Review: The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick

the lowdown
Tim and Alice never thought of falling for each other. He's her brothers best friend and she's the older sister with responsibilities. They fall for each other at the most unexpected time. That is, until Tim's past comes back to haunt him, and in the most unexpected way. Alice now finds herself in a situation that she would have never dreamed of. As told through Tim and Alice, this story will captivate you and make you love the boy most likely to.

Huntley Fitzpatrick is back and better than ever. We at Books Unlocked, have loved her books from the beginning and were so excited to get our hands on this book. The story brings you back to My Life Next Door, only now its about Tim, Samantha's best friend, and Alice, Jase's sister. Two people who are complete opposites but who are so attracted to each other, that they are willing to risk everything. Cover to cover, I loved this book. It reminds me how much love and dedication Fitzpatrick puts into her work and how she has become one of my favorite authors. If you have read her books in the past, this one is a must add for any bookshelf.

the good

• Like all of Fitzpatrick's books, this one had characters that were each their own. They have ups and downs and thats what makes them likable. She gives life to her characters and allows them to grow throughout the book. They can be someone who you relate to or someone you may actually know in real life. 
• The plot and subplots of the book are so intriguing and you want to keep reading to see whats going to happen or if someone is going to do something. The plots are what make the book and this plot, along with the subplots, give the book the spunk it needs to be a 'i never want this to end' type of book.

the bad

• Throughout the book there are some editing issues that could have been overlooked but once you read it its clear where the mistakes are. Its nothing against the author, more towards the editors because they are common mistakes.

the quote
"I am shocked. Well down the road beyond that, even - all the way to flabbergasted. Floored. But why? Isn't this the kind of thing everyone would expect to happen? The Boy Most Likely To strikes again?"

skip it/borrow it/buy it
 If you can't already tell from my review, I loved this book. So I'm recommending you buy it and add it to any YA bookshelf.

overall score:8/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway

the lowdown


Oliver disappeared ten years ago. His dad kidnapped him and Emmy lost her best friend. The kidnapping changed everything in their small, suburban California town, including scaring Emmy's parents into sheltering her from as much as possible. Ten years later and he's home again, but Oliver doesn't really know what home is. For ten years, he thought his dad was the good guy and that his mother abandoned him.
I really loved this book. I've read a few of Benway's other books and enjoyed them, but I didn't love them like I did Emmy & Oliver. I think what I enjoyed most about this book was the depth of the storyline. While certainly there is a romance aspect to this book, as the title suggests, the book delves into issues that are a lot deeper than that. If you're looking for a great young adult read about identity, growing up, family, and friendship, Emmy & Oliver is a wonderful choice.

the good

• The writing in this book is particularly strong. It's down to earth and realistic. There's no unnecessary drama, despite the somewhat heavy topic, and the dialogue is just fantastic: smart, funny, and heart warming. I loved the way that Benway wove this story, and I had a hard time putting it down. 
• I liked the fact that so much of this book wasn't concerned with the romance between Emmy and Oliver, but rather their friendship, as well as their friendships with Caro and Drew. If I had to choose one theme from this book, it would absolutely be friendship. It's such an interesting portrayal of how group dynamics shift when someone leaves and then comes back. It was also such a sweet story of growing up and understanding your place in the world. 

the bad

• My primary issue with this book was length. Rarely do I find young adult books to be too short, this one makes it on that list. I just wanted more of Emmy and Oliver. It's probably a testament to just how much I enjoyed this book, but another couple of scenes with them would have really cemented their relationship for me. I would have also liked to have seen more with Caro and Drew, particularly how some of Drew's storylines get resolved and progress.  

the quote

“'Well, that’s growing up, isn’t it?' my dad said. 'You don’t always have to know. And things aren’t always fair. You just have to keep moving forward. A step in one direction.'”

skip it/borrow it/buy it
Absolutely pick this one up! It's such a great read. After a long wait, I got this one from the library and wish I would've just bought it straight out. On my next trip to the bookstore, I'll definitely buy it.

overall score:8/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sunday Preview: August 31 - September 4

just to recap

Can you believe its already going to be September?! We can't either!! So last week we reviewed A Paris Apartment by Michelle Gable. On Wednesday, Liz reviewed Pretending to be Erica by Michelle Painchaud. Finally on Friday, Laura brought us Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson.

this week

On Monday Liz will review Emmy and Oliver by Robin Benway. Laura will review Huntley Fitzpatrick's The Boy Most Likely To on Wednesday.  And Liz will wrap-up this wonderful week with Yes means Yes by Joclyn Friedman

Friday Flashback: Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson

the lowdown
Tandy Angel is a suspect in the murder of her parents. She and her siblings are the only suspects the police have. She was the last person to see her family alive and now she doesn't know who she can trust, even herself. Tandy takes matters into her own hands and decides she will clear her family name and her siblings will be freed. As she digs deeper into her family's perfect life, secrets are brought to light that will change Tandy's life forever.

James Patterson is a great novelist. This book, along with the other two in the series, shows just how much Patterson is able to put into his work and how hard he works for it. This book really captured me (even though I read the second book first on accident) because even though it centers around a murder, Patterson really digs deeper into the family roots and how deep secrets can run in a family without knowing. This is a good series to begin with if you're a young adult and you want to read something that is a bit different. This falls into the murder and mystery section and its a book I think teens will be able to read if they want something of a mystery. After reading the first and second book, I read right through the third one and I am so excited to read the fourth. As always, Patterson will surprise us and give us something new to ponder.

the good

• The book is so captivating because the plot is very interesting and it keeps you at the edge of your feet. The family and the mystery give the plot the life it needs in order to grow and to develop throughout the novel and to be carried on in the other books of the series.
• The characters are very different. They have a history and as we read more about them in the novel, their secrets come out and everything changes. Its a way of keeping it interesting and its good because a dull character would be a dull book. Tandy and her siblings and friends have different personalities and thats what makes them so captivating.

the bad

• The ending could have held up a bit more. There was so much buildup until then and it wasn't as grand as I thought it would be. Maybe its because we do need to continue reading the series.
• The mix up of the suspects and the neighbors. Sometimes things just weren't clear enough and so it was a bit confusing. There could have been more of a separation to really get a picture of who went where.

the quote
"Our parents were gods and monsters at the same time. Maybe we're all like that-gods and monsters."

skip it/borrow it/buy it
 The book itself and its plot are very interesting. Its a great 'jump into mystery' kind of book. I would recommend you borrow it first to get a feel for the author, series, and genre.

overall score:7/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: Pretending to Be Erica by Michelle Painchaud

the lowdown


Violet has spent most of her life pretending to be someone else. Violet has spent years preparing to become Erica Silverman, a Las Vegas heiress who was kidnapped at the age of five. Violet knows the truth, that Erica was killed almost immediately after, but very few others do. Violet's father, Sal, Las Vegas' best conman learned the truth from Erica's killer. He raised Violet to impersonate Erica with the intent that she would infiltrate the household and steal an expensive painting. But when push comes to shove, and Violet finds herself living in Erica's old life, making friends and a boy that could possibly be more, she begins to doubt her mission.

I was so ready to love this book, but unfortunately, I just didn't. The first three quarters of the book were really well done, but after all the lead up to a specific event, Violet stealing the painting, I found the climax to be a little stilted and frankly not deserving of the build up. It was still an enjoyable read, but I was hoping it'd end with a pop, but instead it fizzled.

the good

• I thought that the premise and general storyline were really interesting. I've never read anything like it before and found it to be really enjoyable. It was interesting to see the way that her upbringing as the daughter of a conman impacted the way that she looked at the world.
• The book touches on a lot of different themes, especially identity and grief. I really enjoyed reading about the ways that Violet and Erica's identities merged and weaved in and out of each other. I thought that Painchaud handled the grief that many characters were experiencing in a thoughtful way.
• Painchaud was really good at slowly building suspense to the ending. It was more subtle than a lot of other books in the genre, but by the end I was really curious as to what Violet would do when it came time to steal the painting. 

the bad

• Honestly the ending of this book is what really ruined it for me. I don't want to give anything away, but I feel that it does deserve some commentary. It's not at all that the ending wasn't satisfying or was inappropriate to the story. It's just that Painchaud had me so intrigued as to what was going to happen, and told such an unconventional story, I was hoping the ending would honor that and I don't feel that it did. 

the quote

“The microwave clock spills over into midnight, and the marionette girl walks up the stairs to sleep in her puppet bed in the puppet house, filled with not-puppet people. They are made of flesh and blood, and she is made of lies and wood.”

skip it/borrow it/buy it

I think that this one is worth reading for any YA fan, especially for those fans of suspense and thrillers. I don't think I'll be picking up a copy of this one for my bookshelf. Borrow it.

overall score:6/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: A Paris Apartment

the lowdown
Sotheby's Continental furniture specialist April Vogt is traveling to France after her boss tells her that they have discovered an apartment. This is her chance to escape from New York. April learns that the owner, Marthe de Florian, was once a renowned courtesan who had her portrait painted by Giovanni Boldini. Her story begins to unravel as April sorts through all the furniture and finds her diaries. Not only learning about Marthe's life and unmoving her past, April is also rediscovering herself and the life she left behind in New York before coming to Paris.

Michelle Gable wrote this beautiful novel and it made me want to visit Paris and get lost in its history. The story of Marthe is an interesting one that keeps April invested in the apartment. Its the same way that Gable kept the novel interesting. The two different women portrayed in the novel allowed them to grow and invest in rediscovering herself (April). I found myself never wanting the book to end and just wanted to reread it right after I finished. I liked how Gable is able to flip back to New York and Paris and she gave April that history that every character needs in order to grow throughout the novel.

the good

• Gable is able to keep you interested in the novel and it is a page turner. You want to find out what else April found and if there is something new that happened in Marthe's life. Its a great way to see how the material items in a persons life can hold so much history without one knowing.
• April and Marthe are both strong characters that each grow throughout the novel and show how each person can rediscover themselves if they take the time. These ladies are easy to relate to since they each have different characteristics. 

the bad

• The story does flip flop a lot between the characters. One minute you're reading about April and the next its about Marthe. You have to keep up with who is who and its easy to differentiate but it can get a bit confusing if you aren't paying attention.

the quote
"Life moves on, the world moves on, the seeds we plant continue to grow."

skip it/borrow it/buy it
 I would recommend buying it because it is a good weekend read if you need an imaginative escape from reality.

overall score:8/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sunday Preview: August 24 - 28

just to recap

Last week we reviewed A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall and Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. We didn't get around to the Friday Flashback since Laura went MIA. But this week she'll post it!

this week

Laura will be reviewing A Paris Apartment by Michelle Gable on Monday. Liz will be reviewing Pretending to be Erica by Michelle Painchaud. And for Friday, Laura will be reviewing Confessions of a Murder Suspect  by James Patterson. We hope you have a wonderful week, and for those returning to school this week, good luck this school year!

Review: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

the lowdown


Lydia is dead. She's dead and she's at the bottom of the lake in town. Lydia is the middle daughter of James and Marilyn Lee, who live in Ohio in the 1970s. James, a history professor is of Chinese decent, while Marilyn is blue-eyed and blonde haired. All of the lives of the Lee family revolve around Lydia, and when she's dead, the delicate balance they struck crumbles to pieces.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book, and the way in which I did. I was expecting this to be much more about Lydia and her death, but it was far more of a family drama, a very delicate and well crafted one at that. Ng isn't heavy handed although she writes about some tough situations. While I was definitely interested to find out what happened to Lydia (and you do), I was far more interested to see how the family dynamics would turn out as the family learned to navigate their new dynamic without her. Still, I had certain frustrations with this book and I don't think I was as enamored with it as other folks out there. That being said, this one is definitely worth a read.

the good

• Ng employs a certain subtly and nuance that I think few other contemporary family dramas offer. Told alternating between the time before Lydia dies and the weeks after, Ng offers us a glimpse into how a family dynamic can be predicated on an entire person, and how that dynamic falls apart when that person is gone, as well as the trials of expectations, racial identity, marriage, and family. If not anything else, this is book is a family portrait.       
• It was incredible and also gut wrenching to see the way this entire family was built around Lydia, each having their own expectations for her, and the way that it all fell apart when she died. Although sometimes deeply saddening, the different storylines that Ng wove and the way in which they all interacted were expertly crafted.                                                                 

the bad

• The ending felt a little anticlimactic to me. While I can't say much without giving the story away, I will say that I think that the ending exhibited the same kind of nuance that I appreciated as the story was building. I was looking for a big, powerful ending, and I don't think this book delivered on that front. Given the way in which Ng built the story and weaved the family members together, the ending, sweet but still subtle, suited the story well.

the quote

“What made something precious? Losing it and finding it.”

skip it/borrow it/buy it

Definitely make a point of reading this one. This is one of those books that sticks with you without needing to reread it, however. Borrow it.

overall score:8/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

the lowdown
Lea and Gabe are taking the same creative writing class, hangout in the same places and even order the same Chinese dish. So when they're paths cross multiple times during the year, they begin to wonder if fate is on their side. Everybody can see that they are meant to be together, from the professor to the Starbucks baristas to the squirrel on the green. These two are made for each other, except Lea and Gabe can't see it.

I love, love, love this book!! It is going straight to my top 10 ya book lists. This story is told in 14, count them, 14 different viewpoints and never from the two most important characters, Lea and Gabe. In her first book, Hall did a tremendous job on this book and its a book I know I will pick up and reread over and over again. I liked how the setting was a university and I could relate to that since I am in the middle of finishing up my last semester. This is a book I hope could get a film or a tv movie and I hope it does. I think everybody should pick up a copy and read it because its amazing how an author could post her story on a website and then get it published and be so great and different and amazing. A Little Something Different has a little bit of everything from the drama to the romance and its something every person goes through.

the good

• The writing is so different in the book and its a nice refresher. 14 different viewpoints on a love story. Its nice to step outside the box and get these points of view and to see it through everybody else's eyes. Hall is able to capture moments and bring them to life through her writing and through the 14 viewpoints.
• The characters are all witty and different and their personalities jump right out of the pages. They are all different people who everyone can relate to in a certain way and it gives the book a feeling of closeness. 

the bad

• The different viewpoints can get to be a bit much but thats natural since its so many other characters to keep up. There are some that have no real connection to the lovebirds and those could have maybe been edited to have had a previous connection with them. 

the quote
"They sit there in the window of the coffee shop for almost an hour, not talking much, but looking at each other over the tops of their books, flirting somehow even without words. It would be gross if it weren't adorable."

skip it/borrow it/buy it
 I would recommend buying it and reading it immediately. This book is too good to pass up.

overall score:10/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sunday Preview: August 17 - 21

just to recap

Last week we came back from vacation with regular reviews! We reviewed the Fill-in Boyfriend, The Monogram Murders, and on Friday, we flashed back to Heart on a Chain.

this week

We're starting off the week with a review of A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall. On Wednesday, Liz will review the hit Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. On Friday, Laura will do a Flashback Friday review of James Patterson's Confessions of a Murder Suspect. We're looking forward to a wonderful week with a lot of reading. Summer break is winding to an end, so we're doing our best to read as much as we can :)

Have a great week, everyone!

Flashback Friday: Heart on A Chain by Cindy C. Bennett

the lowdown


Kate lives with a terrible home life. She has an absent, alcoholic father, and a pill addicted mother who abuses her. At school, things aren't much better. Because of her secondhand clothes, she's an easy target and she's learned that fighting back only makes it worse. So she hides, and does her best to make herself invisible. But that changes when Henry, her elementary school crush, returns. He remembers Kate and refuses to let her be invisible anymore. As they fall in love, Kate tries to keep everything straight and figure out what game Henry must be playing with her, even as the violence at home escalates.

I read this book a few years ago and considered it to be one of my favorites for quite a while. Something about this book really stuck with me, and even before I picked it up to reread it for this review, I could still remember a lot about it, even after years, which is rare for me. I was scared, though, that I would find it a bit far fetched now that my tastes have matured a bit. While that did happen to a certain extent, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book again. It moved me to tears multiple times, and it was a really refreshing story.

the good

• Kate is a really likable character. I think that the strength that she shows in the face of so much adversity is extremely moving. At the beginning, she can be a little frustrating, especially when she refuses to believe Henry's true intentions, but who can blame her?
• Henry and his entire family are so wonderful. I think to a certain extent, they're probably a little unrealistic, because it's like they're taken straight out of the Perfect Family Museum. I think though, that this serves the book well, because Bennett draws such sharp dichotomies between family types. Henry is also straight up out of the Perfect Boyfriend Museum, but again, I think that it serves the book well.                                                                                             

the bad

• This book is heavy on drama, and Kate definitely relies on others to save her. There's some criticism that this is a little anti-feminist, that Henry comes in and saves the day. But I think that allowing yourself to be that open to being saved. But, I understand the criticism, it would have been nice if Kate would have taken a more active role 

the quote

“Kate, I’ve loved you for years. I mean, I know twelve-year-olds don’t know what love is, so I guess I should say I’ve really liked you for years. But when I saw you this year, I knew. I knew we should be together. I just didn’t know how hard you were going to make me work to get you to even like me. So, yeah, of course I want you to love me back.”

skip it/borrow it/buy it

This one is tough for me to decide, but ultimately, I think it falls into the buy it category. As evidenced by this review, I liked this book enough to want to reread it. It's a heartfelt, emotional, and heartwarming story about love and its redeeming qualities, and I think it warrants buying.

overall score:8/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah

the lowdown
Hercule Poirot is taking his coffee as usual in this little gem of a coffeehouse on Thursday night when all of a sudden she comes in. Looking as nervous as ever, she begins to tell Poirot that she's "a dead woman, or soon will be" and that justice will be paid once its all over. What she doesn't know is that Poirot is a detective and has a friend in Scotland Yard and that he is on vacation...or does she? Poirot is about to stumble onto a mystery greater than ever that will take him across England.

Seeing as I love a good mystery novel, this tops the cake. I was intrigued because the cover called my name, and the title, and the fact that it is a remake on a classic mystery novel by Agatha Christie. Christie made a character as complex and dignified as Poirot and Hannah was able to give him a little life and brought him to life through the eyes of his friend. Reading the book from this perspective was very interesting and very different. It gave the book a mystery hook since you didn't know what the main character was thinking all the time and how he was solving crimes. I hope Hannah continues to remake Christies stories because they are enchanting and keep you on your toes.

the good

• The writing was very clear and easy to understand. Hannah brought to life 1929 London to life on page and managed to keep you interested with the clues and the very important details needed. She had me guessing the entire time and the killer was right in front the entire time.
• The pot itself was very inviting and I wanted to keep reading to see if Poirot had made any progress and to see where Catchpool was going with his findings. The crime is very intriguing and keeps you guessing.

the bad

• Hannah could get a bit wordy at times and that seemed to drag the story on for pages. Maybe keeping the most important things but the long stories and nothingness could be kept out.
• I found myself getting bored at times but like I said above, it was wordy and that is when I would find myself bored and I'd put the book down.

the quote
"There comes a point in most cases-and by no means only those in which Hercule Poirot has involved himself-when one starts to feel that it would be a greater comfort, and actually no less effective, to talk only to oneself and dispense with all attempts to communicate with the outside world."

skip it/borrow it/buy it
 I would recommend borrowing it and if you do like then go ahead and buy it.

overall score:7/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

the lowdown

Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumped her. In the parking lot. Of prom, where he's supposed to be her date. And oh yeah, her friends weren't completely convinced that he existed, and this was her chance to show them that he did. Further complicating this is the fact that the reason her friends didn't believe that he existed was because of a new member to the group, Jules, who Gia thinks is scheming to steal her friends away from her. So what's a girl to do? Well, when she sees a guy sitting in a car, reading, in the parking lot, she asks him to fill in for Bradley.

I read On the Fence, another entry by West last year and absolutely inhaled it. I love that book. I read this one just as fast, albeit with less enthusiasm. This was a good, enjoyable read, but it was a lot fluffier than On the Fence. If this book had a little more depth, it'd be a lot more effective. Still, this is one worth reading and West is definitely an author to keep an eye on.

the good

• The premise was interesting. Definitely done before, West offers a fresh variation on the theme. Hayden (fill-in Bradley) was a likable character and his growth with Gia was enjoyable to read. Hayden's sister, though, is the star character of this book, and I found myself enjoying the scenes between Gia and her even more than those between Gia and  Hayden.
• The romance didn't feel contrived or forced in any way. It seemed to develop naturally, which I really appreciate. 
• Despite it lacking some depth, the storyline between Gia and her friend group was interesting to read about. While many others might not have felt that it had an adequate resolution, I was satisfied by it. That dynamic was really relatable for me, and suspect for quite a few others as well. It really reminded me a lot of issues that I encountered in high school and college, too, wanting to fit it and being afraid of being pushed out.

the bad

• Like I mentioned previously, this book was heavy on fluff. There wasn't a ton of substance, and while Gia has a moderate amount of character development, it's all surface level. It would have been really interesting to see Gia struggle with something a little more substantial, because I think that the character could have handled it. 

the quote

“We rarely find a depth by looking inside of ourselves for it. Depth is found in what we can learn from the people and things around us. Everyone, everything, has a story, Gia. When you learn those stories, you learn experiences that fill you up, that expand your understanding. You add layers to your soul.”

skip it/borrow it/buy it

Well worth reading, but not quite worth buying. I don't see myself returning to this one; borrow it.

overall score:7/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sunday Preview: August 10 - 14

just to recap

Last week, Laura and Liz spent their vacation week catching up on sleep, working, netflixing and of course, reading. Laura is finally back from Mexico (about damn time) and is ready to jump back into blogging. She missed it so much (not as much as she missed Liz but a good amount) and can't wait to bring you reviews of books she read while on vacation. Liz is well relaxed and after spending time with her adorable animals, Tedi and Cesa, and her somewhat adorable husband, she is back to hounding Laura about visiting Minneapolis and ready to begin blogging away.

this week

Finally back on schedule and ready to start off the week is Liz's review of The Fill-in Boyfriend by Kasie West. On Wednesday, Laura will review The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah and we will finish off this week with a flashback from Liz of Heart on a Chain by Cindy C. Bennett. Have a wonderful week and check back for these reviews!

Review: The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

the lowdown

Cormoran Strike is a private detective...not that he does much detecting these days. Massively in debt, missing half a leg thanks to an injury during a tour in Afghanistan, and recently broken up with his beautiful but toxic fiancée, Cormoran isn't having a great go of things when John Bristow walks into his office. Wanting Cormoran to investigate the high profile suicide of his supermodel sister months prior, John seeks out Cormoran via a connection from their past, John's younger brother, Charlie, who was best friends with Cormoran until he tragically died as a child. As Cormoran delves deeper into investigating the case, and Lula Landry's death, he realizes that Bristow may not just be in denial, and that there may in fact, be a killer on the loose.

This novel was written by JK Rowling (of Harry Potter fame, I'm sure you've heard of her once or twice in passing) under the pen name Robert Galbraith. It was an interesting read, albeit extremely slow-moving. There were significant pacing issues, which I'll get into below. I think that the only reason that I finished this book is because the storyline itself was so interesting.


the good

• Galbraith told a really fascinating story. It wasn't terribly complex, but there were just enough unexplained facts about the case that it kept me hanging in there to see who did it. Like I said before, the mystery wasn't terribly complex, Galbraith just took his time laying everything out for the reader. I kept reading on because there were so many unanswered questions (seriously who were those runners caught on camera?).
• Cormoran was a much more tolerable narrator than I was expecting. I thought that I would have a hard time connecting with him because of his background, being so far removed from anything I could know, but he was surprisingly enjoyable and relatable. Occasionally I found myself annoyed with Cormoran or couldn't follow his thinking, but overall he was a really good narrator. Robin also really shined as an unexpectedly enjoyable character. 

the bad

• There were tons of pacing issues and not enough content to drive the book and the plot forward. This book was incredibly slow moving for me. I don't think anyone would be placing this one into the 'thriller' category.
• The literary style just didn't suit the style of book. The descriptive style that can transport you to a castle with boggarts, talking paintings, and giants and make it all seem entirely real is a bore when it's describing a random alleyway in London. I think that the pacing issues and the literary style go hand in hand, because so much of each scene was focused on descriptive 

the quote

“Seven and a half million hearts were bating in close proximity in this heavy old city, and many, after all, would be aching far worse than his.”

skip it/borrow it/buy it

This one is definitely a borrow it book, especially if you're a Rowling fan. It was enjoyable although occasionally tedious, but I don't foresee myself regretting not having purchased it. I will say that if you need a lot of action in your mystery novels, you might want to skip this.



overall score:6/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

the lowdown

Paige Hancock is that girl. The one who’s boyfriend drowned in a tragic swimming accident. Though she and Aaron weren’t together for long, his death has cast a shadow on her life. Everywhere she goes in her small town, people give her that look. Tired of the misplaced sympathy and ready to begin moving on, Paige decides that this school year things will get back to normal. To do so, she commits to joining a club, getting her longtime crush, Ryan Chase, to go on a date with her, and to get past her fear of swimming. But then Ryan’s cousin Max transfers back to their school and convinces Paige to join the Quiz Bowl team, and her plan isn’t quite what it seems.

I really liked Open Road Summer, Lord’s debut novel, so I was excited to read this, but also skeptical because sophomore entries rarely have the same sparkle as someone’s first novel. Lord lives in Cincinnati, where Laura and I both went to college and where we bought our (signed!) copies of Open Road Summer at the local bookstore. Couple that with the fact that this book is set in a fictional suburb of Indianapolis but with lots of references that Hoosiers will get, and I was in hog heaven and definitely a little homesick! I read this book really quickly, I devoured it, actually. This was deeper and more emotional than I was expecting, to the point where I was ugly crying pretty hard at the end of it. If you’re looking for a YA read with a little more substance, but which doesn’t sacrifice the classic YA elements, The Start of Me and You is a good pick.



the good

• The way that Lord handled the grief that Paige was experiencing was appropriate and not trite, as I feared it might be. While Paige has lost an important person in her life, she is the first to admit that they were only together for a few months, and that her grief has a lot more to do with what could’ve been than what they had. My heart broke for her every time she woke up from the terrible nightmares about drowning that plagued her sleep far too often.
• I’ve made no secret of how much I love well-written, smart female friendships. The Start of Me and You delivers on this front, and delivers it well. The foursome of girls, who quickly become friends with Ryan and Max, adding them to the group, are supportive and understanding. They support and complement each other in all the best ways. I wish that there had been more depth to some of their story lines, but overall they were a highlight.

the bad

• While I appreciated the tact with which some of the more complex issues were dealt with in this book, it definitely had some of the more saccharine and predictable moments that YA books are prone to. Certainly the storyline was predictable, but it was still enjoyable to read. If you’re looking for something groundbreaking, though, you won’t find it here.

the quote

“In friendship, we are all debtors. We all owe each other for a thousand small kindnesses, for little moments of grace in the chaos.”

skip it/borrow it/buy it

 This one is worth a trip to your local bookstore to buy it. I borrowed it from my library and plan on purchasing a copy. I really enjoyed this book, and definitely see myself reading it again in the future.



overall score:8/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: Killing Monica by Candace Bushnell

the lowdown
Pandy "PJ" Wallis is a successful author of the Monica books which have lead to blockbuster movies. When she decides to attempt a historical novel based on her ancestor, her publisher tells her no. With a failing marriage and her friendship with ShondaBeth Schnowzer, onscreen Monica, up in flames, Pandy decides to reinvent herself. But in order to do so, she'll need to reconcile with ShondaBeth and hope she won't ruin any of her plans.

Killing Monica is a good book to read while passing the time. I enjoyed how descriptive Bushnell is and how the storyline is very interesting. She is able to capture you in the beginning and you get hooked and you want to know what Pandy does and how she maneuvers around the social world of NYC while people tell her they love Monica. This is a good chik-lit if you are in the mood for something like that and want an easy read as well. It's not as good as her past works, but it does live up to expectations.

the good

• The characters are very relateable and you end up rooting for all of them to find their own path in this crazy world. The main character, Pandy, does remind me of Carrie Bradshaw and I liked the history Pandy has and how Monica came to be.
• The book is an easy read. I found myself flying through some of the chapters. I enjoyed being able to read so much in such little time and feel a sense of accomplishment.
• The storyline is very entertaining and as always, Bushnell does a great job in the visualization and making the words describe places in Manhattan so real. 

the bad

• Bushnell makes a habit of flipping through past and present and bringing up memories and sticking them into the middle of the chapter. It made me lose focus sometimes and I would have to go back and reread the chapter to make sure I was reading it correctly.
• Sometimes the book did get a bit bland and I would find myself skimming a few paragraphs. I wanted it to be a bit more juicy like her past books. Bushnell  just needs to add a few more interesting items and more organization to the book.

the quote
"ShondraBeth motioned wildly for Pandy to hand her the phone so she could give him instructions. And then, like two teenage girls who have just pulled a prank on a boy they both have a crush on, they collapsed onto the table in riotous laughter."

skip it/borrow it/buy it
 I would recommend you borrow it first and then decide if you want to add it to your collection.

overall score:6/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sunday Preview: July 27 - 31

just to recap
Last week Laura reviewed The Husband's Secret, giving it a 5 star rating, while Liz reviewed Paddle Your Own Canoe, and decided it was a 7 star book. Finally, Laura did a Flashback Friday review of The Other Boleyn Girl, also giving it 7 stars. Laura was out of town in Mexico visiting family but Liz held down the fort until she left this weekend for a family wedding in Florida.

this week
Laura is still out of town (is she ever coming back?) but she left us with a review of Killing Monica. Originally scheduled for Wednesday, following the schedule, since Liz was a out of town all weekend she needs a little time to finish her reviews :) so Laura will review Killing Monica on Monday. Liz will be reviewing The Start of Me and You on Wednesday, and will also be flashing back to 2013's The Cuckoo's Calling, written by J.K. Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Stay tuned!

Flashback Friday: The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

the lowdown
Mary Boleyn has come to Tudor Court to catch the eye of Henry VIII and to keep him entertained at the age of fourteen. She lures him and captures him, but soon finds that she needs more than beauty to keep wrapped around her finger. Her sister Anne has caught his eye before Mary can hatch a plan to get him back. She will go to great lengths to secure the king and her future, forever.

I had been itching to read this a few years ago after I saw the movie and I'm glad I did. Hands down it is far better than the movie, although the movie did do it justice. I love historical fiction, especially anything having to do with Henry VIII and his wives. Philippa Gregory is able to hook you within a matter of minutes and its a book you cannot put down. You want to keep finding out what Mary and Anne will do next and how far they'll go to get and keep the king's attention.

the good

• Gregory brings these characters to life. She is able to make them jump out of the pages and to me, it was like I was back there and watching everything from the sidelines. The words are so beautifully written that you get lost in them and wish for the book to never end. 
• The storyline keeps you captured and takes on all these twists and turns that end up keeping you hooked to the book. With two women vying for a king's attention, plus a queen, who wouldn't want to read a book about drama and how it was handled differently in those days? It's a love story mixed with a womanizing king, family drama, and a whole lot of English pride. If that isn't a recipe for a good book, I don't know what is.

the bad

• Sometimes the language can be confusing, especially if you aren't really paying attention. I think I only got confused and had to reread about two times but other wise its pretty straightforward. 
• The book can be a bit long at time and it may seem never ending. With a book this size its expected. I found myself willing to read faster to finish it but other times, I wanted to take my time so it would never end.

the quote
"I can't sleep, I can't eat, I can't do anything but think about him. At night I dream of him, all day I wait to see him, and when I do see him my heart turns over and I think I will faint with desire."

skip it/borrow it/buy it
 If you're in the market for a historical fiction, buy it. Its a great book with historical characters and interesting lives that will transport you back in time.

overall score:8/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living by Nick Offerman

the lowdown
Nick Offerman is the latest celebrity to jump into the authoring world, although he puts his own spin on it. Nearly equal parts life story and advice, Offerman takes you through his early days in the small farming town of Minooka, Illinois, through his true introduction to theater at the University of Illinois in Champaign Urbana, to his tenure in the Chicago theater community. Finally, his story takes you to Hollywood, as most do, and to Parks and Rec. 

I was really looking forward to this book, already knowing how hilarious Offerman is, and already being madly in love with his wife, Will & Grace's Megan Mullally (although she is so much more than just that). I was shocked at how deep into the theater scene Offerman was, and how seriously he takes his craft. It was also interesting to read about the climb to fame from someone who still worked in show business even before they hit it big (Offerman used his carpentry skills in set design to make ends meet). I wasn't completely blown away by this one, but it was an enjoyable read, to be sure.

the good

• Offerman knows how to tell a tale. I was really interested in learning all about the different chapters in his life, and how he came to be who he is. Stupidly, it was kind of interesting for me to read about life on a farm. I grew up soundly in the suburbs, so it wasn't like anything I knew. 
• He is also an extraordinarily humble and grateful man, in telling his stories, which I appreciated. While certainly due to a lot of hard work and determination, Offerman isn't shy about giving some of the credit of his successes to pure luck, one of the most important ingredients in Hollywood success. 

the bad

• Despite being someone who frequently feels like they need guidance into how to be a person, particularly one that doesn't suck, I wasn't that impressed with the "manifesto" aspects of the book. It's not that they angered me or anything, although they did anger a lot of people who feel that he was disrespecting Christianity, they just didn't particularly interest me. In attempting to put a humorous spin on things, he dispels his advice in a brash way that annoyed me at times and bored me at other times. I found myself skimming the sections of each chapter with his advice for living.
• Although Offerman definitely has a way with words, he can also be a bit dry and occasionally pretentious. I get it, I'm often made fun of for my choices in vocabulary when a simpler word would have sufficed, but Offerman's use of language didn't really gel with me sometimes. I think that in trying to prove himself as more than a laughable goof, he went overboard. 

the quote
"and one of our vocabulary words was nonconformist. I just dug that word. I heard the explanation, the definition, and I felt like I had just learned about a new hero in a kick-ass Marvel comic book."

skip it/borrow it/buy it
While I enjoyed reading this book, I don't really see myself returning to it again in the future, so this is a great book to grab from the library or a friend; borrow it.

overall score:7/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

the lowdown
Cecilia Fitzpatrick has the perfect life. Perfect husband, children and home. Until one day she finds a letter her husband, John-Paul, wrote to her when their eldest daughter was born. In it, he shares his darkest secret that wouldn't only jeopardize his marriage and life, but the life of those around them including Rachel and Tess. Will Cecilia be able to keep the secret. or will something else come of it?

I had kept putting off this book because I had read reviews online and they have always been mixed. They're not one-sided and I wanted to go into it with an open mind.  The characters are interesting, regular suburban mothers who are involved with their children's school. Rachel, Tess and Cecilia offer different views of their complicated lives and how its easy to get caught up in all the hustle and bustle of everyday life, especially with gossip. Moriarty does a good job in changing things up but had a rough time being able to tie in all of these women's lives together.

the good

• I liked how Moriarty has three different women, living different lives, and how they only cross paths because of the school their children attend. Its all different aspects and how life can dramatically change from one day to the next. 
• The topic covered in the book is also something that is important in today's society and Moriarty is able to explain how the victim thinks and how certain events can lead to an outcome from one second to the next. She makes it even more real because she shows the implications it has on others around them.

the bad

• The chapters and the stories of the people involved in the book are like loose ends. They have nowhere to go and have no end point. Moriarty introduces us the characters but without really doing so. She doesn't tie them in well at all and it can get confusing which character she's talking about.
• This book is kind of bland at the beginning. I wasn't really able to get into it until about 15 chapters in and that's a let down. A book should be able to capture you in the first paragraph, sentence even. Certainly not the case here. I was expecting a lot more to come out of this book and all I got was bland. Like Wonderbread, you guys.
• This book was also one of those books you could put down and have no need to pick it back up. I wasn't interested and it never really got my attention. I think there were only three parts where the author grabbed my attention but that's honestly about it. I found myself skimming a lot of the time trying to find something interesting that would happen.

the quote
"None of us ever know all the possible courses our lives could have and maybe should have taken. It's probably just as well. Some secrets are meant to stay secret forever. Just ask Pandora."

skip it/borrow it/buy it
 I would recommend skipping it. It's not a book I would spend my money on again and it also isn't one I would recommend right off the bat.

overall score:5/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sunday Preview: July 20 - 24

just to recap
Last week we reviewed Time Management Magic, Eight Hundred Grapes, and we did a Flashback Friday review of Lock & Key. We were finally able to get ourselves on a regular blogging schedule again after (good) craziness in our personal lives!

this week
With Laura out of town visiting family in Mexico, Liz is solely at the helm this week. But fear not! Laura wrote us some reviews before she left. She'll be reviewing The Husband's Secret on Monday, and Wednesday, Liz will provide us with a review of Nick Offerman's Paddle Your Own Canoe. Friday Laura flashes back to The Other Boleyn Girl. We're looking forward to a beautiful July week, and we hope you're somewhere sunny and reading a good book!

Flashback Friday: Lock & Key by Sarah Dessen

the lowdown

Lock & Key tells the story of Ruby, a girl who is abandoned by her mother to live in the tiny yellow farmhouse that they live just a few months shy of her eighteenth birthday. She exists on her own for weeks but is eventually found out and taken to live with her sister, Cora, who is 10 years older than her, and who she hasn't spoken to in years. Now she's living in a huge house in an expensive neighborhood, and she's going to Perkins Day, the smaller private school, instead of Jackson High. It's a rough transition but along the way she meets some wonderful people, including her techie brother-in-law Jamie, her handsome next door neighbor Nate, and eccentric Harriet who employs Ruby to help her sell jewelry. All these wonderful people come together and force Ruby to examine what exactly it means to be family.

Lock & Key is probably my favorite Dessen novel. It has a lot to do with the characters, which Dessen always excels with, but they really shine here. It also has to do with the fact that so much of this book centers on family, which feels very real to me, coming from a very tight nit family. At the end of the day, though, this is just one of those books that makes you smile from the inside out.

the good

• Ruby. Ruby is probably my favorite Dessen narrator. There is just something so relatable about wanting to be tough, but being shown that keeping others out isn't always the best course of action. She's funny, tough, and smart, all things I strive to be in my own life. The way she grows throughout the book is quite spectacular, and at the same time, you don't even realize it's happened until it does. 
• The supporting cast. Nate and the rest of her high school gang (Gervais, Olivia, and Laney) are quite fun characters to lead. While I wish that Olivia had been a bit more fleshed out, I think that Nate is easily the most well developed love interest in a contemporary that I've read in a long time. Her family, Cora, and Jamie, are also wonderful to read. I think that giving Cora her own struggle, as well as serving as an anchor for Ruby, really augments the main storyline.
• That hard to quantify factor. There's just something so heartwarming about this book that is hard to put into words, but you know it when you read it. It's what makes you want to keep reading the novel, devouring each page, waiting to see what happens. Lock & Key definitely has this, as do most Dessen entries. 

the bad

• Despite my obvious obsession with this book (seriously Ruby is awesome), I think that it had a pretty unsatisfying finish. While all the loose ends were definitely wrapped up, it feels like there is a scene that is missing.
• This one, for me, is also a little skimpy on the romantic interest part. I certainly enjoy these parts of YA novels, but aren't necessarily what makes or breaks a book for me, so it's rare for me to say that there wasn't quite enough. While I definitely feel like I got to know Nate pretty well, as does Ruby, it's a little light on the time that they're actually together. 

the quote
"But I was sure of something, too: it's a lot easier to be lost than found. It's the reason we're always searching, and rarely discovered--so many locks, not enough keys."

skip it/borrow it/buy it
It's pretty obvious that for me, this is solidly in the buy it category. I think I mentioned in a previous post that I'm saving up all my Sarah Dessen books to give to any future offspring I might have. I just reread this for this review, and it brought joy to me all over again, definitely making me glad that I bought this one.

overall score:9/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave

the lowdown
30 year old Georgia Ford has returned to her family's vineyard a week before her wedding. She has found out the secret her fiancé, Ben, has been keeping from her and now she doesn't know if she can trust him. She comes home to get away from all the secrets and the lies, only to find out, her family has more secrets than she's prepared to know. Now, Georgia must come to terms with everything and decide how she'll let Ben's secret define their future together.

I read this book in a day and I could not put it down! I was sad when the book was over but was so elated with the ending. Laura Dave is able to capture you and you never want to let go. This book is now in my top 10. I loved every moment and I wanted to go into the book and sit there with the Ford family and see the sunsets, the fog rolling into the vineyard and to smell the grapes as the harvest came to an end. Because of this book, Sonoma County is now on my list of places to visit. I chose this book because the cover is beautiful but the summary captured my attention; plus, it was about wine, my favorite kind of grape. :) Laura is able to capture the beauty and the essence of Sonoma and transfer it to paper. This book is a great summer read and I guarantee you'll want to pour yourself a cup of your favorite wine and sit back and take in the moment.

the good

• The underlying point of the book is about learning to follow your heart and Laura is able to do this so beautiful. She adds situations where the characters are faced with having to make a decision and the overall lesson is to follow your heart and make decisions where you'll be happy.
• The characters were so real and prominent and I loved how you start off reading this and you begin to think that these characters aren't going to get deep but then, they surprise you. You become captured by their personalities and they become your friends; you just want them to be happy and to make the right choices. I kept finding myself wishing I could share a glass of wine and listen to their stories. If an author makes you feel this way about their characters, you know that they've done their jobs.
• The descriptions were so beautiful and detailed. I felt like I could picture it and could see myself standing there in the middle of the vineyard watching everything happen. I could smell the grapes and see the process by which wine making goes through. Every last detail was as it should be and it gave the book the essence it needs to capture its reader. 

the bad

• One of the things I found bad about this book were the run-ons and the fragments made throughout the book. Some books have them and you hardly notice; with this one you really don't see them until the end of the book. That's where they are more prominent. 

the quote
This book had so many quotes to go along with the storyline and lessons. So picking one is just cruel so I picked three.

"You have to grow about eight hundred grapes to get just one bottle of wine. If that isn't an argument to finish the bottle, I don't know what is."-Anonymous

"Synchronization. Systems operating with all their parts in synchrony, said to be synchronous, or in sync. The interrelationship of things that might normally exist separately.
In physics: It's called simultaneity. In music: rhythm.
In your life: epic failure."

"Ranking and blending were the primary ways my father interacted with the grapes once they were off the vine. Racking involved transferring wine from one container to another, to get rid of the sediment that might have settled, to allow the wine to aerate better. Then, after the wine was racked, came the blending. My father blended different clones, one or several, depending on what the wine needed. The initial barrel wines were more like spices in a stew. The final product was the joining of the different close, the making of the stew. That was the job. Like you were a chef. You had to see what belonged together."

skip it/borrow it/buy it
 Run, don't walk, to the nearest store and buy it! It's a great summer read and one chick-lit you'll want to have to read over and over again.

overall score:10/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review: Time Management Magic by Lee Cockerell

the lowdown
This book centers on primarily--you guessed it--time management skills. This is an interesting twist on the topic, though, due to Cockerell's history with Disney, and before that, with Hilton and Marriott. Now Cockerell ekes out his living giving motivational speeches and writing books about customer service, and now time management. It's nothing ground breaking, but it was a fresh take on the topic.

I was interested in this book because as a law school student, and just generally a human being in today's society, I feel like I'm always pressed for time, as evidenced by the tardiness of this review (my bad y'all). While I can't say that this revolutionized the way that I'm managing my time, it definitely made me consider how little time I spend planning and managing my days. This book definitely drove home to me that spending the time to plan out your next day pays dividends in the future when you wake up knowing what your tasks are. I'm still working at adopting the majority of his system, but it's a work in progress!

the good

• Cockerell really knows his stuff. He wouldn't have had such a successful career without superb time management skills, and he knows it. He was able to drive this home really well by providing examples of the way his system benefited him while he was at Disney, which had the added benefit of providing a slight peek into the world of Disney hotels, which I really enjoyed.
• His system is simple and easy to follow. It felt like something that would me manageable for me to do. Again, it's nothing groundbreaking, or something that you couldn't think of on your own, but it was nice to have it spelled out in front of you. It mainly consists of writing down what you need to get done the next day, and ranking those items, but it's nice to hear it from someone who has really made it work.

the bad

• There is a lot, and I mean a lot, of self promotion in this book. Cockerell really puts the sell on his other books pretty hard. He is also little self serving, at one point celebrating the fact that he has over 3,000 contacts. I think that he promotes his career successes to show that he's been able to accomplish a lot simply by listing the things he needs to get done, but it comes across as vain.
• Additionally, there is a lot of product promotion. If Cockerell doesn't have a kickback set up with DayTimer, the planner he uses, I'd be shocked. He mentions DayTimer more times than I could count, and frequently mentions that they will ship to your house, etc. It would have been more tolerable if DayTimer had something unique that other planners don't, but I didn't see anything in particular.

the quote
"Everything is hard before it is easy, but when you master the hard things, life gets easier."
skip it/borrow it/buy it
This one falls solidly into the borrow it category, primarily due to its brevity. I definitely think it's worth a read, especially if you feel like you're constantly running out of time. His system is solid. But it's a short read, especially when you take out all of the DayTimer references, so borrow this one.

overall score:7/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sunday Preview: July 13 - July 17

From Liz and Laura:

So this past week we basically each had a blog fail. No excuses to be made. But there is good news to go around. Liz and her husband have adopted a dog name Tedi!! Tedi is welcomed by her furry kitty-sister Cessa. Congrats to the happy couple and their newest addition to the family!! Laura, on the other hand, had a week of preparing for the baptism of her godson/nephew! She is also preparing for her annual trip to Mexico to visit her family in the upcoming weeks.

Again, Liz and Laura had a fail at blog-life and are deeply saddened by letting down those who were looking forward to our reviews.


just to recap
We were only able to review The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. If you haven't had the chance, read the review and pick up a copy of the book for yourself.


this week
We will be reviewing Time Management Magic, Eight Hundred Grapes, and we'll be flashing back to Liz's favorite Sarah Dessen entry, Lock and Key.

Review: The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins

the lowdown
In a suburban area outside of London, Rachel rides the train into the city every morning and every evening. She is able to see the lives of those she passes each day, especially those of Jess and Jason, a couple whom she sees from the train every day. She sees their life as perfect - perfect husband, wife and home. Until one day, Rachel sees something she wish she hadn't. She unexpectedly becomes involved in a case and tells the police what she knows. Now Rachel is on a mission to put the pieces together and figure out what really happened that night and how she is involved in it all.

I literally just finished this book ten minutes ago and already I want to pick it up and start all over! I cannot get over the plot, the characters, the twists and the turns. I got goosebumps while reading, and only a fair amount of books have been able to do this to me. Paula Hawkins put her heart into this book and it shows. I am so glad I went out and bought and read it because this is a book not to be missed. The mind games that were played are great and it had me guessing at every turn of the page. I wanted to know what would happen next and if answers would be given. There was always a need of wanting to know and that made it hard to put the book down once I started reading. This book makes you think about the lives of those around you and what secrets they have and it makes you question your judgement of character. If a book ever makes you feel this way, then you know the author did a wonderful job at achieving their goal for their audience. This book is a must read for anyone a fan of Gillian Flynn and the thriller/mystery genre.

the good

• The characters in this book are so complex and their personalities shine through the pages. The way they interact and think make them feel as if you've known them your whole life. I wanted to jump into the book and sit there with Rachel and talk to Anna and have coffee with Megan. I wanted to help solve the case and bring forth justice to my 'friends'.
• The way Hawkins switches between the characters throughout the book really makes it all that more interesting because instead of begin given one point of view from one character, you get two or three and its their experiences, their feelings, their actions and their description of how things happened and what they were seeing, feeling and thinking when it was happening. You are able to get a whole picture and its not just one-sided or bias. 
• The writing and the descriptions throughout the book are amazing. I found myself willing to hear a train pass by and wish I lived near the tracks. I could see every detail Hawkins gave as if it was all on a map set out in front of me. The detail was down to "the pink curtain in the nursery" and its great to find an author who can give you all the minute details in a book. 

the bad

• The book had few spelling and grammatical errors. I found myself focusing on the errors as I found them along the way which took time away from my reading. I think the editing team should have tripled check to make sure the writing was up to par to what the author expected out of them. The errors are common and can be overlooked.

the quote
Because this book was really good, I found so many quotes that I wanted to list here but I only chose two.

"Life is not a paragraph, and death is no parenthesis."

"There are tears on her cheeks. She wipes them away, and as she does so something in her expression changes and her face loses all color. She's not looking at me, but over my shoulder, and as I turn around to follow her gaze, I see him at the kitchen window, watching us."

skip it/borrow it/buy it
 No doubt about this one: buy it! You'll thank me for it later. This book is one of the most thrilling and goose bump giving book I've read in a while.

overall score:9/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sunday Preview: July 6 - 10

just to recap
Last week we reviewed Love, Lucy, The Naturals, and provided you with a list of great summer reads.  If you haven't already, make sure to check those reviews out and post comments if you liked them!

this week
Stay tuned for reviews of The Girl on the Train, Time Management Magic, and a Flashback Friday review of Sundays at Tiffany's. Time Management Magic will be something a little different for us it's a non fiction, self help book written by a former executive at Disney. Stay tuned to see if it transformed Liz's life in terms of time management.

Have a great week!

Book List: Summer 2015

So my husband and I are currently in the process of moving, and I therefore didn't have a time to write a Flashback Friday review for you guys. Moving is seriously the worst and it's even worse than I was banking on. So, my bad guys.

I could have just written a review of a book I read a while ago, but I really want to be writing 'fresh' reviews so that I'm doing both the author and the book justice! So instead, this week I'm writing a list of all the best books for your beach bag this summer! If we haven't reviewed them already, we're hoping to soon.

So grab a book and snuggle up, or better yet, head out into the sun. These our are summer 2015 reads:

(left to right, top to bottom)

Saint Anything
Sarah Dessen
May 5

Fan-favorite Sarah Dessen returns with her twelfth book, perfect for a summer read.
Sydney has always felt invisible in the shadow of her older brother, Peyton. Peyton's adventures turned increasingly reckless, culminating in a drunk driving accident which leaves a young boy permanently paralyzed. With Peyton in jail, and her parents more focused on him than ever, Sydney feels not only invisible, but alone. But then she meets the Chatham family, and that begins to change. 

Modern Romance
Aziz Ansari
June 16

Comedian Aziz Ansari's first book promises to be both hilarious and thought provoking. Ansari, of Parks and Recreation fame, teamed up with a social scientist to research into the world of dating. Focused on dating practices throughout the world, this definitely isn't your typical work by a celebrityIf you're looking for something funny and insightful, without being too deep, Modern Romance is a good choice. 

Killing Monica
Candace Bushnell
June 23

Book author PJ Wallis is itching for a change. She's the creator of a series of novels that subsequently spawned blockbuster movies about a lovable young woman, Monica, navigating Manhattan. She wants to take a break from the Monica novels and write about something different, her ancestor Lady Wallis. But her fans, and her husband, just want her to keep cranking out Monica novels. With a failing marriage and a desire to start anew, PJ teams up with SondraBeth, the actress who plays Monica in the films to start fresh. 

Eight Hundred Grapes

Laura Dave
June 2

Georgia Ford just learned the secret that her fiancé has been hiding from her...a week before their wedding. Reeling from the revelation, she goes home to her family's vineyard in Sonoma County to think things over. Hoping to take comfort in all things familiar, there she learns that her fiancé isn't the only one who's been hiding things; her family has plenty of secrets, too.

The Boy Most Likely To

Huntley Fitzpatrick
August 18

A companion to one of her previous books, My Life Next Door, The Boy Most Likely To follows the story of Alice Garrett and Tim Mason. Tim is a wild boy with a mischievous past, and Alice is smarter than to fall for Tim. But just as they start to fall in love, things from Tim's past threaten to ruin what has only just begun. 

Go Set A Watchman
Harper Lee
July 14

To Kill A Mockingbird is probably my favorite book. Ever. So cheesy, but Atticus Finch is part of the reason that I wanted to go to law school. So you know that another entry by the same author had to be on my list. Although only recently discovered, the book was originally written in the mid fifties and features many of the beloved characters from To Kill A Mockingbird. It centers primarily on Scout, who has returned to Maycomb and is struggling with some personal and political issues. Maybe she'll find answers in the town that raised her.

Emmy & Oliver
Robin Benway
June 23

Another entry by a favorite author, Emmy & Oliver promises to be a great grab for the poolside. Emmy and Oliver were supposed to be best friends forever, that is, until Oliver disappeared. Ever since then, Emmy's life hasn't been the same her parents won't let her out of their sight. Plus, Oliver's still gone, but in Emmy's mind, their bond is very much intact. When Oliver returns, everything starts to change, and leaves Emmy wondering if they're still meant to be.

The Start of Me and You
Emery Lord
March 31

It's been a year since Paige Hancock's boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready to return to high school. With plans to get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her, and a plan to join a club, things should be simple. People will know that she's back to normal. But then Ryan's sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team and her plans are thrown for a serious loop. Both Liz and Laura simply adored Lord's first novel, Open Road Summer, so expect to see this one with high marks on the blog later this summer.

Luckiest Girl Alive
Jessica Knoll
May 12

As a teenager, Ani FaNelli faced a shocking and public humiliation that left her desperate to reinvent herself. Now, with a glamorous job and a handsome fiancé, she’s so close to living the perfect. But Ani still has secrets, secrets that threaten to pop up and ruin everything. Touted as a great read for fans of Gone Girl, grab this one and expect not to be able to put it down. 

Review: Love, Lucy by April Lindner

the lowdown

Lucy Sommersworth is backpacking through Europe and her last stop is Florence, Italy. She meets Jesse and explores her days in Italy in his company. Once she leaves, her fantasy days in Italy are over and she's faced with reality: college, and the deal she made with her father. Once at school, all she can think about is Jesse, their time in Italy together and if she'll ever see him again.

In this young adult romance book, you find yourself wishing you could help Lucy and Jesse work to be together, and to fight for each other. With inspiration from Roman Holiday, you find yourself wishing you could travel to Florence and follow in Lucy and Jesse's footsteps. Lindner is able to make you feel the emotions that every teenager at Lucy's age has gone through and to hope that Lucy can find a way to make this relationship work. Its a novel that is meant to make you feel your first love emotions all over again. It's a wonderful book that you'll get lost in and never want to end.

the good

• Lindner is able to capture the emotions that every teenager goes through during this time in their lives, especially while trying to find love. She really brings you in and makes you relive those feelings you once felt. 
• The characters are well rounded and easy to imagine. Their personalities really jump through the pages and thats what makes them so relatable throughout the story. You wish you could join them and be there for them during their journey.
• If you have ever heard of or seen or have been wanting to see Roman Holiday starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, this book will make you want to watch it over and over again. The movie is an inspiration for the book and you get a sense of it throughout the book.

the bad

• The book starts out great and as you keep reading, some areas do fall flat. The writing is great but a few more background stories could help. Throughout the book, you can see where more could have been written or more information could have been given. 
• The ending of the book could have used more flair. I was expecting something a bit more than the ending. I thought there would have been more from her parents and then something more intriguing with Jesse.

the quote
"I should be happy, she thought. She felt like a kite that had reached the limits of its string and was being yanked back to earth. 'I want to stay. I really do,' she heard herself say, her words muffled by his shirt. 'It means everything that you want me to.'"

skip it/borrow it/buy it
 I bought this book with a promising outcome and I got it. I would buy it because it is a great young adult book every teenager needs their collection

overall score:8/10

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Review: The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

the lowdown

Cassie is a natural. She's a natural at reading people, and knowing a lot about them, just by looking at them. She just didn't know that this innate ability would catch the attention of the FBI. Cassie didn't know she'd become a Natural. The Naturals is a program run (secretly) by the FBI which hopes to train teens with natural abilities that could be useful in crime solving. When she's approached with an offer from them, she's shocked. Still reeling over the loss of her mother, and with an absentee (although he's in the military) father, Cassie decides she's not really tied down, and decides to enter the program, much to the chagrin of her grandmother, with whom she lives. Plus, in the back of her mind, she wonders if honing her ability might not help her solve her mother's murder. So she does it, and she decides to go live in a house run by the FBI, with other extraordinary teens, to learn how to catch serial killers.
I have to confess that this isn't a totally fair review, because I accidentally spoiled myself on a major plot point about 20 pages before it happened. I was enjoying the book so I decided to request the sequel from my local library, and in doing so, saw the description for the sequel, which included a major plot twist. Oops. So I can't pretend like this book shocked me, because I knew some pretty major stuff. That being said, I was kind of disappointed with this book anyway. It was still a good book, just not as good as I was hoping. I love a good murder mystery...Criminal Minds, CSI, Law and Order, Psych, Monk, you name it, I'm there. I thought that this concept had a lot of potential, I mean serial killer profiling teenagers? I'm so there. Unfortunately, I think very little of that potential was realized. Still, because I think there are so few well-written books that capture two of my favorite genres (mystery and contemporary YA), I'd still recommend giving this one a read if you like that combination.

the good 

• The premise was awesome and getting inside Cassie's head as she profiled people was definitely cool. There's obviously a little needed suspicion of disbelief to get on board with how much she's able to tell about someone about how they park their car at the mall, but I was willing to do it. I think that kind of stuff is fascinating. 
• The characters were pretty funny. Think about the kind of kids that would end up in a house for FBI trainees, add in a couple of grumpy FBI agents, and you've got a good yourself a good time. That being said, I wish that more had been done with them. Again, I felt like there was a lot of potential, with little of it being realized. There were two love interests, both with interesting backstories, but neither backstory was really explored. 
• Some parts of this book were really well done and made me not want to put the book down. Others were a little dull, to be honest. I think that the mystery was also really well handled, you know, until I ruined it for myself. The fact that there were parts that were that well done gives me faith for the future installments, where I hopefully don't spoil the ending. 

the bad 

• It was too young adult without being good at it. The romantic moments in the book just felt forced and honestly, a little juvenile (although I'm a slightly older YA reader). There was also a lot of house drama between the teenagers living there that just really didn't interest me. There wasn't enough meat on the bones of the YA stuff for it to be good, and then focusing so hard on trying to force that really detracted from the mystery aspect. Neither aspect was great, they were both just okay. 
• The love triangle. Dear Lord, this was the captain of all unnecessary love triangles. It was very frustrating, quite honestly, because I couldn't make myself give a crap about either of the guys because all the book talked about was their skill set. Again, no exploration of their admittedly kind of fascinating backgrounds. 

the quote
"No matter how long they did this job, or how much training they had, these agents would never have instincts as finely honed as ours."

skip it/borrow it/buy it
I borrowed this from the library (like I always do) and I don't regret it. The concept and the profiling is so cool that I definitely recommend reading it if you like that kind of stuff. I still requested the sequel, and will definitely give it a read. So still read it, but definitely borrow it.

overall score: 7/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️