Review of If I Lie by Corrine Jackson

Title: If I Lie
Author: Corrine Jackson
Published by: Simon Pulse
Pages: 276
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.

Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.

A complex tale of one person's secret and another's lie.  If I Lie is not only a powerful, emotional novel, it is also wonderfully written with a skill that far surpasses a debut author.

What a heart-breaking novel.  It was raw, pure and unbelievably good.  Quinn is completely ostracized by not only her friends and classmates, but the whole town.  The dynamic of this military town is fascinating.  They all band together to support those serving overseas and to do something that betrays one of them is unthinkable. 

Immediately before the secret came out I knew what it was and I adored Quinn that much more.  She took verbal and physical abuse just to protect someone's secret.  In fact, she is protecting multiple secrets and bears her suffering in silence.  Quinn definitely got the short end of the stick, but instead of complaining she finds an unlikely companion in the VA hospital that her father forced her to volunteer at.  Quinn uses this friendship to help heal her and make her go from a scared little girl to a strong and independent woman. 

Corrine Jackson blew me away with this debut novel and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. 

Review of Speechless by Hannah Harrington

Title: Speechless
Author: Hannah Harrington
Published by: HarlequinTeen
Pages: 268
Source: HarlequinTeen/NetGalley
Format: ARC ebook
Rating: 4 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can't keep a secret

Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed.

Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she's ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.

But there's strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she's done. If only she can forgive herself.

Hannah Harrington does it again.  This author knows how to capture an audience and turn a simple topic into an powerful story.

Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea...this chicka doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut.  It's all fun and games until she lets out two secrets that leads one boy to a coma and another two in prison.  She goes from being the popular girl that people love to hate to literally being hated by many many people.  She is ostracized and decides to take a vow of silence to learn the power that words hold.  Chelsea is a good person that I think has been led astray by the lure of popularity.  At times, I wasn't sure what to think of her and I was often surprised (both good and bad) at some of her thoughts and actions.  I think as crazy as the vow of silence was, it was something she needed.

Besides Chelsea there is a delightful group a characters that work at Rosie's, small town diner.  They are each unique and a bit of social outcasts, but they are truly fabulous people and friends.  Asha is one of the nicest and most thoughtful characters I have encountered.  Sam is just genuinely a good guy and he will easily find a place in your heart.  These supporting characters are some of the best I've read in a while.  They are complex, rich, and make the novel that much better.   

This is not only a great read, but Speechless also has some powerful messages.  How often do we not realize how much our words can hurt others?  Or how powerful forgiveness can be?  Only after I was finished reading this novel did I realize the impact it had.  Sometimes doing the right thing is not easy and, in fact, may be hurtful and scaring, but it's still the right thing to do.  I hope this book's lessons stick with me for a while and make me think twice before I speak. 

Audio Review of Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Title: Burn for Burn
Authors: Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
Narrators: Joy Osmanski, Madeleine Maby, and Rebekkah Ros
Published by: Simon & Schuster Audio
Length: 7 discs
Source: Publisher
Format: Audio
Rating: 5 stars

Summary from Goodreads:  Postcard-perfect Jar Island is home to charming tourist shops, pristine beaches, amazing oceanfront homes—and three girls secretly plotting revenge.

KAT is sick and tired of being bullied by her former best friend.

LILLIA has always looked out for her little sister, so when she discovers that one of her guy friends has been secretly hooking up with her, she’s going to put a stop to it.

MARY is perpetually haunted by a traumatic event from years past, and the boy who’s responsible has yet to get what’s coming to him.

None of the girls can act on their revenge fantasies alone without being suspected. But together…anything is possible.

With an unlikely alliance in place, there will be no more “I wish I’d said…” or “If I could go back and do things differently...” These girls will show Jar Island that revenge is a dish best enjoyed together.

We've all done it.  As much as it's hard to admit, we all have a dark side that seeks revenge every once in a while.  Sure for the normal person it is just a passing thought, or maybe even a silent hope that karma will come through, but not for Kat, Lillia, and Mary.  They've been burned and they want revenge.

These three lovely ladies couldn't be more different or more unlikely to band together and plot revenge against those who have wronged them.  I absolutely loved these girls.  They were so unique and complete opposites that they seemed to only enhance each other's characters.  Kat is a bit rough around the edges and sometimes dangerous, but is tormented by her ex-bestie who happens to be Lillia's  current bestie.  Lillia is the sweet princess, but when Alex starts messing around with her little sister she's willing to get down and dirty.  Mary is the shadow no one sees, but is still scarred from past events with the glory boy of the high school. 

The story had alternating point of views between Kat, Lillia and Mary and there was a different narrator for each girl.  Joy Osmanski, Madeleine Maby, and Rebekkah Ros were wonderful and fit each character's personality spot on.  This made it easy to keep track of whose point of view we were hearing because of the different voices.  I was also amazed at how well the two authors "voices" blended together.  It was seamless.     

The plot was a thick and complicated tangled web of revenge.  At first you are right there with these girls wanting blood from their enemies, but as the story progresses doubt starts to creep in.  Do these bullies really deserve what's coming to them?  One event after another will sway your opinion and leave you unsure of what's warranted and what's not.

I absolutely adored this audio version of Burn for Burn.  Between the great characters, and the catchy storyline it was hard not to.  There is a subtle paranormal aspect, but so subtle you don't even notice it until the end.  Speaking of the end it was killer and left me highly anticipating the next book.  

Burn for Burn is one very dramalicious read! Between the girl's scheming and the typical high school antics, it's a fun read that you will devour and leave you craving for more.   

Review of Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Title: Pushing the Limits
Author: Katie McGarry
Published by: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 384
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4 stars

Summary from Goodreads:  No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that  horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. Echo and Noah couldn’t be more different, but they find themselves united by a common goal: to sneak into their court-  ordered social worker’s case files in order to learn the truth about themselves and their families. What they didn’t count on is falling in love -- and now Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

I crave a good love story.  The heat, the passion, the drama...I live for it.  Katie McGarry's debut novel, Pushing the Limits, satisfied that need and more. 

Echo and Noah are an unexpected, yet deliciously scandalous and completely right couple.  They are opposites on the outside, but share so much pain on the inside.  I loved how unique these characters were.  They were not your typical "popular cheerleader and sexy bad boy" couple, instead they had depth and an array of problems that haven't really been touched on much in the YA world.  They were refreshing and while at times you felt sorry for them, or wanted to strangle them, by the end you will admire their strength and who they've become. 

As crazy as it sounds, I absolutely loved exploring the traumatic experiences that plagued Echo and Noah.  Looking into their therapy with Mrs. Collins and how each of them dealt with their situations and waring emotions was fascinating.  I have no experience with their issues and it was interesting to see different techniques that their counselor used.  I liked how unconventional Mrs. Collins seemed and how she seemed to really care about Echo and Noah, not just with overcoming their issues, but also about them and their everyday lives. 

The writing was good, but at times seemed a little disconnected.  However, I loved the alternating points of view between Echo and Noah.  I loved seeing both sides of their times together and also how each person dealt with their circumstances.  They are intriguing people and getting a look into both of their thoughts added immensely to the story.   

Overall this was a great book that I really enjoyed! 

Review of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green
Narrator: Kate Rudd
Published by: Brilliance Audio
Length: 6 sound discs (7 hr., 19 min.)
Source: Library
Format: Audio
Rating: 5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

Seriously, how does John Green amaze me every single time? 

Like the rest of John Green's novels, The Fault in Our Stars was phenomenal.  This story is so much more than a girl battling Cancer; it's about the epic and sometimes ironic adventures of life.  It's about finding happiness in the darkest of times and leaving your mark on the universe.  Is it sad?  Sure, once I was actually crying so hard I had to pull over and stop the cd for a while.  (They should put some warning labels on these audio books!) But again, the whole novel is not sad and tragic; instead the sad parts highlight the rest of the story and makes it that much sweeter.

Hazel and Augustus are two characters that will easily enter your life and make a lasting impression.  In fact, all the characters in The Fault in Our Stars had so much depth and dimension that the story easily came to life.  Hazel, Augustus, their family and friends have an inner strength that could rival any Marvel superhero.  They haven't lived the easiest of lives, but that didn't stop them from having a life, falling in love, and dealing with not only the death of loved ones, but also the guilt of survival and health. 

I can't pinpoint exactly what makes John Green's novels shine the way they do, but I believe it has to do with his writing.  He is a master of language and verbal sparring.  He has an extensive vocabulary and puts words together in such a flawless way that I'm in awe of the writing before I even fall in love with the story. 

This is the first novel that I have listen to with Kate Rudd as the narrator and I look forward to listening to more in the future.  She portrayed so many different emotions in such a way that I almost feel I got more out of listening to the book than by reading it.  This is what makes a truly great audio book in my eyes.  Phenomenal story and great audio version...you can't go wrong with that combination.

Review of A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

Title: A Midsummer's Nightmare
Author: Kody Keplinger
Published by: Poppy
Pages: 304
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4 stars

Summary from Goodreads:  Whitley Johnson's dream summer with her divorcé dad has turned into a nightmare. She's just met his new fiancée and her kids. The fiancée's son? Whitley's one-night stand from graduation night. Just freakin' great.

Worse, she totally doesn't fit in with her dad's perfect new country-club family. So Whitley acts out. She parties. Hard. So hard she doesn't even notice the good things right under her nose: a sweet little future stepsister who is just about the only person she's ever liked, a best friend (even though Whitley swears she doesn't "do" friends), and a smoking-hot guy who isn't her stepbrother...at least, not yet. It will take all three of them to help Whitley get through her anger and begin to put the pieces of her family together.

Kody Keplinger doesn't shy away from the awkward and uncomfortable situations people get themselves into...instead she makes them into fascinating and a bit scandalous YA novels. 

A Midsummer's Nightmare is a great contemporary read.  The characters themselves are realistic and even though Whitley and Nathan's situation may be a little extreme, they are both common teenagers.  They are not the type of people to be worshiped and put on a pedestal, instead they are real and flawed.  And the best thing is they change.  It gives hope to people that no matter what stereotype you may get filed under, you can still change and become the person you want to be.   

You cannot read a Kody Keplinger novel and not applaud her for the scenarios she puts her characters in.  There are edgy and saucy.  They are not a love affair at a boarding school, where everyone is perfect and very swoon worthy.  Instead she writes her stories as if she walked into the local area high school and just immersed herself in the culture.  Some of the character's you'll hate and some you'll love; there will be ones who annoying you and ones you want for your best friend.  You may not always agree with them or approved of them, but they are real.  To me this is a huge part of what makes a contemporary YA novel great. 

Though her novels do feature more swearing than I'd like, they also focus on sexual relationships of young adults.  This is a very touchy subject with many people and I know some parents would rather their children not be exposed to it.   I am not a parent so I cannot say what I would do in the situation, but I do know that by the end of the novel there is always a strong female empowerment and self-esteem message.  For me instead of focusing on the sexual aspect of the novel, it's more about the main characters realizing that they are women of worth and dignity; for me that's powerful message I want all young adults to know. 

Review of Somthing Like Normal by Trish Doller

Title: Something Like Normal
Author: Trish Doller
Published by: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Pages: 214
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero.

Are you ready to be blown away?  Read Something Like Normal. 

What is not to love about this book.  First, it's told from Travis's point of view as he is home for a month on leave from Afghanistan.  After being gone for a year, his life has completely changed and how does he handle it...not the best.  Travis is one of those characters that you instantly like.  He may be a jerk at times, but you know that down deep he's a great guy.  I loved how complex Travis emotions were in this novel.  Trish Doller dives into Travis's head and you really get a feel for the struggles he goes through everyday.  Not only is he dealing with PTSD, but his family is falling apart and his brother has essentially taken over Travis's old life. 

Enter Harper.  Travis was a first-class-jerk to Harper back in the day and I love how the first time she sees him when he's on his leave, she slaps him across the face.  Oh she's definitely fiesty and my kind of girl. These characters that Trish Doller writes are so relastic and authentic you feel as if they could be people you know. 

There are not many novels featuring military personal, especially in the YA field.  I though Trish Doller did an amazing job at bringing this aspect of the novel to life.  She showed not only the good stuff associated with being a solider, but also the bad.  She explored the life of an active duty officer as well as one on leave.  It was intriging and connected us to Travis on a whole other level.

I highly recommend Something Like Normal!  Trust me...you won't regret it. 

Review of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

 Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Published by: Poppy/Little Brown
Pages: 236
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan’s life. She’s stuck at JFK, late to her father’s second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley’s never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport’s cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he’s British, and he’s in seat 18C. Hadley’s in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver’s story will make you believe that true love finds you when you’re least expecting it.

Do you believe in love at first sight?  When asked this question I always respond that no I don't believe in love at first sight, but I'm open to the possibility of love at first "meet." 

Jennifer E. Smith takes this common concept of love at first sight and puts an interesting twist on it.  I loved the story itself.  For some reason the thought of two people meeting at an airport and falling in love throughout their flight is just inspiring.  Hey, maybe I should hang out at airports more often!

Hadley was a little sullen at first.  I think Oliver really brought out the good side of her and got her out of her "funk."   She's had a rough time since her father left and I think that not dealing with those emotions has made her a little bitter.  Oliver on the other hand seems fun loving and carefree when you first meet him.  Jennifer E. Smith picked the perfect balence of characters with these two.  They make a great pair and though their journey together was short they made a lasting impression on each other and me.  I really liked Oliver.  He was so cute and adorable that you can't help but fall in love with him. 

The writing was done well and very captivating.  The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight was super cute and definitely a great summer read. 

Review of Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig

Title: Pretty Crooked
Author: Elisa Ludwig
Published by: Katherine Tegen Books         
Pages: 368
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 2.5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Willa’s secret plan seems all too simple: take from the rich kids at Valley Prep and give to the poor ones.

Yet Willa’s turn as Robin Hood at her ultra-exclusive high school is anything but. Bilking her “friends”-known to everyone as the Glitterati-without them suspecting a thing, is far from easy. Learning how to pick pockets and break into lockers is as difficult as she’d thought it’d be. Delivering care packages to the scholarship girls, who are ostracized just for being from the “wrong” side of town, is way more fun than she’d expected.

The complication Willa didn’t expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, Valley Prep’s most notorious (and gorgeous) ace-degenerate. His mere existence is distracting Willa from what matters most to her-evening the social playing field between the have and have-nots. There’s no time for crushes and flirting with boys, especially conceited and obnoxious trust-funders like Aidan.

But when the cops start investigating the string of burglaries at Valley Prep and the Glitterati begin to seek revenge, could he wind up being the person that Willa trusts most?

When life is unfair, what is the first thing you want to do?  Well if you are me then you'd probably start crying because you'd feel so sad and frustrated, but I'm sure most other people would answer that they'd get upset and want to set the wrong right. That is exactly what Willa decides to do when she realises the Glitterati are purposefully harassing the scholarship students.  This storyline is super cute.  Who doesn't want to swoop in and be a hero?  I know Willa's intentions were in the right place, but her execution was not thought out very well.   

I had a hard time believing Willa to be true.  She wanted to fit in and by doing that went against what she knew and her upbringing.  She started to overspending and she knew it was wrong but still did it anyways.  She liked being popular and all the "perks" that went with it.  I did like her, but she just seemed so spacey.  First she doesn't want to believe her new friends are not nice people even after seeing all this evidence and then when she finally does admit they are mean people she comes up with this crazy plan.  Did she really think stealing from her rich classmates and giving anonymous gifts to the scholarship kids was a great plan?  Seriously? 

During with Willa's "Robin Hooding", she somehow caught the attention of Valley Prep's resident hottie.  Aidan comes with a lot of mystery surrounding him.  I thought you'd find more out about him at the end, but that was not the case.  I'm guessing I'll have to wait until book 2 to figure him out some more.  Aidan seemed like a genuinely nice guy.  I love when we meet nice guys in books...they seem more real to me.  I wish we would have learned a little more about him and for the romance between him and Willa to be stepped up a notch.  There relationship was really mild and innocent with just a touch flirtation.    

Along with not finding out about Aidan, I felt that Pretty Crooked just kind of ends.  While it does wrap some things up, there is still a ton of loose ends.  I understand this is a series, but I'd like a little more resolution at the end of the book.  I know some people like big cliffhangers or for one storyline to be continuous completely throughout all of the series.  If that is your fancy, then this book if for you. 

Review of The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoebe Stone

Title: The Boy on Cinnamon Street
Author: Phoebe Stone
Published by: Scholastic Inc.         
Pages: 240
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 3.5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: A story about a wounded girl and the boy who won't give up on her.

7th grader Louise should be the captain of her school's gymnastics team - but she isn't. She's fun and cute and should have lots of friends - but she doesn't. And there's a dreamy boy who has a crush on her - but somehow they never connect. Louise has everything going for her - so what is it that's holding her back?

The Boy on Cinnamon Street was a cute book that had a bit more depth than I originally thought. 

I went into this book thinking it was going to be a fun light read, and while it was fun the main character was also dealing with some serious events that had recently happened in her life.  You don't actually find out what those events were until the end of the book, but you can tell that something bad had definitely happened.  Thougout the novel there are clues as to what might have happened and you can tell that it really affected Louise and she is still struggling with it.  This part was a bit confusing for me as we didn't know what actually happened till near the end. 

Louise was a fun character despite her situation.  She was a little lost and sometimes just odd, but still very likable.  One day she finds a love note and her best friend and her think it's from the pizza delivery boy.  They spend the whole novel kind of stalking him and it is quite comical.  Of course nothing ever turns out like they expected and Louise gets a surprise all of her own. 

I really enjoyed the side characters in this story as well.  They were fun and funky, especially Louise's grandparents.  They added a new dimension to the story and helped us understand Louise a bit more.  I think my favorite character in the whole story was Louise's friend, Henderson.  He was so adorkable that you couldn't help but love him.  I'm kind of jealous of Louise and want to steal Henderson to be my new guy friend.  I need a super nice, sort of geeky, science fiction writer, loyal friend in my life....everyone does right?

While I did enjoy the story, I wasn't crazy about not knowing what was going on until the end.  That is a personal preference of mine as I usually like to not be confused when I read a book.  But if you are ok with a little mystery than I think you'll enjoy this one. 

Review of Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler

Title: Where It Began
Author: Ann Redisch Stampler
Published by: Simon Pulse
Pages: 384
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover
Rating: ★★★

Summary from Goodreads: Gabby lived under the radar until her makeover. Way under. But when she started her senior year as a blonder, better-dressed version of herself, she struck gold: Billy Nash believed she was a the flawless girl she was pretending to be. The next eight months with Billy were bliss...Until the night Gabby woke up on the ground next to the remains of his BMW without a single memory of how she got there.

And Billy's nowhere to be found.

How much would you sacrifice to be popular?  That is a question I'm sure many high-schoolers face everyday.  It was an issue when I was in high school and I can only see it getting more serious in years to come.  Gabby seemed happy in her old "sub-regular" life, but then her mom gives her an intensive make over and now she's caught the eye of the High School Hottie.  Only months later she wakes up in a hospital with no recollection of getting trashed and crashing Billy's Beamer. 

I had a really hard time with this novel.   Gabby clung onto Billy so much and made him her universe.  I felt this devotion was very one sided and a little pathetic.  She kept calling herself a cow every time she felt clingy and would actually have to talk herself down from saying certain things because she thought if she told him her true feelings he'd ditch her.  I don't think this is a healthy relationship.  Billy's life also seemed a little too good to be true.  Sure he was on probation for a DUI, but he never seemed to meet with a probation officer or do any community service.  In fact, he and Gabby skipped school all the time and never got into trouble.  How flippin unfair is that.  I'm sure that if I skipped school in high school, I would have not only gotten detention, but also a truancy ticket and been grounded.  Oh the life of the obscenely rich and powerful.   

Without giving too much away there is something weird about the crash itself.  Gabby is found passed out outside the car with the keys still in her hand and no one else around.  You don't figure out exactly what happened the night of the crash until the end because Gabby literally doesn't remember anything.  Throughout Gabby's recovery and the aftermath Billy and his mom guide Gabby with the lawyers, social workers, therapist, etc.  This was very suspicious to me.  I understand they have money and are super connected but I just thought it was a bit shady. 

Another thing that bothered me was Gabby's parents.  They were not the best role models and I wish they would have just been happy with Gabby instead of trying to change her or just flat out ignore her.  I feel they should have thought more about their daughter's best interest instead of trying to impress others around them. 

This novel was very well written and I think it held an important message.  I liked that is wasn't the typical story of geeky girls gets a makeover and snags the football star.  There was more depth to it.  The novel deals with more complex issues of self-esteem, deceitfulness, and getting taken advantage of.  It was tough for me to read, as I mentioned before, but worth it.

Review of The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth

Title: The Miseducation of Cameron Post
Author: Emily M. Danforth
Published by: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 480
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover
Rating: ★★★★★

Summary from Goodreads: When Cameron Post’s parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief she’ll never have to tell them that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl.

But that relief soon turns to heartbreak, as Cam is forced to move in with her conservative aunt Ruth. She knows that from this point on, her life will forever be different. Survival in Miles City, Montana, means blending in and not making waves, and Cam becomes an expert at this—especially at avoiding any questions about her sexuality.

Then Coley Taylor moves to town. Beautiful pickup-driving Coley is a perfect cowgirl with the perfect boyfriend to match. To Cam’s surprise, she and Coley become best friends—while Cam secretly dreams of something more. Just as that starts to seem like a real possibility, her secret is exposed. Ultrareligious Aunt Ruth takes drastic action to “fix” her niece, bringing Cam face-to-face with the cost of denying her true self—even if she’s not quite sure who that is.

Unbelievable poignant and beautifully written.  The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a novel that will stick with you long after you've finished reading it.

I'm having a hard time finding the words to do this novel justice.  It's pure and completely real.  The characters are your everyday friends.  They are the people you see at the grocery store and the ones you see driving down main street.  Cameron is a young girl who may start off questioning her sexuality but soon realizes that there is no question, she's attracted to girls.  The story tracks Cameron's life from her first kiss, to the death of her parents, her first love, to her extremely religious Aunt finding out about her sexual preference.  Soon she is sent to a religious school to be "fixed." 

There are definitely ups and downs to Cameron's life and friends come and go.  Cameron is a person who stays true to herself, which I really admire.  She is often confused and hasn't dealt with the guilt of her parent's death, but still lives her life.  There are people in Cameron's life who I think are amazing people and I can't wait for you to meet them.  There are also some people who I think need to be given a good slap upside the head or worse.  I'm not much for intolerance or ignorance so there were parts of this novel that were simply hard to digest. 

This novel brought out the full spectrum of emotions.  There are times when you are laughing and smiling and others when you feel downright confused and upset.  It really gives testament to Emily M. Danforth's ability as an author to bring your emotions into overdrive and have you not only read about but actually experience the range of feelings this story will bring out. 

Emily M. Danforth graces us with an outstanding debut and I eagerly anticipate what she will come up with next.

Review of Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin

Title: Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters
Author: Meredith Zeitlin
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Pages: 288
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover
Rating: ★★★

Summary from Goodreads: Kelsey Finkelstein is fourteen and FRUSTRATED. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled – by her impossible parents, her annoying little sister, and life in general. But with her first day of high school coming up, Kelsey is positive that things are going to change. Enlisting the help of her three best friends — sweet and quiet Em, theatrical Cass, and wild JoJo — Kelsey gets ready to rebrand herself and make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny.

Kelsey’s hilarious commentary throughout her disastrous freshman year will have you laughing out loud—while being thankful that you’re not in her shoes, of course…

Freshman year of high school is always hard, but it seems for Kelsey Finkelstein nothing seems to go right.  Kelsey starts of her first day of high school with a plan to change her life and make sure that high school is all she wants it to be (didn't we all feel this way a bit?).  Well like everyone knows even the best laid plans have ups and downs and it seems for Kelsey there are way more downs than ups. 

The one thing that really stood out for me in this novel was the friendship between Kelsey, Em, Cass and JoJo.  Sure like all friends they fight some and disagree, but for the most part they are there when one another needs them.  Out of all the girls, I didn't particularly like Cass and how she handled some of the situations in the book.  She and Kelsey seemed a bit immature at times but I guess that is to be expected.  As crazy as JoJo was (which I didn't think was outrageous at all) and as quiet as Em was, I really liked them as characters.  They brought their own confidence and style to the friendship and balanced everyone out.  They are both characters I could have seen myself become friends with in high school. 

I thought the romance was at times funny and cute and others times a bit ridiculous.  I think Kelsey often found herself in these awkward situations, be it her own fault or some weird coincidence, and then regretted them much latter.  There is one 'relationship' though that is so flipping adorable that you just feel giddy and happy thinking about it.  As light as this book was, there were some serious issues that I thought Meredith Zeitlin wrote very well.  She had a refreshing take on high school that wasn't naive or condoning, but really a close reality to what some teenagers deal with everyday.   

Overall it was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more from this debut author. 

Review of Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic

Title: Never Eighteen
Author: Megan Bostic
Published by: HMH Children's Books
Pages: 204
Source: Library
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★★★★

Summary from Goodreads: I had the dream again. The one where I’m running. I don’t know what from or where to, but I’m scared, terrified really.

Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. But in the short time he has left there’s one thing he can do: He can try to help the people he loves live—even though he never will.

It’s probably hopeless.

But he has to try.

Heartbreaking and hopeful; this is a story you won't soon forget.  The majority of the story follows a weekend where Austin has a very important agenda.  He wants certain people to realize they are not living their lives, but instead living a shadow of it, including himself.  He recruits his best friend Kaylee, who he's secretly in love with, to be his chauffer on this important journey. 

Each of Austin's visits touch your heart a little.  While some are sad, and others crazily unexpected, each one is there for a specific reason.  The more people Austin visited or the more adventures he tried, I gained more respect for him then I can even begin to express.  While he was going through the hardest time in his life, he reached out to others.  Hopefully each person he visits feels a little better and realizes to cherish their life and start living it.   

The ending tore me apart.  I was expecting what happened, but still I couldn't stop the tears.  I felt like I got a glimpse into this amazing person's life and I wanted more than he had left to give. 

Never Eighteen was a stunning debut that left me heartbroken, but also gave me hope and courage to live my life to its fullest. 

Review of Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom

Title: Ditched: A Love Story
Author: Robin Mellom
Published by: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 288
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover
Rating: ★★★★

Summary from Goodreads: High school senior Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. So she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her. Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom. And then ditched her.

Never let your mom pick out your prom dress.  This is the first think I want to tell Justina.  Somehow I think her whole night would have been a lot simpler if Justina would have followed those prom magazines and not let her mom dress her in head-to-toe blue, with shoes dyed to match and a blue corsage.  Next I want to tell her to bring a tide pen with her.  This poor girl gets into more incidents with food and she's got the stains to prove it.

Justina had the prom night from hell.  She is was super excited to go to prom with Ian her best friend, which she hopes who become more than her best friend by the end of the night.  It seems things are not aligned in her stars though, because it seems if something was supposed to go wrong on prom night it did.  She gets in to scrape after scrape with the finale being ditched on the side of the road without her purse or cell phone.

The story is told from the morning after prom while Justina explains her night to the gas station attendant she stumbled upon while trying to walk home after her disaster of a night.  It is told by the series of stains and how they appeared on Justina's dress along with the gas station food that is consumed during the venting session.  It is a cute and quirky read that was fast and very enjoyable.  Some parts were a little slow, but it was nice that everything tied together in the end.