The Last of August by Brittany Cavallaro

****1/2

From the Publisher:

In the second brilliant, action-packed book in the Charlotte Holmes trilogy, Jamie Watson and Charlotte Holmes are in a chase across Europe to untangle a web of shocking truths about the Holmes and Moriarty families.

Jamie and Charlotte are looking for a winter break reprieve in Sussex after a fall semester that almost got them killed. But nothing about their time off is proving simple, including Holmes and Watson’s growing feelings for each other. When Charlotte’s beloved Uncle Leander goes missing from the Holmes estate—after being oddly private about his latest assignment in a German art forgery ring—the game is afoot once again, and Charlotte throws herself into a search for answers.

So begins a dangerous race through the gritty underground scene in Berlin and glittering art houses in Prague, where Holmes and Watson discover that this complicated case might change everything they know about their families, themselves, and each other.

Source:  Electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson are the ancestors of the Sherlock Holmes and James Watson.  Holmes and Watson were thrown together in A Study in Charlotte when they were suspects in a fellow student's murder.  The story continues in The Last of August.  I'd love to tell you that this is a standalone, but the truth is, if you haven't read A Study in Charlotte you are going to miss a lot in August.  

When Holmes' Uncle Leander goes missing, she insists he's become the latest casualty in the family's war with the Moriarty family.   When Mrs. Holmes is poisoned, Holmes and Watson are sent to Holmes' brother Milo.  They decide to use Milo's resources to find Leander, including Holmes' first love, August Moriarty.  

There is a lot going on in The Last of August and I've struggled with this review because I want to convey how gloriously awesome this book is without giving away a single thing, because you really need to enjoy each twist as it happens in the book.  I've read a lot of mysteries and this ranks as one of the best.  Cavallaro experts weaves the threads of this complex mystery together to a stunning conclusion.  I guess the only thing I can say is go read this series now.  Right now!  

~ Shel

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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Promposal by Rhonda Helms

***

promposal (n.)--an often public proposal, in which one person asks another to the prom, eliciting joy or mortification.

Camilla can't help hoping her secret crush, Benjamin, might randomly surprise her out of the blue with a promposal. However, when she's asked to prom by an irritating casual acquaintance--wearing a fancy tux and standing in front of a news crew--she's forced to say yes. Yet all hope's not lost. A timely school project gives Camilla a chance to get closer to Benjamin...and it seems like the chemistry between them is crackling. But is she reading into something that isn't there?

Joshua, Camilla's bestie, has been secretly in love with his gay best friend, Ethan, since middle school. Just as he decides to bite the bullet and ask Ethan if he'll go to prom with him, even if just as friends, he gets a shocking surprise: Ethan asks Joshua for help crafting the perfect promposal--for another guy. Now Joshua has to suppress his love and try to fake enthusiasm as he watches his dreams fall apart...unless he can make Ethan see that love has been right in front of his eyes the whole time.

The road to the perfect promposal isn't easy to navigate. But one thing's certain--prom season is going to be memorable. 

Review:

Promposal is a cute story about two best friends, Camilla and Joshua, hoping against all odds that they will be able to attend prom with the long time objects of their affections.   Camilla is blindsided by an over the top promposal from a classmate she barely knows.  There are roses, music and even a news crew.  How is a girl supposed to answer in the negative when the whole world is watching – including the proposer with such a hopeful look on his face?  I really felt for Camilla.  Although her experience is over the top, I think many of us can relate to being in awkward positions that leave us feeling frustrated and powerless. 

During the weeks before prom, Camilla becomes closer to her crush, Benjamin, thanks to a group project in psychology class.   But since she’s already going to prom with her unwanted promposer (I totally just made that up – I think), Benjamin is only willing to take their growing relationship so far.  In the end Camilla needs to decide what the smartest AND kindest course of action is.  She also has to learn to communicate (not her strong suit in this situation) with both her prom date and her crush.  There are plenty of awkward stumbles along the way as Camilla learns to accept that her prom experience won’t be EXACTLY what she expected.

Camilla’s best friend, Joshua, has had a crush on his other BFF, Ethan, for as long as he can remember.  Their such good friends that Joshua is afraid of admitting his feelings and ruining one of the two best friendships he has.   When Ethan asks him to help plan a promposal for another guy in their class, Joshua is heartbroken.  But since they are friends he’ll do it.  Just as in Camilla’s situation, Joshua has to learn not only how to communicate with Ethan but also decide if the possible fall out of confessing his feelings is worth the risk.

As I stated before, I think most people can identify with these two teens and the awkward scenarios they are trying to struggle through.   The story is told in the first person POV and chapters alternate between Camilla and Joshua.  The style worked well in this book since the two of them were such close friends and they could believably tell parts of each other’s stories.  As a reader the only thing I really missed was Benjamin and Ethan’s POV.  I was very curious as to what their thought processes were and why they made the decisions they did.

Promposal ended up being a perfect afternoon read that let me escape for a little while.  I definitely recommend it if you are looking for the same thing.

Nat

Through to You* by Lauren Barnholdt

* * * 1/2

Opposites attract—and then complicate—in this romantic, relatable novel from the author of Two-way Street and Sometimes It Happens.

It starts with a scribbled note in class: I like your sparkle. Harper had casually threaded a piece of blue and silver tinsel through her ponytail in honor of school spirit day. And that carefree, corny gesture is what grabs Penn Mattingly’s eye. Penn—resident heartbreaker of the senior class. Reliably unreliable. Trouble with a capital “T.” And okay, smolderingly sexy.

Harper’s surprised by Penn’s attention—and so is Penn. The last thing he needs is a girlfriend. Or even a friend-with-benefits. The note is not supposed to lead to anything.

Oh, but it does. They hang out. They have fun. They talk. They make out. And after a while, it seems like they just click. But Penn and Harper have very different ideas about what relationships look like, in no small part because of their very different family backgrounds. Of course they could talk about these differences—if Penn knew how to talk about feelings.

Harper and Penn understand their attraction is illogical, yet something keeps pulling them together. It’s like a crazy roller coaster—exhilarating, terrifying, and amazing all at once. And neither knows how to stop the ride…



Review:


I was sold on reading this book when I read, “I like your sparkle.”  A pick up line like that is right up my alley.  But as cute as that line might seem in the blurb, the reality is even more interesting.  Because Penn has never once looked at Harper and thought, “Hey, she’s cute.  I should ask her out.”  In fact, he’s never really looked at her at all.  But for some reason, on that particular day, Harper’s grudging show of school spirit catches Penn’s eye.  And before he allows himself to really think about it, he finds himself dropping a note on her desk.  Even after giving it to her, he has no intention on furthering their communication.  But Penn finds out quickly that he has a bit of weak spot for one Harper Fairbanks.

Harper is not used to guys paying attention to her.  Especially not hot scruffy former athletes like Penn Mattingly.  She finds herself distrusting the attention while at the same time wondering if it means anything.  History class isn’t even done and Harper finds herself cutting school and going for a drive with Penn.  What follows is a reluctant, intense and often dysfunctional romance.

Thanks to a dysfunctional home life and the loss of the one thing that grounded him (baseball), Penn is a very angry person.  He is an angry teenage boy that refuses to communicate with anyone; including his girlfriend.  Anytime something sets him off, he shuts down and just walks away.  And I mean literally walk away.  In more than one scene Penn walks away and leaves Harper where she is standing.  He becomes so internally lost in his anger that he completely forgets he’s with someone.

Although timid, Harper is a strong character that knows her own worth and is only willing to put up with so much.  She tends to overanalyze and insists on talking through everything.  A trait that, although annoying, could be quite beneficial to someone like Penn.  His continuous refusal to communicate with her or anyone else will likely be the thing that kills their relationship.  But the fact that they even have a relationship might also be the one thing that can save Penn.

This is not a gradual love story where the hero and heroine flirt back and forth until it ends in a beautiful happy ever after.  This is a love story with a lot of give and take.  An on again, off again relationship that will have you turning page after page in hopes of finding that these two people can finally make it all work.


Nat

*Through to You releases on July 8, 2014. Thank you to Edelweiss and Simon Pulse for the opportunity to review this title.

Out of Play by Nyrae Dawn and Jolene Perry

* * * 1/2

Rock star drummer Bishop Riley doesn't have a drug problem. Celebrities—especially ones suffering from anxiety—just need a little help taking the edge off sometimes. After downing a few too many pills, Bishop wakes up in the hospital facing an intervention. If he wants to stay in the band, he’ll have to detox while under house arrest in Seldon, Alaska.　

Hockey player Penny Jones can't imagine a life outside of Seldon. Though she has tons of scholarship offers to all the best schools, the last thing she wants is to leave. Who'll take care of her absentminded gramps? Not her mother, who can’t even be bothered to come home from work, let alone deal with their new tenants next door. 

Penny’s not interested in dealing with Bishop’s crappy attitude, and Bishop’s too busy sneaking pills to care. Until he starts hanging out with Gramps and begins to see what he’s been missing. If Bishop wants a chance with the fiery girl next door, he’ll have to admit he has a problem and kick it. Too bad addiction is hard to kick…and Bishop’s about to run out of time.



Review:

The story starts out with a very anxious Bishop Riley (think Adam Wilde from Where She Went – that kind of extreme anxiousness) returning home after a concert only to be met by an on again/off again girlfriend and a party that he never planned.  He bypasses the party and heads for his bedroom where the lovely girlfriend hands him some booze and a bottle of pills.  Bishop loses all sense of reality and proceeds to down the bottle of pills like candy.  Next thing he knows, he is in the hospital and his band manager is making plans for him to detox in Alaska.  

Penny is am accomplished hockey player with college offers pouring in from all over the country.  The problem is that she doesn’t want to leave home.  She wants to go to school in Alaska where she can keep an eye on her mentally ailing grandfather and where she can play hockey on the men’s team.

It is not instant chemistry when Bishop and Penny meet.  Sure, they are attracted to one another but Bishop acts like a bit of a jerk and Penny isn’t one to put up with his crap.  Through alternating views we see first hand Bishop’s struggle to realize he truly does have a problem while also witnessing Penny’s attempt to juggle her grandfather’s deteriorating health, training for state championships and a transfer of affections that she never anticipated.

We always learn things about ourselves when we read books.  While reading Out of Play, I learned that I have a real aversion to stories about addiction.  Too much of that has touched people that are close to me so reading about it makes me a little nauseous.  But nausea or not I can’t deny that that this was a very good story.   Bishop’s actions as an addict were spot on.  I particularly appreciated how we are shown his continuous denials that he has a problem and how after admitting he has a problem it isn’t all puppies and rainbows.   It was very realistic in that aspect.  I also loved Penny’s character.  She’s tough.  Emotionally and physically.  Not to say she can’t be hurt.  She can and she does.  But she shoulders a lot of crap in this story and continues to be the spunky “Lucky Penny” that her family and friends love so much.

When Bishop and Penny do finally come together it is both sexy and bittersweet.  Sexy because – well – come one!?!  Hot drummer and gorgeous hockey player?  What isn’t sexy about that?  But it’s bittersweet because even as these two are admitting their feelings for each other, Bishop is still keeping his secrets about who he is and why he is in Alaska.  What happens when the s*#$ hits the fan?  Well I can’t tell you that because I want you to go out and grab this book and find out for yourself.  Even though I had some personal issues with the subject matter, I still enjoyed it immensely and believe you will too.


Nat

Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally

* * * 1/2

Red-hot author Miranda Kenneally hits one out of the park in this return to Catching Jordan's Hundred Oaks High.

Parker Shelton pretty much has the perfect life. She’s on her way to becoming valedictorian at Hundred Oaks High, she’s made the all-star softball team, and she has plenty of friends. Then her mother’s scandal rocks their small town and suddenly no one will talk to her.

Now Parker wants a new life.

So she quits softball. Drops twenty pounds. And she figures why kiss one guy when she can kiss three? Or four. Why limit herself to high school boys when the majorly cute new baseball coach seems especially flirty?

But how far is too far before she loses herself completely? (GoodReads)

 

I absolutely adored Catching Jordan.  The characters and romance were adorable and perfectly imperfect.  When I heard that Stealing Parker would be the companion novel, I was very excited.  How could I not love a baseball romance?  My favorite sport partnered with some romance?  Win/Win!

Much like Catching Jordan, our heroine, Parker, immediately captured my attention with her realistic teen voice and her significant insecurities.  Noticed I said significant?  Parker’s mom has left, her brother is on a downward spiral and her dad is in complete denial that any help is needed other than prayer and church.  Add that to Parker’s focused attempts to prove she is not like her mom and you find that Parker has a lot to be worried about.   

Although this book has romance, it is more about Parker overcoming her own issues rather than finding a boyfriend.  It took a while before I even knew who her love interest was.  Kenneally handles this story with care and realism.  Not everything is happily ever after and everybody’s future is most definitely not wrapped up with a bright and pretty bow.   Not to say that there aren’t a few “Aww” moments in this book.  There certainly are. 

This story was definitely a bit dark but it was still an enjoyable read.  I would definitely recommend it if you enjoyed Miranda Kenneally’s first novel, Catching Jordan.

  

Nat

Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill

* * * 1/2

 

Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question.

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.

 

Meant to Be came at a perfect time.  I had just finished a dark (albeit wonderful) story and my past few romance reads have been a bit angsty.  And although I do love me some angst, sometimes I just want a love story that will keep me happy and smiling.  Not sad and crying.  Meant to Be delivered exactly what I needed.  

Julia is the kind of girl that has a plan.  And any deviation from it throws her completely off balance.  She is more than a little OCD in pretty much all aspects of her life.  Then there is Jason.  He is the complete opposite.  He is the king of spontaneity and fun.  And he never plans anything other than making sure he has a spare piece of grape gum in his pocket.   

When Julia and Jason are paired up during a 9 day field trip to London, Julia’s world is turned upside down.  Day 1 finds Julia breaking the rules as her “buddy”, Jason, drags her to a party full of strangers.  Day 2 she is receiving texts from a boy she met at the party but doesn’t remember.  And since she has always had her sights set on her one and only Meant to Be (MTB), Mark, she has no idea what to do about the new boy.  Jason takes pity on her and decides to help her flirt and possibly hook up with her secret admirer.   

Almost from the get go, you know that there is some sort of mix up or intrigue going on.  I personally didn’t figure it out right away which was fun as I kept trying to guess why these two kids were misinterpreting each other’s feelings.  In the end, the mix up and resolution are worthy of some of my favorite romantic comedies – The Shop Around the Corner, French Kiss and 10 Things I Hate About You to name a few. 

What I loved most about this story (other than the romance, of course) is that Lauren Morrill has the teen voice down pat.  Much like Susane Colasanti, Morrill manages to express the everyday thought process and actions of a high school student in a way in which we can all identify, whether we are 16 now or were twenty years ago.  Seriously, reading this was like being in the head of my 15/16 year old self all over again - all those insecurities all the while thinking you owned the world. 

Meant to Be is a fun read and I highly recommend it if you are looking for something light and happy to brighten your day.    

Nat

Andy Squared by Jennifer Lavoie

* * * 1/2

Seventeen-year-old twins, Andrew and Andrea Morris, have always been close. They share everything—from their friends to a room—and they both enjoy star positions on their high school’s soccer teams. All’s right with the twins...or is it?

When new student Ryder Coltrane moves from Texas to their small New York town, he spins Andrew’s world upside down. All of Andrew’s past relationship troubles begin to make sense and his true feelings start to click into place after Ryder comes out to him. His friendship with Ryder turns secretively romantic, but secrets, they soon find out, are hard to keep. Once rumors start to fly, so-called friends turn on them, and the boys’ relationship turns into a bomb about to explode. But Andrew never expected it would be his own twin, Andrea, holding a lighter to ignite it.

  

 

Review:

Andy has a reputation for dating girls and then quickly breaking up with them.  He keeps up the cycle because his classmates expect it from him.  But he is feeling unsatisfied and he has no idea why.  Enter new student Ryder Coltrane.  Andy is physically attracted to Ryder the first moment he sees him.  But he doesn’t recognize the physical attraction for what it is and chooses to write it off as nothing important.  Andy and Ryder quickly become inseparable and before long Ryder is coming out to Andy.  The conversation leads to Andy’s first kiss with a guy and the story takes off.  We see two boys struggle with being in the closet, being outed without their permission and the aftermath they have to deal with in regards to friends, family and classmates. 

 

This was a good story.  The subject matter was delivered with care without pulling any punches.  It was also fast paced.  I finished this one quickly which is always a good sign as it means I didn’t want to put it down.  The only complaint I have is that the writing seemed a bit…distant.  The story is told in the 3^rd person.  And although it was told from Andy’s POV, I got the impression that I was hearing the story from an outsider looking in and not really from Andy at all.  I think this maybe would have been different had it been written in first person but it is hard to say.  In the end that doesn’t outweigh the positives of this book.  This is a story that I will recommend to anyone at almost any age that is looking for a introduction to the m/m sub-genre.   

 

Thank you Jennifer Lavoie and Bold Strokes Books for yet another great title. 

 

Nat