You Have A Match by Emma Lord

 ****

A REESE'S BOOK CLUB WINTER YA PICK

A new love, a secret sister, and a summer she'll never forget.

From the beloved author of Tweet Cute comes Emma Lord's You Have a Match, a hilarious and heartfelt novel of romance, sisterhood, and friendship...

When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie…although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front.

But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister.

When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents — especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than Abby herself.

The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby's growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything.

But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones.

Source: borrowed audiobook via HooplaAudio

You Have A Match is an absolute charmer. I enjoyed every moment I spent listening to it. DNA services are so popular now but it's the unintended and unexpected discoveries that result from them that have captured our attention. Our curiosity is piqued when it comes to pulling back the curtains on family secrets, unveiling the truth about legends passed down. I mean, we're all hoping to find a rich relative or a remarkable connection, right?

Abby wasn't quite expecting anything out of the ordinary when she agreed to do a DNA test along with best friend and long-standing crush, Leo. For Leo who's adopted, it's a chance to discover family and cultural connections from the Philippines.  When her result comes back it shatters everything she knows about her own family. Finding out she has a 100% match with an older sister who lives in the area is one thing. Finding out Savannah aka Savvy is a pretty big deal on social media? That's just extra. Despite their physical resemblance, they're nothing alike which intimidates Abby. Savvy is put together, photogenic and outgoing whereas Abby is more sporty, all scuffed knees and very low key about her interests. Savvy suggests that Abby join her at a summer camp so they can get to know each other and get to the bottom of their parents secret. She agrees, though hesitantly, and without her parents' knowledge.

I liked that Emma Lord didn't make the getting to you aspect easy. Abby and Savvy don't get along immediately. There's so much underlying suspicion between these two opposing personalities, and maybe guilt about how they ended up where they are. There are also some ridiculous shenanigans thanks to some campers with rebellious streaks. Lord takes in to account how intense things can feel at this age. In Abby and Savvy's case, the slightest deviation from what has always been taken at face value as the truth can tilt their worlds off axis. For Abby and Leo, admitting love to their first crush can be the scariest thing. I liked the reminders that all the "firsts" can be felt so intensely.  The friends and other supporting characters are also loads of fun.

All in all, listening to You Have A Match was time well spent for me. I truly enjoyed both Abby and Savvy as individuals, and also as newfound sisters getting to know themselves and each other.

~ Bel

The Me I Meant To Be by Sophie Jordan

* * * * 1/2

Girl Code: Never date a friend’s ex.

Willa Evans has no intention of breaking the code. So what if she’s always secretly loved her next-door neighbor Zach? As her best friend’s boyfriend, he was always off-limits and it needs to stay that way, even though they just broke up. Even though every time she turns around he’s there, tempting her…
 
No keeping secrets from your bestie.

Flor Hidalgo has a lot on her plate: her breakup with Zach, her dad’s new dating life, and her struggling grades. So why can’t she stop thinking about her hot, know-it-all tutor? At least she’s got Willa, her constant in the chaos.
 
Breaking the code breaks friendships.
 
Two friends find themselves tempted by love that defies the rules in this steamy romance perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Simone Elkeles.

Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review


I absolutely enjoyed Sophie Jordan's latest YA offering because this one focused on a theme that I can relate to and am witnessing right now through my two teens: the changing nature of friendships.

Willa and Flor have been besties for a long time and have seen each other through ups and downs. While Willa likes to be in the background, Flor is the more popular friend at the forefront. But things are slowly changing. Flor recently broke up with Zach who happens to be Willa's nextdoor neighbor so it kind of puts her in an awkward situation. While Flor is fixated on why Zach broke things off with her and how she can win him back, Willa's just trying to work out how she can remain friends with both of them and also loyal to Flor. And because of her loyalty and their friendship, Willa has made a silent vow to herself to never allow her long held secret crush on Zach to go any further than that. Flor's way of coping is to create the Girl Code, a set of rules that girlfriends should adhere to in order to support each other and lift each other up. Poor Willa feeling treacherous inside, although Flor isn't faring any better because she's developing strange feelings for her math tutor, Grayson who is the exact opposite of Zach and who shouldn't even be occupying space in her head when she's trying to get back together with him.

Each chapter is headed by a Girl Code entry that has a tie-in to that chapter. It's quite cute. With the POV switching between Willa and Flor there's an abundance of emotion, confusion, angst and flirting flying about. I love how well Jordan handles both their stories, giving them equal time. She treats their friendship delicately - which it is at the moment - while also showing how Willa and Flor are gradually diverging on their own paths. The matter of loyalty is constantly brought up, as is the idea of family and what that should mean. Willa and Flor are each experiencing changes within their families and I can say that what's going on with Flor's astounded me. 

There is a third friend in the mix, Jenna whose story isn't delved into. I wish there could've been a way to flesh out her storyline as well but I can also see why Jordan just kept it to the two main girls. Jenna's brief appearances do initiate the topic of self-acceptance, and the painful reality of how how hard it can be to be honest with your family about something you've come to know about yourself. 

I fell in love with this book and its honesty about the inevitable changes that come with simply growing older. Even though boys are in the picture for Willa and Flor, The Me I Meant to Be is truly about the girls' friendship, growth and acceptance. Girl Code is important but it's also just a guide. Any friendship will face its test but it rests on the individuals involved to see that their friendship survives. 

~ Bel

Frat Girl by Kiley Roache

* * * *

For Cassandra Davis, the F-word is fraternity—specifically Delta Tau Chi, a house on probation and on the verge of being banned from campus. Accused of offensive, sexist behavior, they have one year to clean up their act. For the DTC brothers, the F-word is feminist—the type of person who writes articles in the school paper about why they should lose their home.

With one shot at a scholarship to attend the university of her dreams, Cassie pitches a research project: to pledge Delta Tau Chi and provide proof of their misogynistic behavior. They’re frat boys. She knows exactly what to expect once she gets there. Exposing them should be a piece of cake.

But the boys of Delta Tau Chi have their own agenda, and fellow pledge Jordan Louis is certainly more than the tank top wearing “bro” Cassie expected to find. With her heart and her future tangled in the web of her own making, Cassie is forced to realize that the F-word might not be as simple as she thought after all.

Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review


Now, it's been a few years since I was in college and the college I went to didn't have fraternities or sororities so I've never got the allure of them. However, the title to Kiley Roache's debut had me doing a double-take. That her heroine, a self-professed feminist was willing to go undercover and pledge for a fraternity had me simultaneously going, "You crazy, girl!" and "Please be careful!" Yeah, I just had to read this one.

Cassie comes up with this research idea because she needs to win a scholarship to attend the school of her dreams. Her interest in gender studies and her defiance of gender stereotypes makes joining a frat the perfect opportunity to study several issues. What she doesn't bank on though is how much her experience within the frat would challenge her initial thoughts about Greek life and affect her findings.

The research process doesn't go as smoothly as she hopes since she has to work in secrecy. Therefore, no one can know what she's up to and some of her actions tend to rub some new friends the wrong way. While she's hoping to get inside the frat house culture, some folks think she's either hurting women's causes or doing this as some kind of attention-getting stunt. Dealing with the skepticism and negative fallout make this an isolating experience though she manages to keep her chin up. And the surprise is that despite some rough patches, she does end up befriending a few of the guys in the frat and through their interactions she gains a different perspective on the issues she's trying to bring to light. The funniest, laugh-out-loud moment comes when Cassie conducts a sex-ed lesson to the frat brothers. Holy cow, I could not stop laughing! It makes you realize how much misinformation is out there so kudos to Cassie for taking that on. 

I thought Frat Girl was entertaining  with Cassie being a delightful character whose strength is shown through her confidence and her conviction to see something through to the end. It does attempt to tackle some of the currently relevant issues - perceptions about men's sexuality vs women's sexuality, misconceptions about feminism, bullying and hazing - just to name a few, but holds back from delving too deep, otherwise the tone of the book would be completely different. If anything it serves up several talking points for continued thought and discussion which I sincerely hope it does. I also can't wait to read more from Kiley Roache in the future!

~ Bel

I'm so happy to share an interview that Kiley graciously did with us. Keep an eye out for more good things to come from this talented young writer!

Photo source: kileyroache.com

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Congratulations on FRAT GIRL! You’re a rock star to write and publish a book while still at university. How long had the idea been simmering in your mind?

Thank you so much! I wrote the first draft of the book after my freshman year of college. Although I did not personally join a frat, the emotional truth of the book was inspired by the things I felt and experienced throughout my freshman year. The idea first sparked when one of my friends bet me $50 to go with them to fraternity rush. For weeks after that conversation, I wondered what this experience would be like—for the first woman to join such an organization. I thought it might crystalize a lot of the experiences that my friends and I had our freshman year.

After writing countless articles for the likes of Huffpost, San Francisco Chronicle, The Mash, just to name a few, what was the transition to writing a book like? How did it change your writing approach?

Well, I had been writing “books”—50 page Microsoft Word documents on my pink laptop—since the seventh grade, even before I worked as a reporter. So writing fiction has been in my life for a while. However, there were definitely unique challenges to writing a full novel for the first time.  It is easy to be excited about an idea at the beginning, but to make sure that premise and that character are well developed enough that they can take you through an entire story with a satisfying end, is definitely a different kind of challenge. However, I found that when it did come together, it was quite magical. I wrote the first manuscript I ever completed while I was in high school, and I often ended up writing well into the night, until 2 or 3 am, after doing homework until midnight. It was hard work for sure, but it was also one of the most rewarding experiences.

In the book, Cassie joins the frat in order to study the culture of sexism and misogyny up close. She steps into it with definite views but periodically finds those views challenged, demonstrating that it’s not as clear cut as initially thought. Is that how you felt as you developed the story?

I think that throughout the process, I wanted the characters to meet people who challenged each other’s views. For young men like Duncan, Bambi, Jordan and Peter this means understanding the perspectives of women, and how they might experience fraternity houses, campus, and the world differently. For Cassie, her fundamental belief in feminism, in equality among the sexes, remains steadfast. She does however, encounter women who define what feminism looks like in a different way than she does, which challenges the details, but not the core, of her views. I definitely think this mirrored my experience during college, as I lived in dorms with people of various perspectives and backgrounds, and saw my own beliefs challenged and further developed through the conversations I had.

Is there a character in FRAT GIRL that you can relate to, and one that you’d like to know better?

In many ways I can relate to Cassie, particularly because my freshman year of college I had a group of friends, the majority of which were men. So a lot of the situations Cassie is in are things I have experienced as well. One of my best guy friends really did run across campus when a boy I was seeing was mean to me. I also relate a lot to Ben or “Bambi” as he is called for much of the book, since I was very focused and serious in high school, and had not really been to a party until college.

One character I’d like to get to know better is Peter. I don’t want to spoil, but there is a lot we learn about Peter at the end, and I’d be curious to explore further how his friendship with Cassie would develop.

How are you going to celebrate your book’s release?

The day of my release I primarily celebrated on the internet, and received so many kind messages from friends and the YA community. A week after the book came out, I had an event right near Stanford’s campus at Kepler’s Books, and a bunch of my friends attended, which was really great.

Okay, now we’re going to have some fun. The Bibliojunkies motto is “books, boys, pie” so with that in mind: 

Which do you prefer: E-reader or a physical book? And is there a book that you had to have on both platforms?

I am definitely am a physical books person, although I have had an e-reader before. I read Cassandra Clare’s City of Bones for the first time on Kindle, and then just had to buy it to complete the set when I read all the other books in the series in paperback. 

One Direction is mentioned in your book a couple of times… so who’s your favourite?

Oh wow that is a great question. I have to say Harry.

And if he showed up at your door, what dessert would he bring for you?

An even better question! I would say chocolate lava cake J.

Dial Em For Murder by Marni Bates

* * *

Humor and mayhem ensue when a teen girl gets caught up in the death of a hi-tech hitman and must try to stay one step ahead of the killers lurking in the shadows of an exclusive prep school. 


Source: hard copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review



Meet Emmy Danvers, an ambitious sixteen year-old who dreams of being a writer. The girl lives inside all her made up fantasies and sometimes they're quite hilarious. But not even her imagination comes close to real life when she enters bizarro world. While at a coffee shop she's confronted by a stranger who unloads some cryptic messages on her and then suddenly dies. On top of her. That'd be enough to convince anyone to give up coffee forever. Emmy is shocked as it is until the police question her relationship to the deceased man and behave as if she knows more than she's letting on. It gets even crazier when she learns that the old man who died on her is the grandfather of Sebastian St. James, the best friend of her best friend's ex. Got that? Sebastian mysteriously appears at the police station to talk to Emmy believing that his grandfather gave her something that she's unaware of. Something that's meant for him. He knows more than he's willing to share which infuriates her to no end. Apparently whoever killed his grandfather is after her. As if things can't get more bizarre, he arranges for Emmy to attend his private school, Emptor Academy so that she can be closer for him to keep an eye on her. Her best friends and mother protest but give up the fight much too easily as she accepts the offer and heads off to a new school, making new acquaintances, managing mean girls and in her spare time, solving this big mystery that has something to do with her family.

I enjoyed the story overall though I was dubious about one plot line in particular: the rather quick arrangement for Emmy to leave her public school to go to the Academy. That one detail nagged at me because I felt like it was just too easy. It's kind of explained later how that came about but it still felt a bit flimsy to me. I did enjoy Emmy's personality. She tends to have a hyperactive imagination, especially when she's writing her novels which I could totally relate to. I mean who hasn't on occasion just dreamed up something in their heads and let them take on a life of their own? I just thought she was adorable and funny. Sebastian ... I mentioned he's mysterious. He has that vibe down but I didn't sense anything more from him than just that he's hiding something.

Dial Em For Murder is a cute mystery with some interesting characters that had me giggling at certain moments. The end did raise my eyebrows a bit, in a good way. I think it leaves room for a sequel though I'm not sure if there are plans for that. Check it out and share what you think!

~ Bel

You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour and David Levithan

Source:  Advance e-galley courtesy of St. Martins Griffin on Netgalley.

* * * 1/2

Who knows you well? Your best friend? Your boyfriend or girlfriend? A stranger you meet on a crazy night? No one, really?

Mark and Kate have sat next to each other for an entire year, but have never spoken. For whatever reason, their paths outside of class have never crossed.

That is until Kate spots Mark miles away from home, out in the city for a wild, unexpected night. Kate is lost, having just run away from a chance to finally meet the girl she has been in love with from afar. Mark, meanwhile, is in love with his best friend Ryan, who may or may not feel the same way.

When Kate and Mark meet up, little do they know how important they will become to each other -- and how, in a very short time, they will know each other better than any of the people who are supposed to know them more.

Told in alternating points of view by Nina LaCour, the award-winning author of Hold Still and The Disenchantments, and David Levithan, the best-selling author of Every Day and co-author of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (with Rachel Cohn) and Will Grayson, Will Grayson (with John Green), You Know Me Well is a deeply honest story about navigating the joys and heartaches of first love, one truth at a time.

Source: Advance e-galley courtesy of St. Martins Griffin on Netgalley.

Review:

This book is about falling in love, “stepping” out of love, coming out, growing up, facing life.  It’s about so many things.  But friendship is one of the biggest themes in this book and it is the one that touched me the most.

When I was 14 my best friend of 6 years dumped me.  I was blindsided and heartbroken.  We were joined at the hip.  We spoke on the phone for hours on the days we weren’t together in person.  We finished each other’s sentences.  We went on family trips together.  We told each other everything.  Or so I thought.  Because she kicked me to the curb over a boy and I never saw it coming.  Even in hindsight, there were no signs that anything in our friendship was going wrong.

Kate and Mark?  They are also dealing with huge changes in long time friendships.  Kate finds herself drawing away from Lehna, her best friend of over a decade.  And Mark finds himself struggling with the fact his best friend, Ryan, who he is desperately in love with, likely doesn’t feel the same way.  Kate and Mark form a tight friendship over their shared frustration and confusion over love, friendships and moving on.  This story was sometimes painful.  Addressing uncomfortable situations always is.  Why don’t you talk to me anymore?  Why don’t you feel the same way?  Can we still be friends after all this?  Those questions are so hard to both ask and answer.   But hard or not, Mark and Kate encourage each other to ask the difficult questions and work with the outcome even if it totally sucks.  By the end of their story you’ve experienced an unexpected happy ending.  A happy ending where not everything is perfect and getting there was most certainly messy. 

It’s been a while since I’ve picked up a YA novel.  And I’m reminded, yet again, why I love them so much.  I wish I had had today’s YA back when I was a teen.  A book like You Know Me Well would have salvaged the last few days of finals as well as my summer after my freshman year of high school.  It would have taught me that friendships change.  Some will last forever.  Some will fade.  Some will go down in fiery flames.  I would have understood that evolution of a friendship is natural.  Yes, it can hurt like nobody’s business, but it’s not the end of the world.   

Needless to say I found this book to be a wonderful and realistic story of friendship.   Another excellent contemporary Young Adult novel to add to my list of recommendations.

Nat

The Girl Who Fell by Shannon M. Parker

* * * 1/2

In this gripping YA debut, high school senior Zephyr Doyle is swept off her feet—and into an intense and volatile relationship—by the new boy in school. THE GIRL WHO FELL is a powerful and important read that School Library Journal calls, “(a)n invaluable addition to any collection. (SLJ *STARRED REVIEW* January 1, 2016)

His obsession.

Her fall.

Zephyr is focused. Focused on leading her team to the field hockey state championship and leaving her small town for her dream school, Boston College.

But love has a way of changing things.

Enter the new boy in school: the hockey team’s starting goaltender, Alec. He’s cute, charming, and most important, Alec doesn’t judge Zephyr. He understands her fears and insecurities—he even shares them. Soon, their relationship becomes something bigger than Zephyr, something she can’t control, something she doesn’t want to control.

Zephyr swears it must be love. Because love is powerful, and overwhelming, and … terrifying?

But love shouldn’t make you abandon your dreams, or push your friends away. And love shouldn’t make you feel guilty—or worse, ashamed.

So when Zephyr finally begins to see Alec for who he really is, she knows it’s time to take back control of her life.

If she waits any longer, it may be too late.

Zephyr Doyle seems like the well-adjusted high school senior with a bright future to look forward to. She’s co-captain of her field hockey team, doing great at school and has two of the best friends anyone could ever want. Only problem is that her father recently left their family. The sting of betrayal from the abandonment throws shade over an otherwise wonderful school year. Her feelings all in a flux go haywire when the new boy at school, Alec shows interest in her. She falls in love with him, fast. As things gets more intense and Alec becomes more demanding, Zephyr loses herself not realizing it’s happening. When she does, everything crashes in on her.

Regardless of if the author was attempting to convey a message, she does an outstanding job of methodically outlining the rapid intensity and disintegration of the relationship as Zephyr is forced to gradually force out important people from her life along with relinquishing her dreams. The whole affair was disconcerting and made me twitchy but that’s me speaking from a reader’s point of view. From her point of view, Zephyr is young, inexperienced and most importantly, emotionally vulnerable. This trifecta makes her susceptible to manipulation. It’s terrifying how easily Alec messes with her mind through mere suggestion and emotional bribery to make her feel as if she’s the one who’s always committing the wrong doing, slyly painting himself as the innocent victim. Jealousy and insecurity are masked as love. He has an arsenal full of tricks to get her doing what he wants. Equally upsetting is how she forgives or even excuses his behaviour under the misguided idea of what an ideal partner should be. Without a doubt, reading this descent into dysfunction is disturbing.

My only reservation about the book is the sometimes overly descriptive language such as when Zephyr describes how she’s feeling. I found it distracting, and thought that had it been simplified without all the flourishes, the point would've still come across. My minor issue with it notwithstanding, I was still caught up in the story and anxious to know where things were headed.

The Girl Who Fell provides much food for thought by highlighting a serious problem that carries social stigma. It's a discussion that needs to be had especially with those entering the unfamiliar terrain of their first relationship. I still shudder when I recall some of the details and at how easily one can fall into the traps. It’s a gripping story that gains more urgency as the plot thickens. I do believe this is one to add to your TBR pile.

~ Bel

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

****

The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d’Abreau was destined for stardom—until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can’t sing. She can’t even speak.

Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend’s invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse’s home in the Caribbean isn’t: An ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people too polite to pry—except for one.

Christian Kane is a notorious playboy—insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He’s also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn’t treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life. 

When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove’s high-stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly stows her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn’t the only thing making waves, though—swept up in Christian’s seductive tide and entranced by the Cove’s charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn’t what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who’s best known for breaking them . . .

Review:

Elyse d’Abreau is content to collect sea glass, work in her Aunt Lemon’s gift shop, and haunt an abandoned boat at the dock.   But as the summer crowd begins to arrive at Atargatis Cove, Elyse is slowly pulled out of her shell which in turn forces her to face the demons and fears that brought her there in the first place. 

 

When Christian Kane finds Elyse hiding on his boat and writing her thoughts all over the walls and ceiling, he seems surprised and amused.  His reaction is a far cry from the arrogant playboy attitude Elyse’s cousin has led her to expect.  Elyse finds him to be even more interesting when she witnesses his reaction to a bet that the mayor publicly makes with Christian’s father.   A bet that pits Christian against his best friend in the annual Pirate Regatta.   A bet that puts the livelihood of many locals at stake.

Elyse is no stranger around sailboats.  Her role and jobs at her family’s resort in Tobago makes her a bit of an expert.  But since losing her voice in an accident at sea, she hasn’t been in the water let alone on a boat.  With a bit of prodding from her Aunt and cousin, Kirby, Elyse agrees to help Christian make his boat seaworthy and be his first mate in the competition.  Despite her fears. 

With the help of Kirby, Christian and their friend Vanessa, Elyse begins to actually live and make connections and a life at Atargatis Cove.   As she begins to come back to life, she is forced to face the loss of her voice which meant the loss of the thing she loved most – singing.  And she slowly learns to forgive her twin sister.  The sister that shares her soul.  The sister that is responsible for Elyse’s loss.

This is a beautiful and complex story.  The way Sarah Ockler weaves Elyse’s journey with the legend of the mermaid, Atargatis is smart and frightening.   Frightening because it made me question Elyse’s connection with reality at times.   Smart because it was the perfect device to show Elyse’s struggle with her loss, insecurities and fears of the sea.

Even though this story is told in first person I felt connected to all the characters.  Christian’s struggle with his father’s expectation and his parent’s relationship was heartbreaking.  Christian’s little brother, Sebastian, stole my heart from the get go.  His determination to be himself and indulge in his obsession with mermaids put a huge smile on my face.  Christian is his little brother’s biggest fan and more than a few characters rallied around both of them as they struggled with their father’s idea of respectability.  Then there is Aunt Lemmon and Kirby.  The way they both silently hold Elyse up and give her the space to heal was absolutely beautiful.  Let’s not forget Christian’s best friend, Noah, who refuses to let the bet that pits them against each other ruin their friendship.  And then my favorite, Vanessa, a friend of both Kirby and Christian, really holds everyone together with her honesty, determination and willingness to fight for what is right.

As always, Sarah Ockler proves to be an amazing writer.  I love how all her stories are so different from each other yet always focus on a heroine that successfully overcome obstacles in a way that makes her an even better person.   If you are looking for a great contemporary teen read, I can’t recommend this one enough.

Nat

The Summer After You and Me by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

* * * 1/2

Sunbathing, surfing, eating funnel cake on the boardwalk—Lucy loves living on the Jersey Shore. For her, it's not just the perfect summer escape, it is home. And as a local girl, she knows not to get attached to the tourists. They breeze in over Memorial Day weekend, crowding the shore and stealing moonlit kisses, only to pack up their beach umbrellas and empty promises on Labor Day. Lucy wants more from love than a fleeting romance, even if that means keeping her distance from her summertime neighbor and crush, Connor.

Then Superstorm Sandy tears apart her barrier island, briefly bringing together a local girl like herself and a vacationer like Connor. Except nothing is the same in the wake of the storm. And day after day, week after week, Lucy is left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and broken home. Now with Memorial Day approaching and Connor returning, will it be a summer of fresh starts or second chances?

Review:

Right before Superstorm Sandy hit the Jersey Shore, Lucy spent and unexpected day with her long time crush, friend and part time neighbor, Connor.  A day that ends with promises made to stay in touch even after Connor goes back home for the winter/spring.  But Connor never calls and a heartbroken Lucy is forced to move on.  Fast forward to Memorial Day weekend.  Connor is back in town to do some repairs for his dad and Lucy realizes that her feelings for him are still as strong as they were last fall.  The catch is that Lucy is now dating one of her best friends, Andrew. 

As the school year comes to a close, Lucy and Andrew’s relationship crumbles and her relationships with her girlfriends and twin brother crumble along with it.  Lucy is left alone to mend her heart that has been broken by three boys (that includes her brother).  As the summer begins, she moves forward learning to live with the loss of her long time group of friends, forge new friendships and find new opportunities.

I was having a hard time deciding how to share what I loved and didn’t love about this book.

Let me begin with the things I LOVED…   

The opening of each chapter - Each chapter begins with a piece from Lucy’s junior thesis entitled, “What’s Love Got to Do With It? The Dating and Mating Habits of North American Sea Life.”  Each section is a dry humorous look at the way different animals mate and court and in turn highlights how human romance is so difficult for Lucy to understand.

The love triangle that isn’t a love triangle – I find love triangles to be exhausting and overused. But the author’s take on the love triangle is a little different which was not only refreshing but made me love the main character even more.  In my opinion, Lucy showed a level of fidelity that I think would be hard for many teens in her situation.  Going after her long time crush isn’t an option.   Not only because she is dating someone else but she really feels that she and Andrew deserve a chance.  He is one of her best friends, after all.

Lucy’s parents – I am finding more and more parents in YA that are wonderfully supportive.  Lucy’s parents have their own crap going on (financial issues caused by the havoc of Superstorm Sandy) but it doesn’t affect how much they love their children and how available they are to each of them.

Connor – He’s a pretty loveable guy.  And even reading from a first person POV (Lucy’s perspective) it’s obvious how much he REALLY likes her.

There are only two things that I didn’t love about this story…

Connor – Say what?  I know, I know.  I just said I loved him.  But here’s the thing.  Connor has a bit of a reputation with the ladies.  Not necessarily a love ‘em and leave ‘em reputation but he definitely has been known to go through girls like the summer tourist probably go through beach towels.  So even though I got the very distinct impression that he LOVED Lucy, I was also wary because he had yet to prove himself to be the kind of guy that can stick it out long term.

Lucy’s BROTHER and ALL OF HER FRIENDS – I will freely admit that this is personal for me.  I’ve been the girl whose long term friends permanently ditched her over something stupid. 23 years later (I feel so old after writing that) and it still boggles my mind that even teenagers can be so petty and cruel.  So when Lucy (slightly SPOILER-y here) ditches prom after Andrew and her brother seriously mess up I was on her side.  When she asked Connor to pick her up after leaving prom, I thought she used poor judgment but she still didn’t do anything wrong.  When Andrew tells everyone she cheated on him (she didn’t) I wanted to kick him in the nuts.  When her friend, Kiki, bitched and whined about Lucy ruining HER prom, demanded an explanation and then gave Lucy all of three seconds to explain (in other words, NO time to explain) before walking away with a big figurative screw you in Lucy’s direction, I wanted to pull her hair.  And, saving the worst for last, when Lucy finds out her brother is the one that intercepted Connor’s calls all those months ago and lied about her relationship status so Connor wouldn’t call back, I wanted to bash his face in.  This group of friends made me feel all sorts of violent.  I haven’t been that angry in a really long time.  The one saving grace was Lucy’s friend, Meghan.  Even though she pretty much ditches Lucy for the rest of the group, she also extends multiple sincere olive branches to get together to talk.  Yes, Lucy needs to learn to communicate (which is something she learns throughout the story) but their reaction to her supposed wrongdoing was upsetting to say the least.

And now that I’ve got all of that off my chest (like I said, it’s personal).  I have to say this was a very good book.  Even with all my anger at the friends and brother, the story ended up having a very satisfactory ending that left me breathing out a big sigh of relief.  Sourcebooks has been offering up some truly amazing contemporary YA authors.  Jennifer Salvato Doktorski is no exception.  If an author can make me feel so strongly about something and also make me happy at the end, it’s a guarantee that I will be adding their other books to the TBR list. 

Nat

Some Kind of Normal by Juliana Stone

* * * *

What is Normal?

For Trevor normal was fast guitar licks, catching game-winning passes and partying all night. Until a car accident leaves Trevor with no band, no teammates and no chance of graduating. It's kinda hard to ace your finals when you've been in a coma. The last thing he needs is stuck-up Everly Jenkins as his new tutor—those beautiful blue eyes catching every last flaw.

For Everly normal was a perfect family around the dinner table, playing piano at Sunday service and sunning by the pool. Until she discovers her whole life is a lie. Now the perfect pastor's daughter is hiding a life-changing secret, one that is slowly tearing her family apart. And spending the summer with notorious flirt Trevor Lewis means her darkest secret could be exposed.

 Review:

It’s been a long fight but Trevor Lewis is out of the hospital, done with therapy and looking forward to moving to New York to pursue his dreams of being a musician.  The thing holding him back?  The last final before graduating high school.  Fortunately his guidance counselor has hooked him up with a tutor for the summer so he can study and complete the government test before the fall. Unfortunately, the tutor assigned to him is none other than Everly Jenkins, the pastor’s daughter.   

Everly Jenkins is counting the days since she found out her dad was cheating on her mom.  HER dad.  The Pastor.  Cheating on her mom.  What does a teenage girl even do with that information?  Everly has been trying to figure out the answer to that question for 382 days.  She still doesn’t have an answer.  But she does see how her parents’ relationship is deteriorating.  Tutoring Trevor Lewis isn’t necessarily her first choice for killing time but if it means avoiding the tension at home, she’ll take it.

Trevor and Everly are two people that have always noticed each other from afar but lived such completely different lives that their paths should have never crossed.  But now that they are spending a lot of time together they quickly learn how much the other has changed.  Everly, the girl that once gave a speech on the Perils of Delinquency (absolutely directed at Trevor and his friends), doesn’t look at the world with a black and white lens anymore.  Oh, she’s still straight as an arrow but she’s not nearly as ready to judge the choices other people make.  And Trevor, the guy that used to live life on the edge?  Well, on the outside, he’s still that guy.  On the inside?  He’s afraid.  The traumatic brain injury that put him in a coma is always looming.  Just because he’s awake doesn’t mean that it’s completely healed or that it ever will be.  And the fact that his memories are sometimes hazy, and that his ability to process information is often hindered (he loses words and can barely make music the way he used to) has made him frustrated and angry.

Together they slowly form a relationship while fighting their individual battles.  Trevor with his inescapable diagnosis and Everly with her family that is quickly falling apart.  When both of their issues come crashing down on them on the same night, they will have to find ways to deal with the new realities of their lives while still finding a place for each other.

I was very curious about this story.  I enjoyed the first book in the series, Boys Like You.  It was very uncomfortable (guilt always is) but it was also very, very good.  And, of course, I wanted to know what happened with Trevor.  He is both a likely and an unlikely hero.  He’s broken in some ways that will never be fixed and I loved that Juliana Stone portrayed him in a way that left the reader no doubt that those broken parts were NOT the only thing that defined him.  He’s a complicated teen hero which I greatly appreciated.

And I can say the same thing about Everly.  She’s a girl that has always been secure in her faith.  Now, not only has that faith been put into question but the person responsible for raising her and instilling the faith is the one that has given her doubts.   Her struggle to understand how the father she loved so much could tear her family apart is heartbreaking and real.  I wanted to reach in and just give her a hug.

Trevor and Everyl’s story is so much more than the bad boy and the good girl.  It’s about change and acceptance and learning what things are worth fighting for.  Juliana Stone has yet again gifted us with a wonderful contemporary YA romance.  I can’t wait for her next one.

Nat

The Truth About Us by Janet Gurtler - Excerpt, Review and GIVEAWAY!

The Truth About Us

By Janet Gurtler

Sourcebooks Fire

April, 7 2015

Praise for Janet Gurtler

                                “Just right for fans of Sarah Dessen and Jodi Picoult.” –Booklist

                                 “Powerful…a gripping read.” VOYA

Book Info:

Flynn’s from the wrong side of the tracks, but he may be just right for Jess…

The truth is that Jess knows she’s screwed up. She’s made mistakes, even betrayed her best friend, and now she’s paying for it. Her dad is making her spend the whole summer volunteering at the local soup kitchen.

The truth is that she wishes she was the carefree party girl everyone thinks she is. She pretends it’s all fine. That her “perfect” family is fine. But it’s not. And no one notices the lie…until she meets Flynn. He’s the only one who really sees her. The only one who really listens.

The truth is that Jess is falling apart, and no one seems to care. But Flynn is the definition of “the wrong side of the tracks.” When Jess’s parents look at him, they only see their differences, not how much she and Flynn need each other. They don’t get that the person who shouldn’t fit into your world might just be the one who makes you feel like you belong.

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JANET GURTLER:

RITA Award finalist Janet Gurtler’s young adult books have been chosen for the Junior Library Guild Selection and as Best Books For Teens from the Canadian Children’s Book Center. She has had her writing compared to Judy Blume and Jodi Picoult and that makes her happy. She has volunteered at a few soup kitchens and hopes to do more. Giving back is so important. Janet lives in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada, with her husband, son, and a chubby black Chihuahua named Bruce.

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Excerpt:

The greenhouse is sort of shaped like an old barn. It’s opaque with plastic and steel siding. The door is open, and I follow Wilf inside and pause and then breathe it in. The smell nourishes me. Moist air fills my lungs. I’ve forgotten how much the scents of greenery soothe me. It reminds me of different times. Simpler times.

“Nice,” I tell him, looking around at rows of plants on tabletops and plants stacked on the floor. I realize I’ve missed the satisfaction of nurturing plants.

There’s a man on a ladder in the middle of the greenhouse, fixing a shelf, with his back to us. A little boy stands at the bottom of the ladder, watching. Wilf walks over and pats his head and kneels down to his level. “How are ya, big guy?”

The little boy stands taller and giggles and holds out his hand. He’s got it wrapped tightly around a plastic blue train.

The man on the ladder turns and looks down at me. My heart stops.

It’s not a man at all. It’s him.

Flynn.

My face burns.

“What are you doing here?” he asks.

Wilf frowns and then looks at me. “What’s up with you kids these days? In my time, we treated nice--looking young ladies with respect,” he says to Flynn gruffly. “Flynn, this is Jess. She volunteers here.”

I say a silent thank--you to him for calling me nice--looking and glance back at Flynn.

“Since when?” he asks.

“Since now. How about, ‘hello, nice to meet you’?” Wilf says to prompt both of us. “Is that so hard?”

“We’ve already met,” Flynn says.

My cheeks stay on fire as he climbs down the ladder.

“The shelf is fixed,” he says to Wilf. “Slumming?” he adds to me as he jumps to the floor. He folds up the ladder and then leans it against a counter lined with plants.

The little boy stares back and forth.

I try to think of something light and witty to save the moment, but my mind is blank. Instead, I panic. “What’d you do to get stuck working at this place?” I say, channeling my inner Nance.

“What’d I do?” He stares at me and then his lips turn up. “I didn’t have the right daddy, I guess. I’m here to have lunch. With my little brother. I’m not a volunteer.”

My stomach drops. Fail. Epic fail.


Review:

If you see things through Flynn’s not so rosy perspective, Jess has everything a person could want and need.  On top of the basics (food and shelter), she also lives in a safe and wealthy neighborhood, wears expensive clothes, drives a very nice car that her dad pays for, attends the nicest school….you get the picture.  What Flynn doesn’t see is that although Jess has all these material things she is spiraling from the loss of pretty much everyone important in her life.  Her mom has been dealing with severe depression and rarely leaves her room and never the house.  Her sister has secretly moved in with her boyfriend and his family to avoid the dysfunction at home.  And her dad is barely hanging in there emotionally while trying to manage his career, two teenage daughters, and a wife that can’t get a grip on day-to-day life.

I was very impressed with the development of Jess’ character.  The change in her is gradual and realistic. I really appreciated that she didn’t go from one extreme to another.  Even as she learns to be more understanding there is still an underlying discomfort that she is completely honest about.   I also greatly enjoyed Jess’ relationship with Wilf, the elderly volunteer that cared for the greenhouse.  Their relationship was feisty and highly amusing. 

But Flynn isn’t the only one being judgmental.  Having so much privilege has made Jess ignorant of poverty and how complicated it truly is.  When Jess screws up bad enough that her dad makes her volunteer at the local soup kitchen, she is forced to compare the luxuries she has to the basic needs that others don’t.  And as she becomes friends with the volunteers and the people that use the services the kitchen provides (Flynn and his little brother included) she starts to see how complicated life is for everyone and how, for many, it’s not as simple as getting a job and making more money.

I was hot and cold on Flynn.  And I think I was supposed to be.  Not that long ago he was growing up in a solid middle-class home but, thanks to his step-father spending all his mom’s savings and taking off, they are barely making it.  Like Jess, Flynn has a bit of a chip on his shoulder.  He and his little brother have lunch at the soup kitchen so that his mom has one less meal to worry about buying as she desperately tries to get them all back on their feet.   You can see how proud Flynn can be when he insists on doing odd jobs around the kitchen as a sort of payment for the charity he utilizes.  But Flynn has a much harder time fighting the unfair class division between him and Jess and it will take a lot of convincing on Jess’ part to fight for a growing relationship that neither of them expected.

This was one of those contemporary YA stories that will, emotionally, hit close to home for a lot of people.   It is a great look at how complicated life can be and how privilege doesn’t necessarily promise happiness and poverty doesn’t preclude family and love.    

Nat

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