In a Nutshell Reviews

In a Nutshell Reviews are my version of mini-reviews, because sometimes, you just want the highlights.

Love and Other Train Wrecks
Leah Konen
Series: n/a
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Rating:  4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

A twenty-four-hour romance about two teens who meet—and perhaps change their minds about love—on a train ride to Upstate New York in the middle of a snowstorm

One train ride. Two strangers.

Noah is a hopeless romantic. He’s heading back home for one last chance with his first love, whom he broke up with when he went off to college.

Ammy doesn’t believe in true love—her parents being prime examples. She’s escaping from a mom who can’t take care of her to a dad who may not even want her. That is, until one winter night when Noah and Ammy find themselves in the same Amtrak car heading to Upstate New York.

After a train-wreck first encounter between the two of them, the Amtrak train suddenly breaks down due to a snowstorm. Desperate to make it to their destinations, Noah and Ammy have no other option but to travel together. What starts off as a minor detour turns into the whirlwind journey of a lifetime, and over the course of the night they fall in love. But come morning their adventure takes an unexpected turn for the worst. Can one night can really change how they feel about love...and the course of their lives forever?

I really enjoyed Konen's last book, The Romantics, and had high hopes for this book. I am happy to report, that Love and Other Train Wrecks delighted me in many of the same ways.

• Pro: Noah was a sweet cupcake and I loved him. He was not perfect, as I found out, but he had a huge and beautiful, if slightly misguided, heart. 
• Pro: I loved the dynamic between Ammy and Noah. Eavesdropping on their conversations was quite a treat, and seeing them go from strangers to enemies to friends to more warmed my heart. 
• Pro: Both Ammy and Noah were nursing some serious guilt, and Konen's slow reveal really had quite an impact. 
• Pro: This was a physical and emotional journey for both Ammy and Noah. As they shared their stories with each other, they realized a lot of important things about themselves. 
• Pro: There is a lot of bookish love in this story, as both Ammy and Noah are book lovers. I have to award bonus points for that. 
• Pro: There were some humorous travel snafus a la Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. I felt bad to for Ammy and Noah, but I also couldn't hold back my laughter.  
• Pro: The duel point of view was used quite well, and I was especially fond of when Konen had those little overlaps. I love when we get to experience the same moment from both POVs. 
• Pro: I am going to give Konen a round of applause for that big speed bump she threw in there. I did NOT see that coming. 
• Pro: The ending is a big YES! from me. If you read this, you will understand a why I liked it so much. (hint: I got closure.)

This was a trip worth taking

Overall:  I really enjoyed making this journey with Ammy and Noah as each of them "unpacked" some of their emotional luggage and filled in those spaces with much better things.

Busted
Gina Ciocca
Series: n/a
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Rating: 3.5  out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Marisa wasn’t planning to be a snoop for hire—until she accidentally caught her best friend’s boyfriend making out with another girl. Now her reputation for sniffing out cheaters has spread all over school, and Marisa finds herself the reluctant queen of busting two-timing boys.

But when ex-frenemy Kendall asks her to spy on her boyfriend, TJ, Marisa quickly discovers the girl TJ might be falling for is Marisa herself. And worse yet? The feelings are quickly becoming mutual. Now, she’s stuck spying on a “mystery girl” and the spoken-for guy who just might be the love of her life…

Busted was an entertaining read, filled with plenty of drama, humor, and plot twists.

• Pro: This story was a lot of fun. The overall feeling of the book was on the lighter side, and it was quite humorous. 
• Pro: I had heard a lot of people referencing Veronica Mars when discussing this book, and I have to say, I saw shades of my favorite teen PI as well. There were some interesting and amusing situations Marisa got herself into, and she had that signature VMars wit as well. 
• Pro: TJ was pretty fabulous. The more I got to know him, the more I loved him. 
• Pro: Marisa's was awesome and I loved her narration. I also thought she had some really special character traits, and I couldn't get enough of her. 
• Con: Kendall was the worst. I abhorred her, but I guess that was the intention.  
• Pro: The romance had some really swoony moments, and I was shipping TJ and Marisa even before they were a thing. They had good chemistry, and their interactions were a delight to observe. 
• Con: There was this secondary plot, which wasn't bad, it held my interest, but I thought it took away from the original focus of the story. 
• Pro: Marisa's squad was great. I really enjoyed when they were all together working on the "case". 
• Pro: Just when I thought I knew where the story was going, another twist was thrown in. There were quite a few surprises, which kept me on my toes.
• Pro: Siblings!!! Marisa and Nick were great together. Their banter was hilarious, and I could definitely feel the love between those two as well.  

Overall: A fun and fast-paced story with lots of twists and turns, that is bound to hold your interest.

Together at Midnight
Jennifer Castle
Series: n/a
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: HarperTeen
Rating:  4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

What does it really mean to be kind . . . and why does it sometimes feel like the hardest thing in the world to do? High school senior Kendall, who just returned from a life-changing semester in Europe, and Max, who is drifting his way through a gap year before college, struggle with these questions when they witness a tragic accident in New York City during the holiday season. Racked with guilt, the two accept a dare to perform random acts of kindness to strangers. The challenge pulls these two teens, who have a history together from back home, closer and closer as they explore a vibrant city filled with other people’s stories and secrets.

Kendall and Max can’t deny their growing bond, even though they both have other romantic entanglements and uncertain futures. As the clock counts down on New Year’s Eve, will they find themselves together at midnight?

I thought this book was going to be about two people committing random acts of kindness around NYC, but it was about so much more. It was about relationships, finding your passion, and finding yourself.

• Pro: I found both Kendall and Max very likable and relatable. Both had great personal qualities, and I would love to have either of them as my friend. I found myself rooting for them both equally as they struggled with the big question of what to do next. 
• Pro: Speaking of that big question, I enjoyed that both characters were sort of adrift. They were caught in this in-between, and they could not stay there forever. They had to make some major decisions, and I was glad I got to be part of that process. 
• Pro: A family focus is always a plus for me, and there were some great family moments in this book. I loved the relationship between Kendall and her brother, but I absolutely adored watching Max and his grandfather connect. There was a lot more to Big E than met the eye. Maybe he didn't wear his heart on his sleeve, but I didn't doubt his love for Max by the end of this book. 
• Con: I would have liked a jump ahead to see how Kendall and Max were doing. I didn't hate the ending, but Kendall and Max had made some big decisions at the end of the book, but I would love to know how it all worked out.  
• Pro: The format really added a little extra something to this story. The majority of the book is told from Kendall and Max's points of view, but after each act of kindness, we had a little commentary from the strangers involved in the acts. These additional POVs provided interesting insight and were such a welcomed addition for me. 
• Pro: I didn't care about the ex-girlfriend or the crush, I was all about Max and Kendall. I was shipping them from the very beginning and really wanted this romance to pan out, because they were so good together. 
• Pro: I never tire of books set in my hometown, and it was fun running around NYC with Kendall and Max. We did so many fun things, but I especially loved the snowstorm.   

Overall: This book was delightful and heartwarming as it delivered unexpected surprises. I loved the exploration of kindness and connection, and how was grateful to share this journey with Max and Kendall as found their passions and their paths. 

**ARCs received in exchange for an honest reviews.

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