The Haters by Jesse Andrews

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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

The One That Got Away by A.J. Pine

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How far will one man go for the woman he's loved since high school?

Jamie Kingston has been Brynn Chandler's best friend since middle school. Only once was their friendship tested—when Brynn gave Jamie a single kiss. Since then, they've had an unspoken agreement never to cross that line again, and she’s ready to let go of the past and move on.

But Jamie has loved Brynn for as long as he can remember, and now that he's ready to tell her, she has her sights set on someone else. Knowing this is his last chance, he asks Brynn to go on a two-week road trip. But their time alone brings old hurts to the surface, and Brynn has to decide if the one that got away lies at the end of the journey or if he's been by her side all along.

The One That Got Away – there’s something about that phrase that always hooks me. It screams of a missed opportunity and the potential that there may be another chance. And that’s what we have here.

Jamie and Brynn have been hung up on each other since high school. Their friendship goes farther back but it was in high school that Jamie developed feelings for Brynn. On a night when she was looking forward to being kissed by her crush, she ends up kissing Jamie instead. The circumstances leading up to this are interesting. Anyway, it all kind of dissolves shortly after with Brynn never truly knowing exactly what it happened.

Ten years later, they’re still best friends and getting ready for the big high school reunion. This time nothing is going to stop Brynn from sharing a kiss with her high school crush. Jamie stands by helplessly because far be it from him to actually speak up and declare his true feelings to her. When things go terribly awry at the reunion, he make it up to Brynn by suggesting that embark on a road trip together to LA where she can meet up with her crush and he can take care of his business venture. It doesn’t go every smoothly with plenty of hiccups along the way. But for Brynn, each of these inconveniences turn out to be an opportunity to see Jamie in a completely different light.

The narrative, told from both viewpoints, is repetitive but that’s because both of them are so caught up in reliving where things went south in their friendship. They’re simply stuck and as the reader you’re stuck with them as their thoughts and memories play on an endless loop. They keep quiet under the pretense of keeping the status quo. At some point during the roadtrip there’s a shift and I was so happy because seriously, about time you two!

A few things stood out for me. One, is the playful chemistry they have. It’s sickeningly obvious how much they adore each other and the fact that there’s always some sort of mishap when these two are together is very funny. It’s their thing and it’s cute. Two, is that Jamie and Brynn feel tangible. They’re both described as attractive with none of the over-the-top romancey stuff. That just made them relatable to me, like these two goofballs could very well be my friends hanging about in Chicago, bringing me to my third point: I did love the Chicago references. 

TOTGA is cute and almost like a slapstick comedy at times when you look at how clumsy they are around each other. If you’re someone who believes in second chances and adores the friends-to-lovers trope, this will certainly please you. TOTGA is a fun roadtrip or vacation companion to take with you!

~ Bel

Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid

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Five strangers. Countless adventures. One epic way to get lost.

Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named Leila. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most.

Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila's own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth—sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you're looking for is to get lost along the way.

This one has been burning a hole on my bookshelf for the last two years before I finally got to it. You know how sometimes you just need to be at the right place and time for something? This is one of those instances. I think I was finally ready to lose myself in this charming and adventurous story that delivers remarkable insight in the unlikeliest of ways.

There are just some people that come into our lives and however brief their stay is, their impact on us is everlasting. Such is the case when Leila befriends these four individuals, on separate stops, during her epic roadtrip to see the Northern Lights. Each of their encounters are from the strangers' point of view. In Leila, each of them finds a confidant, a person who champions them, a cohort in mischief and a good listener. She is what they need at THAT very moment in their lives. While Leila is like a miracle angel to them, she remains a mystery until her story is explored in the last few chapters of the book.

I was amazed by the ease with which Leila managed to immerse herself into her new friends’ worlds and get along with them.  She’s so incredibly personable and trusting. She has this way about her that puts them at ease that they trust her implicitly. I could picture each person in each town she said goodbye to, scratching their heads wondering, “did that really just happen?” Every one of them she comes in contact with is at a crossroads in their lives. By the time this carefree stranger is on the road again, her new friends see things with greater clarity. 

As engrossing as their individual stories are, it’s Leila’s at the end that’s the most intriguing. She’s still searching and waiting for a connection to something she desperately wants to find again. I won’t say anything further - just that she may tug at your heartstrings a little. Her sweetness and optimism remains, she’s just changed. 

Reading Let’s Get Lost gave me a sense of wanderlust. It was enchanted by every one of their stories and realized that I was able to connect with them on a certain level. Through Leila and her new friends, I also got to participate in some hi-jinx fun and enjoy their camaraderie. All the critical praise that's been heaped upon it is well-deserved. It’s such a rewarding story; I hope you’ll give it a try!

~ Bel

The Edge of Always (The Edge of Never #2) by J.A. Redmerski

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Five months ago, Camryn and Andrew, both dealing with personal hardships, met on a Greyhound bus. They fell in love and proved that when two people are meant to be together, fate will find a way to make it happen.

Now, in the highly anticipated sequel to The Edge of Never, Camryn and Andrew are pursuing their love for music and living life to the fullest as they always swore to do. But when tragedy befalls them, their relationship is put to the ultimate test. As Camryn tries to numb her pain, Andrew makes a bold decision: To get their life back on track, they'll set out on another cross-country road trip. Together they find excitement, passion, adventure-and challenges they never could have anticipated.

Reading The Edge of Never made for a great start to my new year. They may have only been words but I felt just as much as if I was on the open road as Camryn and Andrew and it made me that much more anxious for Always. 

Camryn and Andrew are blissfully, ridiculously, nauseatingly in love. They’re living in Galveston, Andrew healthy and Camryn glowing, content with where they are in life for the most part. Camryn is missing North Carolina so they return for a brief visit where they experience an unfortunate event. This time the devastation is so personal for Camryn that she resorts to a dangerous way to ease her pain. When Andrew sees her potential downward spiral, he decides the best medicine is to remove themselves from their surroundings and go on another roadtrip.

It’s amazing how much Andrew loves and adores Camryn completely. He notices all the little things about her, knows when something is off, understands her body language and anticipates her every move. And he’s ever so patient with her as the fog slowly lifts  from her head.

Despite the tragedy that happens at the beginning, this roadtrip is even better than the previous one. They’re so at ease with each other now that they’re even more fun. Their destinations and activities speak to who they are and they are a unit. They’re growing up, realizing that they need to find a balance to sustain their wanderlust lifestyle. Whatever they decide to do, they refuse to compromise who they are and what they love.  My favorite passages are when they come up with promises they make to each other that come into play later. These vows they make are unique and true to them.

Even with how much I loved the premise of Never, I still approached Always with a teeny tiny sliver of skepticism. I mean as exciting as it is to just take off, it also feels so reckless. But that’s what’s compelling about this series – breaking free, exploring and not worrying about having it all mapped out in front of you. They enjoy every moment they have together and immerse themselves in whatever surroundings they're in. (It's fun when we skip a few years into the future and see how their lives have panned out. I was all smiles by this point.) Their dreams may be idealistic but they’re making them happen. 

I am in love The Edge of Always and even think it surpasses its predecessor. Better yet, I have found a new fictional boyfriend in Andrew. He's all grown up and has eyes for just one lady in his life. Andrew sets the bar very high and when you read it too you’ll understand why!

~ Bel