Open Road Summer Review

Open Road Summer
Emery Lord
Published by Walker
April 2014
3/5
Quotes:

“You are the only person who can build emotional barriers, but you're also the only person who can topple them. Other people can't knock down the walls you've built, no matter how much they love you. You have to tear them down yourself because there's something worth seeing on the other side.”

“I want to reach back into my history with a grade-school pink eraser, scrubbing away my decisions like mistakes on a math test. Too bad I drew my mistakes in ink.”  

“Because I've recently learned, in a very painful way, that life is short. And I don't want to waste my time with anyone who would make me feel...happy enough." He pauses, searching my face. "I'd rather duke it out with someone who makes me feel everything.”  
“His eyes are somewhere between gray and blue, and his hair is somewhere between brown and blond, and I am somewhere between hostile and attracted.”

I liked this book but not as much as everyone else seems to. Yes, it meets the criteria for a light summer read, but I had some serious issues with the narrator. So it was automatically hard for me to completely connect with the story because of this reason. Like I already mentioned, it seems like I'm in the minority of those that wasn't over the moon for this book. It's very likely that you'll love this book, I'm not discouraging anyone from picking it up. Overall, I think it was a mostly cute and unique read.

Reagan O'Neill needs to escape for the summer after finding her bad news boyfriend cheating on her. She decides her teen superstar best friend Lilah on her tour for the summer. Lilah is also dealing with the heartbreak of no longer being with her longtime boyfriend. Early on in the trip, Lilah finds herself in a predicament so her management encourages her to bring along another teen superstar Matt Finch. Even though he was brought in to be her best friend's "boyfriend," there's an obvious attraction between Matt and Reagan. Will she give in to Matt and end up falling for him?

Lilah or Dee as she is called by those closest to her, is the Taylor Swift character. She's considered a "country" artist but she's also considered a popstar as well. What makes her like Taylor Swift is that they both write songs about people who hurt them. Dee has a string of new songs about her longtime boyfriend who broke up with her. I liked her character and felt like she was just a sweet and fun character. So now I'm going to touch on Reagan, who is really the sole reason I struggled with this book at all. This girl has a serious attitude problem and she blames everyone else for her problems. She just is a negative and judgmental person. What really got to me was the slut shaming that she constantly did. She would put down pretty much every girl that entered the path of Matt, even when she was completely against being with him! It just felt so out of place to have that kind of narrator when the book mostly sends a feminist vibe with the female friendship between Dee and Reagan. It's unfortunate that all of that is destroyed by her attitude.

Okay, I'm pretty much done with ranting about Reagan. Now I'm going to highlight on a big positive about the book for me personally. How can you not love Matt Finch? He's brutally honest with Reagan about his feelings for her from the beginning and I like that he never is indecisive or with anyone else, he knows how he feels and he's came to terms with that. He's also just a downright charming guy who also doubles as a musician. Is it even humanly possible to resist that kind of charm? I think not. Despite my ill feelings towards Reagan, Matt gave me nothing but sweet vibes and I wanted even more of him.

Though it wasn't my all time favorite, I did enjoy reading it. The book has many good parts, the bad just happened to stand out most prominently to me. Anyway, give it a read so you can judge it for yourself!

Top Ten Auto-buy Authors

I'm sure you know the drill by now, The Broke and The Bookish hosts Top Ten Tuesday every week. This week the theme is top ten auto-buy authors. Meaning, you automatically buy whatever book this author has written regardless of the genre.

1. Huntley Fitzpatrick
She might only have three novels released so far, but she's one author that I'm definitely going to buy whatever she writes without questioning it. Fitzpatrick has such a beautiful style of writing that's difficult to explain but let's just say that it's already managed to win me over to say the least!

2. Veronica Roth
I loved the Divergent trilogy and I'm anxious to see what Veronica writes next!

3. Courtney C. Stevens
She only has written two full length novels, one of them isn't even released yet. I was lucky enough to read an advanced copy of Lies About Truth so this is kind of cheating a little bit. But let's just say that I'm going to buy whatever she writes because she tells stories in such a breathtaking and real way. I just really love how she can take a fresh spin on tough teen issues.

4. Abbi Glines 
This is one that I'm a little hesitant to admit to, not that she's a bad author, I just think some of her characters seem to blend together with the whole innocent girl meets bad boy act. However, I read her books because the stories are just addicting to me for some reason. I get so wrapped up in all the lives of her characters, especially in her series like Sea Breeze and Rosemary Beach.

5. Kasie West
I'm mostly drawn to her contemporary novels, but anything Kasie releases is sure to be amazing.

6. Marissa Meyer
The Lunar Chronicles have drawn me in so much that I'm sure to read whatever Meyer writes. Cinder was unlike any book I've ever read before, it's definitely managed to stick with me.

7. Kiera Cass
The Selection wasn't my favorite, mostly because of the main character America. However, I did become intrigued enough with the books that I'm going to go for whatever Cass comes out with.

8. J.K. Rowling
Do I really need to elaborate with this one?

9. Judy Blume
I love how she writes many different genre books. Regardless of what audience she's writing for, I'm reading it.

10. Neil Gaiman
I know this one is really weird compared to all the others but I couldn't leave him off! Gaiman writes such unique books that are constantly pushing buttons. I love all his work and will always pick up his works regardless of genre.

How To Say I Love You Out Loud Review

How To Say I Love You Out Loud

Karole Cozzo

Swoon Reads

August 2015

5/5

This is a beautiful story about love and acceptance. It's Karole Cozzo's debut novel and it is safe to say that I'm officially a fan of her work and I can't wait to see what's next about her! I had the opportunity to interview her and she was as amazing as her work. Anyway, this is a touching novel that really makes you think twice about how you treat people who are different from you.

Jordyn is a girl who just wants to live the life of a normal teenager. So far, she's been able to keep her at home life completely separate from her school life. She has a secret that she won't tell anyone else, she has an autistic brother. Her brother Phillip goes to a private school specifically for children with disabilities. However, it's being closed due to budget cuts and all the students are going to Jordyn's school. Now Jordyn must come to terms with the possibility of her secret being known by her peers. Meanwhile, she's also conflicted with her feelings for Alex, a close friend who she shared a moment with over the summer. But how can she be with Alex when she's keeping this secret?

Why I enjoyed the book:

• It handles disability in a realistic way.

Cozzo has clearly done her research. She actually has been a counselor for the siblings of kids with disabilities, and her experience is evident once you read the book. It really gives you a different perspective once you see things through Jordyn's eyes and I thought that was unique and wise.

• One word: Alex

He's smart and caring plus he does so much for Jordyn. He desperately wanted her from the time that they first shared a moment at camp, but once she wanted to be just friends, he accepted that. Sure, he got a girlfriend who was a total jerk but Jordyn did wrongly jerk him around. Anyway, he's a great character who I really loved.

• Jordyn finally opening up

At first, she's a little hard to like considering the fact that she pretty much lets her peers talk smack about her brother and that really got to me. I understand that autistic children aren't easy to be around, but literally all of the teens in this book automatically made fun of them and it bothered me that not one teen was sticking up for them. Finally, Jordyn reaches acceptance and I was so relieved once that happened.

This book resonated with me personally because in high school, I was a peer tutor to severely autistic children. It really opened up my eyes to how incredible and loving these children are. I recommend reading this because of the beautiful writing. It's not only realistic, it also has some moments that are bound to really get to you. It managed to make me tear up towards the end, but it also made me laugh as well. Make sure to pick up How To Say I Love You Out Loud, it's just a unique book that is unlike anything I have ever read before.

In high school, I was a peer tutor to severely autistic students. It really opened up my eyes to how incredible and loving these children are. This book means a lot to me because I believe that it handles this disability in a realistic fashion. It does indeed change your life in so many ways. Like some of these other reviewers already said, I wanted to dislike Jordyn, how could you go so long keeping your brother a secret and not defending him against the other kids? As someone w

Bout Of Books 14 Sign Up and Goals

I'm participating in my first Bout Of Books read-a-thon. Here is the official description from the website:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 17th and runs through Sunday, August 23rd in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 14 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

Here are my goals for this week:

I'm excited for the read-a-thon to begin and I may even try to get a headstart on these books so I'll definitely be able to read all of these.

What I Thought Was True Review

What I Thought Was True
Huntley Fitzpatrick 
Dial Books For Young Readers
April 2014
4/5
Quotes: 
“I finally get that sometimes we hold on to something - a person, a resentment, a regret, an idea of who we are - because we don't know what to reach for next. That what we've done before is what we have to do again. That there are only re-dos and no do-overs. And maybe ... maybe I know better than that.” 
“That what you’ve always had doesn’t mean that’s what you’ll always get. That what you’ve always wanted isn’t what you’ll always want.” 
"If there were an Olympics for kidding yourself, I'd take home gold." 

As you can probably tell from my review of Huntley Fitzpatrick's first novel My Life Next Door, I loved her debut. She continues the trend of solid main characters, strong supporting characters, and a breathtakingly descriptive setting on an island. The book is beautiful and unique to say the least. Although far from being a light read, this makes a great summer read that I definitely recommend.

Gwen is entering the summer before her senior year and she desperately wants to escape from the year that she's had. Hoping to breakaway from her typical summer of working at her dad's pizza parlor, she takes on a job of taking care of Mrs. Ellington, an older woman from the island. She then comes face to face with the yard boy: Cassidy Somers, the one boy she's trying to forget. The rest of the summer consists of Gwen coming to terms with the fact that what she thought was true about the people in her life might not be true at all.

In this book, the characters were one of my personal favorite parts. Gwen was a character that you couldn't help but sympathize with. She was misunderstood and viewed as "easy" by her peers, but she was simply just misunderstood. It broke my heart that she didn't see her true value, but she slowly gains more confidence and grows as a person throughout the book. Cass was an amazing and genuine guy, even though I wasn't sure what to make of him at first. The supporting characters are extremely well developed including her cousin Nic, his girlfriend who is also Gwen's best friend Vivien, her little brother Emory, and the hilarious Mrs. Ellington. Mrs. Ellington brings humor to the table with obsession with graphic romance novels that she makes Gwen read out loud. All of the characters are complex and easy to relate to.

The book goes through the flashbacks and reveals what really happened between the two very very slowly, but in the end, Cass still redeems himself. The relationship between both of them is obviously tense at the beginning until at least the middle of the novel. However, it does become a lot better and more romantic. I found myself frequently looking back at My Life Next Door and comparing the two main love interests. I didn't think anyone could be as incredible as Jase, but Cass was certainly just as polite and caring. He treats Gwen and everyone he meets with tremendous respect. He also teaches her little brother Emory, who isn't autistic but he is definitely different from other kids his age, how to swim which is totally swoonworthy.

What I Thought Was True was a pretty lengthy book, but I found that I absolutely couldn't put it down. I was drawn in from start to finish. I kept on reading because I wanted to see what it was that Cass did to Gwen that was so bad. I won't ruin anything, but it turns out that it was more of a misunderstanding than anything else. The flashbacks occurred at random times, some of them seemed rather out of place. All in all, I think this was a brilliantly written book that further proves that Huntley Fitzpatrick in incapable of writing a bad book.

Throwback Thursday: This Lullaby Review

This Lullaby
Sarah Dessen
Speak
March 2004
5/5
Quotes: 
"Love is needing someone. Love is putting up with someone's bad qualities because they somehow complete you." 
“Some things don't last forever, but some things do. Like a good song, or a good book, or a good memory you can take out and unfold in your darkest times, pressing down on the corners and peering in close, hoping you still recognize the person you see there.” 
"You know, when it works, love is pretty amazing. It's not overrated. There's a reason for all those songs." 
"I am coming to terms with the fact that loving someone requires a leap of faith, and that a soft landing is never guaranteed."
"No relationship is perfect, ever. There are always some ways you have to bend, to compromise, to give something up in order to gain something greater...The love we have for each other is bigger than these small differences. And that's the key. It's like a big pie chart, and the love in a relationship has to be the biggest piece. Love can make up for a lot.” 

A new feature that I'm adding is Throwback Thursday. I wanted to do this because it gives me a chance to review older books that I absolutely love. My main requirement here is that all the books I feature are at least 10 years old. With that being said, the first book I have picked is Sarah Dessen's book This Lullaby.

This Lullaby is a charming and light summer read from one of my favorite authors Sarah Dessen. Dessen is typically known for her books featuring main characters who live on the beach and their experiences during the summer. However, this book does happen during the summer, but there's no beach element to it. People tend to think that all Sarah Dessen's books follow that formula, so I like that this one broke that particular trend. I can't recommend this book enough, it's definitely my favorite Dessen book.

Remy Starr has just graduated from high school and instead of having the typical carefree post-high school summer, she's busy planning her mom's fifth wedding. Due to how many men she's watched go in and out of her mother's life, Remy doesn't believe in love. In general, she's a structured, clean, and organized person. Her biggest rule is no musicians: a rule she placed because of her father, who she never knew was one and his only hit song was one he wrote about her called This Lullaby. Her musician rule is totally thrown out the window when she meets Dexter, who's the lead singer of a band. Despite her constant objections to letting Dexter near her, he seems to be everywhere.

The characters are a big part of what makes the book so incredible. All of the supporting characters have their own backgrounds and little quirks that make you want to know even more about them. We have Remy's mom Barbara who is a romance novel writer who has been married five times but remains optimistic as ever about love. She's got her own wisdom when it comes to love, which she shares with Remy in one of my favorite parts of the book. I also love Remy's friends Chloe, Lissa, and Jess. But my favorites were Dexter's bandmates: John Miller, Ted, and Lucas. The Potato Opus that Truth Squad is most known for made for hilarious moments.

Remy and Dexter are one of my favorite book couples. They are total and complete opposites, which is what instantly drew me in to them. Dexter is messy and awkward, Remy is clean and balanced. Dexter is unpredictable, while Remy has everything planned out. Dexter is an optimist about love despite the fact that his own mother has been married six times, Remy has given up on love after seeing all her mom's marriages. Somehow though, this relationship works and you can't help but love them together.

I could go on and on about how great this book is, but I'll spare you those ramblings. I think this is the perfect book to start reading this author if you've never read anything by her before. Anyway, this is a beautiful book about summer, weddings, love and lots of music. I love how Dessen works in music and bands into this novel. Be sure to check this out if you've somehow missed it!

Summer Of Series: August Goals

 

Summer Of Series is hosted by Danielle from Love At First Page and Lili from Lili's Reflections. It's been going on all summer and I've been missing out on it. So I am going to join in on the fun for the month of August! 

Although this is my first official post for the challenge, I have already read one series this month. I read three of The Selection books the first few days of August so hopefully that will count as books read for me! 

 

Series I want to read this month: 

I just finished Cinder so I'm dying to read Scarlet and Cress, the next two books in The Lunar Chronicles.

 

 I've heard good things about The Wolves Of Mercy Falls, so it's about time I get around to reading it. 

 

 Under The Never Sky is another popular series I have yet to read. If I have enough time, I'll pick this one up. But no promises!

 

 That's all of the series that I'm going to add to my August goals for now. Hope everyone else participating in the challenge is able to reach their goals!