YA Fanatic

I really enjoyed this one, as I usually do with Armentrout. This felt much more mature and very different from her usual paranormal romance series. Its one of my favorites by her and I want her to write some thrillers. Yes there was romance, but I loved the kidnapping story line and felt hooked from page one. 

Sasha has returned home for the first time in years. Her mom is happy she's home as is her best friend. But everyone still remember's her as the survivor. The one who got away from the groom. And now someone is terrorizing her, a women goes missing in Frederick and Sasha can't help but wonder if coming home was the right thing to do. But seeing Cole makes it all worth it. 

I love the relationship of these two characters. Another reason I really enjoy Armentrout's books is because she's local and I know all the locations in her books (at least when they aren't in paranormal scenes. 

Super fun and super hot. A quick read but just what I needed to get out of a reading slump. 

This is written so much better than Cursed Child (which was obvious that Rowling didn't write). I hated that one and like to pretend it doesn't exist. But Fantastic Beasts has all of Rowling's humor and writing style. I don't really like this whole screenplay thing, I'd much rather her take the time to write another book but I did enjoy reading the scenes of the movie, which I also enjoyed very much. 

Enjoyable, but I want a full book by Rowling (Marauder's series please????). 

Okay. so this is very engaging and a quick read. I loved the story, I loved the characters and felt we really got to feel what the main character and family was going through in their move to Maine.

Told in verse, Reena and her family have to move to Maine when her parents lose their jobs. They are moving from a city to a country farm in the middle of nowhere and her life is going to change. Then they have to "work" for grumpy old, Mrs. Falala where they meet the eccentric Zora, the cow.

My biggest complaint is to what poetry and verse is becoming today. This could easily have been written as a regular book.

Breaking up

sentences like

this does not

make it poetry.

And that's really all the "verses" were in this book. But otherwise, I did really enjoy the book. And will absolutely recommend it.

I dunno, this is just not my kind of book. I read it and gave up on it a few months ago then I decided to do it on audio and I did finish it I just don't like the storyline. I found the plot very strange and am still not sure what the point of the book is.

Its one of those books that may be well written but is hard to sell, middle schoolers will most likely be bored (though the character is their age) and I think teens won't be interested. I'm 27 and found it confusing. There didn't seem to be a clear ending to it either.

That being said, it has very good reviews so you may feel the complete opposite as I do about this one. Its just not my style.

I enjoyed this, and really liked the aspect of having a main character with OCD. I thought the author portrayed this character very well as I could really feel her anxiety and stress over keeping her disability a secret from her friends.

Samantha has been a part of the popular kids for some time, but they don't really know who she is. They have no idea she suffers from OCD. So when she befriends Caroline she gets into Poet's Corner and it changes everything, from who she is to who her friends might be.

This is one of the better books dealing with mental illness in YA and something I would recommend to others looking for those type of books. Three stars mainly because its not something totally memorable or my overall genre.

Probably more of a 2.5 start reviewed than a 3 star. I will give it credit, it kept me interested until the end, I wanted to know just how Emma died. But this book, these characters and the relationship are all so messed up I don't really know what to think. It was hard to like any of them, Edward is a control freak, Jane made me want to slap her on several occasions, Emma was a psychopath and Simon was probably the most likeable but for obvious reasons...

Jane can't afford rent so when she finds the house on Folgate street she knows she has to take it. But there are rules, no kids being just one of them. The house has all the latest gadgets and then there's Edward, the creator. But what they didn't tell Jane before she decided to live there was that Emma, a girl who lived there before was killed in the house, possibly murdered.

This book goes back and forth from Jane (now) and Emma (then). It was interesting to see the differences in how each woman lived in the house. But really, this book is like Smart House meets Fifty Shades. And its all kinds of messed up.

Kinda spoilery:

There were parts that made me really angry, for instance (and I may be getting political here), if you are having unprotected sex and aren't able to handle having a child with autism you SHOULDN'T be having sex. A child with autism is not an excuse to go running and have an abortion. Jane made me so mad here I almost stopped listening it.

It's a book you are either going to love or hate depending on your reading style.

This is my first Melanie Dickerson book and I really want to read more by her. I don't read a lot of historical fiction but this in all honesty felt more like a romance that happened to take place years ago. I really enjoyed the characters and the plot. Not once was I bored and it took me about three hours to read. 

Evangaline has been set to marry a cruel man thanks to King Richard. Instead of doing what he wants she decides to run away. When she's successful she ends in a village with a boy named Westley le Wyse. Problem is, she's pretending to be someone else and a mute. They have no idea just how important of a person she really is. 

So I do feel a bit bad because I didn't even realize this was a retelling of the little mermaid until reading other reviews (oops) but that didn't deter me from liking the book. I guess I just didn't spot the similarities and without knowing ahead of reading had no idea to look out for them. Other than that its a fun read!

A quick read and definitely one I'll keep in my back pocket to recommend to middle grade students. Soar deals with a young boy named Eddie who is dealing with his fathers death, his father who was obsessed with birds and claimed he saw a Golden Eagle. Problem is, no one believed him. Now its up to Eddie to find the truth. 

I liked this for many reasons, it deals with loss and death in the family, has a student from another country trying to learn English AND has a boy who has turrets (though it would have been nice if he wasn't the bully) 

A lot of different middle school student's can easily relate to Soar. 

I actually didn't realize this was a sequel and it definitely does not affect the book or understanding of it without reading the first one. The characters are quirky and fun. Anyone who loves a good children's mystery will enjoy this one. Its great for dog lovers too!

There seem's to be a lot of hate surrounding this book. But I really enjoyed it. It's definitely very similar to a lot of other dystopians and reminded me a bit of the Red Queen. I'd say, for me it needed more world building. I felt like I forgot a lot that this was taking place in space at times and in ships. But I did love the characters and the overall plot line. I want to see more of Akos and Cyra. Looking forward to seeing where the series go. 

This was SO GOOD. I'll admit it took me a little bit to get into. I found the characters a bit childish in the first few chapters. But they grew on me. And it really reminds me of You've Got Mail or Landline by Rainbow Rowel. This is one I'll surely visit in the future. 

Lucy and Josh have worked together for some time now and have hated each other since the beginning. Even more so now when they are up for the same position. The battle begins and the tension grows. Maybe there isn't just hate between them?

I want a man like Joshua Templeton. One of my favorite scenes of the book was when Lucy was sick, not to mention when she stuck up for him. This was so much fun and hot and definitely made me smile. 

This would be a really fun movie but I feel like we wouldn't get the full gist of the book. I can see why everyone loves this and I know I'll be rereading it. 

I really did enjoy this. But I have read and listened to a lot of world war II books and I think this is one of those that will not be as memorable. I enjoyed Code Name Verity and The Nightingale much more. I do see why people really enjoy All the Light We Cannot See, its a great book to discuss and is very brutal in some scenes. 3.5/5 stars for me, I feel that in a a year I'll remember it was a World War II story but that's about it. 

Okay, so, so far I really have only enjoyed On the Fence by Kasie West. I was super excited for a book about a girl stuck in a library with a boy, but honestly? I thought this was just awful. There are so many plot holes involved and the anxiety and illness really wasn't handled well. 

Autumn finds herself suddenly locked in the library for the weekend. With no way out. And worst of all she's stuck in there with a boy, Dax. Autumn has anxiety, but none of her friends know, she only hopes she can keep her cool while stuck in the school library with the mysterious and somewhat gorgeous Dax. 

Ugh. First of all West didn't do her research. The not being able to use public computers was realistic. But the library not having any phones? NO. And what about emergency exits? Also NO. This just would never actually happen the way it does and I couldn't get through it without eye rolling every few pages. 

And the anxiety felt very poorly written. I know several people that suffer from anxiety and while I myself don't I have seen it and have seen how hard it is for people to deal with. I just didn't find it believable in By Your Side, and I really don't feel like West understands just how hard it is to live with it. 

So disappointed by this one. I almost didn't even finish it. 

The audio book for this was fantastic. I loved that it was set during the great depression. The characters are fun and quirky and very enjoyable to read about. This really reminds me a bit of A Year Down Yonder (it's just as good). I think its one kids will love. And if you need a book that's a fun listen as well for a road trip, choose Full of Beans, the whole family will love it. 

Probably more of a 3.5/5 stars. While I still enjoyed this one, and it was my most anticipated read of the years (other than the next ACOMF) I can't help but feel this might be my least favorite in the series. That being said it still has some explosive scenes and I still love this series.

King's Cage picks up right where Glass Sword left off. Mare is in Maven's clutches after being betrayed. She's beaten down and has no more freedom. All the while war is getting bigger and bigger between the Red's and the Silvers. While Cal will do anything to save Mare from Maven.

This is a long one folks. And it felt long for me, unlike the first two. And I wish it was a trilogy, but there's a book four. So another year to wait to find out what happens to these beloved characters. The ending wasn't as big of a bang as Glass Sword, but I am still very much looking to read the rest of this series.

Allegedly is dark and gritty and its so good. Its definitely not my comfort zone in reading genre's but I really loved it. It is one of those books that really make you think.

Mary killed her baby sister when she was nine years old, allegedly. That's what the media and the detectives spun it out to be, even though Mary never said she did it. But how do you convict a nine year old? Now sixteen, Mary has grown up in a rough life from foster home to foster home. She just wish the truth would come out.

I think the ending was a tad bit disappointing. Though, albeit more realistic than not. I felt terrible for Mary throughout the entire book, the way her mother treats her, the way her foster house is. Its hard to read about, especially knowing that kids do go through the system like this.

If you're looking for a realistic but dark story dealing with murder, foster homes and growing up in a tough life, Allegedly really nails it on the head.