Tori's Review: Tease by Amanda Maciel

Tease by Amanda Maciel

Standalone

Expected Publication on April 29, 2014 by Balzer + Bray

Young Adult | Contemporary | Realistic Fiction

336 Pages

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Emma Putnam is dead, and it's all Sara Wharton's fault.

At least, that's what everyone seems to think. Sara, along with her best friend and three other classmates, has been criminally charged for the bullying and harassment that led to Emma's shocking suicide. Now Sara is the one who's ostracized, already guilty according to her peers, the community, and the media.

During the summer before her senior year, in between meetings with lawyers and a court-recommended therapist, Sara is forced to reflect on the events that brought her to this moment—and ultimately consider her role in an undeniable tragedy. And she'll have to find a way to move forward, even when it feels like her own life is over.

In this powerful debut novel inspired by real-life events, Amanda Maciel weaves a narrative of high school life as complex and heartbreaking as it is familiar: a story of everyday jealousies and resentments, misunderstandings and desires. Tease is a thought-provoking must-read that will haunt readers long after the last page.

NOTE: I received this book from the publisher through Shelf Awareness in exchange for an honest review. 

I really can't stand Sara, her problems, and her friends. The pace wasn't prime either, and I feel like the plot never really "took off" in a sense. The writing was irritating at times, because the author wrote like Sara spoke, therefore there were instances of "like" everywhere. And I could never decide whether or not Emma did the things Brielle and Sara accused her of or not. That's the drawback of the book being in first person--it's biased.

First off, There's a difference between having the characters say those phrases and putting it in the actual narrative. It made Sara seem like a very unintelligent character in my opinion. (*See additional information.)

(pg. 145) Oh, that's what she means. My nice, thoughtful, hot boyfriend. Anyone would want to have him. So I shouldn't be surprised that Emma's trying to, like, climb into his back pocket.

Other than my irritation for her, Sara surprised me. Regardless she was still annoying and dumb and her oblivious attitude toward the severity of her actions made me want to rip my hair out. I'm glad she met Carmichael though or she probably never would've learned that bullying was not okay and that what she did and said to Emma was not okay. Also, it was almost as if she didn't expect court to be so hardcore, and maybe she didn't. Maybe she thought that bullying a student to death wouldn't have any repercussions.

(pg. 306) God, I'm an idiot. This whole thing is rigged. We're not even on trial anymore, but everyone is still playing the game. Playing the system. Or maybe I'm just paranoid. I don't even know.

Emma Putnam. The girl that killed herself or the girl that Sara and her friends killed?

(pg. 307) ". . . For a long time, I thought we were enemies. I thought she'd done things to hurt me--and I did things to hut her back. . . . I know that she was in a lot of pain. More pain than I'll ever really understand, though I definitely understand better now. . . . I don't think that pain is anyone's fault, exactly. . . . But I made that pain worse. For no good reason. . . . and I'll be sorry for the rest of my life. . . ."

I should mention that I don't in any way like any of the characters in this book except Carmichael, and only because he was barely in the book. I felt like they were all very whiny. They never failed to find something in their life that they could complain about.

Other than the life lesson threaded through this book, it was slow. I'm sorry. I liked it and all, but it was freaking slow. And Sara's irritating narrative for the first 75% really wasn't something that I was happy about. Also, the entire book is supposedly about Sara going to court and what her sentence is going to be. As the reader, I never found out what her sentence was. Did she get probation? Did she get jail time? Did she get sued? And the author never mentioned whether it was a civil case or not. (I think it was since Emma's parents were more involved than not.) The plot holes angered me.

In conclusion, it was really the slowness and those loose ends that kept this book from a higher rating or a better review. I'm glad Sara (sort of) felt something about Emma's death at the end, or this would've been a one star review. It was really only the side characters that never really developed, Dylan especially. He was a cheater scumbag in the beginning, and he was a cheater scumbag at the end. I'm really not sure who would enjoy this, because for some reason I feel like I shouldn't have enjoyed this book. Yet I did.

I think this book is just brutally honest in the truth of what teenage girls can be like. What life can be like. It's tough crap, life and drama.

*I am not in any way saying that people who use those phrases as place-holders in speech are unintelligent. (It do it myself.) I'm just saying that putting that in a novel's narration isn't something that agreed with me. I mean no offense to anyone at all.

Tori's Review: How I Got Skinny, Famous, and Fell Madly in Love by Ken Baker

How I Got Skinny, Famous, and Fell Madly in Love by Ken Baker

Standalone

Expected Publication on April 22, 2014 by Running Press Kids

Young Adult

272 Pages

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

"Thick. Heavy. Big boned. Plump. Full figured. Chunky. Womanly. Large. Curvy. Plus-size. Hefty." To sixteen-year-old Emery Jackson, these are all just euphemisms for the big "F" word—"fat." Living on a Southern California beach with her workout fiend dad, underwear model sister, and former model mother, it is impossible for Emery not to be aware of her weight.

Emery is okay with how things are. That is, until her "momager" signs her up for Fifty Pounds to Freedom, a reality show in which Emery will have to lose fifty pounds in fifty days in order to win the million dollars that will solve her family's financial woes. Emery is skeptical of the process, but when the pounds start to come off and the ratings skyrocket, she finds it hard to resist the adoration of her new figure and the world of fame. Emery knows that things have changed. But is it for the better?

NOTE: I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

To be truthful, I wasn't completely sure about this book at first. I was about thirty percent in and the characters seemed too unrealistic and too shallow. I thought about how maybe by the end of the book characters' behaviors would be explained in one way or another and that they would grow. Well, I was right. They did.

My favorite aspect of this book was either the characters or simply just Emery's, the main girl's, sarcasm. I'm one to root for the sarcastic, hilarious girl, and Emery's that girl in How I Got Skinny, Famous, and Fell Madly in Love. Oh, and let's talk about that monster of a title. It's hilarious and it's intriguing; it's what brought my attention to the book in the first place! I usually don't like long titles, but this one I actually like.

Along with the characters' shallowness, I really just didn't like Emery's family. At first (I make a lot of assumptions about books that usually end up being wrong by the end, but oh well) I thought that they were all carbon copies of each other. Angel and their mother are extremely uptight about their weight and are exceptionally superficial. Like I said, originally I thought they were carbon copies of cliches but then I came to realize that Angel was the way she was because of their mother and not because she was simply shallow on her own. There's a scene in the book where Angel and Emery have a sister heart-to-heart, and I loved that particular scene to bits.

This book shows a lot about the structure of a dysfunctional family as well as loyalty and trust, which is something that I also really enjoyed about this book. Although I'm partial to action and adventure, I still do quite like the books that focus around family. Along with family, this book sends a strong message to girls. Despite the fact that losing fifty pounds in fifty days is not healthy, Emery represents somethings that every teenage girl must face in society--rejection. I think by the end of the book that Emery handles the rejection (and approval since she's famous in the book by the end) in such a way that creates a strong female figure for young girls. She's tough and she learns that although the media makes it seem like being skinny is everything, it really isn't.

On a random side note, Emery's menu from when she was fat made me want to hurl. I pride myself on being a semi-healthy human being, and Emery's eating habits did not agree with me whatsoever.

In conclusion, I think this book is well worth the read if you're looking for a fast and fun book. It sends me a good message in my opinion and although I didn't give it five stars or even four, I did enjoy it. It just wasn't a favorite and there were parts about it that I didn't like, particularly the characters. Characters are a big deal to me. They always will be.

AJ @ So Paranormal gave it 4/5 | Kate @ Musings of  Book Lover gave it 3/5

Lindsay's Mini Review: Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: ♚♚
Pages: 325
Published by MTV Books on July 10th, 2010
Amazon | B&N

A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers.

When I was fourteen, I made a decision. If I was doomed to live in a trailer park next to an airport, I could complain about the smell of the jet fuel like my mom, I could drink myself to death over the noise like everybody else, or I could learn to fly.

Heaven Beach, South Carolina, is anything but, if you live at the low-rent end of town. All her life, Leah Jones has been the grown-up in her family, while her mother moves from boyfriend to boyfriend, letting any available money slip out of her hands. At school, they may diss Leah as trash, but she’s the one who negotiates with the landlord when the rent’s not paid. At fourteen, she’s the one who gets a job at the nearby airstrip.

But there’s one way Leah can escape reality. Saving every penny she can, she begs quiet Mr. Hall, who runs an aerial banner-advertising business at the airstrip and also offers flight lessons, to take her up just once. Leaving the trailer park far beneath her and swooping out over the sea is a rush greater than anything she’s ever experienced, and when Mr. Hall offers to give her cut-rate flight lessons, she feels ready to touch the sky.

By the time she’s a high school senior, Leah has become a good enough pilot that Mr. Hall offers her a job flying a banner plane. It seems like a dream come true . . . but turns out to be just as fleeting as any dream. Mr. Hall dies suddenly, leaving everything he owned in the hands of his teenage sons: golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson. And they’re determined to keep the banner planes flying.

Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business—until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers—and the consequences could be deadly.

Though at first the cover drew me in, I've come to hate it. The girl looks plastic, mid-twenties, and nothing like the gorgeous, yet hand-me-down Leah in the book. I think this is my first problem.

The plot flowed nicely, however it didn't really feel like this was actually a book. Everything was calculated in a way that through every setback it worked out in favor for the main character Leah. On top of that, the other characters were also very basic. They had stereotypical personalities like brooding, popular, etc. They were only skin deep, and I wasn't very drawn to them.

Such a Rush was a basic read that I would flip through before bed, trying to quiet my mind. It kept me up some nights having to get through a particularly interesting part, however it's easily forgettable and not really full of substance. Things happened too easily, and it was all webbed together too carefully. I did enjoy reading it, but I don't think I'll be picking it up again.

Lindsay's Mini Review: Taken at Dusk (Shadow Falls #3) by C.C. Hunter

Taken at Dusk by C.C. Hunter

Book 3 in the Shadow Falls Series

Published on January 1, 2012 by St. Martin's Press

Paranormal | Vampires | Young Adult

380 Pages

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Step into Shadow Falls, a camp for teens with supernatural powers. Here friendship thrives, love takes you by surprise, and our hearts possess the greatest magic of all.

Kylie Galen wants the truth so badly she can taste it. The truth about who her real family is, the truth about which boy she’s meant to be with—and the truth about what her emerging powers mean. But she’s about to discover that some secrets can change your life forever…and not always for the better.

Just when she and Lucas are finally getting close, she learns that his pack has forbidden them from being together. Was it a mistake to pick him over Derek? And it’s not just romance troubling Kylie. An amnesia-stricken ghost is haunting her, delivering the frightful warning, someone lives and someone dies. As Kylie races to unravel the mystery and protect those she loves, she finally unlocks the truth about her supernatural identity, which is far different—and more astonishing—than she ever imagined.

Do you ever go to the bookstore, excited to get new books and realize there's nothing there that you really want at that time? That's what happened when I bought Taken at Dusk. Now, don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the series and hang onto the cliffhangers like my life depends on it, but I'm not completely invested in the series like I was in others.

The plot felt pretty lax compared to the other books. Sure, there were cliffhangers, but the book went up to a climax that fell flat. It wasn't all that exciting, and I was disappointed, but the underlining plots made up for it somewhat in how interested I was in them.

Character wise, the characters were realistic and with so many, it wasn't hard to follow. I felt like the scenarios were real, and I was interested in each of the characters as a whole.

I will be completing the series soon, hopefully, and I look forward to reading the next book when I have time to pick it up.

Tori's Review: Everbound (Everneath #2) by Brodi Ashton

Everbound by Brodi Ashton

Book Two in the Everneath Series

Published on January 22, 2013 by Balzer + Bray

Young Adult | Fantasy |  Paranormal

358 Pages

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Nikki Beckett could only watch as her boyfriend, Jack, sacrificed himself to save her, taking her place in the Tunnels of the Everneath for eternity — a debt that should’ve been hers. She’s living a borrowed life, and she doesn’t know what to do with the guilt. And every night Jack appears in her dreams, lost and confused and wasting away.

Desperate for answers, Nikki turns to Cole, the immortal bad boy who wants to make her his queen — and the one person least likely to help. But his heart has been touched by everything about Nikki, and he agrees to assist her in the only way he can: by taking her to the Everneath himself.

Nikki and Cole descend into the Everneath, only to discover that their journey will be more difficult than they’d anticipated — and more deadly. But Nikki vows to stop at nothing to save Jack — even if it means making an incredible sacrifice of her own.

In this enthralling sequel to Everneath, Brodi Ashton tests the bonds of destiny and explores the lengths we’ll go to for the ones we love.

Immediately after reading Everneath, I had to go out and buy Everbound. I'm not even kidding. I finished Everneath on Friday night, and then I went to Barnes & Noble to buy Everbound Saturday morning. The series is that addicting.

There's just something about Ashton's writing and world that draws me in. In Everneath, I wasn't Team Jack or Team Cole, but, let me tell you, I'm definitely Team Cole now. I'm one for a "tortured" soul, and I'd most certainly call Cole a tortured soul. Everbound really explored the depth to his character more. And the ending really proved to me that Cole, although in love with Nikki, makes his decisions based on his motivations—to win the girl of his dreams.

While I love Cole, Jack on the other hand is lower on my radar. Jack is very dependant on Nikki, which I don't like in a character. I like a character that's strong, independent, and can kick butt. Jack is none of the above. Stuck in the Everneath, Jack is pretty much nonexistent in this novel other than the flashbacks that Nikki has of him. At first, I thought the flashbacks weren't going to work for me, but after the first two or so, they didn't annoy me as much.

Jack is basically the jock who is in love with the unknowing, pining main character and is jealous of every other guy to talks to said girl.

Ashton is extremely good at world-building. She meshes our world with the Everneath's so nicely, creating a wonderful urban fantasy novel. The fantasy aspect of Everbound flows so nicely, and I don't question anything, because Ashton says right out how things are. While Nikki is in the Everneath with Cole, it was so easy for me to picture myself in the Everneath along with Nikki. My one problem with Nikki and Cole going to the Everneath would be the fact that everybody made the Everneath out to be some terrifying and hard-to-navigate place (the labyrinth as well), but it only took them a couple days to reach the center [of the Everneath], which supposedly nobody had done before.

At the end, I'll admit that I guessed the identity of a certain somebody before it was revealed. Albeit, I didn't figure it out until about 10 pages before the big revelation, but nonetheless I figured it out. For some reason, the predictability of Ashton's writing isn't bad. I kind of like it. It's more of the, "YES! I guessed it right!" rather than the, "Oh my god, why do I keep guessing? That makes it a crappy novel."

While I guessed the identity of a certain somebody, I did not guess the very ending. I would've never guessed the very ending. It was just so shocking and amazing. I loved the ending yet at the same time I hated it.

In the end, I really enjoyed Everbound. I can't say I'm excited to read Evertrue though. I've just heard that so many people are disappointed by it. Right now, the Everneath trilogy is one of my favorite trilogies. I really don't want to be disappointed by the third book. Though I have to say that I really want to read Evertrue just to see who Nikki chooses, although I'm pretty sure I already know.

Tori's Review: Panic by Lauren Oliver

Panic by Lauren Oliver
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Rating: ♚♚♚½
Pages: 408
Published by HarperCollins on March 4, 2014
Amazon | B&N

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

I expected a lot from this book. I didn't get exactly what I was hoping for, but I wasn't disappointed either. The pace was decent, and the plot was sort of thrilling. The characters were typical, but I connected with them a bit as in they made decisions that seemed realistic and matched their personalities. In a way, the characters made the plot predictable, but not too terribly so. The world-building, in all, was pretty good, and I wasn't left hanging.

This book had been raved about a lot, therefore I was expecting something spectacular. Sadly, Panic is pretty average. The pace wasn't fast paced, but it wasn't slow either. A bit slow at first, but after the first 50-60 pages, it picks up more. I read it in a single night, because I had to know what was going to happen to Heather and Dodge next. It was a page turner for sure!

Dodge was dodgy to me. Really. I like an unreliable narrator though, so I sort of liked Dodge. The one thing that really got to me about him was that he was obsessed with Nat, Heather's (the main character's) best friend. It was cute at first, but after so long I got irritated with him and his infatuation. The same thing goes for Heather and her obsession/infatuation with her ex-boyfriend Matt. There was this line at the beginning of the novel that I felt was extremely true.

There's just something about her.

Something about her. Which meant: Nothing about you.

I felt like that is how a lot of girls feel after a guy uses the line, "It's not you; it's me." Not the same line, but still. Same meaning. Trying to pin the blame on themselves or some imaginary force that doesn't exist. Heather just seems so dead set on being with Matt. It's sort of sickening, and it got annoying. Plus, the players' motives for participating in Panic didn't really fly with me. Their backgrounds/histories were a bit shady, which ultimately made them shady as characters.

The one character I liked through and through was Biship. His motives were a bit predictable and cheesy, but in the end I liked him a lot more than the other characters. I originally thought I'd like Dodge, but I ended up not liking him as much. I liked Bishop more than Dodge.

On the world-building side of the story, it was good. There was a page or two in the beginning that explained the background of the city Carp. Usually, this wouldn't work since it would be considered a form of info-dumping, but since the book is written in third person (she, he, they), I think it worked out a lot better than if it was in first person (I, me, we).

Panic was nothing like I expected. I thought it was going to be more action-y and adventurous, but it ended up being thrilling and suspenseful, maybe even a bit mysterious. I'd recommend it to people who have liked Oliver's previous works since the writing is still really good as well as people that are just interested in the synopsis in general. I don't think you'll be too disappointed with Panic if you're already interested in reading it. I think I'll leave this review with my favorite quote.

"That's the thing about trust. You don't know [if you can trust me]."

Lindsay's Review: How to Love by Katie Cotugno

How to Love by Katie Cotugno
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: ♚♚♚♚♚
Pages: 398
Published by Balzer + Bray on October 1st, 2013
Amazon | B&N

Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he's never seemed to notice that Reena even exists until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated-and pregnant-Reena behind.

After: Almost three years have passed, and there's a new love in Reena's life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena's gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she's finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn't want anything to do with him, though she'd be lying if she said Sawyer's being back wasn't stirring something in her. After everything that's happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

I'm hesitant to pick up hardcover books because of the price and also if they're really popular. I never seem to fall into the books that everyone seems to enjoy. However, How to Love surprised me.

How to Love switches every other chapter from Before, to After. Before is when Reena first meets Sawyer, the drama in between, and how she becomes pregnant. After is Reena's life with her child, her heartbreak and the happenings that come when Sawyer returns after disappearing for two years.

I can't say I've read a novel with two perspectives like these, and when I realized what they were, I was wary. But this book did not disappoint. Both perspectives were amazing and I never leaned towards liking one more. Before Reena is a naive teenager, and After Reena is a mature, adult mother. Though the same character, the changes in Reena are perfectly done, and the end of each chapter had me excited for the next one in that perspective.

Though Reena's life felt really real and her character was someone who I sympathized with, I had trouble feeling that Sawyer was believable. There are times when he is so sweet and I love him but his personalities in both perspectives aren't consistent. Also, Allie's character wasn't prominent throughout the book like I thought it would be. When a character's death has an impact on the MC, it shouldn't be a touch and go situation. It should provoke thoughts, emotions and sometimes actions. I didn't think that happened.

While reading, I couldn't put this book down and annoyed those around me who wanted to talk to me. It was a great, wholesome read and is now one of my favorites despite it's flaws. For a standalone book, it ended wonderfully, and the whole book kept me pulled in with each and every word.

Tori's Review: The Iron Daughter (The Iron Fey #2) by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey #2
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance
Rating: ♚♚♚
Pages: 359
Published by Harlequin Teen on January 1, 2010
Amazon | B&N

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

You know that series that doesn't impress you that much, but you keep reading for the sake of finishing the series and because you have to know what happens or if it gets better? Well, The Iron Fey is that series for me. If you've read my review of The Iron King, then you'd know that I wasn't all that impressed with The Iron Fey's first book. Surprisingly, I liked this one more, hence the extra half star/crown. 

Just like last time, Meghan annoyed me. Someone needs to tell that girl that Ash is not the center of the universe. Primarily, this is the only part of this book series that really annoys me. Obsessing over Ash lost this book 1.5 stars/crowns. The first half was so irritating just because of Meghan's infatuation over Ash. In my opinion (Ash fans, please don't gouge my eyes out), Puck is a much better match for Meghan. They've known each other longer, and I think he compliments her well. He's always there for her when she needs him, despite the fact that she's all for Ash. The thing is that Puck knows patience. He even said himself that he was going to wait for Meghan. Oh, yeah, and there's the fact that he doesn't reject her every 50 pages.

Yes, there's still time for me to switch ships. I did it with the Shatter Me trilogy, and I can do it again.

Honestly, I wish I could look this aspect over since I'm so engrossed in the Nevernever, but I really can't. I absolutely hate clingy main characters. So much. Although, Kagawa creates such an intricate world, and I believe it. I believe that the fae could be running around the place, disguising themselves at humans. Kagawa's world is very addicting as is her writing. No matter how much I dislike Meghan and Ash, I can't stop reading the books. And this is literally what keeps me coming back for more.

I put the next two books on hold. As well as the novella book. As well as the first two books in the spin-off series. I'm so marathoning the books. As I said, they're so addicting.

I have to say that, yes, the first half of the book is Meghan obsessing over Ash, but after page 60 or so, things got a lot better (for me, anyway), because Puck showed up! I was missing Puck since he got injured in the previous book, but now he's back, and I'm loving him. Meghan's love *cough* for Ash remained while he was gone, and when Ash came back (because Ash always comes back, right?) all of Meghan's progress toward obsessing over Ash less vanished. Back to square one.

In the end, this is a good series. I'm pretty much the only person that's majorly ticked off by Meghan and Ash it seems, and I feel like I'm reading a completely different book than everyone else who's in love with Meghan and Ash. Oh, well. I heard the next book, The Iron Queen is a lot better, and I can't wait to continue on with the series to see what happens with Meghan (and Ash)!

(I just need to clarify that I am not an Ash hater. I like him; I do. I just don't like how clingy Meghan becomes when she's around him.)

Tori's Review: Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Series: Everneath #1
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal
Rating: ♚♚♚♚½
Pages: 370
Published by Balzer + Bray on January 24, 2012
Amazon | B&N

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned-to her old life, her family, her boyfriend-before she's banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance-and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.

The first thing that really stood out in this book to me was the world-building. Ashton was able to create a world that felt real even when it wasn't. The mythological aspect in this was super fascinating, and I loved how Nikki was submerged into the world of the Everneath. Her interactions with the characters in the story were realistic and didn't seem forced at all.

The only person in this book that I didn't like was Jules. She just didn't seem as genuine and as real as Cole and Jack were. She felt more as a person who was there just to move the pace along. This wasn't a big deal, but I think it's important to mention. She ended up being more a nuisance more than anything.

Personally, I'm more toward Jack in this book. Cole doesn't seem like the type of person that one can depend on. He doesn't seem committed to anything other than himself. He's such a stereotypical bad boy, too. Although I'm more toward Jack, I'm still not in love with Jack nor do I love him. I think the only reason I couldn't give this book a full five stars is because I'm not completely convinced that I need to be in love with these characters. They seem real and all, but I just haven't formed an emotional connection to them (yet).

I have to admit that I do personally really enjoy that Jack never gives up on Nikki. It's sweet, and I loved that about him. I suppose Cole doesn't really give up on her either, but in a different sense.

I think Aston created the perfect atmosphere for this book with her writing. She really set the tone as mysterious and borderline fantasy, which I love. For some reason, I particularly enjoy urban fantasy, so this book was perfect for me.

This book is mostly romance and relationships, so I was extremely happy when the romance didn't outside and block the plot. That just didn't happen, and I loved that about this book. I honestly tried to find something that I hated about this book and couldn't stand.

I came up blank. I recommend this book to nearly anyone. I think so many people will enjoy reading it.

Tori's Review: Mind Games (Mind Games #1) by Kiersten White

Mind Games by Kiersten White
Series: Mind Games #1
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy
Rating: ♚♚
Pages: 237
Published by HarperTeen on February 19, 2013
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Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her—except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.

Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways…or risking each other’s lives by refusing to obey.

In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined to protect each other—no matter the cost.

The thing about Mind Games is that I was terribly detached to all the characters right from the start. If I made any connection with any of the characters, it would have to be James. He actually had a compelling "backstory," and he actually had normal, human feelings, unlike Fia and Annie. For one, Fia really doesn't have a personality. Or if she does, it just describes her as one word—crazy. She's legitimately crazy. And her sister Annie isn't much better. Annie might not be crazy, but I'm certainly not crazy about her.

Right off the bat this book caught my attention, but within 20 pages, it lost it. I thought Adam was going to be an interesting character to read about, but he wasn't present for the majority of the novel. The idea of Fia being trained from a young age to assassinate people and then choose not to assassinate a geeky teenage boy over a dog is ludicrous. (Fia sees Adam petting a dog on the side of the street, and she decides to not kill him. Like what?)

Enough about the characters. The world-building/writing is a whole other matter. For one, as a reader you're thrown into the plot unexpectedly. At first, that worked toward the book's advantage, instantly showing the reader action. But as the book went along, the lack of world-building really irritated me. I never really knew what was going on. I picked up on certain aspects of the novel, but it took the entire 237 pages to figure out the majority of the plot. And it took me a good 30-50 pages to figure out that Annie was blind.

Also, the writing was enough to get me to groan. Fia did things three times. Three. Freaking. Times. She tap, tap, tapped and pop, pop, popped. Yeah, well, she drove, drove, drove me insane. OH, YES. And Annie had NO REGARD for her sister whatsoever. Annie was always talking/thinking about how she loved her sister, but she didn't really show it. In my mind, Annie was holding Fia back unknowingly.

I really don't know what to say about this book, because there really isn't much to say. After 50%, the plot got really slow and somewhat meaningless. I felt like it was a gigantic prologue, especially with the constant flashbacks. I would've been semi-okay with the flashbacks if they actually moved the plot along, but the thing is, the flashbacks did nothing for the novel, which once again lowered my rating for the book.

Despite my two star rating, I didn't dislike this book, but I didn't like it either. I don't really have any strong feelings toward it (okay, maybe strong feelings toward snapping Fia's fingers off if she tap, tap, taps them one more time, but that's beside the point); I'm pretty neutral about the whole book. I won an ARC for Perfect Lies, so I'll be reading the next book, but it's not high on my TBR. I wouldn't really recommend this book unless you're looking for a quick read and don't mind not feeling anything for the characters/plot/world-building.

Tori's Review: Cruel Beauty (Cruel Beauty Universe #1) by Rosamund Hodge

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Series: Cruel Beauty Universe #1
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance
Rating: ♚♚♚♚
Pages: 346
Published by Balzer + Bray on Janurary 28, 2014
Amazon | B&N

Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

I'm going to start off this review saying that Rosamund Hodge can create the perfect atmosphere for a fantasy novel with her beautiful writing. Let me also say that I wasn't a fan of her character's relationships with each other. I liked the characters by themselves but not with each other.

Nyx was a fun protagonist, but she was also sort of irritating when she kissed Shade in the beginning, and for an assassin, she sure lusted over Ignifex a lot. But take those boys out of the equation, and I enjoyed her personality a lot. She was strong, and she knew her priorities. In the beginning (note that I say "beginning"), she doesn't let Ignifex's appearances (he's gorgeous) get in the way of her mission, which I loved.

Also Ignifex interested me. His entire story interested me. Some aspects of the novel felt unexplained to me (the darkness eating him. Correct me if Hodge did elaborate, and I'm just forgetting it), but maybe that's just me. His perspective regarding the people he made bargains with was fascinating as well. It allowed me to understand his character on a deeper level. And the fact that the never got angry with Nyx for her antics (you know, trying to murder him and all) was intriguing and made me like him as a love interest even more.

On the other hand, Shade seemed uninteresting to me. He was also irrelevant to me. I wish he had played a larger role in the novel so I could've gotten to know him more as a person. In honesty, I didn't really like his personality. From what I read, for someone who had been around Ignifex for so long, he sure didn't know much about his master. And all he ever talked about was how Nyx was their last chance. Talk about repetitive.

Nyx's relationships with both boys didn't really settle with me correctly. I didn't think she had a bond with either of them, Shade even less than Ignifex. Sure, Nyx and Ignifex has some cute/adorable lines in the course of the novel, and I liked them, but I didn't like them as a couple. They just didn't mesh well for me.

The world-building was amazing. Seriously. Despite a few holes in Ignifex and Shade (I think they were warranted with his situation), I thought that the history of Arcadia was explained very well, and I loved that aspect of the novel. Also, Hodge's writing just made everything so much better. Her word choice was marvelous.

In conclusion, I enjoyed this book, but honestly not to the extent that I wanted to. Before reading this book, all I read were rave reviews, so I was expecting something jaw-droppingly amazing. It was good, but not a favorite. It was a good Beauty and the Beast retelling, so if you're looking for one of those, go right ahead!

Tori's Review: Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski

Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Paranormal
Rating: ♚♚
Pages: 336
Published by Delacorte Press on March 11, 2014
Amazon | B&N

Contemporary teen fiction with romance, secrets, scandals, and ESP from the author of Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have).

We weren't always like this. We used to be average New York City high school sophomores. Until our homeroom went for flu shots. We were prepared for some side effects. Maybe a headache. Maybe a sore arm. We definitely didn't expect to get telepathic powers. But suddenly we could hear what everyone was thinking. Our friends. Our parents. Our crushes. Now we all know that Tess is in love with her best friend, Teddy. That Mackenzie cheated on Cooper. That, um, Nurse Carmichael used to be a stripper.

Since we've kept our freakish skill a secret, we can sit next to the class brainiac and ace our tests. We can dump our boyfriends right before they dump us. We know what our friends really think of our jeans, our breath, our new bangs. We always know what's coming. Some of us will thrive. Some of us will crack. None of us will ever be the same.

So stop obsessing about your ex. We're always listening.

NOTE: I received this review from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was pointless. I'm sorry, Mlynowski, but it was. I was really excited to read Don't Even Think About It when I got an email from NetGalley saying that I was pre-approved for this title, but once I started reading it, I wasn't so sure anymore. This was definitely a fast read regardless of it lacking plot, and I appreciated that, hence the two stars/crowns. I felt that its pace needed to be recognized. And the writing was good, which also deserved a star/crown. The lack of the other three stars is the characterization, world-building, and my emotions throughout the novel.

For one, I felt no attachment toward the characters by the end of Don't Even Think About It, and I wasn't okay with that. There were two characters that I liked: Tess and BJ--BJ more than Tess. I just didn't agree with the way that Tess thought/did things. She mind slut-shamed Sadie, which was not okay, and she was always talking about how she wanted to lose weight so badly...and then she'd eat cheeseburgers, a milkshake, and fries. BJ was hilarious. Besides the fact that his name is BJ for the stupidest reason (because he thought it was funny), I liked him as a character. He was nice to Tess.

Two characters I couldn't stand at all would be Mackenzie and Pi. I just couldn't with those two. Mackenzie was pompous, and she thought everyone lived to serve her. Same thing with Pi. And that ending? What the heck, Pi? She ruined the ending for me. (Actually, they all did.) I just couldn't stand her character or her. She admonished the others for cheating on tests and then she goes and cheats, using her powers to read the smartest kid in school's (the one she envies) mind during a test. Hypocrite much? It's not his fault you didn't study!

There was practically no world-building. All the kids know is that their powers came from a batch of flu shots. By the end of the book, all the kids know is that their powers came from a batch of flu shots. Can you see the problem here? Literally nothing is explained by the end, and I wasn't okay with this just like I wasn't okay with the characters.

This ties in with my lack of feelings for the characters, but I could've cared less about these kids. The entire novel was a drama-infested high school, and it made me want to hurl, maybe even rip my hair out. It was annoying, and it irritated me to listen to their thoughts. They had nothing interesting to say. Ahem, I mean, think. I was excited to read about super powers, but this book lacked in that department too. And everyone was trying to be funny, but they just weren't. A character would say something "funny" and another character would laugh. But me? I didn't. I didn't laugh.

In all, I didn't dislike this book so much that I'm never going to read another Mlynowski book. I haven't completely written her off. I still enjoyed her other novel, Ten Things We Did. I'm sad to say that I wouldn't recommend this book for anybody unless they're looking for a drama-driven novel.

Lindsay's Review: My Life Next Door (My Life Next Door #1) by Huntley Fitzpatrick

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
Series: My Life Next Door #1
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: ♚♚♚♚♚
Pages: 394
Published by Dial Books for Young Readers on June 14th, 2012
Amazon | B&N

"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.

As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase's family embraces Samantha - even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha's world. She's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A transporting debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.

I loved this book. Loved, loved, loved. I was a little cautious at first because the premise of the-boy-next-door is always overused and the same, but My Life Next Door is nothing like that.

Samantha's mother is running for a political position and urged Samantha to keep two jobs all summer to keep herself busy while her mother is working late and her sister is on vacation. With so much time alone, Sam builds a relationship with the family next door who make her feel like she belongs, instead of being second to her mother all the time.

As a main character, I sympathize with Samantha and was happy with how real she seemed. I felt like we connected and I honestly felt her emotions throughout the book. The only thing I struggled with was how she reacted to her mother because I am so outspoken that I was practically screaming at the page for Sam to freak out.

And then there's Jase. As a romantic interest, he is so perfect. And it's not too perfect either, when the plot comes into play. I think that's why I loved him so much was because he was actually an amazing guy to Samantha, and didn't do anything wrong like in other stories of the like.

So many things happened in this book that kept me prolonging my real life. I really don't have anything bad to say and to gush would be to reveal too many spoilers. Have you ever read a book that you just felt happily speechless about? This is that book for me.

Originally I thought My Life Next Door was a standalone, and it ended so well that I was okay with that. And now that I realize it's a  series, I'm unsure of how to feel. I don't want the second book to be disappointing after such an amazing opening novel because it will ruin it. It was a fantastic standalone book and now I'm skeptic about how Fitzpatrick will follow.

 

Tori's Review: Donna of the Dead by Alison Kemper

Donna of the Dead by Alison Kemper
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Zombies, Romance
Rating: ♚♚½
Pages: 250
Published by Entangled Teen on March 4, 2014
Amazon | B&N

Donna Pierce might hear voices, but that doesn’t mean she’s crazy. Probably.

The voices do serve their purpose, though—whenever Donna hears them, she knows she’s in danger. So when they start yelling at the top of their proverbial lungs, it’s no surprise she and her best friend, Deke, end up narrowly escaping a zombie horde. Alone without their families, they take refuge at their high school with the super-helpful nerds, the bossy class president, and—best of all?—Liam, hottie extraordinaire and Donna’s long-time crush. When Liam is around, it’s easy to forget about the moaning zombies, her dad’s plight to reach them, and how weird Deke is suddenly acting toward her.

But as the teens’ numbers dwindle and their escape plans fall apart, Donna has to listen to the secrets those voices in her head have been hiding. It seems not all the zombies are shuffling idiots, and the half-undead aren’t really down with kids like Donna…

NOTE: I received this ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

On one hand, this book was light and funny and easy to read. On the other hand, it wasn't what I expected from young adult, and it definitely wasn't what I expected from a zombie book. There were good aspects in Donna of the Dead—the humor that Deke brings to the table—and there were not-so-good aspects in Donna of the Dead—the writing.

Let me start off by saying that the writing wasn't bad; it was just young, to say the least. While reading Donna of the Dead, I felt like I was reading a first draft. Not because of mistakes, but because of Donna's lack of character arc and a few other things. I'm just going to leave it with, "The writing wasn't my favorite."

Donna was my next least favorite. She wasn't irritable, but she definitely wasn't a protagonist that I enjoyed. She was too much like myself. Saying humorous jokes in the midst of awkward situations. Being completely wrapped up in a guy where it's almost unhealthy. Donna's personality and how it was similar to my own was what made me not like her. I don't want to read about myself. And she didn't develop until about 80%, and it was pretty sudden.

The one character that I did love, though, was Deke, Donna's hilarious and hot best friend. He always knew the right thing to say, and I loved his relationship with Donna, because he always challenged her to do her best. The two of them just worked, in my opinion. The one thing I didn't like about Deke was how long it took him to admit his feelings for Donna. Like, dude, it's not that difficult. Just say you like her.

The thing about the supporting characters is that they're extremely forgettable. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I want to be able to remember a character months after reading the book and describe what I liked about them. I can't do that for the supporting characters in Donna of the Dead. I can barely remember their names.

The zombie science in this book was interesting and unique, which I enjoyed yet thought was weird all at the same time. For some reason, I really just don't want the zombie myth to be tampered with. Vampires? Okay. Werewolves? I don't care. But zombies? No, thank you. Although the way everything came together at the end was great, and I liked that a lot. The world building was a bit lacking in terms of Donna's voices, but in the end things are sort of explained, which I can deal with.

In conclusion, the part I liked the most in Donna of the Dead would be Deke. He's my favorite. And the ending was hilarious, too. I thought Kemper really knew how to end her book well. I would probably recommend this book for readers who don't read a lot of zombie books and for readers that enjoy funny apocalypse books.

Lindsay's Review: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Series: The Mortal Instruments #1
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal
Rating: ★★★
Pages: 485
Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books on March 27th, 2007
Amazon | B&N

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

I've always been someone who is late to jump on the popular book train. Well, either late or early. Never on time. That being said, as much as I despise reading hyped over books, I eventually do, and I've finally got around to reading Cassandra Clare's City of Bones.

I thought I was going to really love it or really hate it. By now, most of us already know the plot or have seen the movie, so I'm going to jump into what I thought while reading. The book itself was a great read, with plot twists, funny moments, and a sprinkle of romance. But I didn't find myself getting really excited about anything. Maybe one time in the book I actually was mentally cheering for the characters, and that was just simply for a romance part of the novel.

The only major problem I had with the book was Clary. For someone who has lived in such a big city her whole life, almost taking care of herself in a way, she is just so childish. There is innocent as a character trait, but I felt like Clary was portrayed as a much younger version of the character she was supposed to be. She didn't feel mature or even slightly like a teenager, but rather a young child, almost like a doll per-say. I honestly felt like Jace was babysitting her rather than being a romantic interest half the time, which is certainly not a good, or appropriate thing to do.

 

So here's my dilemma, now that I've finished City of Bones. I'm not that invested to go onto the series and get the next book, and frankly, I don't exactly want to. But when I start a series I feel like I have to finish it, it's almost like OCD. It may take me a while, but I always end up spending money to complete a series I'm not really interested in reading. Am I the only one who does this?

Now onto the verdict. City of Bones was actually a well written novel, and I would recommend it to avid readers who haven't picked it up just yet. However everyone has different preferences with books, and Fantasy just isn't my favorite genre. I liked reading it and didn't put it down for too long, but I'm not crazy about it. Of course, others will say the opposite, and that's why I say go for it! Clare did a great job with the writing, plot and characters. The book was worth the read!

SO TELL ME: DO YOU FINISH A SERIES EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT ALL THAT INTERESTED?

 

Tori's Review: The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry

The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: ♚♚½
Pages: 256
Published by Albert Whitman Teen on March 1, 2014
Amazon | B&N

All they have in common is that they're less than perfect. And all they're looking for is the perfect distraction.

Kate's dream boyfriend has just broken up with her and she's still reeling from her diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Aidan planned on being a lifer in the army and went to Afghanistan straight out of high school. Now he's a disabled young veteran struggling to embrace his new life. When Kate and Aidan find each other neither one wants to get attached. But could they be right for each other after all?

NOTE: I received this ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It's extremely difficult for me to review this book for two reasons: one, I enjoyed this, but there were problems, and two, I'm a critical reader, and that plays a huge role in my overall rating of a particular book. On one hand, I had fun reading this book, and it was an enjoyable read, but on the other hand, there were multiple things that annoyed me about The Summer I Found You, making me not want to give it a higher rating than two and a half stars.

The first thing I need to get of my chest: Is Aidan's name spelled Aidan or Aiden? Throughout the book, there were constant mishaps where both spellings of the name were used. This really irritates me. I think an author should know the name that they chose for their character, especially if said character is the first thing mentioned in the acknowledgments at the end of the book. Also, the overall grammar in this book was just downright bad. Not unbearable, but not good. I understand that this is an ARC, but I haven't read an ARC yet with so many grammatical errors as this one.

But even though the grammar was bad and the author couldn't decide what way to spell her love interest's name, I thought the book was fun and easy to read. At the time, I was simply looking for something cute and light, and this book is definitely that. This is where my next problem comes in.

This book isn't supposed to be cute and light. The Summer I Found You is dealing with a wounded veteran who lost a limb and a girl who's suffering from a breakup and diabetes. (Is it just me, but don't you think Aidan's circumstances are just a little bit more severe than Kate's? The only reason diabetes is a big deal for Kate is because she never keeps track of her carb intake, and she doesn't take her shots like she's supposed to! And everyone gets dumped. Kate should get used to that if she's only seventeen.) There are some serious issues being dealt with in this book, I think, and in my opinion, The Summer I Found You just sort of glazed over them.

The characters weren't amazing, but they were normal. They're what one expects from a contemporary novel, to be honest. Kate and Aidan aren't exceptional or anything, but they're entertaining. The thing with those two is that they're okay as separate people, but I don't think they make a good couple. For the first half of the novel, they're both using each other as distractions for the hardships they're enduring in their life. Then they "fall in love," but I think they're still leaning on each other too much. I think that a healthy relationship has balance.

I also think a healthy relationship is based on trust and honesty, but Kate sure doesn't think so, because she doesn't tell Aidan about her diabetes until it's almost too late. Kate and Aidan both struggle with this, but they need to realize that they're not the only ones with problems in their lives. They're a bit selfish like that, and they didn't appeal to me as much as I would've liked them too.

Also, the split POVs weren't working for me. It was better than some novels that I didn't like that had split POVs, but it still wasn't done amazingly. Sometimes I found myself in Kate's POV, wishing I was in Aidan's and vice versa. It should've just been in Kate's or just in Aidan's. (Aidan's, preferably, because he was dealing with a lot, and it would've made a powerful YA novel.)

Lastly, the cover image and the title have nothing to do with the book. For the cover, they never go to a beach. Kate passes out before they get there. For the title, it wasn't even summer in the book. It was during the school year. They thought about summer, but it was never really summer.

Kate and Aidan are rough around the edges as characters, and they didn't work well together as a couple, because they were essentially using each other the entire time even after they thought they fell in love. This book needs a copy editor, because the use of Aidan/Aiden was annoying, and the sentence structure in many of the sentences wasn't great. Overall, this book was enjoyable, and readers who aren't critical will enjoy it for sure.