Review: The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Book: The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
Published: March 2010 (Dial)
Format: Physical copy from library
Summary: Meet Lennie Walker - sisterless, clarinet player, lasagna maker, Heathcliff obsessed and hopelessly in love... Adrift after her sister Bailey's sudden death, Lennie finds herself torn between quiet seductive Toby - Bailey's boyfriend who shares her grief - and Joe, the new boy in town who bursts with life and musical genius. Each offers Lennie something she desperately needs...though she knows if the two of them collide her whole world will explode.

My Review: I was randomly browsing the YA section of my library when I came across this book. The cover was different than the one I'd seen before, and I did not recognize the title. Although I'm not always crazy about the torn-between-two-boys storyline, it sounded good enough, so I picked it up with pretty much no expectations. Little did I know just how amazing this book was going to be!

I loved everything about this book. The writing was incredible. It was very flowy and lyrical with an almost stream of consciousness feel to it, yet it totally matched the voice of a 17-year-old girl. I loved the originality of the characters. They were all so unique, and everyone lent something to the story. No one was superfluous. There was not an abundance of unnecessary secondary characters. Just the right amount for the story.

This book gave me ALL THE FEELS. I giggled, I cried, I swooned. I was completely caught up on Lennie's predicament with the two boys. Her feelings and emotions and thoughts were so clearly conveyed that I felt like I was living inside her head. I was confused when she was confused. I never yelled at her internally for being an idiot, because I could see where she was coming from with everything. The boys were SO DIFFERENT - and I loved them both - but she was drawn to each for different reasons, too. (Also, this really is not a love triangle book, despite how it might sound.)

I tend to dislike random poetry thrown in between chapters, which has become a "thing" with YA in the recent years. Honestly, it's usually super lame. But there were lots of poems and random notes strewn throughout this book, and they were actually good. I felt like I got to know Lennie better through them. And the best part is that it made perfect sense with the story for them to be there.

Also, random point, but I love that Lennie was obsessed with Heathcliff and Wuthering Heights. Girl after my own heart. I have not read it twenty-three times, but I have read it four times. And this book made me feel like a re-read may need to be imminent because I miss it.

Basically, if I had to describe this book, it would just be a long string of adjectives because I am not capable of fully explaining the awesomeness. Heart-breaking. Addicting. Enthralling, beautiful, real. Knock-you-off-your-chair fantastic. While I was reading this book, I felt like it moved quickly and that I was flying through it. But in reality, it actually took me my average reading time, if not slightly more, because I kept re-reading little sections that were particularly beautiful. Reading this book was a great experience, and I will definitely be re-reading in the future. Loved it!

How do others do it? People die all the time. Every day. Every hour. There are families all over the world staring at beds that are no longer slept in, shoes that are no longer worn. Families that no longer have to buy a particular cereal, a kind of shampoo. There are people everywhere standing in line at the movies, buying curtains, walking dogs, while inside, their hearts are ripping to shreds. For years. For their whole lives. I don’t believe time heals. I don’t want it to. If I heal, doesn’t that mean I’ve accepted the world without her? I liked love safe between the covers of my novel... Joe is practically singing my name, he sounds so elated, probably still riding high from that kiss, that sublime kiss that could make stars fall into your open hands, a kiss like Cathy and Heathcliff must have had on the moors with the sun beating on their backs and the world streaming with wind and possibility. Who knew all this time I was one kiss away from being Cathy and Juliet and Elizabeth Bennet and Lady Chatterley!?

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Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Title: Pushing the Limits
Author: Katie McGarry
Published: July 31, 2012 (Harlequin Teen)
Format: Egalley from publisher via NetGalley (Thanks!)
Summary: No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

My Review: I wanted to read Pushing the Limits the second I stumbled across it on Goodreads, and thanks to NetGalley and HarlequinTeen, I even got to read it early. This is one book I am happy to promote. From the intriguing synopsis to the steamy cover, it elicited high expectations on my end, and it did not disappoint!

I knew when I was going into this book that there were going to be "issues." What I did not expect was how much these two really were going through. Echo with her amnesia regarding an event that led to the scars on her arms, her insecurities, and her family; Noah with his brothers and the foster system. This book is told in alternating points of view, and it works very well for the story. I got nearly equal parts Noah and Echo's story (though there was a little more of Echo's, I think). There was also an unexpected side story with Noah's friends Isaiah and Beth, and I'm so excited that Beth is going to get her own book (Dare You To, coming sometime in 2013)! I definitely want to know the whole story there.

I loved the romance between these two. They were not looking for real romance at this point in their lives, and they especially did not expect it of each other. Yet they both found how much they needed each other, especially in the middle of the chaos of their respective lives. The chemistry between the two was spectacular, and the relationship that developed was believable and beautiful (despite the annoying number of times they called each other "baby").

One thing I appreciated about this book was the true emphasis it placed on family. Noah's love, devotion, and sacrifice for his brothers brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. Echo also had to learn how to deal with everything that was happening with her family, and to realize that maybe things were not how they had seemed to her. Both Noah and Echo had even more growing up to do than they already had in their difficult lives, and I rooted for them, watching them progress every step of the way.

Pushing the Limits was a realistic, but ultimately encouraging, read. Even though there was a lot of heavy stuff going on, the book was never difficult to read as a result. Katie McGarry kept up a great balance of reality, romance, and, on occasion, humor, which made the book immensely readable despite the heavy subject matter being addressed. It also had a more grown-up feel to it than a lot of YA, so I would recommend it to readers of YA as well as adult fiction.

Luke used to give me butterflies. Noah spawned mutant pterodactyls. [Best. Quote. Ever.] My father spoke with the air of a deity. He might as well have added the phrase so let it be written, so let it be done. Trust. Why not ask me to do something easier, like prove the existence of God? Sometimes when you see the line, you think it’s a good idea to cross it – until you do.

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Review: In Honor by Jessi Kirby

Title: In Honor
Author: Jessi Kirby
Published: May 2012 (Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers)
Format: Physical copy from the library
Summary: Hours after her brother’s military funeral, Honor opens the last letter Finn ever sent. In her grief, she interprets his note as a final request and spontaneously decides to go to California to fulfill it. Honor gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn’s best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn’t seen Rusty in ages, but it’s obvious he is as arrogant and stubborn as ever—not to mention drop-dead gorgeous. Despite Honor’s better judgment, the two set off together on a voyage from Texas to California. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn’s memory—but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

My Review: In Honor was, without a doubt, one of my most awaited books of the summer. I waited on it for months, my expectations climbing higher and higher with every pre-publication (and post-publication, too, since it took my library FIVE BAZILLION YEARS to get it in) review I came across. I really loved the whole idea behind the book, and the cover was overflowing with cuteness.

In Honor had me crying in under twenty pages. Although I do tend to have ridiculously overactive flowerpot tendencies, I usually need to be at least attached to the characters in a book first before I start welling up. But I felt an almost immediate connection with Honor, and her situation was heartbreaking. However, this is not to say that the book was all depressing; that was not the case at all. Honor was dealing with a huge loss, but she was not defeated. There were also touches of humor throughout the book, not to mention the excellent romantic build-up between Honor and Rusty.

I love that this story took place over the course of a road trip. It made a great metaphor for the personal progress both Honor and Rusty were making in their grief and other things, as well as for the relationship between the two of them. They had known each other since childhood, as he was her older brother's best friend. But during this book, they grew to have the potential for more, and I loved the two of them because they felt real to me. One of my favorite parts of the book was where Rusty harassed Honor about how terrible her feet smelled after she took off her boots. This might seem like an odd choice, but I liked it because it was a sign of how well they knew each other, that they were comfortable enough to give each other a hard time. There was no infatuated disillusionment here.

I enjoyed Kirby's writing in In Honor; she had a great way with words, particularly when it came to describing things. She also had a unique approach wherein she actually changed to the present tense in two specific scenes. At first I thought it was a mistake, but it actually worked to heighten the things happening in those particular scenes. The only drawback was that it initially drew me out of the story because I was confused as to why the tense had changed.

There were some aspects of In Honor that were not what I expected. I was hesitant about this at first, but I think the book was stronger for it. To put it the way I did when talking to Racquel from The Book Barbies earlier today, it was something I appreciated the day AFTER I read the book. All in all, In Honor is a lot of things. Sugar-coated, it is not. But it is realistic, refreshing, and romantic. If you are looking for a great summer read with a road trip and the potential to make you shed a few tears, check this one out.

❝He always told me to look strong, even if I didn’t feel it, because sometimes that’s all you can do.❞

❝Denial’s a stubborn thing. And necessary, at first, so the world doesn’t come crashing down on you all at once.❞

❝...the thought of actually meeting her brought back my little fangirl urge to jump up and down and squeal about it.❞

❝And Rusty, he was always the kind of reckless you either admired or shook your head at.❞

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Reviews: FRIENDS Style {01: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick}

Reviews: FRIENDS Style is a new feature. Basically, I wanted a way to express my love for Friends, my all-time favorite television show, along with my love of books. Thus, this feature was born. It probably won't be super regular, maybe a couple times a month. But I had a blast putting this one together! I hope you enjoy it. Warning: Image Heavy.

Title: My Life Next Door
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Published: June 2012 (Dial Books For Young Readers)
Summary: A boy. A secret. A summer. The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

My Review: I mentioned My Life Next Door in a Waiting on Wednesday back in April. At that point, I had already been waiting on it for a while, and I talked about how I'd felt that instant connection with it and knew I had to read it ASAP. Well, the day finally arrived. Allow me to escort you through my journey with My Life Next Door.

The UPS Guy Drops Off the Package

Yes, sadly, this is pretty much exactly what I looked like, except for the fact that I was alone. Well, Little Cousinette (my 4-year-old cousin with whom I am living for the summer) was there, too. But she was just sitting on the couch, looking at me like I was insane while I flailed and jumped around in a circle.

Review: Leaving Paradise & Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Title: Leaving Paradise / Return to Paradise
Author: Simone Elkeles
Published: April 2007 / September 2010 (Flux)
Summary: Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares — has been canceled. After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers. Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

My Review: I was very intrigued by the premise of this duo; there was so much you could do with this unique storyline. I started Leaving Paradise with some pretty high expectations. After all, I had been impressed by Elkeles before (particularly with Perfect Chemistry. SO MUCH LOVE.). My sister raved about these books. They both had a 4+ Goodreads rating. Everything pointed toward them being pretty darn great. I did enjoy them, but unfortunately, they both fell short of my expectations.

Like I said, I was super interested in the premise of these. I'd never seen a book address this subject before. I couldn't wait to see how the dynamic would be handled. It would definitely be a difficult subject to tackle, and I think Elkeles did well with it. It may have been that I wasn't in the mood for it that day, but the books were a little too much of a downer for me. It wasn't your typical teenage angst with the additional problems of the whole he-went-to-prison-for-hitting-her-with-a-car thing, because believe me, I enjoy a good angst-fest; it was that everything sucked for these two. There was barely a shred of light or optimism to be found. This can be a fantastic mechanism for writing, if used well (see: Forbidden, When He Was Wicked, several hundred fanfics I've read, and more), but in these, it just felt depressing. The books were too underwhelming; they didn't grab me quite enough to have the desired effect. I didn't like how the first one ended, although I understood why it ended the way it did. I was also extremely appreciative of the fact that I had the second readily available, as opposed to having to wait 3 years for it to come out. I read both of these books in one day, which is partially why I'm reviewing them together. Because, in my mind, they were just one longer book.

One thing that I definitely loved was the wonderful build-up to Caleb and Maggie's relationship. Build-up is, quite typically, a huge factor in how much I enjoy a relationship in a book, television series, or anything else. Just because, quite honestly, the majority of the time, it's just nowhere near as good once the relationship actually happens. They get boring, or the characters start acting like a cookie-cutter couple, and lose their individuality. It happens. Anyway. Behold tangent #783; stay tuned for more in the future.

Another thing I appreciated in these books was the realistic approach to things. Elkeles is extremely talented in giving all her books a definite sense of authenticity. The Paradise duo was no exception. These circumstances could have happened in real life, and nothing was glossed over. Elkeles did a great job with this. Overall, although they did not meet my expectations by any means, the Paradise books were still worth the read. I liked watching how Maggie and Caleb grew up as individuals and together as a couple.

❝I can’t believe I’m seventeen and thinking about the good old days.❞

❝Thinking too hard and too long is dangerous for anyone with demons they’re trying to fight off.❞

❝According to Vanessa, my limp and scars don’t matter. I’m a cool chick. I just have to start believing it.❞

Purchase Leaving Paradise at: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Purchase Return to Paradise at: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Author Interview: Gwendolyn Heasley & Review: A Long Way from You

Q. Welcome to Fictionally Inclined! We'll go ahead and dive right into the questions. First of all, how (and how much) does A Long Way from You connect to Where I Belong?

❝WHERE I BELONG and A LONG WAY FROM YOU are companion novels. WHERE I BELONG is narrated by Corrinne Corcoran and takes place mostly in Texas. A LONG WAY FROM YOU is narrated by Kitsy Kidd (Corrinne’s Texan friend from WHERE I BELONG). A LONG WAY FROM YOU is primarily set in New York. And while Corrinne appears in the second novel, it’s truly Kitsy’s book.❞

Q. How do you name your characters?

❝Each character is different.

I have a good friend Corrinne (who goes by Corrie) and I love that name, so I put it in a book although the character is nothing like my friend.

While researching rodeos, I saw the name Kitsy on a list of rodeo queens. I fell in love with it. I’m almost sad I used it in a book because I would love to name a daughter Kitsy. But I can't imagine my character as anyone but Kitsy, so I'm glad that's my character's name.

For other characters, I just picked the names out of mind and for other ones I looked through baby name websites. All the names in my books are fairly unique and I think that’s because I have a unique name too!❞

Q. What is your writing process like?

❝I try to outline first and then I write a first sloppy draft. Then I have to do a LOT of work editing because the first draft was sloppy…but for me, I have to let the story tell itself first before I get micro on it❞

Q. What do you do when you're not writing?

❝I also teach college at Kean University and I’m earning a MFA through Vermont College of Fine Arts. And I’m a planning a wedding, so I keep pretty busy.❞

Q. Favorite childhood book?

❝The Baby-Sitters Club. Love those books. I could talk BSC for hours.❞

Q. Favorite recent reading discovery?

❝Sara Pennypacker’s middle grade novel, Summer of the Gyspy Moths. It’s a great story of self-discovery and friendship…and it’s set in Cape Cod. It’s a must read for summer. I don’t want to give a lot away, but I loved it.❞

Q. Do you have anything currently in the works?

❝I’m writing my third novel for HarperTeen. It won’t be related to the first two and I’m excited for a challenge.❞

Q. Is there anything you would like to share with your readers and fans?

❝Thank you for reading…. By the way, I love hearing from my readers. Please email me or visit my website and share your opinions, both the good and the bad. I learn a lot from my readers feedback, so I read every review that I find online. I think it's helpful to know what your readers did and did not like. ❞

My Review

Title: A Long Way from You
Author: Gwendolyn Heasley
Published: June, 2012 (HarperTeen)
Disclosure: Received for review from Little Bird Publicity.
Summary: For too long, Kitsy has had to satisfy her dreams of becoming a real artist by giving her friends makeovers before prom. So when her best friend Corrinne's family offers to sponsor her for a summer art course in New York City, Kitsy bids a temporary good-bye to Texas to say hello to the West Village. Between navigating the subway and the New Yorkers—namely, the Art Boy who has a nice trick of getting under her skin—Kitsy knows that this summer is going to be about a lot more than figure drawing.

My Review: I was very excited to read A Long Way from You after reading Heasley's debut and this book's companion novel, Where I Belong. Kitsy was my favorite character in that book, so I could not wait to hear her story! A Long Way from You was a very good book that I definitely enjoyed reading.

One of the best things about A Long Way from You was the emphasis on family. Kitsy loved her little brother, Kiki, fiercely, and it showed. The relationship between the two was so very touching; I often smiled and was occasionally moved to the brink of tears. Kitsy's family dynamic was messed up because her father was out of the picture, and her mother had a drinking problem. Kitsy had practically been acting as Kiki's mother for years. However, over the course of the book, the dynamic shifted in some ways, and it was interesting to see this progression.

This story was about Kitsy and her coming-of-age, getting-to-know-herself journey. Kitsy, a teenager from small town Texas, had no idea how New York City worked. In finding her way through this new adventure, Kitsy truly got to know herself for what was perhaps the first time. I really loved watching her develop through her interactions with others and her journey through her art. Kitsy's view of and passion for art was thought-provoking and moving.

Again, there were two boys in the picture in A Long Way from You. One was Kitsy's long-time boyfriend, Hands, and the other was a musician from New York, Tad, whom Kitsy met early on in the story. They were both good guys, but there were also negatives to both of them, as well. For the longest time, I was not sure which of the two I wanted Kitsy to wind up with at the end! I won't give it away, obviously, but I was satisfied with how it ended. One thing I loved was that we got to see Corrinne again! I really loved her friendship with Kitsy in Where I Belong, so it was nice to see a continuation of that. I was not a huge fan of Corrinne's story in this book, but now I am just crossing my fingers for another Heasley novel that will give me even more!

Also, as an endnote, because at the end of the day, I'll admit to being totally shallow when it comes to covers: May I address the fact that the cover for this book is absolutely gorgeous? Again! If all of Heasley's books continue to have covers like this, I don't think I'll ever be able to resist one. So lovely.

❝He’s like inspiration in a can.❞

❝You can feel naked in a lot of different ways. With each line of my pencil, I feel as if I too am disrobing.❞

❝Who you are depends on where you are.❞

❝I realize why everybody falls in love with New York City as I approach Union Square. On one block alone, there’s a cupcake and two Mister Softee ice cream trucks.❞

Purchase this book at: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Review: Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Title: Beautiful Disaster
Author: Jamie McGuire
Published: May 2011 (Jamie McGuire, LLC)
Summary: The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend America, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand. Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the charming college co-ed. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his charms, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis's apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

My Review: I have struggled with how to go about this review. I had pretty much planned on simply not reviewing if a book was anything less than "okay" for me. BUT. I have decided this book is an exception, if only because I, personally, felt incredibly misled about it. I want to do a review so others don't go into it expecting something else like I did. I saw a couple glowing reviews and the high Goodreads rating, read the summary, thought "Older young adult romance! They're actually in college! SCORE!" and marked it as to-read. Then I (eventually) read it. There are very few books I disliked so much by the end that I wanted to throw them across the room. This was one of them.

If you get nothing else from this review, get this: Beautiful Disaster is NOT a romance. I really want to stress this point. I have seen it portrayed as a twisted but passionate and beautiful love story. That's even how it tries to present itself. And trust me, I love a good twisted love story. You want romance? I can give you romance. I can give you Good Girl/Bad Boy romance. This book? Not romance. The "love story" in Beautiful Disaster is a hot mess of dysfunction, codependency, and psychological, emotional, and borderline physical abuse.

You may have noticed (especially if reading this on Goodreads) that I rated this book 2 stars. If I hated it so much, why not 1 star? Honestly, there were parts in the beginning that I did enjoy, before the red flags started popping up all over the place. And even with that, the story was interesting in its own way. I really think I would have enjoyed Beautiful Disaster a lot more if I had gone into it knowing what it actually was. Perhaps "enjoyed" is not quite the right word...maybe "appreciated." I would have been in the right mindset. I wouldn't have felt tricked and cheated. I've read very good books about unhealthy relationships in the past (Stay by Deb Caletti and Dreamland by Sarah Dessen, among others). I would not put this among them, but I certainly could view it as a much better book if looking from the perspective of a cautionary tale about what to avoid in relationships, rather than a portrayal of a swoon-worthy romance for which you should long.

On the technical side, there were also quite a few grammatical mistakes; a more intense editing process was definitely needed before publishing.

❝The more he smiled, the more I wanted to hate him, and yet it was the very thing that made hating him impossible.❞

❝I had died and woken up in High School Musical.❞

Purchase this book at: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Review: Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley

Title: Where I Belong
Author: Gwendolyn Heasley
Published: February 2011 (HarperTeen)
Summary: Corrinne Corcoran’s upscale Manhattan life is perfectly on track—until her father announces he’s been laid off and she’s shipped off to Broken Spoke, Texas, to live with her grandparents. All alone in a big public school and forced to take a job shoveling manure, Corrinne is determined to get back to the glamorous life she’s supposed to be living. But as she grudgingly adjusts—making new friends and finding romance along the way—this city girl begins to realize that life without credit cards and shopping sprees may not be as bad as it seems...

My Review: When I saw the cover of Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley, I wanted to read it immediately. I mean, just look at it! It is the epitome of cuteness. Also, I want her dress. And hair. And shoes. Cuteness of the cover aside, it sounded like it could be a fun read. Spoiled, rich city girl is sent off to live with her less-than-wealthy relatives in small-town Texas, and she begins to see the error(s) of her ways. That's exactly what it was.

I had a complicated relationship with this book. Honestly, I was not all that crazy about it at first. It had some funny lines, but the Spoiled Rich Girl, Corrinne, was just too spoiled. Think Blair Waldorf, but without the awesomeness. For the first third of the book or so, I was very annoyed with her as a narrator. One example of why: She referred to a size 4 as fat. Seriously? Um, no. After a while, though, I got to know her better and could begin to understand why she was the way she was. The annoyance lessened, and I could appreciate her even if I could not relate to her. As the story progressed, it was great to watch Corrinne come to terms with her situation and grow and learn from it.

The setting of the small town was just perfect. The characters were colorful and completely fitting for the atmosphere. I loved Corrinne's grandparents, her brother, and the new friends she made in Texas. Kitsy Kidd, one of Corrinne's new friends, was my favorite character in the whole book by far. Loved her! I can't wait to read her story in Heasley's companion book, A Long Way from You. I really loved Bubby, the local football hero, too, even though I have issues with his name. There was also Rider, Corrinne's super sexy, musical barn buddy. Another interesting facet to this book was Corrinne's relationship with her best friend from back in New York, Waverly. I won't say a lot so as to avoid spoilers, but I liked the way their story was handled.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. The last two thirds definitely redeemed the first third. I also liked that while Corrinne most definitely did make a lot of progress as a character, it felt completely realistic. She did not turn into some crazily unselfish let's-save-trees-and-volunteer-at-nursing-homes-and-kiss-babies do-gooder. She simply began to see life and her actions from a different perspective. Where I Belong was a very cute read. I'm super excited about Kitsy's book! Look for a review of A Long Way from You, as well as an interview with Gwendolyn Heasley, on the blog June 5.

❝There are times to diet, and then there are times for ice cream.❞

❝No one told me that I would need a translator in Texas. Maybe there’s an iPhone app on how to speak Texan.❞

❝My parents will have to pay for my hypnosis; I can’t live life with these memories.❞

❝Of course, this isn’t how I imagined meeting my soul mate. I definitely didn’t think I’d be wearing denim and cowboy boots.❞

❝Even though I’ve never been to a séance or a human sacrifice, I am pretty sure this would be the type of music that’d be played.❞

Purchase this book at: Amazon || Barnes & Noble || The Book Depository

Review: The Story of Us by Deb Caletti

Title: The Story of Us
Author: Deb Caletti
Published: April 2012 (Simon Pulse)
Summary: Cricket has a very long week ahead of her - her entire family has come together for her mom's wedding, and it's supposed to be a time for celebration. But for Cricket, the timing couldn't be worse. For years Cricket's been half of the perfect couple, destined to be together forever. Now, because of what she's done - something she would give anything to take back - Janssen has walked away. Maybe for good. Cricket has always panicked in the face of change. now she is forced to face her fears and decide once and for all what she wants, and how she's going to get it. Over the course of the week, secrets will be revealed, bonds will be tested, and Cricket's confusion - and her desires - may very well send her spiraling down a path she never thought she'd take...with no idea where it will lead her.

My Review: I impatiently awaited The Story of Us by Deb Caletti for quite a while. I discovered the awesomeness that is Deb Caletti last year when I read The Six Rules of Maybe and Stay. I fell in love with her writing and her characters, and I vowed to read all of her books. Although I have yet to accomplish this, it is still a goal I want to attain at some point. I had high expectations for this book, and while it did not quite meet them, it was still an enjoyable read.

I'm just going to put this out there. I'm not a dog person. I don't like dogs, or pets in general, really. I know, I know. I don't have a heart. I'll be awaiting the people with pitchforks banging down my door any moment now. Say what you will, I just don't like them. Therefore, a lot of times, I have a hard time connecting to the areas of a book where an animal is so significant to the main character or story. There are some exceptions. For example, most Kristan Higgins books, the aforementioned Six Rules of Maybe, and Island of the Blue Dolphins, among others. However, this did not happen in The Story of Us. Jupiter, Cricket's dog, was extremely significant. The letters from Cricket to her boyfriend-on-a-break, Janssen, were mostly centered around dog facts and stories. Jupiter and the other family's dog both got significant mentions. If you are a dog person, you will probably like this book a lot more than I did.

However, it's not all about the dogs. The story was interesting. I had never read anything quite like it. It was very much about Cricket, yet the other characters played large parts, too, both for their own stories and for Cricket's. I love Caletti's flair for writing secondary characters. There were quite a few of them in this book, so it was difficult to keep them all straight at times. But they were definitely all original and fun. Not one was cookie-cutter. They were all very multi-faceted for being secondary. Caletti also does a great job of capturing family dynamics, no matter how the family itself is assembled.

I really felt for Cricket with a lot of her issues. I don't like change, either. She was dealing with a lot of new possibilities in her life, and Janssen had been a part of her for so long, she was not quite sure how to cope with her situation. There were some things I wish she'd have been a little quicker to realize, and I did not always understand her logic. But seeing her grow and come to terms with some things was a great experience.

I loved Ash. Like, I really, really loved him. I truly wish that he would have been around for more scenes. The book focused more on Cricket, as it is really her story more than a romance. As for Janssen, I didn't expect to like him. After all, she was supposed to be moving on. Right? From the summary, that's what it sounds like. Yet Janssen was an amazing guy, too. And her older brother's best friend! Not going to lie - that's one of my favorite tropes. I won't give away the ending, but both guys were great in completely different ways.

One definite positive of this book is that I'm still thoroughly in love with Caletti's writing. I saved probably twice as many quotes as I'm posting here. Her ability to capture concepts with the written word will never fail to astound me.

❝What’s to love about uncertainty? Nothing. It’s scary – a big black hole of possible outcomes. Change requires bravery, and I don’t even like to walk into creepy basements alone. Sometimes I’ve even wished there was a human pause button, where you could choose some point in your life where you could stay always.❞

❝I think my heart must have escaped my chest. At least, it felt like it was pounding madly enough to leap out, rebelling, becoming the sort of heart it had never been before, a sorority girl heart, say, set loose in Daytona Beach during spring break.❞

❝My mother always said that our own stories were where we made sense of things, but I think all stories have that power. You could put your confusion and upset and worries into whatever book you were reading. You could sort of set them down in there, and you could come out with your head on a little straighter. I don’t know why stories worked that way, but they did. They’re an actual place where confusing things order themselves.❞

❝Every family is crazy. If it’s not crazy, that’s crazy.❞

❝She would bring you some great book because she was a book matchmaker, because she loved books the way other girls loved clothes.❞

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Review: The Fine Art of Truth Or Dare by Melissa Jensen

Title: The Fine Art of Truth Or Dare
Author: Melissa Jensen
Published: February 2012 (Speak)
Summary: Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is her French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before.

My Review: I was looking forward to The Fine Art of Truth or Dare for several months before it came out. I loved the title, cover, and summary, and I was super excited for it to come out. It wasn't quite what I expected, but I enjoyed it.

This book had perhaps the most original prologue I've ever read. It seemed all normal and ordinary until the very last line, which made me do a double take and read the whole thing over again, giggling the whole time. BRILLIANT. Unfortunately, the rest of the book did not quite live up to the hilarity and awesomeness of the first few pages, but it was still pretty good.

I found Ella to be a very relatable heroine for the most part, particularly regarding her awkwardness. She had some serious scarring from an accident as a child, and she had some insecurity issues because of it. It was nice watching her grow into herself and her identity without always thinking about her scar. I could also definitely see why Ella liked Alex. He was a nice, funny, smart guy who also happened to be super hot and filthy rich. AKA, Out of Ella's League. But no worries. In the world of fictional romance, this is never a problem.

My biggest pet peeve with this book is spoilery, so skip this next section if you don't want to know. But THEIR FIRST KISS HAPPENS IN A FADE-OUT. As in, it's about to happen, but then suddenly, it's like two weeks later. WHAT. As well-written, swoon-worthy kiss scenes (particularly first kiss scenes) are pretty much my favorite thing in books ever, I was rather peeved at this.

The pace was a little odd at times, and I didn't really like Ella's friends all that much. Although they did have their moments, and I enjoyed their constant games of Truth or Dare. It kind of reminded me of The Truth About Forever (which is my favorite YA book of all time, ergo definitely a good thing). I did like the humor of the book, though. It was consistently amusing but never over the top. But don't take my word for it. I will end with some quotes, and you can see for yourself!

❝Since “Hi, I’m Ella. You look like someone I’d like to spend the rest of my life with,” would have been totally insane, I opted for sitting quietly and staring.❞

❝I couldn’t think of any possible universe where wrapping myself around his knees to keep him in place would be construed as anything other than psychotic.❞

❝The silence went on just long enough to make it uncomfortable. But I wasn’t going to help him with his small talk. I’m not very good at it in the best of circumstances. Sitting almost thigh to thigh with a guy who turned me into a mental pretzel was nowhere near a good circumstance.❞

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Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Published: January 2012 (Poppy/Little Brown)
Rating: 4/5
Summary: Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything? Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A. Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.


I'm a little late to the party with The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, but it was worth the wait! I only wish I had read it sooner because it was great! I was worried it would not live up to my expectations. I always try to keep my expectations at normal level, but this book was crazily hyped, had a lovely cover, and a thoroughly original name. It lived up to them, though.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight was very original, and I loved the premise of it. The prologue draws you into the story right away. I really enjoyed that aspect of it. Not even two minutes into the story, I was completely hooked. The story focused more on family than I thought it would, but rather than detracting from the story, it added a lot of depth to the characters. I was interested in reading how all the relationships developed, how everything was interwoven in surprising ways.

The characters were great! Hadley and Oliver had terrific interactions. They were so cute, but not unrealistic or nauseating. There was witty banter and good conversation, and but they also had great quiet moments. I truly believed everything they felt.

If I could complain about one thing, it would be that I would have loved more plane scenes. The book was pretty short; surely there could have been a few more! I'm a huge sucker for plane stories. However, the way it was worked very well for the pace of the story.

Quotes:

❝The day ahead of her is like something living and breathing, something that’s barreling toward her at an alarming rate, and it seems only a matter of time before it will knock her flat on her back.❞

❝In the end, it’s not the changes that will break your heart; it’s that tug of familiarity.❞

❝Is it possible not to ever know your type – not to even know you have a type – until quite suddenly you do?❞

❝He’s like a song she can’t get out of her head. Hard as she tries, the melody of their meeting runs through her mind on an endless loop, each time as surprisingly sweet as the last, like a lullaby, like a hymn, and she doesn’t think she could ever get tired of hearing it.❞

A cute, unique story that will make you believe in first love. Definitely recommended!


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Review: The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker

Title: The Queen of Kentucky
Author: Alecia Whitaker
Published: January 2012 (Little, Brown)
Rating: 3.5/5
Summary: Fourteen-year-old Kentucky girl Ricki Jo Winstead, who would prefer to be called Ericka, thank you very much, is eager to shed her farmer's daughter roots and become part of the popular crowd at her small town high school. She trades her Bible for Seventeen magazine, buys new "sophisticated" clothes and somehow manages to secure a tenuous spot at the cool kids table. She's on top of the world, even though her best friend and the boy next door Luke says he misses "plain old Ricki Jo." Caught between being a country girl and wannabe country club girl, Ricki Jo begins to forget who she truly is: someone who doesn't care what people think and who wouldn't let a good-looking guy walk all over her. It takes a serious incident out on Luke's farm for Ricki Jo to realize that being a true friend is more important than being popular.


I first saw Queen of Kentucky when Jen over at Makeshift Bookmark reviewed it. While I didn't feel the need to run out and buy it, I was immediately taken in by the adorable cover. The book lives up to the promise of the cover: it is cute and sweet. It wasn't amazing, but it was an enjoyable read.

I enjoyed a lot of things about this book. The details were fantastic. I live in the country in the Midwest, not a farm in the South. However, Whitaker was able to make me believe I was there, feeling everything Ricki Jo felt and seeing everything she saw. The details of the farming seemed very authentic. I loved Luke! He was so flipping cute! I wanted to hit Ricki Jo over the head sometimes for not noticing him. And for various other reasons, most of which she finally comes to realize, thankfully. Ricki Jo was hard for me to understand or sympathize with, but I still enjoyed reading about her journey. Whitaker did a great job of crafting a 14-year-old's voice.

On the other hand, there were some things that bothered me a little. The absolute foremost one was the ending. It was super abrupt! Everything just suddenly stopped, was summarized in like two pages, and it was done. I would have loved another ten pages or so. Also, I'm going to get on my soapbox here for a moment, but authors seriously need to at least do a little research related to domestic violence if they are going to include or reference it.

Let's talk guys for a minute. Luke was Ricki Jo's best friend, and their friendship was fifteen kinds of adorable. I smiled so much because of them. However, Wolf, the popular guy Ricki Jo liked, was ridiculous. I had absolutely no idea why she liked him. So he was cute. Who cares? He was a huge jerk. And he never hid it, ever. Sure, there were a few moments when we saw him behave decently, but I was utterly clueless as to how Ricki Jo could develop a crush in the first place, much less continue to like him after interacting with him.

Only one quote today, but it was a good (and all too true) one.

❝Obsessing over a boy makes the time fly.❞

Despite some things that weren't so great, The Queen of Kentucky was worth reading. It had the super cute sweetness of first love, which is always good. It flew by, despite being almost 400 pages. It was also a great coming of age story. And let's not forget the cover. It's definitely going to make my Best Covers of 2012 list. So cute! At the end of the day, that word really sums up both the cover and the book: cute.

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