Jenny Fran Davis
Series: n/a
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
Flora Goldwasser has fallen in love. She won't admit it to anyone, but something about Elijah Huck has pulled her under. When he tells her about the hippie Quaker school he attended in the Hudson Valley called Quare Academy, where he'll be teaching next year, Flora gives up her tony upper east side prep school for a life on a farm, hoping to woo him. A fish out of water, Flora stands out like a sore thumb in her vintage suits among the tattered tunics and ripped jeans of the rest of the student body. When Elijah doesn't show up, Flora must make the most of the situation and will ultimately learn more about herself than she ever thought possible.
Told in a series of letters, emails, journal entries and various ephemera, Flora's dramatic first year is laid out for all to see, embarrassing moments and all.
- Pro: I love mixed format books, and this one included emails, blog posts, photos, letters, and more. The different formats were used well, and were cleverly used to bring in different perspectives.
- Pro: Flora was a star. I loved her voice from page one, and I was so happy to go on this journey with her.
- Pro: The colorful cast of characters gave me the gift of laughter over and over again.
- Pro: Flora and her sister had a sisterly bond that made me jealous. Lael was an incredible big sister and was still there for Flora even when she went against her advice.
- Con: The ending was sweet, but I am not too sure what the intention was. Not disappointing, because I smiled, but still not sure about it.
- Pro: As radical as the school was for me, there were a lot of interesting ideas discussed and I like when I am made to look at something in a different way or left with food for thought.
- Pro: There are many, many feminists in this book, and therefore. lots of feminists discussions. But what I loved most about this girl-powered group, was how they wanted to support one of their own in her time of need.
Overall: A fun and quirky coming of age tale filled with wonderful and interesting characters, which left me with a smile on my head and a lot of interesting thoughts in my head.
**I would like to thank the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.
Lauren Morill
Series: n/a
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Delacorte
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
Perfect for fans of Jennifer E. Smith and Huntley Fitzpatrick, you'll love this funny and sweet contemporary romance about a Southern girl ready for a ho-hum summer until she meets the boy of her dreams who happens to be an international pop star.
Sometimes love stories go off script.
Another sultry Georgia summer is about to get a lot hotter. Dee Wilkie is still licking her wounds after getting rejected by the precollege fine arts program of her dreams. But if she'd gone away, she wouldn't have been around to say yes to an unbelievable opportunity: working on the set of a movie filming in her small Southern town that just happens to be starring Milo Ritter, the famous pop star Dee (along with the rest of the world) has had a crush since eighth grade.
It's not like Dee will be sharing any screen time with Milo—she's just a lowly PA. And Milo is so disappointingly rude that Dee is eager to stay far away from him. Except after a few chance meetings, she begins to wonder if just maybe there's a reason for his offensive attitude, and if there's more to Milo than his good looks and above-it-all Hollywood pedigree. Can a relationship with a guy like Milo ever work out for a girl like Dee? Never say never. . .
- Pro: Super-cute summer romance
- Pro: I really liked getting to know the "real" Milo, and I was glad he found someplace where he could be real.
- Pro: Lots of interesting movie making concepts were shared with us, and I really felt like I was on the set with the characters.
- Con: Jealousy and miscommunication play a role in this story, and I thought Dee needed to tone it down at time.
- Pro: The "crisis of direction" Dee was having was a great aspect of the story. I was really happy with where Morill went with this, and besides, Dee was a great character, who was able to switch gears and use her talent in a different way.
- Pro: I have a thing for small town settings, and Wilder was a pretty nice town to visit.
- Pro: I liked the family interactions. Dee's history geek dad and romance writer mom added some fun to the story, and they were great parents.
- Pro: I am pretty sure we can count what happened near the end as a grand gesture, and I LOVE grand gestures.
- Pro: Thank you very much for the epilogue. It was quite the time jump I would have liked, but it was still good.
 |
| But did I mention that there was a grand gesture? |
Overall: A cute and fluffy romance, where Dee found love and herself as she found her new direction.
Teri Terry
Series: n/a
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Publisher: Clarion Books
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
Who lies? Who tells the truth? Death hangs on the answer...
'Highly recommended, especially for those who like their fantasy subtle but chillingly effective, and populated by characters they can believe in' (Starburst Magazine)
Tell a lie and the darkness will find you. Quinn and Piper are twins, but they've never met. A tragic event brings them together, and draws them into a family curse that stretches across centuries. One twin can command the darkness; the other could hold the key to breaking the curse. But when lies become truth and truth looks like lies, who can you believe?
Don't miss this startling new book from Teri Terry, queen of the YA psychological thriller!
They are trapped, frozen. Waiting. Straining against the wood that holds them. The unwary catch a glimpse now and then - feel their desperate hunger, see a glint of red eyes - and scurry out of the shadows of the wood, back to the light. She's coming; it will be soon. They will run free on the moors again. The Hunt will return. And the ground will run with blood.
Overall: An intriguing atmospheric tale, with some interesting ideas about truth and lies, good and evil, love and family.
**I would like to thank the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.
Have you read any of these books?
Let us know in the comments!
I love the sound of Everything Must Go. I thought it might be a romance, but I love that it's more about Flora's journey. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI would call it a one sided romance, but the crush is not physically present during most if the story, and I would say it focuses on Flora's personal growth the most
DeleteWitches AND magic AND curses?! You've just named some of my favorite things especially during this time of the year :) I'll have to check out The Book of Lies - though that's too bad to hear it took a while to get going. Everything Must Go also sounds great. I love mixed format books. Great reviews, Sam!
ReplyDeleteI took a while to get into the eerie part of the tale, but it wasn't boring at all. I really enjoyed Everything Must Go. I laughed so much while I read that book.
DeleteI like the sound of Everything Must Go. I have such a weakness for stories told through letters and journals and emails. And good sister relationships are always a plus. Having 2 sisters myself I find myself drawn to stories that feature sisters.
ReplyDeleteIt was such a fun story. I thought it would just be poking fun at the crunchy-granola type school, but then I realized there was a bigger goal, and I am also a huge fan of mixed format books. Flora and her sister were a great pair. I was totally jealous of them.
DeleteEverything Must Go sounds so good- I think you just convinced me to pick it up soon (as soon as my tbr will allow me to, at least ahahah), and The Book of Lies sounds so deliciously creepy! I'm not a fan of hugely creepy novels, but this one sounds like it has just the right amount of creepiness! Thanks for sharing, Sam! xx
ReplyDeleteI wasn't totally sure about Everything Must Go, but I was really impressed when I read it. At first, I thought it was just going to be this shallow girl going into the woods with these crunchy, passionate, artsy people, but then Flora developed into so much more. I liked how she questioned the dichotomous nature of things, and how maybe there is something in-between. Seeing that there is a grey area is such a big step towards adulthood, and this coming of age was approached in an interesting way. Book of Lies was eerie, but not too creepy. There are a few vivid, gory scenes, but it's more mood that is created, because there is the question of who is good, who is evil, and what is this family evil? The opening had such a huge impact, and there was a little bit of loss of that, but then the build up was great up till the end.
DeleteGAH grand gestures! Legit one of my life goals is to have someone bestow a grand gesture upon me. Where can I find this? Glad you at least liked The Book of Lies, I am pretty curious about it, and I am also pretty sure I own it hahah. Great reviews, I love these!
ReplyDeleteI know, I keep looking outside my window for Lloyd Dobler. Book of Lies was interesting, and when it picked up, my interest grew. Sometimes you are in the mood for a complicated family drama, and this one had that magical-mysterious element too.
DeleteI had DNF'd Everything Must Go because the format was really messing with me, but I really might have to pick it up again since that does sound quite good. :D You gave a lot of pros to it, so I'm really intrigued. Wonderful reviews, though! :D
ReplyDeleteI am a fan of the mixed format, so it worked for me. The author had a lot of interesting ideas integrated in the story. As much as I chuckled at the interactions between Flora and the Quares, I also found some of their ideas quite thought provoking.
DeleteHow have I heard of none of these books? I love the sound of Everything Must Go, especially as it has a mixed format going on, that makes it so interesting. And feminist discussions? That is awesome, I love how feminism has stopped being a dirty word and that discussions are finally getting the right attention.
ReplyDeleteMy Unscripted Life sounds adorable and such a good read, it would have been a perfect summer read, maybe next year.
And Teri Terry has another book out? I'll have to check that out it sounds pretty good.
I feel like sometimes I shy away from the hyped books, because everyone else is talking about them. I like to show love to the debuts and less hyped books. I had been wanting to read a Morrill book for a while, and I snagged this one from the library. It was what I expected - cute and fluffy. This is my first Terry book, but I liked it, and will definitely check out more of Terry's work. Everything Must Go was a surprise hit for me. I had read some negative things, so I cautiously proceeded, but I really liked it. The school is a progressive school, and the author filled it with all the stereotypical types, but she didn't just make them into caricatures, because they were saying some really interesting things, and I was listening. I liked the way Davis filtered it all through Flora, and I think that's why it worked so well for me.
DeleteEverything Must Go looks interesting. I love the mixed format of the book that always grabs my attention. Great reviews!
ReplyDeleteAt first. I wasn't sure about Everything Must Go, but as I kept reading, I found there was so much more to the story then I originally thought, and the format was fun too.
Delete