out loud while I am reading and every 5 minutes while I was reading this one, I definitely was. I really enjoyed reading all about Perry's adventures, I mean this a total nerd's dream his favorite game has come to life and he gets to explore the real world that he has always imagined himself being in, a dream come true right? Perry gets thrown into the world and is determined to save the princess and help his friends in the world of other normals, while also becoming a man, throughout the story Perry really grows into himself and becomes more confident in who he is. 

Overall, this book was a great light and humorous read, although some warning there was some language and light references to alcohol and drug use, this book was just complete humor and fun, definitely give it a try!

Happy Reading!

 Kristin

What's Next (17)

I am so excited to be participating in a new meme every Thursday hosted  by Iceybooks, this meme is designed to help us bloggers get some help from our reader's on what to read next, so every week I will post 3 books that I am trying to decide between and you guys can vote on which one you think that I should read next. Cast your vote through the poll at the bottom of this post.

Happy Reading!
Kristin

Immortal Beloved (Immortal Beloved #1) By: Cate Tiernan
Goodreads Summary:

 Nastasya has spent the last century living as a spoiled, drugged-out party girl. She feels nothing and cares for no one. But when she witnesses her best friend, a Dark Immortal, torture a human, she realizes something's got to change. She seeks refuge at a rehab for wayward immortals, where she meets the gorgeous, undeniably sexy Reyn, who seems inexplicably linked to her past.

Nastasya finally begins to deal with life, and even feels safe--until the night she learns that someone wants her dead.

Cate Tiernan, author of the popular Sweep series, returns with an engaging story of a timeless struggle and inescapable romance, the first book in a stunning new fantasy trilogy.

Storm (Elemental #1) By: Brigid Kemmerer
Goodreads Summary:

 Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys - all the ones she doesn't want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They're powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life's at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who's hiding the most dangerous truth of all.

The storm is coming

Confessions of an Angry Girl (Confessions #1) By: Louise Rozett
Goodreads Summary:

 Rose Zarelli, self-proclaimed word geek and angry girl, has some confessions to make…1. I'm livid all the time. Why? My dad died. My mom barely talks. My brother abandoned us. I think I'm allowed to be irate, don't you?

2. I make people furious regularly. Want an example? I kissed Jamie Forta, a badass guy who might be dating a cheerleader. She is now enraged and out for blood. Mine.

3. High school might as well be Mars. My best friend has been replaced by an alien, and I see red all the time. (Mars is red and "seeing red" means being angry—get it?)

Here are some other vocab words that describe my life: Inadequate. Insufferable. Intolerable.

(Don't know what they mean? Look them up yourself.)

(Sorry. That was rude.)

What Should I Read Next?

Immortal Beloved

Storm

Confessions of an Angry Girl

Create your own poll

Cover Reveal! Abandon (Possession #3) By: Elana Johnson

Another cover reveal hosted by: AToMR Tours I have the first book in the series and I can't wait to read it! So here it is...

Elana is running a Pinterest contest for the cover. She wants to get 500 pins (or repins) over the next  two days. If we can get that many, she'll pick someone who pinned the cover to win a $50 Amazon gift card. It's so easy to do this. All you have to do is click over to Elana’s blog for details. 

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16032249-abandon

 

Book description: 

seduced by power,

broken by control,

and consumed by love...

Vi has made her choice between Jag and Zenn, and the Resistance may have suffered for it. But with the Thinkers as strong as ever, the rebels still have a job to do. Vi knows better than anyone that there's more at stake than a few broken hearts. 

But there is a traitor among them...and the choices he makes could lead to the total destruction of everything Vi has fought for.

Vi, Jag, and Zenn must set their problems aside for the Resistance to have any hope of ending the Thinkers' reign. Their success means everything...and their failure means death.