People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

* * * * *

Two best friends. Ten summer trips. One last chance to fall in love.

Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart—she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown—but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together.

Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since.

Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together—lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees.

Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?

From the New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read, a sparkling new novel that will leave you with the warm, hazy afterglow usually reserved for the best vacations. 

Source: NetGalley; ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Poppy and Alex first met at college where her more in-you-face approach was a contrast to Alex's low key vibe. They didn't think they'd ever see each other again after that one meeting but when it turned out that they were both from the same town and that Poppy could catch a ride home with him over the holidays well, that changed things. From there sprouted a friendship that balanced the other person. As adults, they lead separate and different lives. She's in New York working for a travel blog and gets to travel all over the country and the globe, experiencing all the perks that go along with such a job. Alex is a high school teacher back in their hometown and has a steady girlfriend. Over the years, even though they live far apart, they've always committed to travelling on vacation together. It started off with small budget holidays and went from there. However, at the beginning of the novel, there's a schism between the two once close friends that's lasted for a few years. When an assignment gets handed to Poppy she uses it as an opportunity to reach out to Alex with the sincere hope of repairing the rift between them.

The story is compellingly told through two timelines - past and present - both from Poppy's perspective. The difference in the ease between the friends before and after is so painfully clear. Poppy is so eager to bring back the nostalgia and closeness they once had that she goes out of her way to be accommodating and even a little not herself on their present vacation together, the first in years. Alex is harder to read, operating in a more standoffish way only letting his guard down occasionally. It's almost unbearable to watch how much she wants this to work and get past their problem without actually addressing the problem. But things obviously do come to a head and what results is unexpected and more than what Poppy bargained for.

I absolutely enjoyed the set up, the story being told through two timelines and how it developed. Poppy is kind of a reckless character but she's so irresistibly charming. As we get to know her and Alex, you get the feeling that her recklessness is fueled by this desire to not be caught standing still. Growing up she felt like an oddball that didn't quite belong. Nothing awful happened to her but and there's something about being in the same place that makes her feel closed in, hence the love of travelling. And despite their different personalities, Alex just gets her. He's her person and she his. They just have to be brave enough to face whatever came between them.

I realized as I read this that I love stories about the changing nature of friendships - how they begin, grow, change, fall apart, are built back together. I love exploring the fragility and resilience of the people involved. Much like her debut Beach Read, Emily Henry has written a deeply engaging story that I could sink my teeth into. I genuinely cared about the outcome and Poppy's own enlightenment through the process. It's a thrill when a story flips it around on the MC because I can very much connect with that sensation when something dawns on you for the very first time and you wonder why on earth it didn't occur to you sooner. It could've spared you a lot of heartache and trouble. Poppy went in to this wanting desperately to salvage a friendship that means the world to her and came out of it salvaging herself. I'm taken with Emily Henry's way of storytelling and I definitely recommend this read!

~ Bel

Just Last Night by Mhairi McFarlane

* * * * *

Eve, Justin, Susie, and Ed have been friends since they were teenagers. Now in their thirties, the four are as close as ever, Thursday night bar trivia is sacred, and Eve is still secretly in love with Ed. Maybe she should have moved on by now, but she can’t stop thinking about what could have been. And she knows Ed still thinks about it, too.

But then, in an instant, their lives are changed forever.

In the aftermath, Eve’s world is upended. As stunning secrets are revealed, she begins to wonder if she really knew her friends as well as she thought. And when someone from the past comes back into her life, Eve’s future veers in a surprising new direction...

They say every love story starts with a single moment. What if it was just last night?

Source: NetGalley; ARC generously provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Having read a couple of Mhairi McFarlane books already and liking them I expected to have the same reaction to Just Last Night. I did not expect how much I would be bowled over by it, though! I was engaged from the first page, the first sentence, even and after that I was reluctant to put it down, especially when I got into a perfect reading groove. 

Eve has a close-knit friend group. Eve, Susie, Ed and Justin are a foursome that go way back to their school days. Overnight, the foursome is dealt a horrific loss and everything turns upside down from there. In the aftermath, Eve accidentally comes across a secret that shatters her and her trust in her friends. Add to that, the Susie's long-absent brother reappears at this time of tragedy. His disconcerting presence brings new problems and only makes her wonder who exactly is trustworthy anymore. In all this anguish that's consuming her, Eve questions everything that she had taken at face value up until recently, including her friendship with her best friend, Susie, and the betrayal that's blindsided her.

I liked how the direction of the story kept changing ever so slightly so I din't know where exactly it was headed. Not only did it bring surprises but it added dimension to the characters. I'm thinking specifically of Eve, Finlay and Susie as Eve's relationship with each of them got curiously complicated. It became so intriguing how much more there was to their history, and Eve's own dawning realization that everything she knows is really one-sided. I was tempted to bring out the popcorn and anticipate the fireworks. It wasn't pretty when all the secrets were eventually forced out to the open but there's Eve, facing them head on. I also liked Finlay's humored responses to whatever Eve threw out. Even if they butted heads at first, there's something inherent that they perceive about each other. What's most striking for me is how impeccably McFarlane describes loss, misery and the loneliness of being on the outside during an emotionally turbulent time in Eve's life. I just felt that she got those feelings so right and they provoked immediate and strong reactions of me.  I especially got that way during conversations between Eve and Finlay. I loved their repartee which was both amusing and insightful. Eve's banter with her friends were also fun and I am always about the banter. Another thing that impressed me was Eve's growing self-awareness. The advantage of Finlay being an outsider means that he sees things from a different angle and guides Eve to recognize her patterns and choices. It's touching how in the short amount of time they're forced to spend together, Finlay and Eve are able to draw each other out of these confined spaces they'd built for themselves, or even allowed for others to define them by those spaces. 

Just Last Night showcases McFarlane 's brilliance at writing about deeply emotional life events, bringing  perceptivity and levity while also respecting the characters' sorrow.  All the messy complicated feelings felt authentic and I was glued to every page of it. (I should add here that there are some disturbing elements/trauma to the story for which I've listed content/trigger warnings below.) I also greatly appreciated the various pop culture references and songs she threw in which aside from being entertaining for me, helped to enhance the nostalgic aspect of the story. As for the ending, I loved it! I thought it did justice to all the characters and I was honestly sad when it was over. I don't get to reread books often but Just Last Night will be on that short list. In only three books, McFarlane has become a go-to, comfort read author for me and I will gladly make my way through her catalog.

~ Bel

Content/Trigger Warning:

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sudden death of best friend, infidelity, panic attack (Finlay, on page), dementia (on page, Finlay and Susie's father), physical abuse (memory; Finlay's recalls their dad did to him), gaslighting (their father convinced family that Finlay was the problem)

The Object of Your Affections by Falguni Kothari

* * * * *

Two best friends rewrite the rules of friendship, love and family…and change everything they thought they knew about motherhood

Paris Kahn Fraser has it all—a successful career as an assistant district attorney, a beautiful home in New York City, and a handsome, passionate husband who chose her over having a family of his own. Neal’s dream of fatherhood might have been the only shadow in their otherwise happy life…until Paris’s best friend comes to town.

Naira Dalmia never thought she’d be a widow before thirty. Left reeling in the aftermath of her husband’s death, all she wants is to start over. She trades Mumbai for New York, and rigid family expectations for the open acceptance of her best friend. After all, there isn’t anything she and Paris wouldn’t do for each other.

But when Paris asks Naira to be their surrogate, they’ll learn if their friendship has what it takes to defy society, their families and even their own biology as these two best friends embark on a journey that will change their lives forever.

Wry, daring and utterly absorbing, The Object of Your Affections is an unforgettable story about two women challenging the norms…and the magic that happens when we choose to forge our own path. 

Source: audiobook borrowed from Hoopla


Paris and Naira couldn't be more different from each other and I spent almost the entire time wondering how these two could be friends. Paris is a dominant character with an iron will and one track mind that plows through anything in her way, and that can include people sometimes. She's so hardcore and ambitious you'd think she has a stone heart. The only person who can turn her to mush (sort of) is her husband, Neal. Neal is the only other thing in her life that consumes her besides her career. She's so in love with him that sometimes it feels like it borders on obsession. Naira, on the other hand is softer, more approachable. She's that person who'll put others ahead of herself and never want to impose on anyone even if she's in need of help. Floundering after her husband's death, she returns to New York hoping to reunite with Paris and have some of Paris' no-nonsense attitude give her a kick in the behind to straighten up her life. When Paris broaches the idea of being a surrogate for her and Neal ... suffice it to say it's not what Naira had expected.

The book incites so many feelings. I had the most confusing time with Paris. One moment I admired her strength and the next I'd get so annoyed about her ambivalence towards motherhood. She doesn't want to be a mother, or carry a child but wants to give this to Neal knowing he truly wants children. She sees it as a compromise yet she complained the entire time or would be jealous that it was taking attention away from her. So is it a compromise if it's done begrudgingly? That's what I kept asking myself. Yet as much as she irritated me in those moments I did find her backstory interesting which goes a long way in explaining what made Paris who she is today. And she is protective of the people she loves, including Naira whose backstory is equally interesting but also tragic. She went through her own tumultuous ordeal during the time that she and Paris were estranged. Her husband died amidst speculation about his business dealings and finances and now Naira carries that burden. I was desperate for her to confide in Paris sooner rather than later but though Naira is quieter and more introspective, she refuses to have other people fix her problems. Their friendship is fascinating and confounding. Throw in Neal and it's seriously nuts. He's such a saint about things that half the time I couldn't believe he was real. 

I long to have a serious discussion with someone about this novel, to dissect everything and honestly, laugh and cry over how much it has affected me. Paris is truly one of the most complex characters I've come across and I think that's one of the reasons why this novel is a hit with me because she challenged my views. And the Paris-Neal-Naira triangle tested my concept of a family - what makes a family, how people become a family, how they create a family that works for them. 

By the way, I also have to give a huge shout out to the narrators. Between the excellent writing and the narrating there are certain scenes that are so vivid in my mind, one of them towards the end of the story: a lively and penultimate scene that comes to a screeching halt. I froze in that moment along with the characters and that scene has stuck ever since. Kothari has delivered a profoundly authentic story here. This trio defies tradition and that's what makes The Object of Your Affections a compelling, addictive read. 

~ 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

My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren

* * * 3/4

Millie Morris has always been one of the guys. A UC Santa Barbara professor, she’s a female-serial-killer expert who’s quick with a deflection joke and terrible at getting personal. And she, just like her four best guy friends and fellow professors, is perma-single.

So when a routine university function turns into a black tie gala, Mille and her circle make a pact that they’ll join an online dating service to find plus-ones for the event. There’s only one hitch: after making the pact, Millie and one of the guys, Reid Campbell, secretly spend the sexiest half-night of their lives together, but mutually decide the friendship would be better off strictly platonic.

But online dating isn’t for the faint of heart. While the guys are inundated with quality matches and potential dates, Millie’s first profile attempt garners nothing but dick pics and creepers. Enter “Catherine”—Millie’s fictional profile persona, in whose make-believe shoes she can be more vulnerable than she’s ever been in person. Soon “Catherine” and Reid strike up a digital pen-pal-ship...but Millie can’t resist temptation in real life, either. Soon, Millie will have to face her worst fear—intimacy—or risk losing her best friend, forever. 

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


Christina Lauren (the writing duo of Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings) may have been around awhile but it's only been this year that I finally started reading their books. They bring a fun, sexy edge to their writing that creates many great conversations amongst their characters which is something that gets me.

My Favorite Half-Night Stand features a close-knit group of friends who are university professors, geeky but lovable to their core. They've all had their fair share of relationships and heartbreaks and this group seems to be their salvation. Their sanity. That is until they decide they must all find dates to an important event. They agree to set up online dating profiles to snag a date. Millie is highly skeptical of this in the first place and this is compounded by the fact that she's developed an attraction for one of the guys in this group, Reid. They do the deed one night and instead of all hell breaking loose, things are a wee bit awkward before going back to somewhat normal. Still, Millie hasn't stopped her feelings for Reid. In the meantime, the pursuit of a date through the dating app continues but then takes a twisted turn when Millie, who's dissatisfied with her initial pairing, decides to set up a second profile under her other name, Catherine, and winds up getting paired with Reid. It would be great BUT he doesn't know it's her. Catherine and Reid hit it off and things just get more complicated between them. Millie done messed up.

At first I really liked My Favorite Half-Night Stand. I liked the idea of this tight circle of friends and the fact that even as adults in their thirties they didn't have their shizz quite figured out. The comedic banter and ridiculous mishaps are always a win for me. But after I let the entire story sink in, the questionable stuff that transpires between Millie and Reid stood out. 

Millie tends to be closed off. She's not good with emotions and looks to be not so great with empathy. So while she's close with the guys she hasn't really shown them her real self. The only time she's been able to come close to this is when she's speaking to Reid through her second online profile and sharing details she'd otherwise be unable to talk to him about in person. Now while the things she shares with him are true she's still doing it under the guise of someone else and Reid is falling for this someone else. Ladies and gentleman, Millie has catfished her best friend and sometimes lover. The fact that she feels safer talking about herself as Catherine should ring several bells and perhaps a mega siren in her head. Instead, she goes so far as to justify it because she's telling him the truth in their conversations. And she kind of passes the buck because she's expecting him to figure it out by dropping hints. This sadly eats away at the delightful parts of the story. 

I know I revealed quite a bit in this review but I also suspect that some readers might be sensitive to the catfishing plot. It's an invasion of privacy and trust, for sure, so I circle back to my earlier point about adults not having it together, especially ones who tend to run away from their problems and hide behind a facade of everything is good when they're clearly not. As irritated as I was with Millie's actions, I was, for some inexplicable reason, accepting of her character flaws and waited for her to wake up and grow up. I'm quite sure I wouldn't have been quite as forgiving had there not been a fallout that forced things to come to a head. I still enjoyed the book overall because I wanted the resolution and the forgiveness and the happily ever after, and Christina Lauren delivered on that. 

~ Bel

  

The Impossible Vastness of Us by Samantha Young

* * * * *

I know how to watch my back. I’m the only one that ever has.

India Maxwell hasn’t just moved across the country—she’s plummeted to the bottom rung of the social ladder. It’s taken years to cover the mess of her home life with a veneer of popularity. Now she’s living in one of Boston’s wealthiest neighborhoods with her mom’s fiancé and his daughter, Eloise. Thanks to her soon-to-be stepsister’s clique of friends, including Eloise’s gorgeous, arrogant boyfriend Finn, India feels like the one thing she hoped never to be seen as again: trash.

But India’s not alone in struggling to control the secrets of her past. Eloise and Finn, the school’s golden couple, aren’t all they seem to be. In fact, everyone’s life is infinitely more complex than it first appears. And as India grows closer to Finn and befriends Eloise, threatening the facades that hold them together, what’s left are truths that are brutal, beautiful, and big enough to change them forever… 


The Impossible Vastness of Us is a story about secrets, and how guarding those secrets provides a sense of security and stability. But then someone new comes into the mix and all of a sudden that well-maintained order is no longer there. India has managed to carve out a place for herself at school in California where she is liked, happy and participating in activities. Her single mother - with whom she has a troubled, angsty history - upends everything that India has worked for by moving them across country to Massachusetts because she is engaged to be married. India is spiteful and angry, and it's completely understandable since it all happened so suddenly. Her apprehension is justified when she meets her new soon-to-be sister who is not as welcoming to her. Eloise doesn't seem like she'll be helping her navigate her new school or inviting her into her social circle so she'll have to work her way from the bottom to the top as she's done before. It becomes more complicated when you throw in Eloise's friends and boyfriend, Finn who behave oddly towards India. Finn especially who is more cold than hot with her. She tries to ignore all that to focus instead on making inroads at school, finding ways to participate and generally staying out of the way of her mother's wedding plans. Much to her own chagrin, India can't help but observe and be intrigued by the dynamic between Eloise and her friends, including Finn, feeling there's more to their story. 

I don't read YA as often these days but it was Samantha Young who was a pull for me. Having read her adult series, I wanted something a little different but from a familiar author. The magic in The Impossible Vastness of Us is that the story unfolds in unexpected ways and as it did, I became so attached to the characters. I liked how Young gave enough space and time for them to develop. She never rushed through their moments and it felt like I got to know India, Eloise and Finn a little better each time. They also surprised me by breaking any initial assumptions I had about their personalities proving that no matter what is displayed on the outside, that everyone is going through something on the inside. While there is romance (a bit of a twist there, by the way), it's more about true friendships and those god awful, terrifyingly vulnerable moments when you share the real you with someone because it will change everything. That fear of losing what's most important to them is more amplified in these teenagers' world.

Samantha Young wrote a beautiful, heart-aching story about love, loss, trust and growing up. This is one of the best YA novels I've come across in a while and I should mention that I listened to the audiobook narrated by Brittany Pressley who did a superb job which is a big reason why I loved the story so much. Read it or listen to it - you will love it, too!

~ Bel

They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera

* * * * *

On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They're going to die today. Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they're both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There's an app for that. It's called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure and to live a lifetime in a single day.  


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


Imagine if you knew exactly when you were going to die. How would you react? Would you whip out your bucket list to fulfill every wish possible or would you try to fight the inevitable? Those are the questions Mateo and Rufus suddenly have to answer with when they're unexpectedly faced with their own mortality.

Folks, I was fully prepared for waterworks because it's Adam Silvera and his books tend to make me weepy. I didn't this time but that doesn't mean this book is any less gripping than his others. It's simply that the tone of this book is such that it seems crying is wasting valuable minutes and seconds. Once these two guys receive that dreaded phone call informing them of their fate, it's time to get down to business and settle matters. Matteo and Rufus are two different personalities: where Matteo is deliberate and thoughtful and nervous about rocking the boat, Rufus is somewhat fearless. Not wanting to be alone in their final hours, they find each other on the social app Last Friend, the idea of which is all sorts of creepy by the way, but also no more creepy than DeathCast informing you of your impending death, but I digress. They meet up and after the first couple of hours of that getting to know you awkwardness, they do get on well and even encourage each other to push outside their limits, to make the most of what precious time they have left. 

There are supporting characters who have short chapters within the story who help deliver some context to both Matteo and Rufus' narratives, and also this strange world where DeathCast exists. Truth be told, I was hoping for some explanation as to how that entity came about but that doesn't happen and ultimately, it's not the focus of the story (though I still wonder if they merely predict the course of events or set them in motion by their phone call). The point is how you live the remainder of your life knowing that that's it. In Matteo's case, it could mean he finally becomes the person he's always wanted to be. For Rufus it could mean that he finally addresses his emotions. Even with the sadness surrounding them there are moments of pure joy and that sense of freedom.

They Both Die At The End is a wonder of a book. Silvera is such a creative and out-of-the-box writer, and how he executes his ideas is what blows my mind. He's a genuine storyteller, pulling you in so that you're a part of it not just a mere spectator. Crazy thing is that while I knew the eventual outcome here, I still wasn't ready for the ending. It left me speechless. 

~ Bel

Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall & Interview

* * * *

Norah has agoraphobia and OCD. When groceries are left on the porch, she can’t step out to get them. Struggling to snag the bags with a stick, she meets Luke. He’s sweet and funny, and he just caught her fishing for groceries. Because of course he did.

Norah can’t leave the house, but can she let someone in? As their friendship grows deeper, Norah realizes Luke deserves a normal girl. One who can lie on the front lawn and look up at the stars. One who isn’t so screwed up. 

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

Norah's life has been negatively impacted by agoraphobia and OCD. Her debilitating illness has severely limited her mobility and ability to sustain relationships. Her mind can be easily consumed with endless facts, fears, anxieties or worries eventually spiralling out of control. There are ways for her to avoid some triggers while there are some that she can't help but be drawn to. She hasn't always been this way. Norah was seemingly "normal" until one day she wasn't. Since then, she's been homeschooled and watched her once close friends drop away. From the safe distance of social media she sees life happening and people evolving in the world outside her house, everything her illness has stolen from her. When a new family moves in next door, Norah is thrown off by her new neighbour, Luke. His friendliness is so foreign to her that she can't even begin to process it. Not to mention that she's so out of practice interacting with another real life person who isn't her mother or therapist. 

"How can I expect people to empathize with a sickness they can't see?" Tears sting my eyes.

"You don't expect anything. You talk, you teach."

~ Under Rose-Tainted Skies

ROSE is an authentic and unapologetic look inside mental illness. Author, Louise Gornall who herself suffers from it, courageously shows us the good, the bad and the ugly, and in reading this book I took stock of what I take for granted. Throughout the story, Norah constantly seeks control over her environment yet can't control what happens in her head. Therein lies the rub. Sometimes things make no sense at all such as Norah's need for fresh air yet the inability to step outside without feeling like everything will cave in on her. Patience and know-how are needed to redirect Norah when she starts to spiral. Her mother is a pro at talking her down but it does require finesse. Luke as a potential love interest feels almost too good to be true but he is a hopeful reminder that there are good-hearted and sincere people out there. His presence highlights the difficulties someone like Norah can have when it comes to bringing newcomers or strangers into the fold. He isn't put off by her behaviour though, instead seeking to understand her by letting her dictate the pace. I felt as if Luke represented us readers by asking the questions for us, even stumbling along the way. His perseverance demonstrates that it's worth the time to learn from and empathize with the other person. We need more Lukes in the world! 

It wasn't too far into the book that I abandoned the notion of some dramatic Hollywood-type ending. That would only trivialize the issue. I thought that Norah got the ending befitting her emotional growth. Mental illness is not an easy concept to grasp and I'm so grateful to Gornall for not censoring the truth. UNDER ROSE-TAINTED SKIES offers insight and also hope that good things can happen, too. It should be on everyone's TBR list!

~ Bel

I was so impressed with this story that I wanted to know more about Louise Gornall. I didn't realize until after the fact that she was speaking from personal experience. I thought, "That's it. I have to reach out to her." I am in awe of her honesty and especially thankful to her for sharing her thoughts on the book with us.

There is plenty of talk about the need for diversity in books, and that includes the differences that can’t be seen such as mental illness. How important for you was it to write this story?

Real talk? I want to tell you it was great, but at first, it was the exact opposite. Rose is built on my own experiences with mental illness, and I was embarrassed to share the things that happen inside my head. There were a lot of nightmarish insecurities to overcome before I could really appreciate how important a book like Rose could be.

You’ve mentioned at the end of your book that you inserted quite a bit of yourself into Norah. What did it feel like as you were writing and sharing parts of yourself with your character?

It was uncomfortable, frightening, and at times, soul destroying. There were days when I would spends hours and hours deleting and undoing certain scenes because I was so scared to reveal some the ways my brain worked.

One of the many things that I liked about the book is the support system that surrounds Norah, that being her mother and her doctor. And then there’s Luke who befriends her. Her mother and doctor understand how to work with Norah, whereas Luke is new to it. I liked his patience and desire to get to know her, and I also liked that he made mistakes showing that it’s not always a straight line towards progress. Would you say that’s an apt description of their growing friendship?

Yes! It’s perfect. Luke is a treasure. Real trivia? He’s actually based on a boy I know in real life. The thing I love most about Luke is that he doesn’t want to fix Norah, he wants to understand her and the way she thinks about things.

Let’s lighten things up a little. Can you tell us two truths and one lie about yourself?* 

I once had to have a chunk of my brain removed because it was too big to fit in my skull.

I came first in a key-lime pie eating contest.

I’m an identical twin.

Our final question ties in to our motto: we Bibliojunkies enjoy our books, boys and pie. So….

What’s your favourite childhood book?

Oooh! I like this. So my favourite childhood book was/is The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend.

Your first celebrity crush?

My first celebrity crush was Freddie Prinze, Jr. (I covered my school art folder with his picture.)

And finally, your favourite go-to dessert?

My favourite go-t-o dessert is sticky toffee cheesecake.

Connect with Louise:

Louise Gornall (source: Goodreads Profile)

Website     I     Goodreads     I     Twitter     I     Facebook     

*The second statement is the lie.

The Haters by Jesse Andrews

* * *

From Jesse Andrews, author of the New York Times bestselling Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and screenwriter of the Sundance award–winning motion picture of the same name, comes a groundbreaking young adult novel about music, love, friendship, and freedom as three young musicians follow a quest to escape the law long enough to play the amazing show they hope (but also doubt) they have in them.

Inspired by the years he spent playing bass in a band himself, The Haters is Jesse Andrews’s road trip adventure about a trio of jazz-camp escapees who, against every realistic expectation, become a band.

For Wes and his best friend, Corey, jazz camp turns out to be lame. It’s pretty much all dudes talking in Jazz Voice. But then they jam with Ash, a charismatic girl with an unusual sound, and the three just click. It’s three and a half hours of pure musical magic, and Ash makes a decision: They need to hit the road. Because the road, not summer camp, is where bands get good. Before Wes and Corey know it, they’re in Ash’s SUV heading south, and The Haters Summer of Hate Tour has begun.

In his second novel, Andrews again brings his brilliant and distinctive voice to YA, in the perfect book for music lovers, fans of The Commitments and High Fidelity, or anyone who has ever loved—and hated—a song or a band. This witty, funny coming-of-age novel is contemporary fiction at its best.

You know there’s going to be some spectacular silliness involved when three teenagers who have no clue what they’re doing decide that they should be a band. The crazy part comes when these new bandmates break free from jazz camp to make it on their own. No plans. No phones. No particular destination. Not even a band name. No problem! Yep, this is going to be hilarious!

Wes and Corey have been friends for ages and they get each other. Both are socially awkward trying to fit in and yet not fit in at camp. Then the enigma that is Ash shows up. She literally plays to her own tune and the boys can’t help but be taken with her. In fact, she brings a certain level of decorum that's lacking between the boys who enjoy regularly resorting to immature jokes. Believe me, there's plenty of it! Ash ends up being the ringleader who suggests forming the band and the ensuing summer tour. I did find the threesome’s dynamic to be genuine. Their conversations are ridiculous as are the many situations they find themselves in. Case in point: one of their first gigs (and a painful one at that) is at a Chinese buffet. Very entertaining and on par with what this trio is about. 

The entire story is told from Wes’ perspective. He’s charming though I found my patience tested a few times as he tends to ramble on until he finally gets to the point. Other than that, The Haters is an amusing read. And if you're a music aficionado, you’ll be especially entertained by the many discussions about various bands and their merits. Just forgive Wes and Corey for being a bit uncouth at times ;)

~ 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

Breakaway by Kat Spears

* * * 1/2

From Kat Spears, author of Sway, comes a new novel that asks the question: when a group of four best friends begin to drift apart, what will it take to bring them back together?

When Jason Marshall's younger sister dies, he knows he can count on his three best friends and soccer teammates — Mario, Jordie, and Chick — to be there for him. With a grief-crippled mother and a father who's not in the picture, he needs them more than ever. But when Mario starts hanging out with a rough group of friends and Jordie finally lands the girl of his dreams, Jason is left to fend for himself while maintaining a strained relationship with troubled and quiet Chick. Then Jason meets Raine, a girl he thinks is out of his league but who sees him for everything he wants to be, and he finds himself pulled between building a healthy and stable relationship with a girl he might be falling in love with, grieving for his sister, and trying to hold onto the friendships he has always relied on.

A witty and emotionally moving tale of friendship, first love, and loss, Breakaway is Kat Spears at her finest.

It’s a miracle when an author can get you to come round to liking an utterly unlikable protagonist. That’s what happened in Sway and how I came to admire Kat Spears’ writing. Naturally, Breakaway has been on my list of must-read books for a while.

Jason or Jax as he’s known to his friends is going through the worst period of his life right now. His younger sister died (the cause never revealed to the reader) and he's not entirely sure how he should grieve. He and his friends live in a rougher part of town. They’re all pretty tight and are also on the soccer team. But after his sister’s funeral, Jax notices some changes happening within the group. His best friend Mario has been different lately, Jordie is dating and Chick, the friend that they took under their wing has been acting strangely. Then there is his strained relationship with his mother, worsened since his sister’s passing because he's uncertain how to help her through her heartache, too.

Jax is a rough-around-the-edges kind of guy so it’s unexpected when he hits it off with Raine, a mutual friend. He’s been cool so far with being the jerk and being perceived as such but when h's around Raine, he's awkward. There's something about her that begs a different response from him. Possibly what draws him to her is that she doesn’t expect anything from him. He takes delight in little things like their taunting each other over their music choices. (I did love that mention of Arcade Fire and Foals, by the way.) She lightens the mood and gives him something to look forward to. So it turns out, he's changing, too.

Kat Spears has done it again delivering a complicated character who’s learning firsthand how life can change in an instant (the death of his sister) and also evolve so slowly that you don't recall when it started (the changing dynamics between his friends). It's about how growing into adulthood means an ever-changing perception of self and the immediate world around you, which is exactly what's occurring here. I was impressed by how Jax maintained some self-control despite other forces spiraling out of control around him. However, he can’t save everyone while he’s still hampered by his own confusion. 

Breakaway will resonate with readers. It's profound reading that made me think about my own childhood friends and also wonder how my eldest, who’s on to high school soon, will adapt to certain changes in the coming years. So yes, read Breakaway and when you're done, give Jax a hug.

~ Bel