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!