Book Review: The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen.

Product details:
Publisher: Penguin.
Paperback, 374 pages.
Release date: May 11th 2004.
Rating:  4½ out of 5.
Ages: 12+
Source: Purchased.

A long, hot summer...

That's what Macy has to look forward to while her boyfriend, Jason, is away at Brain Camp. Days will be spent at a boring job in the library, evenings will be filled with vocabulary drills for the SATs, and spare time will be passed with her mother, the two of them sharing a silent grief at the traumatic loss of Macy's father.

But sometimes, unexpected things can happen—things such as the catering job at Wish, with its fun-loving, chaotic crew. Or her sister's project of renovating the neglected beach house, awakening long-buried memories. Things such as meeting Wes, a boy with a past, a taste for Truth-telling, and an amazing artistic talent, the kind of boy who could turn any girl's world upside down. As Macy ventures out of her shell, she begins to wonder, Is it really better to be safe than sorry?

Let me take you on a journey back in time: way, way back to my reading life before I started blogging. Back then, my YA reading consisted pretty much of just Paranormal Romance. In fact, I was pretty new to YA when I first started blogging. I had read Twilight, Hush, Hush, and Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver. That was pretty much it. I hadn’t read any Contemporary YA per se, and didn’t really give it much thought at all. Then I read Anna and the French Kiss, and the rest, as they say, is history. Way back then (we’re still on our journey into the past here) I posted a blog asking for YA Contemp recommendations and one of the names that kept cropping up over and over again was Sarah Dessen, and in particular The Truth About Forever. That post was written way back in 2011 and I really don’t know why it’s taken me so long to get around to reading The Truth About Forever. I can’t offer up any excuses here apart from so many books so little time!  I am so glad though that I finally read this one, because The Truth About Foreveris adorable with a capital A. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that this book is sa-woon-y.

Macy Queen lives a life of perfection. She’s the perfect student, the perfect daughter to her driven, successful mother, and the perfect girlfriend to her perfect(ly boring) boyfriend Jason who is away at “Brain Camp” for the summer. While Jason’s away, though, Macy won’t play; instead her days are spent working Jason’s boring library job, while are dedicated to studying for SAT’s, making sure her hair is perfectly straight and her clothes perfectly laundered. Macy relies on rules and routine to get her through her days. Everything is ‘just so’ in her life and that’s the way it has to be. Macy doesn’t talk about her feelings, not with Jason, and not with her mom. Since her dad’s death, feelings are too painful, and so, if anyone asks, Macy’s answer is always that everything is ‘just fine.’ The truth is, though, that everything is not just fine with Macy. She’s still hurting, still missing her dad every day. Macy hasn’t dealt with her grief. And, so, something has got to give.

And something does give in the form of Macy’s relationship which Jason decides needs a break when his girlfriend has the audacity to write in an email that she loves him. This guy may have brains to burn, but he’s missing a sensitivity chip, that’s for sure. Also, the ‘Mean Girls’ at the library are making Macy’s life hell, so when she lands an unexpected gig with a  chaotic catering company, she sees this as a welcome relief to the perfectly structured life that is really starting to get her down. At ‘Wish Catering’ Macy meets a group of people who show her what is to have fun, and to life. Fun loving Kristy teaches Macy to live for the moment, while sweet, sensitive Wes, who has also lost a parent, helps Macy to deal with her grief. But is Wes just a friend? Or is he something more than that? Macy knows that her fun new life with ‘Wish’ is a temporary thing; her mom is disapproving of her new crew for one thing, and then, there’s Jason, who’s back in touch, and ready to discuss their relationship. “Donneven,” as Monica would say.  Or maybe that deserves a “Bettaquit.”

Ah, this book is just adorable. I read The Moon and More last summer, and while I didn’t fall in love with that one, The Truth About Forever has made me a Dessen fan. The Truth About Forever is sweet, and funny, and very relatable. I like that Dessen deals with some tough subjects in this book, but the darkness here is always tempered with light. The character of Monica especially made me laugh, while the romance, well the romance in this book is to die for. Wes has to be one of THE boys of YA – I just loved that guy. And I loved that Dessen focused on the friendship he formed with Macy: and that their relationship was based on truths; the good, the bad and the almost-impossible-to-talk-about apart from someone who gets it too – that was a nice touch. I guess this book could have done with a little more swoon after all the anticipation, but I liked the slow-burn of ‘is it friendship or something more?’ that Wes and Macy had going on.

All in all The Truth About Forever is an adorable summer read, and I will most definitely be reading more Dessen this summer. Which book should I read next? I hear Along for the Ride is another great summer Dessen read.

 

 

Stacking The Shelves #8 - New Books From Josephine Angelini, Sarah Alderson, Morgan Matson & More!

Stacking The Shelves is hosted at Tynga's Reviews.

Links Lead to Goodreads 

Received for Review

Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini

Dear Daughter by Elizabeth Little (Netgalley)

A very nice surprise arrived in my mailbox this week in the form of Josephine Angelini's Trial By Fire (In case of confusion, this is the UK cover!) Josie's accompanying letter in which she talks about her inspirations for the book certainly piqued my interest for this one!

Dear Daughter by Elizabeth Little has been on my radar for a QUITE A WHILE so when I spotted it on Netgalley I pounced! This sounds like a really great psychological thriller and I cannot wait to get started!

Breakable by Tammara Webber

Fall From India Place by Samantha Young

Out Of Control by Sarah Alderson

Come Back To Me by Mila Gray

Bought

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

The One by Kiera Cass

I read Since You've Been Gone this week and while I liked it (in the end) I didn't love it like I've loved Matson's previous novels. This was slow to get going and I found the MC difficult to warm to. Full review coming soon!

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Current Read: Hexed by Michelle Krys.

That's it for this week! Leave your thoughts & links in comments! 

Check out my Summer Spotlight Mega Giveaway to win an AWESOME summer prize!

Reviewed by Arianne: And by the Way... by Denise Deegan.

Product details:
Publisher: Hachette Ireland.
Paperback, 336 pages.
Release date: February 1st 2011.
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Ages: YA
Source: Received from publisher for review.
Reviewed by: Arianne.

At Strandbrook College, we are Kids Of. Kids of diplomats, media stars, musicians, artists, actors, oh, and wealthy people who aspire to all of that. I'm the kid of a rock star. Means nothing to me.

When Mum died, six months ago, I didn't just lose her, I lost my dad - to work. The only thing he does now is annoy me. He hires people like 'The Stylist' who wears bullets in her belt and makes him look like a hobo. Seriously.

But 'The Rockstar' isn't the only person who drives me mad. There's David McFadden, a guy in my class who could have helped but didn't. Now, it's too late. I don't want his help. Because I'm not going to trust anyone, love anyone, rely on anyone. That way I'll never be hurt again.

If only I could solve the problem of Rachel, my best friend, who won't let me pull back just like that. Even David McFadden won't stay out of my face. But I'm not going to fall for his blue eyes, his windswept hair or the plaited leather on his wrist.

And when he says he wants to help, I'm sure as hell not going to listen....

I loved And By The Way. I loved it in so many ways I’ve lost count.

At Strandbrook College, Dublin, the students are Kids Of: Kids of media moguls, musicians, artists, actors. Alex’s father is a rock star, but that means nothing now that her mum’s dead. Abandoned by the people she should be able to rely on no matter what, she can’t help feeling that she’d be better off totally alone than risk losing someone again. The only problem is there’s one person who refuses to be scared off by her coldness: David McFadden, suntanned all-round nice guy and fellow semi-orphan. 

And By The Way surprised me so much. The writing doesn’t stand out at first, but soon it becomes all about the story. It’s the kind of book that will make you forget you’re reading words at all. It’s fast-paced and intensely likeable, with characters you’ll find hard to resist.

Alex is fantastic in the leading role. As a narrator she's sarcastic, judgmental and totally fierce. Ice Queen Alex is stony and aloof to the outside world, but you can’t help rooting for her. She’s a mess, but she’s a loveable mess. It’s impossible not to become invested in her story. We meet her six months after the death of her mother, and she's adamant that she doesn't need or want help from anyone- but isolation isn’t doing her any good, either. In walks David McFadden, and Alex comes undone.

David is one of the most realistic, romantic and let’s be honest, just plain gorgeous love interests I’ve fallen for in a long time. He’s genuine, relatable and he’s not perfect. There’s no ‘tortured bad boy’ or ‘impossibly sweet boy next door’ stereotype with him: he’s just doing the best he can to get by.

David may not be letting Alex push him away, but Alex doesn’t do close – ever - and it’s going to take more than few moments with him for her to learn to trust again. He has to prove himself to her, and she has to do the same. Their relationship develops not only because there’s undeniable chemistry between them but because they really grow to rely on each other. 

Alex and David have a teenage romance that you can see playing out before your very eyes, and like any real teenage relationship, it’s a bit of rollercoaster – not least because of the equally complex social lives of their interfering friends! They’ve all got their own subplots from Sarah to Simon to Rachel and back again. Life at Strandbrook College is very much a war of the sexes and the more we visit the school, the more hilarious the story becomes. Alex’s narrative can be a very dark place and the relatively carefree attitudes of her classmates provide much needed light relief. There’s also emphasis on Alex’s connection – or lack thereof – to her distant workaholic father and contrast in the form of David’s sense of duty towards his little brother. 

This book is very much a tale of two halves. So many novels focus on the ‘before’ stage of YA romance, but rarely does anyone stop to think about the ‘after’. What happens when the dream couple finally get together? Denise Deegan isn’t afraid to answer that question, and throws more than a fair share of obstacles into Alex and David’s path. Fans of the series will know that the ending completely knocks you for six - I knew there'd be a twist, but the one that came was not what I expected. I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel so I can find out what exactly will happen next!

In short: I loved And By The Way because it just felt so real. I fell for the characters hook, line and sinker. One of the most original and relatable contemporary novels I’ve read all year.

--Arianne.

Delightful Debutantes Revisited: Catching up with Sarah Alderson!

Hi, Sarah! It’s been a while since I first interviewed you for the blog (way back in 2011 to be exact – for the release of Hunting Lila!) Things have been VERY busy for you since then with the release of Losing Lila, Fated, The Sound and more. Now Out of Control is about to hit shops and shelves, so it’s time for you to take a breath, and tell readers Five Things they might not know about Out of Control:

- I wanted to write about human trafficking and my agent politely told me not to. But I did it anyway, except I sort of snuck it into the book.

- Jay is based on Ryan Gosling’s character in Drive who drives a getaway car.

- My friend Myanna Buring who is an actress (Twilight, Downton) gave me the inspiration for Liva. She went to school in Oman and grew up in the Middle East so I picked her brains about it.

- The opening scene is set in a police station that comes under attack and Jay and Liva escape together. I was inspired by a scene in the original Terminator movie.

- I spent 10 days  in New York wandering around finding locations for the book. I even did a food tour of Queens so I would have a feel for where Jay comes from.

How will you celebrate the release of Out of Control?

Sleep! I want to sleep. I’ve had three books coming out in six weeks. The Sound in the US, OOC in the UK and I have my first new adult Come Back To Me being published in a month too (with Pan Macmillan under the name Mila Gray). I’m so excited but also frazzled with all the promotion and work.

So in terms of celebration, not much. I have so much more to do. I’m in the midst of edits for my next YA (out in January) and also working on several screenplays and a couple of other books also in the pipeline, including a third Lila (if I ever get around to actually making a proper start on it!)

Just Some of Sarah's Books!

I’ve noticed a recurring theme in your books, and that is: Hot Boys. I’ve pretty much swooned over all of your boys, but to this day Alex Wakeman remains my number one. That said, at the time of writing, I haven’t yet met Jay from Out of Control. The question, though, is, who is your favourite of all the boys you’ve written – and why?

Hahahaha. Oh man. That is so hard. I fall a little in love with all my boys. Alex will always have a soft spot in my heart though (first love and all). He was very much my ideal man. After him Cyrus from Severed and Shadowed. He’s just so noble and sarcastic and funny and arrogant as hell. But I love him.

I love Jay in Out of Control too because he’s had a rough start to life but he’s determined to do the right thing and go far in life so at the beginning he’s really messed up and he knows that he’s messed up. He has all this integrity though and I really like the journey he goes on with Liva.

I guess all my guys have that integrity and honor. I find those qualities very appealing, far more than someone who is macho and aggressive.

And just for fun: How does Jay compare to Alex?

Jay is 19, Alex is 21

Jay is half Cuban, half Irish American. Alex is American but his father is a Swedish diplomat. Both of them are extremely hot.

Jay has grown up in Queens, New York in a fairly low income household, whereas Alex grew up well off.

Both boys have skills. Alex is cool under pressure, has a brilliant mind, is a trained Marine. Jay is way more street. He’s an awesome driver. Think Fast & Furious.

As an optimist I’m currently stocking up on summer reads in the hopes that we might get some sun over here sometime soon.  As someone who lives in year-round blissful Bali sunshine, I thought you might have some good summer reading recommendations to share with me. What’s on your summer reading list this year?

I eat books. My favourites so far this year are: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt and I’m currently reading The Truth About The Henry Quebert Affair which is also fantastic.

I adored Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor and am looking forward to the latest by Morgan Matson.

Of course my own new adult novel Come Back To Me is out in June! It’s set in Oceanside where Hunting Lila was based and is about two guys who are Marines on the same base as Jack & Alex so Lila fans will enjoy it I think). It’s a contemporary romance with epic amounts of steam :).

And finally I just read an early copy of a book called Before He Was Famous by Becky Wicks - it’s a new adult novel coming out at the end of May and it is totally brilliant. I highly recommend it for your summer reading piles!

What has been your best author/fan experience to date?

I just had an email about half an hour ago from one of my best friends. He teaches English A’level and was writing to let me know he’d told his class he knew me and that now ‘he finally has kudos with them.’ That made my day.

He showed them the acknowledgement I wrote to him in Hunting Lila.

I’ve also had a few people write to tell me that they had never read a book before they picked up one of mine and were now addicted to reading. Honestly, I know I’ll never win a Pultizer but I don’t care. To know I’ve introduced just one person to the magical world of reading is the best thing ever.

Finally, can you tell me what you are working on next? Oh, and is there any news about the Hunting Lila movie? My life will not be complete until I see Alex on the big screen!

I mentioned all the books already! I am working on a third Lila book but so many things keep getting in the way - including the screenplay for the Hunting Lila movie - which is still in the production stage. We are just about to go out looking for a director so fingers crossed!

Out of Control the new novel from Sarah Alderson is available May 22nd 2014.

To Find Out More Follow Sarah on Twitter @sarahalderson

Cover Alert: Come Back To Me by Mila Gray.

Come Back To Me by Mila Gray || Release date: June 26th 2014

Home on leave in sunny California, Marine and local lothario Kit Ryan finds himself dangerously drawn to his best friend's sister, Jessa - the one girl he can't have.

But Kit's not about to let a few obstacles stand in his way and soon Jessa's falling for his irresistible charms.

What starts out as a summer romance of secret hook-ups and magical first times quickly develops into a passionate love affair that turns both their worlds upside down.

When summer's over and it's time for Kit to redeploy, neither Kit nor Jessa are ready to say goodbye. Jessa's finally following her dreams and Kit's discovered there's someone he'd sacrifice everything for.

Jessa's prepared to wait for Kit no matter what. But when something more than distance and time rips them apart they're forced to decide whether what they have is really worth fighting for.

A breathtaking, scorchingly hot story about love, friendship, family and finding your way back from the edge of heartbreak

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Very excitingly Hunting Lila author Sarah Alderson is now writing New Adult fiction under the pen name Mila Gray. And you know what that means? Well, that means that this book is going to be ALL KINDS OF HOT. Guaranteed!

If  you've already read Come Back To Me (I've seen a few early reviews) then I'd love to know what you thought of it. I'd especially like to know all about Kit!

Will you be adding Come Back To Me to your New Adult reading list? What do you think of the cover?

You can find out more about Mila Gray and her New Adult books by following on Twitter: @MilaGrayBooks

Reviewed by Arianne: Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly.

Product details:
Publisher: Disney Press.
Hardcover, 320 pages.
Release date: May 6th 2014.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Ages: 12+
Source: Received from publisher for review.
Reviewed by: Arianne.

The first in a series of four epic tales set in the depths of the ocean, where six mermaids seek to protect and save their hidden world.

Deep in the ocean, in a world not so different from our own, live the merpeople. Their communities are spread throughout the oceans, seas, and freshwaters all over the globe.

When Serafina, a mermaid of the Mediterranean Sea, awakens on the morning of her betrothal, her biggest worry should be winning the love of handsome Prince Mahdi. And yet Sera finds herself haunted by strange dreams that foretell the return of an ancient evil. Her dark premonitions are confirmed when an assassin's arrow poisons Sera's mother. Now, Serafina must embark on a quest to find the assassin's master and prevent a war between the Mer nations. Led only by her shadowy dreams, Sera searches for five other mermaid heroines who are scattered across the six seas. Together, they will form an unbreakable bond of sisterhood and uncover a conspiracy that threatens their world's very existence.

Far beneath the waves of the Mediterranean, the beloved princess of a vast kingdom is about to fulfill her destiny – it’s just not the one she’s been planning for. 

Jennifer Donnelly is a master of her craft. Her writing is beautiful, powerful, unflinching and unforgettable. Her novels have won awards and received critical acclaim; in particular, her gritty contemporary-historical epic, Revolution, remains one of my all-time favourites. Needless to say, then, my expectations for Deep Blue were high, and I fully expected them to be surpassed. That is, until I started reading.

Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot to love about Deep Blue – it’s just so different from what I’d imagined that it takes quite a bit of getting used to. 

At the start of this book, Serafina is about to begin life as the official heir of the underwater kingdom Miromara. She’s a great character and very brave, but she’s also naïve and disappointingly immature. She’s whip-smart when it comes to reciting the history of her world, but ask her about her own sense of identity and she may not be so quick to answer. Her best friend Neela (who’s also a princess, natch) is more entertaining, but the few characteristics she’s given are general and sweeping, so as much as I liked her, I couldn’t help wishing she was a little more complex.

On the other hand, I absolutely loved Mahdi. I figured he’d be another unsurprising placeholder ‘oh look here’s the prince I hardly know that I’m about to marry’ character, but he’s so much more than that. Serafina and Mahdi go way back, having forged a relationship when they first met years before the events of the novel. They’ve never needed to be close – never needed to build a romance from scratch like an ordinary couple – because their marriage is arranged and ultimately inevitable, but they took the time to get to know each other anyway, and I adored that. They have genuine feelings for each other and enjoy each other’s company – or at least they used to. Sera hasn’t seen Mahdi in so long, she’s not sure if he’s held true to the promises they once made to each other. She’s heard rumours; of his wild partying and his bad attitude. He’s a couple of years older than she is and has more freedom, but even that can’t excuse the transformation he seems to have undergone since they last saw each other. He’s kind of a jerk when we meet him in the early chapters of Deep Blue – but he’s also hugely conflicted, torn between the decency Sera brings out in him and the reputation he’s developed as a reckless and popular prince, and that makes him one of the best characters in the entire book. He’s certainly the most interesting – and that’s really saying something, since Deep Blue has such a numerous cast, from the matronly Thalassa to Armando, the elusive outlaw leader of the Praedatori, and not forgetting the intriguing Blue or the menacing witches of Sera’s dreams. 

Unfortunately, you often have to rely on tantalising flickers of potential from these characters rather than their presence on the page, as this is a book that moves quickly from one situation to another (once the opening streams of exposition are finished, of course). In this sense Deep Blue is something of a contradiction, as unbelievably, I seemed to enjoy characters who only made one or two key appearances more than I liked characters who were present throughout. There are a lot of unanswered questions left by these characters, and it's one of the reasons why I know I'll be reading the sequel.

The contradictions don’t end there. Deep Blue’s concept is to die for, full of danger, darkness and the irresistible call of fate, yet the tone and feel of Sera’s narration exactly the opposite. She behaves like a child, yet her opening conversation is one of in-depth political jargon with her flat and cartoonish mother. There are puns everywhere, which I found funny, but also awkward twists on perfectly usable words like girl (which becomes ‘merl’) and currency (‘currensea’), which I did not. I appreciate this is part of the world-building – which was for the most part fantastic - but the prevalence of terminology is like learning a second language, and it slows the story down. The pacing is unreliable, shooting from snail speed to lightning fast in all the wrong places. Instead of pulling me into the world of the text, it pushed me out. Thankfully, Donnelly’s description is as imaginative and illustrative as ever, and I couldn’t fault that. 

Deep Blue may be a Little Mermaidfor the 21st century, but it’s also the Little Mermaid on steroids. It’s full of strong female characters and features the kind of ethnic diversity all books should be aiming for these days, but then again, Sera sleeps on a bed of anemones set in the frame of a giant conch. She has a pet octopus named Sylvestre. She wears bejewelled, floaty dresses that surely impair her ability to swim – in fact, this is a book which flouts the laws of physics so often you have no choice but to blame it all on the magic and be done with it. Because magic is a very big part of Deep Blue, and while I loved the idea of songspells, I just couldn’t resist raising an eyebrow when some of its mermaids starting drinking tea underwater. 

Where the magic really comes into its own, however, is in the plot. From the second I started reading Deep Blue, I got the feeling that this was the kind of book I would have loved to have read before I’d even started reading YA. The idea of six mermaids - did I forget to mention that characters named Ling, Astrid, Becca and Ava join Neela and Serafina later in the story? Don’t worry, the author almost forgets to mention it, too – with different powers taking part in a quest to save the sea is the stuff kids’ dreams are made of. And this is, I think the book’s fatal flaw: it’s being promoted as a dark and intricate fantasy for older YA readers, when really, it would be better off on the transitionary middle grade shelf.

In short: Deep Blue is a rich, engaging tale set in a fascinating underwater world, but it suffers from flat characters and an extremely misleading marketing campaign. It’s the kind of book that makes you think ‘You know what? This could have been so much better’. I’ll probably read the sequel, but in future I think I’ll only be recommending it to well-versed middle grade readers or YA fans who are sure they know what they’re in for. 

 

--Arianne.

Book Review: Nantucket Red by Leila Howland.

Product details:
Publisher: Disney Hyperion.
eBook, 288 pages.
Release date: May 13th 2014.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Ages: 14+.
Series: Nantucket #2.
Other Books in Series: Nantucket Blue.
Source: Received from publisher for review.

Cricket Thompson's lifetime of overachieving has paid off: she's headed to Brown University in the fall, with a spot on the lacrosse team and a scholarship that covers almost everything. Who knew living in the dorm cost money? An Ivy League education seems to mean living at home for the next four years.

When Cricket is offered the chance to earn enough cash to afford a real college experience, she heads back to Nantucket for the summer. But the faraway island challenges Cricket in ways she hadn't anticipated. It's hard to focus on earning money for next year, when she finds her world opening up in entirely new ways-to art, to travel, and, most unexpectedly, to a future completely different from the one she has been working toward her whole life. A friendship blossoms with Ben, the gorgeous surfer and bartender who encourages Cricket to be free, even as she smarts at the pain of seeing Zack, her first love, falling for her worst enemy.

But one night, when Cricket finally lets herself break all her own rules, she realizes she may have ruined her carefully constructed future with one impulsive decision. Cricket must dig deep to fight for her future, discovering that success isn't just about reaching goals, but also about listening to what she's been trying to ignore-her own heart.

It’s another summer on Nantucket for Cricket Thompson, and better yet, all the gang are back! But, wait: rewind. Leila Howland’s sequel to the sun-dapped Nantucket Blue doesn’t begin on the beach. Instead we catch up with Cricket as she embarks on her final year at school, and presses pause on her relationship with Zack, he of the “kisses in the surf and champagne boat rides” of Blue. Zack is leaving for boarding school in Connecticut and Cricket doesn’t want to do long distance. Instead, she thinks a pause might work; Zack loves her just as she loves him, and Cricket is sure they can pick up again in summer. Lacrosse star Cricket’s year flies by, and, ever the high-achiever she lands an almost-pays-for-everything-scholarship to Brown University. It’s a dream come true for Cricket and since she wants the full university experience, she heads back to Nantucket, because, that scholarship of hers, it doesn’t quite stretch to accommodation expenses.

Nantucket holds a lot of fond memories for Cricket; bike rides to “Something Natural”, her job at the Cranberry Inn with exuberant Brit Liz, and of course, falling in love with Zack. But Zack and Cricket are no longer together. Due to a disastrous case of miscommunication, it looks as though, instead of pausing, their relationship has come to a permanent full stop. Even worse, Zack has a new girlfriend. It’s heartbreak time for Cricket, but she needs to get a job to raise those funds, and, after all, there are other boys in the world. Namely hot surfer boys called Ben, who play guitar, and have a whole lot of relationship baggage to boot.

Ah, Ben. The love interest of Red didn’t capture my interest in the way of Cricket and Zack’s sweet romance, but this hot, older guy is a nice distraction for our girl all the same. And, distracted is the name of the game, in Red, because, well, Cricket seems a little out of focus in this book. And if you know Cricket at all, being a little out of focus is a lot out of character. Cricket is a diligent student, in fact, she’s all-round sensible and well-behaved, but in this book she acquires a penchant for rule-breaking, and it lands her in a whole lot of trouble. In fact, Cricket’s mistake could jeopardize her whole future. In that way, Blue, which was all about discovery; first love, coming of age, the end of childhood, in a way, is more charming than Red. I guess Cricket isn’t that sweet, innocent girl of Blue anymore. She’s seen a bit of the world and she’s gotten to know herself better. She’s fallen in love and had her heart broken - and it shows in her distracted and sometimes careless actions. But then, as Cricket is about to learn: not everything can be perfect all of the time. And, of course, we all make mistakes. Mistakes are part of life; they’re the flawed parts that sometimes make life more interesting. Sometimes, mistakes can even be fun.

Zack is summering on Nantucket too, of course. With his girlfriend.  As is Jules.  Now, I was not a fan of Jules in Blue, so it was good to see the redemption of her character here. In many aspects, Jules is still as self-centered as she ever was. Jules has her faults and she’s not a favourite character of mine, but her friendship with Cricket really rings true. Cricket and Jules may be moving apart, but they have a shared history that neither of them wants to deny. In a way Jules’s mom, Nina, who died just as Blue began, brings Cricket and Jules back together and is very much present in this book due to a Bucket List of hers which Cricket finds hidden behind an old photograph. Nina’s “Life List” provides the sub-plot to this book; much as Cricket’s mom’s hilarious teenage diaries provide the same in Blue.  But while I loved finding out more about the character of Nina, and I was thankful that Jules got a chance at redemption, my absolute favourite character in this book was Liz, she of the “Cranberry Inn.” In Liz, I think Cricket has found a friend for life, and if Leila Howland ever wanted to try her hand at writing New Adult, then in Liz, she has the perfect female protagonist for some NA hi-jinks!

While Nantucket Red lacks a little of the charm of its predecessor, it is nonetheless a super sweet summer read, adorably written, with a pitch-perfect voice and relatable characters. Cricket has another eventful summer on Nantucket and while it’s Ben who provides a welcome distraction to her days and nights, another boy – you know who – forever occupies her heart.

Will Cricket and Zack get their happy ever after? You’ll just have to read this one (on the beach!) to find out!

 

Book Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han.

Product details:
Publisher: Simon &Schuster.
Hardcover, 368 pages.
Release date: April 15th 2014.
Rating:  5 out of 5.
Ages: 12+
Source: Purchased.

Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control in this heartfelt novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer I Turned Pretty series.

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them... all at once?

Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she's written. One for every boy she's ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

Have you ever written a letter to a crush?

I can’t say that I have, not exactly. Back in the days of my own all-consuming-teenage-crushes of which there were many (hey, I was fickle) I wrote in my journal to vent about the boys I crushed on from afar; there was the very hot older guy who only ever dated blondes (I’m a brunette), and the guy who just never wanted to take it to the next level of something actually happening between us even though he showed all the signs of being interested (or did I just imagine that?) Oh, and there was the ‘friend’ guy who I had everything in common with and who could have been something more, but never was. I realized years later that in that particular instance, I’d been friendzoned, or maybe he was just never interested in me in that way – a concept my teenage self never quite seemed to grasp. There was a lot of “whyyyyy isn’t this happening???” in my teenage journal. “Whyyyyy???” In any case, my point is, when I read back on these journals now, they are pretty funny, yes, but also pretty cringeworthy, and if they had fallen into the wrong hands way back when, boy, I would just about have died.

Welcome to Lara Jean Covey’s world.  When the sixteen-year-old protagonist of Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is ready to move on from a crush, she writes him a letter, which she then stores in her late mother’s hatbox. For Lara Jean, these letters are a form of closure, a way of saying goodbye and falling out of love. The letters are private; for Lara Jean’s eyes only and she most definitely never intends for the letters to end up in the hands of her former crushes. But, wouldn’t you know it, one day, Lara Jean’s hatbox goes missing, and the next, Peter K, Lara Jean’s first crush, approaches her at school, letter in hand.  Lara Jean really doesn’t know how the letter came to be in Peter’s possession, but finding out how is the least of her worries, because another of her crushes, Josh, the sweet, dependable, a-little-bit-nerdy boy next door, also got one of her letters. The problem with Josh is that he’s Lara Jean’s older sister Margot’s long-term-boyfriend-turned-very-recent-ex. Also, while Lara Jean said goodbye to her crush on Josh a long time ago (because, sisters!) that crush has very recently, and very unfortunately, re-ignited.

Josh, still hurting from his break-up with Margot (who dissolved their relationship when she moved to Scotland for University) is confused as to why Lara Jean didn’t tell him about her crush way back before he got together with Margot. Lara Jean just doesn’t want to go there, and she needs to get Josh off the scent. So, she enlists Peter K. as her faux-boyfriend. Peter, a good-looking charmer who doesn’t take life too seriously is happy to go along with Lara Jean’s plan, mostly because he’s recently single and wants to make his ex jealous. Sounds like a plan. But the course of faux-love never did run smooth, and soon Lara Jean discovers that there’s more to hot lacrosse-player Peter K. than just eye-candy.

Ah, well, isn’t this book is just a bundle of love. Sweetly innocent, romantic, and all-round-feel-good To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before left me with a big, happy mile on my face. Jenny Han just gets it right. So right.  Every time.

Unlike my teenage journal, though, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Beforeis not just all about boys. There is so much more to this book than you might think. Yes, it’s a sweet, romantic contemporary-coming-of-age-story, but it’s also about family, specifically sisters; the trials and tribulations of, the teasing and fallings-out, and the built in best-friendships-forever that many sisters share. Lara Jean, the middle-sister, looks up to her practically-perfect-in-every-way older sister Margot as her hero, and is always trying to live up to, but never quite meets, her high standards.  Lara Jean herself reminded me a little of Belly Conkin from Han’s Summer series in that she is a little naïve for her years, but it’s a somehow endearing trait in her, just like it was with Belly. The star of the show, though, at least for me, is little sister Kitty. Wait until you meet her. Kitty has all the answers, all the best one-liners, wants a puppy more than anybody ever wanted a puppy ever, and boy, can she hold a grudge. Kitty reminded me of Tom’s wise-beyond-her-years-scene-stealing sister Rachel (Chloe Moretz) in (500) Days of Summer. You should totally watch that movie, by the way.

What else is there to say about To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: great vintage clothes and grilled cheese and Christmas cookies and family dinners and hot tubs and kissing!  This book, for me, was a pure pleasure reading experience; I cannot fault it and I could not get enough. Even better, I just recently discovered that this is not a standalone, and that there’s more to come. Yay! I’m already counting down the days to P.S. I Still Love You which releases next year.  I can’t wait for more!

 

Reviewed by Arianne: In Bloom by Matthew Crow.

Product details:
Publisher: Much-In-Little.
Paperback, 352 pages.
Release date: March 20th 2014.
Rating: 3½ out of 5.
Ages: YA
Source: Received from publisher for review.
Reviewed by: Arianne.

Francis Wootton's first memory is of Kurt Cobain's death and there have since been other hardships much closer to home. At fifteen, he knows all about loss and rejection, and if he's honest, Francis - would-be poet, possible intellectual - feels he is wasted in Tyne and Wear. Lower Fifth is supposed to be his time: but when he is diagnosed with leukaemia, a whole new world of worry presents itself. There's the horror of being held back a year at school, the threat of imminent baldness. But he hadn't reckoned on meeting Amber and finding a reason to tackle it all - the good the bad and everything in-between - head on.

I have very mixed feelings about In Bloom. On one hand, it's got all the hallmarks of a classic UKYA issue book with the added bonus of a fabulous female lead and a surprisingly well-written romance. On the other hand, it's impossible not to wonder if long-time YA fans will feel as if they've seen it all before.

Francis Wootton is one Tyneside teenager who’s about to learn that spending your days wishing you were somewhere else is no way to live. Because Francis has been diagnosed with leukaemia, and suddenly, he’s got more to worry about than the impulsive antics of his big brother Chris and the general dullness of his ordinary hometown.

Let me make one thing clear here: Matthew Crow is not the next John Green. In Bloommay take on the same subject as The Fault in Our Stars but it pales incomparison to its NYT-bestselling counterpart. In Bloom’s prose is unsophisticated and lacking in sensitivity. Hero Francis is more Adrian Mole than Augustus Waters, and I can assure you, he is anything but book boyfriend material. His attempts at wit are lukewarm at best and let’s just say he’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to, well, pretty much everything.

His love interest Amber, in contrast, is a breath of fresh air. Cut-glass sharp and tough as nails, she pulls Francis from his dreary existence, showing him that a life with cancer is still a life, and you’ve got to make the best of what you’ve been given, no matter how hard it is. And Francis, like the reader, falls for Amber hook, line and sinker.

The theme of family has a huge influence over this novel. In Bloom is a surprisingly short book, with a slightly erratic timeline and frequent line breaks just to make sure you’re kept on your toes, but the same familiar faces pop up time and again, ensuring there is at least some semblance of continuity throughout. 

Francis has the kind of family everyone can relate to; the kind you love, but sometimes you wish you weren’t stuck with for the rest of eternity. You can never be sure if Chris really has his little brother’s best interests at heart, but he’s undoubtedly entertaining and he’s a good guy (very, very) deep down. For me, twenty-something Chris was more real than Francis – from the way he goes through phases of unreliability to the way he regularly drops by his mum’s house to raid the fridge. The mother in question is, you hope, mostly well-meaning (though she’s not exactly about to be nominated for Mum of the Year anytime soon). My favourite character by far, however, was the grandmother. She’s a true Geordie, hilarious without even trying. That’s the kind of characterisation I wanted to see more in this book – natural and realistic instead of imitative and forced.

That said, Crow doesn’t shy away from showing the harsh realities of Francis' new life, and I appreciated that. In some ways, In Bloomembraces the 'cancer book' label – for example, showing how Francis and Amber’s bond is strongest during the tough times – but in others, it half-heartedly tries to shrug off the name – for example, when we’re subjected to endless pages of Francis trying to be smart and failing. Ironically, I think I'd be most likely to recommend this book to people who haven't read The Fault InOur Stars (or to people who don't read YA in general) as without the influence of comparison or the benefit of reading experience, I can see where and why it would be loved. 

The romance inthis book is very much of the whirlwind variety, but it stays with you – it’s passionate and troubled, full of sarcasm and adventure. Like all good romance novels, this book ends with a wedding (unfortunately for cynics like me, this is just another attempt to copy the format of The Fault in Our Stars) but I certainly won’t be telling you which characters are getting married! In Bloom is worth reading just for the journey alone, but is a little predictable. 

In short: In Bloom is a good book. It’s solid UKYA (in fact it's so thoroughly British it’s practically the book equivalent of eating fish and chips while listening to Oasis on a London street corner) but you can't help feeling that this is a story we've seen before. In truth, it all rests on whether or not you like the main character – I didn’t, and I think that’s why this is a book that hasn’t found a place in my heart quite yet.

 

Read All About It: News, Deals and Cover Reveals from Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian, Gayle Forman, Josephine Angelini & More!

Here's a round up of the latest book news, deals and some cover reveals that I've discovered over the past month or so.  It's also basically a digest of all the exciting news stories that come my way and which I've mostly already posted on my twitter and Facebook feeds, so if you want up-to-the-minute book news and you don't want to have to wait around for me to type this up, you can follow me on those sites!

 Like DaisyChainBookReviews on Facebook  ||   Follow  @daisychainbooks on Twitter and then you'll never miss a thing!

Ashes to Ashes by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian || Release date: September 2014 

Burn For Burn #3

(synopsis not included in case of spoilers. You can read it here.)

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The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters || Release date: October 2014

Olivia Mead is a headstrong, independent girl—a suffragist—in an age that prefers its girls to be docile. It’s 1900 in Oregon, and Olivia’s father, concerned that she’s headed for trouble, convinces a stage mesmerist to try to hypnotize the rebellion out of her. But the hypnotist, an intriguing young man named Henri Reverie, gives her a terrible gift instead: she’s able to see people’s true natures, manifesting as visions of darkness and goodness, while also unable to speak her true thoughts out loud. These supernatural challenges only make Olivia more determined to speak her mind, and so she’s drawn into a dangerous relationship with the hypnotist and his mysterious motives, all while secretly fighting for the rights of women. Winters breathes new life into history once again with an atmospheric, vividly real story, including archival photos and art from the period throughout.

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Book Deals, Book Deals, Book Deals....

Look Both Ways by Alison Cherry 

Wendy Loggia at Delacorte Press has bought Look Both Waysby Alison Cherry (Red and For Real), for publication in 2016. A girl apprentices at a summer theater festival hoping she's finally found a place to belong, only to learn that neither talent nor love is as straightforward as she thinks. Holly Root at Waxman Leavell Literary Agency brokered the deal for world English rights. 

Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales

Stephen Barbara at Foundry Literary + Media has sold two YA novels and a middle-grade fantasy by This Song Will Save Your Lifeauthor and Viking Children's editor Leila Sales. Joy Peskin at Farrar, Straus & Giroux took North American rights to Tonight the Streets Are Ours, a YA novel about a teen girl living in the suburbs who becomes obsessed with a blogger in New York City, and sets out to track him down in real life. Publication is scheduled for fall 2015. Peskin also acquired an untitled second YA title. Separately, Tamra Tuller at Chronicle has acquired North American rights to Once Was a Time, Sales's middle-grade debut features two best friends who are wrenched apart when one time-travels away from their home in war-ravaged 1940s England. Publication is tentatively set for spring 2016. 

One Thing Stolen & This Is the Story of You by Beth Kephart

Tamra Tuller at Chronicle has acquired two books by NBA-nominated author Beth Kephart. Set in Florence, Italy, One Thing Stolen follows Nadia Cara as she mysteriously begins to change. She's become a thief, she has secrets she can't tell, and when she tries to speak, the words seem far away. This Is the Story of You takes place in an island beach town in the aftermath of a super storm; Mira, a year-rounder stranded for weeks without power, hopes to return storm-tossed treasures to their rightful owners, and restore some sense of order to an unrecognizable world. Publication is scheduled for spring 2015 and spring 2016; Amy Rennert of the Amy Rennert Agency did the deal for world rights.

Shut-In by Marisa Reichardt

Joy Peskin at FSG acquired North American rights in a pre-empt to Shut-In, a debut YA novel by Marisa Reichardt, as well as a second YA contemporary. In the aftermath of a deadly high school shooting, 17-year-old Morgan is an agoraphobic trapped in the apartment she shares with her mother and brother; when surfer boy Evan moves in next door, she has to face the life she's been missing. Publication is set for winter 2016 and winter 2018; Kate Testerman at KT Literary brokered the deal. 

Tumbling by Caela Carter

Leila Sales at Viking has bought a third novel by Caela Carter, Tumbling, which is set at the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics trials and follows the girls vying for spots on the Olympic team. In shifting points of view, Carter examines what each girl wants, needs, and sacrifices for her Olympic dreams. It's scheduled for publication in 2016 to coincide with the Summer Olympics. Kate McKean at Howard Morhaim Literary Agency did the deal for North American rights.

I Woke Up Dead at the Mall by Judy Sheehan

Wendy Loggia at Delacorte Press has bought Judy Sheehan's I Woke Up Dead at the Mall, in a pre-empt. It tells of a girl who wakes up dead at the Mall of America only to find she was murdered, and she must work with a group of dead teenagers to finish up the unresolved business of their former lives while preventing her murderer from killing again. Publication is planned for spring 2016; Daniel Lazar at Writers House did the deal for world English rights. 

We'll Never Be Apart by Emiko Jean

Sarah Landis at HMH Books for Young Readers has acquired at auction Emiko Jean's debut novel We'll Never Be Apart, a psychological YA thriller about a 17-year-old girl who is committed to a mental institution after her boyfriend dies in a fire set by her twin. To cope, she begins writing the story of her past in foster care, and discovers that everything she thought she knew was a lie. It's scheduled for fall 2015; Erin Harris at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management did the two-book deal for North American rights. 

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More Book Covers of Awesome...

 For Real by Alison Cherry || Release date: December 2014

No parents. No limits. No clue what they're in for.

Shy, cautious Claire has always been in her confident older sister's shadow. While Miranda's life is jam-packed with exciting people and whirlwind adventures, Claire gets her thrills vicariously by watching people live large on reality TV.

When Miranda discovers her boyfriend, Samir, cheating on her just before her college graduation, it's Claire who comes up with the perfect plan. They'll outshine Miranda's fame-obsessed ex while having an amazing summer by competing on Around the World, a race around the globe for a million bucks. Revenge + sisterly bonding = awesome.

But the show has a twist, and Claire is stunned to find herself in the middle of a reality-show romance that may or may not be just for the cameras. This summer could end up being the highlight of her life... or an epic fail forever captured on film. In a world where drama is currency and manipulation is standard, how can you tell what's for real?

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Just One Night by Gayle Forman  || Release date: May 29th 2014

Just One Day #2.5

After spending one life-changing day in Paris with laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter, sheltered American good girl Allyson “Lulu” Healey discovered her new lover had disappeared without a trace. Just One Day followed Allyson’s quest to reunite with Willem; Just One Year chronicled the pair’s year apart from Willem’s perspective. Now, back together at last, this delectable e-novella reveals the couple’s final chapter.

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Atlantia by Ally Condie || Release date: November 2014

A standalone YA novel.

"In Atlantia, the heroine, Rio, is thrown into a precarious and upsetting situation after her twin sister, Bay, opts to leave their underwater world for "Above" first. Since only family member can leave for the surface, Rio is then, as PYRG executive director of publicity Shanta Newlin explained, 'left with increasingly dangerous questions about the complex political and religious system constructed to govern the fragile divide between land and sea.'" -Publishers Weekly

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Some UK Cover Reveals... 

 

 Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini || Release date: August 2014

Love burns. Worlds collide. Magic reigns.

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying many of the experiences that other teenagers take for granted...which is why she is determined to enjoy her first (and perhaps only) high-school party. But Lily's life never goes according to plan, and after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly Lily is in a different Salem - one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruellest of all the Crucibles is Lillian . . . Lily's identical other self in this alternate universe. This new version of her world is terrifyingly sensual, and Lily is soon overwhelmed by new experiences.

Lily realizes that what makes her weak at home is exactly what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. It also puts her life in danger. Thrown into a world she doesn't understand, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone, and a love she never expected.

But how can Lily be the saviour of this world when she is literally her own worst enemy?

US Cover

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 Between the Lives by Jessica Shirvington || Release date: August 2014

The perfect life or the perfect love. You choose.

For as long as she can remember, Sabine has lived two lives. Every 24 hours she shifts to her 'other' life - a life where she is exactly the same, but absolutely everything else is different: different family, different friends, different social expectations. In one life she has a sister, in the other she does not. In one life she's a straight-A student with the perfect boyfriend, in the other she's considered a reckless delinquent. Nothing about her situation has ever changed, until the day when she discovers a glitch: the arm she breaks in one life is perfectly fine in the other.

With this new knowledge, Sabine begins a series of increasingly risky experiments that bring her dangerously close to the life she's always wanted. But if she can only have one life, which is the one she'll choose?

A compelling psychological thriller about a girl who lives two parallel lives - this is Sliding Doors for the YA audience. 

Australian Edition   ||  US Edition (with title change)

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Louder Than Words by Laura Jarratt || Release date: June 2014

Rafi hasn't spoken for eight years. It's up to her to tell her brother's story now that he can't speak either ...

Rafi idolises her seventeen-year-old brother, who is popular, generous and a borderline genius. Ever protective, Silas always includes her when he's with his friends, so Rafi gets to hear all sorts of things that younger sisters wouldn't normally be a part of. Like the time Silas hacks a gaming site to help out his friend Josie, who has been trashed by her ex.

With Josie, Rafi finds herself with a proper friend for the first time in her life. As they grow closer, she realises that she wants to find a way back into the world – she wants to learn to speak again. But Silas has found a new interest too – and it’s taking him away from everything that was once important to him. Can Rafi find the words to save her brother?

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 That's it for the round up! Let me know what you think of the latest covers and deals in comments! Which cover of Trial by Fire do you prefer?  Josie's publishers in the US & UK have gone for VERY different looks with this one! The UK cover is pretty similar to the UK Starcrossed covers in that it features an up-close boy/girl shot.  I like it, but it's a bit samey, so I'm going for the US cover on this one.

I'm very excited to read Just One Night. I only heard about this last week, but I'm really glad that it's happening. I was bummed when I read Just One Year and didn't find out what happened next!

Please note that book covers may not be final and may be subject to change.  Additional sources:  PW Children's Bookshelf, Amazon & Goodreads.