I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter ~ Erika Sanchez

Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family.

But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role. 

Then a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago leaves Olga dead and Julia left behind to reassemble the shattered pieces of her family. And no one seems to acknowledge that Julia is broken, too. Instead, her mother seems to channel her grief into pointing out every possible way Julia has failed.

But it’s not long before Julia discovers that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her best friend Lorena, and her first kiss, first love, first everything boyfriend Connor, Julia is determined to find out. Was Olga really what she seemed? Or was there more to her sister’s story? And either way, how can Julia even attempt to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal?

Book Review:

Recently, I have been really into contemporary books with a deeper message than your typical fluffy contemporary; therefore, I was excited to start this book. I was interested in learning about the Mexican familial culture a bit more closely than what I've learned in Spanish classes. I always find contemporaries dealing with immigration to be very interesting as well, like American Street by Ibi Zoboi. Needless to say, I went into this book expecting it to be amazing. However, I was let down. It was by no means a bad book. I still really enjoyed it. It just wasn't what I wanted. 

I felt that Sanchez did a really good job at portraying Julia's family in a realistic way. However, Olga's character, although told through 2nd or 3rd person accounts, was a bit disconnected. That may have been what Sanchez wanted as it lent to the aspect of Julia having to figure her dead sister out for the readers as well as herself. Nevertheless, even when Julia began to understand her sister more, I still felt disconnected. 

Julia was also a really annoying protagonist. I really wanted to like her and I did feel connected to her as she tried to figure out her worth. There just wasn't a lot of character development for her until the last few chapters. 

Even though I had various problems with the story, I can not deny that Sanchez depicted the culture and family in a realistic way. You could tell how the immigration process that the parents experienced left its mark on them. It also made sense that familial obligation was a sentiment forced on Julia, as it was forced on her parents as well. 

Pages: 344                                                                                                                              Rate: 3/5

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness ~ Susannah Cahalan

An award-winning memoir and instant New York Timesbestseller that goes far beyond its riveting medical mystery, Brain on Fire is the powerful account of one woman’s struggle to recapture her identity.

When twenty-four-year-old Susannah Cahalan woke up alone in a hospital room, strapped to her bed and unable to move or speak, she had no memory of how she’d gotten there. Days earlier, she had been on the threshold of a new, adult life: at the beginning of her first serious relationship and a promising career at a major New York newspaper. Now she was labeled violent, psychotic, a flight risk. What happened?

In a swift and breathtaking narrative, Cahalan tells the astonishing true story of her descent into madness, her family’s inspiring faith in her, and the lifesaving diagnosis that nearly didn’t happen.

Book Review:

I listened to this as an audiobook and am so glad that I did. It was such a riveting story that you would think was fiction but this is a memoir. Cahalan experienced the psychosis full of loss of memory, mass amounts of confusion and paranoia, and mood swings while everyone believed she was going crazy and that she would never be the same again. She almost ruined her career. If it were not for her family, for her significant other, for her friends, and for the doctors who took a chance on her, she may never have been diagnosed properly. 

Cahalan knew that she wasn't crazy, although she felt like it. Thankfully her parents fought for her and she finally, after being hospitalized and losing her vocabulary and memories, was diagnosed by a doctor who had the experience to see what her other doctors didn't. It is truly amazing how one person can change your life. No other doctor was able to properly diagnose Cahalan, they were all ready to deem her psychotic and in fact it had nothing to do with psychosis. 

It was interesting to hear some of her memories and learn about her experience from that but also from her talking with family and examining her medical records as she does not remember much of what happened to her during her "month of madness."

Pages: 250                                                                                                                                           Rate: 5/5

Favorite Quote:

“Sometimes, Just when we need them, life wraps metaphors up in little bows for us. When you think all is lost, the things you need the most return unexpectedly.”  

Holding Smoke ~ Elle Cosimano

John "Smoke" Conlan is serving time for two murders but he wasn't the one who murdered his English teacher, and he never intended to kill the only other witness to the crime. A dangerous juvenile rehabilitation center in Denver, Colorado, known as the Y, is Smoke's new home and the only one he believes he deserves.

But, unlike his fellow inmates, Smoke is not in constant imprisonment. After a near death experience leaves him with the ability to shed his physical body at will, Smoke is able to travel freely outside the concrete walls of the Y, gathering information for himself and his fellow inmates while they're asleep in their beds. Convinced his future is only as bright as the fluorescent lights in his cell, Smoke doesn't care that the "threads" that bind his soul to his body are wearing thin-that one day he may not make it back in time. That is, until he meets Pink, a tough, resourceful girl who is sees him for who he truly is and wants to help him clear his name. 

Now Smoke is on a journey to redemption he never thought possible. With Pink's help, Smoke may be able to reveal the true killer, but the closer they get to the truth, the more deadly their search becomes. The web of lies, deceit, and corruption that put Smoke behind bars is more tangled than they could have ever imagined. With both of their lives on the line, Smoke will have to decide how much he's willing to risk, and if he can envision a future worth fighting for.

Book Review:

This is such a good YA thriller with a paranormal twist to it. It deals with juvenile incarceration which is what drew me to it in the first place, as I am a Criminal Justice minor. The character is so likeable. He uses his "powers" for others asking for little back. 

I really enjoyed the relationships that were formed in this novel, especially the friendship between Pink and Smoke. The character development within Smoke was incredible.  Every new chapter gave us a little more of him growing and prospering. 

I did find the result of his "investigation" as being shocking but not enjoyable. I was hoping for something more fascinating, more intricate, more detailed and elaborte. What I got was lacking. 

Pages: 336                                                                                                                                               Rate: 3/5

Favorite Quotes:

"All of us are broken, John. I just think that once you've lost everything, maybe there's nothing left to hold you back."

Moxie ~ Jennifer Mathieu

Vivian Carter is fed up. Fed up with her small-town Texas high school that thinks the football team can do no wrong. Fed up with sexist dress codes and hallway harassment. But most of all, Viv Carter is fed up with always following the rules.

Viv’s mom was a punk rock Riot Grrrl in the ’90s, so now Viv takes a page from her mother’s past and creates a feminist zine that she distributes anonymously to her classmates. She’s just blowing off steam, but other girls respond. Pretty soon Viv is forging friendships with other young women across the divides of cliques and popularity rankings, and she realizes that what she has started is nothing short of a girl revolution.

Book Review: 

I decided to read this book because it was part of the Zoella Book Club for the year. Although, it wasn't profound, it was good. It gave good insight to the minds of teenage girls who are experiecing the world of mysogony and who are coming into their own feminism. They are paving their own path for the fight. 

I thought Vivian's character development was vital to the story. Had she not moved forward personally, she never would have been able to inspire the Moxie movement or keep it going. She never would have been able to establish the comraderie  between her classmates, etc. It was great to read, I won't lie, but I did wish that Mathieu portrayed Vivian and the other characters in a more profound and intelligent manner. Like many other YA novels, she made them seem less than real teenagers are. 

Pages: 330                                                                                                                          Rate: 4/5

Favorite Quote:

“it occurs to me that this is what it means to be a feminist. Not a humanist or an equalist or whatever. But a feminist. It’s not a bad word. After today it might be my favorite word. Because really all it is is girls supporting each other and wanting to be treated like human beings in a world that’s always finding ways to tell them they’re not.” 

Turtles All The Way Down ~John Green

Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.
   
Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts. 
 
In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza’s story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship.

Book Review:

This was my most highly anticipated book of 2017. I knew that I was going to read it, even if its above premise, sounded a bit strange because it was by John Green and I read everything by that man. I'm so glad that I did read it!!!

John Green depicts Aza's OCD so realistically, that even I, who doesn't suffer from OCD, felt as I was experiencing what she was. The feelings were so real that my anxiety was even heightened when reading some scenes because the way Aza's mind spirals, mine does as well, and it felt so real how he explained it. Much of its authenticity comes from the fact that John Green suffers from OCD himself. 

I was so in love with this book that I finished it in two days. I cried when it was over, not because it was sad but because I didn't want it to end. I literally cried for at least ten minutes. This book didn't have the same impact on me as Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns, and The Fault in Our Stars did while I was in high school but that may be because I'm no longer in high school. However, this book holds a unique place in my heart as being the most impactful representation of mental illness that I have read to date. 

Thank you once again, John Green. DFTBA.

Pages: 289                                                                                                                                Rate:5/5

Favorite Quote:

“Anybody can look at you. It's quite rare to find someone who sees the same world you see.” 

The One Memory of Flora Banks ~ Emily Barr

Seventeen-year-old Flora Banks has no short-term memory. Her mind resets itself several times a day, and has since the age of ten, when the tumor that was removed from Flora’s brain took with it her ability to make new memories. That is, until she kisses Drake, her best friend's boyfriend, the night before he leaves town. Miraculously, this one memory breaks through Flora's fractured mind, and sticks. Flora is convinced that Drake is responsible for restoring her memory and making her whole again. So, when an encouraging email from Drake suggests she meet him on the other side of the world—in Svalbard, Norway—Flora knows with certainty that this is the first step toward reclaiming her life.
 
But will following Drake be the key to unlocking Flora’s memory? Or will the journey reveal that nothing is quite as it seems?

Book Review:

I picked up this book as a part of BookTube-A-Thon 2017 for the hyped book challenge. I have seen it all over BookTube and it is even one of the books on the Zoella and Friends Book Club list. I figured that it was a good time to give it a try and I am glad I did. 

When I first started reading it, it felt and read like any contemporary novel with a bit of a twist coming in the form of Flora's short-term memory, over protective parents, and one confusing evening. As I continued to read it, I began to get similar feelings to when I was reading We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. 

I was constantly kept on the edge of my seat as I read the story. I wanted Flora and her best friend to work things out. I wanted Flora to get answers for the confusion that continued after her kiss with Drake. Eventually we find out the truth about that night and that kiss that Flora seems to remember. It is not as sweet as Flora remembers it to be. I wont divulge to much of the truth because it would completely ruin the impact of the novel, but let's just say, it was completely unexpected.

After the truth is revealed, Flora has to deal with figuring out who is with the help of some friends and her dead brother through his boyfriend. Thankfully, it seems as though everything is going to work out for Flora and she is going to be able to live the life that her brother wanted for her. 

Pages:298                                                                                                                                  Rate: 4/5

Favorite Quote:

“Although I don't know much about anything, I know that I have a story. I know that it is not over. There are shades and shadows of adventures and people and wild new places."

A Study in Charlotte ~ Brittany Cavallaro

The first book in a witty, suspenseful new trilogy about a brilliant new crime-solving duo: the teen descendants of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. This clever page-turner will appeal to fans of Maureen Johnson and Ally Carter.

Jamie Watson has always been intrigued by Charlotte Holmes; after all, their great-great-great-grandfathers are one of the most infamous pairs in history. But the Holmes family has always been odd, and Charlotte is no exception. She’s inherited Sherlock’s volatility and some of his vices—and when Jamie and Charlotte end up at the same Connecticut boarding school, Charlotte makes it clear she’s not looking for friends.

But when a student they both have a history with dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Danger is mounting and nowhere is safe—and the only people they can trust are each other.

Book Review:

I started this book without any real expectations. I love the BBC adaptation "Sherlock Holmes," but I have never read the original series by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Although I had no real expectation, I was nervous that the dynamic between Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson wouldn't be the same as it is between the actors in the BBC television show. I was pleasantly surprised to have Charlotte be just as perturbed, easily aggravated, blatant, and intelligent as the original Holmes. Jamie wasn't as similar to the Watson that I have come to love, but his character still had that undeniable devotion and loyalty to Charlotte like the original Watson had for his Holmes. 

I found the setting to be rather interesting as both of the characters were far removed from their connections, but especially Charlotte, who even though she seems so independent could have gotten things done much more efficiently if she had her colleagues from Scotland Yard. I felt that this separation and the fact that familial relationships weren't able to completely participate in the dynamic between Charlotte and Jamie was valuable to their appeal. I loved that the story did not focus on a romantic relationship and that the brains of the operation was female. 

Now, although this book was great and I am excited to continue with the trilogy, it was hard to get into at first. It really took me a while to find my groove with the story. Maybe it is the writing. Maybe it was my preconceived notions of Holmes and Watson. I don't really know, but I do know that as soon as I was hooked, I could not put it down. 

Pages: 341                                                                                                                                 Rate: 3/5

Favorite Quote:

“I began wondering if there was some kind of Watsonian guide for the care and keeping of Holmeses.” 

Big Little Lies ~ Liane Moriarty

A murder...A tragic accident...Or just parents behaving badly? What’s indisputable is that someone is dead.

Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny, biting, and passionate; she remembers everything and forgives no one. Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare but she is paying a price for the illusion of perfection. New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for a nanny. She comes with a mysterious past and a sadness beyond her years. These three women are at different crossroads, but they will all wind up in the same shocking place.

Big Little Lies is a brilliant take on ex-husbands and second wives, mothers and daughters, schoolyard scandal, and the little lies that can turn lethal.

Book Review:

The only way to describe Big Little Lies is by saying it's a contemporary thriller. It has all of the wonderous tropes that we love in a good contemporary: relationships, friendships, frenemies, bitchy kindergarten moms, etc. It also has that "keep you on the edge of your seat" feeling as you try to figure out what the hell is actually going on, which you don't figure out until the very end and it's absolutely unexpected. 

The characters are so easy to love and hate. Jane, my favorite, is a single mom who is just trying to figure out how to not screw her kid up. She makes friends and enemies with the other characters. Madeline is spunky and still so in love with her husband. Celeste has some issues but you can see that she means well. I hate Renata and Harper, no more to say there. The small coastal community gives the book a cozy feeling with darker elements based on the plot. While reading it, I could actually see this little town in my head, like a map was in my hands. 

Although there was so much to love about the book, I did feel that it was a slower read. It took me a while to actually care about picking it up. I am excited to watch the HBO series based off of the book though. 

Pages: 458                                                                                                                                Rate:4/5

Note to Self ~ Connor Franta

In his New York Times bestselling memoir, A Work in Progress, Connor Franta shared his journey from small-town Midwestern boy to full-fledged Internet sensation. Exploring his past with humor and astounding insight, Connor reminded his fans of why they first fell in love with him on YouTube—and revealed to newcomers how he relates to his millions of dedicated followers.

Now, two years later, Connor is ready to bring to light a side of himself he’s rarely shown on or off camera. In this diary-like look at his life since A Work In Progress, Connor talks about his battles with clinical depression, social anxiety, self-love, and acceptance; his desire to maintain an authentic self in a world that values shares and likes over true connections; his struggles with love and loss; and his renewed efforts to be in the moment—with others and himself.

Told through short essays, letters to his past and future selves, poetry, and original photography, Note to Self is a raw, in-the-moment look at the fascinating interior life of a young creator turning inward in order to move forward.

Book Review:

Connor Franta has done it again! He let us, the readers (mainly the FrantaFam), into his life. He doesn't go into the specifics of many of the situations that he discusses, such as his broken heart and 2 year relationship; but, he does vividly describe his feelings through gorgeous poetry, essays, and photography. I felt closer to him, as a fan and as a human. 

I really loved his first memoir, A Work in Progress, and I had a good feeling about this one. He went a different route with his writing style than the first one but I think that it really paid off. His first memoir focused on telling us the details of the stories that made him who he is. It almost felt like a bunch of college application essays with some really cool photography. This new memoir was taking experiences from the past few years and without giving many details, explaining his innermost feelings and thoughts through poetry, essays, and gorgeous photography. It felt like a tumblr page in best possible way. 

His work inspired me to start reading more modern, contemporary, free verse poetry again, which is my favorite type of poetry. I truly credit him with pulling me out of my most recent reading slump.

Pages: 320                                                                                                                             Rate: 5/5

American Street ~ Ibi Zoboi

On the corner of American Street and Joy Road, Fabiola Toussaint thought she would finally find une belle vie—a good life.

But after they leave Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Fabiola’s mother is detained by U.S. immigration, leaving Fabiola to navigate her loud American cousins, Chantal, Donna, and Princess; the grittiness of Detroit’s west side; a new school; and a surprising romance, all on her own.

Just as she finds her footing in this strange new world, a dangerous proposition presents itself, and Fabiola soon realizes that freedom comes at a cost. Trapped at the crossroads of an impossible choice, will she pay the price for the American dream?

Book Review:

After reading The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas (my last post), I really wanted to read something else that had a strong sociopolitical plot. American Street was a great choice. It deals with a US born daughter being split from her Haiti-born mother as they attempt to move back into the US. Fabiola has to live in a new city, in a new country, with family that she barely knows, while her mother is held in detention. She starts school, faces a dangerous situation, and even falls in love. 

With the current political climate, immigration is very up in the air, no one can predict where the process is headed, good or bad. I felt that this gave a unique perspective on the situation and still included those YA tropes that I believe still make a novel interesting. What I really enjoyed is that the main character, who happened to be born in the US but was raised in Haiti, is rediscovering herself through this new land but does not stray from her culture and values. I love that we, as readers, get to watch as she discovers love and fear. 

I also really enjoyed that Zoboi chose to write such a profound immigration story from a non-Spanish speaking nation. I feel that it is important, especially at this point in time, to remind people that not all immigrants come from Mexico or are terrorists. 

Pages: 336                                                                                                                                Rate: 4/5 

Favorite Quote:

"When she turns on the light, the first thing to greet me are the shelves and shelves of books and more books. I want to stop and hug her and give her a big kiss on the cheek. With this many books I can make this place my home." 

8

The Hate You Give ~ Angie Thomas

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

Book Review

There is a lot of hype around this book right now, much of it due to our current Political Climate and the Black Lives Matter Movement that this book gives an interesting and new perspective on; therefore, I was hesitant to pick it up. Usually when there is such a hype around books, I get nervous about reading them. Are they going to live up to the expectations that social media has planted into my head? Are they going to have those same tropes like other YA novels that have become boring to me? Is it going to be as mindblowing as I need it to be? Although, I was nervous, I was also very excited. This is a debut novel by Angie Thomas and personally, I find debut novels to be a great incite into the talent of an author. Also, the plot line has such a strong sociopolitical dynamic to it that I just couldn't resist. 

I took an immediate liking to Starr. She is so strong even though she has a lot of internal conflicts. Her relationships with her family is so realistic but sweet at the same time. Throughout the book, she has to come to terms with who she is while living two different lives. On one hand, she is an ex-gangster's daughter in the middle of the ghetto. On the other hand, she is one of the very few black kids at a very prestigious school in a ritzy neighborhood. Her friends and boyfriend from school don't understand her life at home, they don't understand the culture, and they really do not understand how racism impacts her and her family on a daily basis. 

Now, as if the internal identity issues weren't enough, you throw in the fact that she watched a police officer kill her unarmed friend in front of her. She has to deal with the uprising in her community due to his death, as well as a gang war, and having to make an eye witness testimony against a police officer. Throughout this novel we watch Starr stick to her morals and values, which I find to be very empowering. In a lot of YA novels, we deal with a character who is struggling with doing what his or her peers are doing or going their own way, but this gave that trope a very realistic, powerful, current, and new outlook.   

After I finished reading this novel I wanted to pick up something similar. This happens a lot of me. For example, in middle school, after I finished the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer I began reading the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. But this style of writing is very unique. The plot is very unique. Trying to find another YA novel with a strong sociopolitical plot is and was difficult. But Angie Thomas has made this style a new favorite for me.

Pages: 464                                                                                                                                 Rate: 5/5

Favorite Quote:

“At an early age I learned that people make mistakes, and you have to decide if their mistakes are bigger than your love for them.” 

July 2016 TBR

I've started both of the books on this list, so hopefully, I will finish both of them.

The Secret Circle book 2 - fantasy

Yes Please - memoir

June 2016 Wrap Up

This was one of those months where I started a lot of books but only finished a couple.

I Am Malala - memoir

The Women's Murder Club series book 15 - mystery, crime, thriller

Both of these were exactly what I expected them to be, which was insanely wonderful to read.

El Deafo ~ Cece Bell

Going to school and making new friends can be tough. But going to school and making new friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid strapped to your chest? That requires superpowers! In this funny, poignant graphic novel memoir, author/illustrator Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful—and very awkward—hearing aid. The Phonic Ear gives Cece the ability to hear—sometimes things she shouldn’t—but also isolates her from her classmates. She really just wants to fit in and find a true friend, someone who appreciates her as she is. After some trouble, she is finally able to harness the power of the Phonic Ear and become “El Deafo, Listener for All.” And more importantly, declare a place for herself in the world and find the friend she’s longed for.

Book Review:

I have been really into memoirs lately and I have also been trying to expand my horizons a little bit. Therefore, when I happened across this graphic memoir, a memoir in the style of a graphic novel, I was very intrigued,  but when I learned that it was the life of a deaf girl, I was definitely going to read it. I have been trying to teach myself ASL (American Sign Language) for years now and from that I have grown an immense connection to the Deaf Culture. 

Cece's character is trying to deal with growing up with a hearing aid since she lost the majority of her hearing due to illness as a small child. For her, this hearing aid is huge, bulky, and extremely conspicuous. She is trying to deal with making friends and feeling so different from everyone else at the same time. Now, I think that every kid goes through that, I know that I did, but due to Cece's deafness, she feels even more introverted than many other kids who experience that feeling. 

I also really loved how adorable the graphics were. 

The Maze Runner ~ James Dashner

If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.
 
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.
 Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.
 Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.
 Everything is going to change.
 Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.
 Remember. Survive. Run.

                                                                       Book Review

In my opinion, I found the majority of the book to be very slow paced. It took me a while to get into. It wasn't until a few chapters from the end of the novel, that I felt I was really into it, but even then it wasn't to the point that I couldn't put it down. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it. I did find James Dashner's words to be effective though. I felt exactly what our protagonist, Thomas, felt. When he was confused, so was I. When he was angry or ready to act, so was I. I thoroughly appreciate that in a book. 

I haven't decided if I will continue with the series or not. If I do, it's because I really did love the last fw chapters and I do want to know what happens, but if the series continues with that slow pace, I don't really know if I want to continue. Let me know if I should or not. 

#AYearAThon #Romance Girl Online: On Tour ~ Zoe Sugg (a.k.a Zoella)

Penny joins her rock-star boyfriend on the road in Europe.

When Noah invites Penny on his first-ever European tour, she can’t wait to spend the summer with her rock-god-tastic boyfriend.

But, between Noah’s jam-packed schedule, less-than-welcoming band mates, and threatening messages from jealous fans, Penny wonders whether she’s really cut out for life on tour. She can’t help but miss her family, her best friend Elliot, and her blog, “Girl Online.”

Can Penny learn to balance life and love on the road, or will she lose everything in pursuit of the perfect summer?

Book Review:

It only took me a couple of days to finish this book. Just like the first one, it was a super quick read. I just really wanted to know how things were going to end. Was Penny going to be able to figure out how to date a rockstar boyfriend? Was she going to be able to manage her anxiety on tour? Would she ever start blogging again, publically? Etc. 

I love Noah and Penny's relationship. No matter how big he gets, he really does care for her and she is on his mind. I just really hate the people that come between them. I really do love how Penny finds a frind in Leah Brown while they are on tour because she needs a good female friend. I do wish that Elliot had gotten to go on tour with them though. Oh and I really hate Noah's manager, Dean!!! 

Because this is a second installment I can't say too much without giving anything away so if you have read it, go on to my discussion. If not, read them!!!

Pages: 352                                                                                                                               Rate: 5/5                                                   

Book Discussion: SPOILERS:

Probably the most exciting part for me was the end, when Penny starts blogging publically again. I feel like that was missing so much in this installment. I really missed it. I also really loved how Noah came back to help Alex win Elliot back being as a good part of their break up was because of him. 

So lets discuss Noah and Penny. They were so cute in the beginning but you could also tell that a rocky patch was coming. Noah was becoming this huge success and touring was obviously taking a lot out of him, meaning less time was being spent with Penny. I mean, I really liked that Penny got to explore the cities herself, because with her anxiety, I wasn't sure how comfortable she was going to be doing that and I didn't want her holed up in her room all of the time waiting for Noah. I was really worried about her with TheRealShift mailing them all of that weird blackmail after her phone was stolen. Now I was suspicious about this story line, and rightly so!! 

Noah and Penny's entire break up, courtesy of their already rocky situation and Blake making it worse, that lying bastar, broke my heart. I still pictured that as that sweet little Girl Online and Brooklyn Boy. I wanted those cute moments back again. When she finally texted him to talk while he was in town for a show, I'm pretty sure that I screamed! Then we find out that Dean is TheRealShift and Noah fires him!! I wanted to high five that boy so hard!!! Those entire few pages weree incredible. 

I also love that the ending wasn't definitive. Basically, Penny states that she loves him and that he loves her and somehow they will figure it out together. 

Favorite Quote:

“Sometimes the hero of the fairy tale isn't a handsome prince. Sometimes it's you.” 

I Was Here ~ Gayle Forman

When her best friend, Meg, commits suicide by drinking a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how did she miss the signs of Meg's depression? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, and some secrets of his own. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

Book Review:

If you want to feel just as frustrated as our main character, then this is a great book!! Cody is grieving the loss of her best friend, and I feel her pain because I don't know what I would do if I lost my best friend right now. But even more so than her pain, she is angry and frustrated that Meg didn't tell her what was going on, that she barely knew anything about Meg's new life. I also hate how isolated she feels from Meg's family. You can tell how much they want her to stay in their lives but you can also tell how painful it is for all of them too. But that is the reality about death, it messes up lives, it fucks with peoples' heads. 

Throughout the entire book, I want Cody to figure out why Meg killed herself. I want Cody to be able to move forward and be happy because the anger just resonates off of her, with each word. I have never lost someone to suicide, but I have a feeling that Forman portrayed the after effects of it so well. You can feel the anger that is trying to cover up the deep depression that just keeps seeping through. You feel just as confused as every single character. You see as all of the other characters move on with their lives while everyone else has to try and make sense of something that will never make sense. It really is just a whirlwind of emotion, as is every Gayle Forman book. 

I really loved the character development of Cody. She went from this angry and confused character whose best friend committed suicide, to this niave girl determined to figure out what happened, to a bold woman ready to move forward. I also loved the development between Cody and her mom. There relationship was terrible in the beginning. She doesn't even call her mom but she calls her by her first name. She states that she practically raised herself with the help of Meg's family and with no help from her nonexistent father. In the end, her mother does whatever she can to help her. She even uses a computer, which she is against, to book a plane ticket for her to rush home. Overall, their relationship, just like the book, is incredible in the end.

Pages: 270                                                                                                                               Rate: 5/5

Book Discussion: SPOILERS:

It takes a while to understand why Meg killed herself. At first, we have no idea why. Then we learn that she had a bad falling out with Ben MacAllister, and automatically assume that he caused it. And then we discover that Meg had found a "Suicide Support" group online, which is where others help you commit suicide, either by supporting your decision or helping you plan it. That is when Cody discovers the person on the group that Meg had been conversing with and sets out to find him and bring him to justice. Well, she eventually does, and Ben drives her across the country to confront this man. It doesn't turn out how I would have expected really. But, the way Cody ends the conversation is great and so real. She brings up how he would feel if someone had helped his son commit suicide and I believe that he even tears up. 

On this trip, she and Ben become even closer. They were fairly close previously and anyone could tell that there was some tension, but I think the fact that they were both dealing with Meg's suicide, just nothing could happen. But once Cody was able to confront the guy who Meg was talking to in the "Suicide Support" group made it easier for both of them. I was actually really excited when they got together, but when he didn't say anything the next morning I was so angry!!! Then Cody's mom comes to the rescue and that warmed my heart a lot. 

When Cody gets back home she tells Meg's family about everything she had done; about finding Meg's emails, then her online correspondence with the "Suicide Support" group, and then her confrontation with that man all the way across the country. That is when we learn the real reason why Meg committed suicide. Apparently Meg had been suffering from depression for years without ever telling Cody. She had been on medication but decided that she didn't need them anymore. This little piece of reality was heartbreaking because this happens so much. That killed me. I just felt so terribly for Cody, but then Ben comes to the rescue. 

Ben had driven all night without stopping to get to Cody and tell her how he felt. It was just so sweet!!!! I loved the ending.

Favorite Quote:

“I'm in love with you, Cody. And I know that this is all complicated and confused in a wholly fucked-up way. Meg's death was a tragedy and the worst kind of waste, but I don't want to lose you because of the fucked-up-way I found you."
"Fucking Ben McCallister. You make me cry more than almost any person I've ever met."
"I shed a few tears myself last night.” 

“...Sleepovers and dance parties and those talks we would have until three in the morning that would make us feel lousy the next day because we’d slept like hell but also feel good because the talks were like blood transfusions, moments of realness and hope that were pinpricks of light in the dark fabric of small-town life.” 

The Infinite Sea ~ Rick Yancey

How do you rid the Earth of seven billion humans? Rid the humans of their humanity.

Surviving the first four waves was nearly impossible. Now Cassie Sullivan finds herself in a new world, a world in which the fundamental trust that binds us together is gone. As the 5th Wave rolls across the landscape, Cassie, Ben, and Ringer are forced to confront the Others’ ultimate goal: the extermination of the human race.

Cassie and her friends haven’t seen the depths to which the Others will sink, nor have the Others seen the heights to which humanity will rise, in the ultimate battle between life and death, hope and despair, love and hate.

Book Review:

I don't think that this installment was as good as The 5th Wave but I have hopes for the last book. I just found that this one was a bit bland.There was no real character development or any building of relationships between characters. The only thing that I found interesting was Nugget's reactions to every situation. For a kid who is so young, I feel that the anger was properly faced and it kind of made me laugh, just picturing it. 

I wanted more between Cassie and Evan. After he came back, all I wanted was for them to have a nice heart to heart conversation. I wanted Evan to explain his side of things and for Cassie to try to understand because there are feelings there. And if that wasn't going to happen, I wanted Cassie to grow closer with Ben. I wanted her to pull the old Ben out of his current Zombie. I wanted him to open up to her, either way, about what happened with his family, namely his sister. 

I also really wanted to learn more about the other characters in this installment, but we don't learn much of anything about any of them. Except Ringer. We do learn a bit more about Ringer which I really did enjoy. I find the mystery of her to be very compelling. I want to know more about her.

Pages: 320                                                                                                                         Rate: 3/5

Book Discussion: SPOILERS:

This whole story about Grace, who is like Evan, irritates me. I don't understand what her importance is to the story. I hate that she blew up the house, with Evan in it, before there was ever any sort of resolution between he and Cassie, or he and any of the other characters really. I also really hated the part with the bomb shoved down the little girl's throat. I understand that Yancey is trying to make a point of how ruthless the Others are, but I just found it to be a bit unnecessary, just as I found that part about Ringer's captivity (most of the book) to be unnecessary. None of it was interesting, other than the code that she was using which I am very much so interested in. 

Favorite Quote:

“And, for one– ten thousandth of a second, all of it fell away, the despair and grief and anger and pain and hunger, and the old Ben Parish rose from the dead. The eyes that impaled. The smile that slayed. In another moment, he would fade, slide back into the new Ben, the one called Zombie, and I understood something I hadn’t before: He was dead, the object of my schoolgirl desires, just as the schoolgirl who desired him was dead.”