My Thoughts: Nightfall by Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski

4 frosted brownies.

Cover Love:
Yes.  This has such a creepy feel to it.  I love the font and I love the tagline at the top.  It all works!

Why I Wanted to Read This:
The synopsis caught my eye right away.  It seemed like such a weird and scary idea.  Here it is from GoodReads:

On Marin’s island, sunrise doesn’t come every twenty-four hours—it comes every twenty-eight years. Now the sun is just a sliver of light on the horizon. The weather is turning cold and the shadows are growing long.

Because sunset triggers the tide to roll out hundreds of miles, the islanders are frantically preparing to sail south, where they will wait out the long Night.

Marin and her twin brother, Kana, help their anxious parents ready the house for departure. Locks must be taken off doors. Furniture must be arranged. Tables must be set. The rituals are puzzling—bizarre, even—but none of the adults in town will discuss why it has to be done this way.

Just as the ships are about to sail, a teenage boy goes missing—the twins’ friend Line. Marin and  Kana are the only ones who know the truth about where Line’s gone, and the only way to rescue him is by doing it themselves. But Night is falling. Their island is changing.

And it may already be too late.

Romance?: We come in at the start of a possible romance between Line and Marin.

My Thoughts:
The world of YA and MG books has been so saturated with dystopian books that I forget there are straight up fantasy/sci-fi books that aren't dystopian.  This is a fantasy book, set in a world vastly different than ours.  It's not futuristic, it's just not our world.  And I loved that about this book!  I loved the setting and getting to know the rules right along with Line, Marin and Kana.  But I felt it moved a bit slowly in letting us learn anything.  It didn't dissuade me from wanting to know, though.  I just wish information would've come a little bit quicker.

I like the little added mystery, it was the kind that an experienced reader (adult) picked up on pretty quick, but a younger reader would be wowed with the twist!  I liked all three characters with Kana being my favorite.  The circumstances that lead up to them being left on the island were plausible.  The only thing that made me question is why they ever go back to the island.  They live 14 years away, why would they even both coming back after that time.

There was enough darkness and things that go bump in the constant night that I was having a few nightmares.  The ending was very satisfying for me and it wrapped everything up.  I would like another book in this world, but I don't have to have the same characters.  I would love to know why they feel the need to go back to the island after 14 years away!

To Sum Up:  This one is going to be a big hit in my library.  Creepy, but with some good twists, I think that middle schoolers will love reading this story!

Book from my personal and school library.

My Thoughts: Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

3 frosted maple cookies.

Cover Love:  OH YES!!  I just completely adore this cover.  I want to be on that park bench with Jackson and Crenshaw!

Why I Wanted to Read This:
Because of the cover and the synopsis.   I am not as in tune to childhood hunger and I think I need to be for someone who works at a middle school so I was hoping this would give me some more insight.  Here is the synopsis from GoodReads:

Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There's no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again.

Crenshaw is a cat. He's large, he's outspoken, and he's imaginary. He has come back into Jackson's life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything?

Beloved author Katherine Applegate proves in unexpected ways that friends matter, whether real or imaginary.

Romance?: Nope.

My Thoughts:
I haven't read The One and Only Ivan, a travesty I know,  nor any of the Animoprhs, so I think this is my first Katherine Applegate story.  The writing is wonderful, fluid and descriptive.  It was easy to stay in this story once I was there.  Jackson is very sympathetic and is his little sister.  His parents, however, are not.

I know there are mixed reviews on this book.  I can totally understand that.  It's a very real situation that Jackson's parents find themselves in, and you just want to shake the pride right out of them.  I mean, how can someone be too proud to ask family members for help or to go to local services for help, yet not too proud to stand out with a cardboard sign.  That just seems super false.  Jackson's dad was diagnosed with MS.  He has a medical issue.  The fact that he is not going to his parents or siblings or that Jackson's mom isn't makes me scratch my head.  I know that the one thing either set of my husband's or my parents would do is make sure that our kids are fed.  Even if they didn't help out with rent, they would  make sure my kids had food.  Jackson's parents seemed so immature and childish.  It was very frustrating to read. 

Not only that, they don't let their kids know what is going on, yet their kids know.  The parents need to open up, Jackson is way more wise than give him credit for!  He is so stressed out by what is happening that his mind conjures up his imaginary friend from his younger childhood.  I loved Crenshaw and his relationship with Jackson was very sweet, there just wasn't that much of it.

In the end things for Jackson and his family seem to get packaged up nicely, however, with the way Jackson's parents act I don't imagine it will be that good for long!

To Sum Up:  I think this would be an important book for some of those kids that you know are in weird transition with their families.  They are in and out of our school every year.  It would be nice for them to see that they are not alone, however, most of them are probably in way worse situations than Jackson.  I also think many kids who are no where close to Jackson's situation would enjoy this because it is a glimpse of a life that hopefully they will never know.  I will be buying a few copies for my library.

Book requested and sent from Macmillan.  Thanks so much!!

My Thoughts: The Disappearance of Emily H by Barrie Summy

4 fudgy brownies.

Cover Love:
Yes.  I love the way the bridge is almost part of the font.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
The synopsis for this book got me very excited.  A middle grade book about bullying with a little supernatural bent.  I was very excited to read this!  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

A girl is missing. Three girls are lying. One girl can get to the truth.

Emily Huvar vanished without a trace. And the clues are right beneath Raine’s fingertips. Literally. Raine isn’t like other eighth graders. One touch of a glittering sparkle that only Raine can see, and she’s swept into a memory from the past. If she touches enough sparkles, she can piece together what happened to Emily.

When Raine realizes that the cliquey group of girls making her life miserable know more than they’re letting on about Emily’s disappearance, she has to do something. She’ll use her supernatural gift for good . . . to fight evil.

But is it too late to save Emily?

Romance?: There is a cute little middle school crush.

My Thoughts:
It's very hard not to feel for Raine right off the bat.  She lost her grandmother, who is the only one Raine knew with the same "talent" Raine had, and was living with her scatterbrained mother.  Her mom can't commit to staying in one place for very long, mostly because she gets involved with the wrong man, then runs when it goes bad.  So, when school starts for Raine she is not optimistic about staying there for very long.  She tries to keep herself apart from others so that she won't have too many ties to break when she moves away.

What sets Raine apart from others is her ability to see and collect sparkles.  The sparkles are memories and Raine's grandmother was training Raine on how to use her gift.  Now her grandmother is gone and her ability to see sparkles is waning, so when she sees one it's hard for her to not go after it.  Soon after school starts Raine discovers that she is living in the house of a girl named Emily who had disappeared a few weeks before.  Every now and again Raine comes across sparkles that give her memories of Emily's life before she disappeared.  And she discovers that there was a group of girls at the middle school who were making Emily's life miserable.

This seemed like a straight forward bullying/mean girls story, but there are twists and the reason for Emily's disappearance is not what it seemed.  I really liked the twists because they came across as very unexpected and it made it a good mystery, one of the best middle school ones I have read in a long time.

This ended strong, without a hint of a sequel, which is fine but, I would definitely visit Raine and her unique ability again.

To Sum Up:  Buying this one for my library and I will be book talking it this fall!

My Thoughts: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

5 freshly baked oatmeal butterscotch chip cookies.

Cover Love:
It's alright.  Not my favorite cover ever, but it's fine.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
I liked the synopsis and have been hearing good things, so I checked it out and gave it a go.  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

Romance?:  Yes!

My Thoughts:
I adored Simon.  I want him to be in my life.  He's darling and funny and loyal and sweet.  Seriously, I just loved him!

I loved Blue too.  Their emails back and forth were so sweet and flirty and fun.  It was easy to see how well matched they were.  One of the things I liked about this book is there wasn't any of that angst that comes with a lot of contemporary teen dramas.  Yes, there was a little misunderstanding, but it was still all over email so there weren't awkward scenes where Blue and Simon weren't talking to each other in the halls and their friends weren't having to pick sides.

I like to think that Simon's coming out is more like how it would be today, with the majority of people being just fine with it.  Yes, Martin was an ass, but even he knew he'd gone too far and while there were a few assholes, on the whole most everyone was just fine with his being gay.

I adored Simon's family and how supportive and wonderful they were.  Even though Simon hated how they made a big deal out of everything, Simon's mom's talk to him hit me hard.  That's exactly how you feel as a mom, when you aren't allowed into your child's everyday life anymore.  It's so hard and so sad, but you are also so excited to see what kind of person they are becoming!

This book made me cry a bit and smile a ton.  I went back and re-read sections as soon as I was done.  I just loved it.

To Sum Up:  Some language and situations are a bit mature for my library, but I will be recommending that the high schools in my district get a few copies each!

My Thoughts: I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest

4 chocolate chip cookies with nuts.

Cover Love:  Yes!  I love this cover but it definitely made me think it was going to be a light story.  It wasn't.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
I have read a few other Cherie Priest books and was excited to see her writing a YA book.  And I loved the cover.  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Once upon a time, two best friends created a princess together. Libby drew the pictures, May wrote the tales, and their heroine, Princess X, slayed all the dragons and scaled all the mountains their imaginations could conjure.

Once upon a few years later, Libby was in the car with her mom, driving across the Ballard Bridge on a rainy night. When the car went over the side, Libby passed away, and Princess X died with her.

Once upon a now: May is sixteen and lonely, wandering the streets of Seattle, when she sees a sticker slapped in a corner window.

Princess X?

When May looks around, she sees the Princess everywhere: Stickers. Patches. Graffiti. There's an entire underground culture, focused around a webcomic at IAmPrincessX.com. The more May explores the webcomic, the more she sees disturbing similarities between Libby's story and Princess X online. And that means that only one person could have started this phenomenon---her best friend, Libby, who lives.

Romance?: No.  I thought there was going to be, but there wasn't.  I liked that choice the author made, it makes the book seem a little more mature than an average YA book.

My Thoughts:
This book was a quick and easy read.  The pacing was good and story interesting.  I found myself reading late because the story just kept feeding me--bit by bit.

Once May was onto the idea that Libby might be alive she had to go find someone to help her.  She found a computer hacker named Patrick who was willing to help her.  There were times I felt this partnership would end in romance, but the author didn't go that way at all.  Not even a little bit.  May was focused on finding Libby and Trick was just along to help her.  The real "relationship" was Libby and May.  When Libby died May became half a person.  At the same time things happened in her family life--parents divorcing and her mom moving--that threw her even more off kilter, but she never fully recovered from losing Libby.  It makes me wonder what would have happened to her further down the line without Libby.  Would she have ever gotten stronger on her own?

There was a lot of action, with May being convinced there were clues in the webcomic that would lead her to Libby.  It was a good mystery and May and Trick were put into several dangerous positions.  It's tough to really review this because I don't want to give anything away.  I think that if you are in the mood for a mystery and a YA book with no romance, give this one a try!

To Sum Up: Fast paced and very enjoyable.  I think this is a read that many readers would enjoy!  I will be ordering this one for my library.

My Thoughts (& Giveaway): Stone Rider by David Hofmeyr

4 soft frosted sugar cookies.

Cover Love:  I like how it is simple but eye catching.  Appealing to many readers.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
This one actually flew under my radar until I was offered a chance to participate in the blog tour.  I looked up the synopsis and decided I wanted to give this one a try.
Here it is from GoodReads:

In the vein of The Outsiders and the early Western novels of Elmore Leonard, this inventive debut novel, a cross between the cult classic Mad Max movie series and Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, blends adrenaline-fueled action with an improbable yet tender romance to offer a rich and vivid portrayal of misfits and loners forced together in their struggle for a better life.

Adam Stone wants freedom and peace. He wants a chance to escape Blackwater, the dust-bowl desert town he grew up in. Most of all, he wants the beautiful Sadie Blood. Alongside Sadie and the dangerous outsider Kane, Adam will ride the Blackwater Trail in a brutal race that will test them all, body and soul. Only the strongest will survive.

The prize? A one-way ticket to Sky-Base and unimaginable luxury.

And for a chance at this new life, Adam will risk everything.

Romance?: Not really, although Adam does have a crush during the book.

My Thoughts:

Dystopian books used to be my absolute favorite genre.  There have been some great ones--The Giver, The Hunger Games, Unwind, The City of Ember.  The problem is that The Hunger Games was so successful that the genre got diluted for awhile there.  (This doesn't count the books I consider "apocalyptic," like Rot & Ruin and The Knife of Never Letting Go).  So I have kept away from them for some time.  When I got a chance to be part of this blog tour I read the book synopsis and decided I wanted to give this dystopian book a chance.

And I am glad I did!  It set up a very interesting world, one that I want to learn more about.  Not necessarily the world of the "Left-Behinds" on earth, but the world of the Sky-Base.  That place sounds both amazing and awful.  I have a feeling that anyone who wins the right to move to the Sky Base don't really get to be part of the Sky Base.  I bet there is a lot of dystopia on the Sky Base.  I wouldn't mind a prequel book either.

Back to the story, each person involved in the race own a byke/motorcycle.  But they are made of a material that seems to remember previous riders and that adds to the abilities of the current rider.  Winners of the races win a ticket to Sky Base and the second and third place riders earn points that they can save up to eventually purchase a ticket.

The world Adam lives in before the race is awful and crazy and bleak.  Basically people can be miners (I can't remember the name of what is being mined, but they are pulling it from the earth's core) or have a job in town (and by town I mean old Western type town).  If you are young enough you can ride in the race.  This race reminds me of a novella I read a long time ago that was written by Stephen King back when he wrote under the pen name of Richard Bachman called The Long Walk.  It was the story of boys who walked, just walked, but if you fell or stopped walking you were shot and there could only be one winner.  Not everyone dies, but a lot of people do and it's ok to try and kill other riders.  The strong survive and all of that.

Adam literally doesn't have anyone.  He has no family and no friends.  However, a strange rider named Kane enters his life early on and although they don't connect right away, Kane soon becomes someone Adam realizes he can trust--warily.

The one thing that didn't quite jive with me is that Adam has no confidence, yet he is a really good rider.  One that many consider the one to beat.  And he knows he's good, he feels it.  That should give him some confidence, but he has a hard time making decisions.

To Sum Up:  This is a book that would appeal to many YA readers, especially those that like dystopian.  I have many questions about this world and look forward to book 2.  I will be adding it to my order for the fall!

I am giving away a copy of Stone Rider to one lucky reader from the US or Canada.  Please fill out the form below and I will inform you if you win.  Contest ends on August 12.

My Thoughts: The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak by Brian Katcher

4 yummy frosted maple cookies.

Cover Love:  Sort of.  I like that it looks geeky and all, but there really is no math in this book.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
You know that contemporary teen romances are my bread and butter.  This one was mailed to me by Harper Collins in the spring and I decided to read it to help get me out of my reading slump!  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

It all begins when Ana Watson's little brother, Clayton, secretly ditches the quiz bowl semifinals to go to the Washingcon sci-fi convention on what should have been a normal, résumé-building school trip.

If slacker Zak Duquette hadn't talked up the geek fan fest so much, maybe Clayton wouldn't have broken nearly every school rule or jeopardized Ana’s last shot at freedom from her uptight parents.

Now, teaming up with Duquette is the only way for Ana to chase down Clayton in the sea of orcs, zombies, bikini-clad princesses, Trekkies, and Smurfs. After all, one does not simply walk into Washingcon.

But in spite of Zak's devil-may-care attitude, he has his own reasons for being as lost as Ana-and Ana may have more in common with him than she thinks. Ana and Zak certainly don’t expect the long crazy night, which begins as a nerdfighter manhunt, to transform into so much more.

Romance?: Yes, of course!

My Thoughts:
One reason I loved this book is because both Zak and Ana are so relate-able.  Zak is a geek with a capital G but so comfortable in that position.  He reminds me so much of one of my own children!  Ana is a hard working middle child who is terrified of upsetting her parents (who seems awfully hard to please).  While Zak is always on the look out for a girl and does have his eye on Ana, Ana knows she can't date so she doesn't even let herself be distracted.

I love the atmosphere of the Washingcon!  It totally makes me want to go to a convention.  I love that Zak is totally popular at the convention.  One subtle lesson in this book is that you cannot judge someone on the outside, both Ana and Zak learn this lesson well.

Some of the situations are totally outlandish, but this would make for a fun movie or TV movie.  You wouldn't even need to add action scenes because it is full of them already.

I like that one of the voices of reason is Ana younger brother.  He sees way more than anyone realizes.

The romance between Zak and Ana is super sweet, slow moving (in book time, but since this all takes place in one evening it's actually quick).  The author does a great job alternating between Zak and Ana and does a good job with both their voices. When an author does it well this is a great way of telling a story and developing a romance!

To Sum Up:  Sweet romance and a great story about high-shcoolers on the cusp of taking the next step in their lives.

Book sent by Harper Collins.  Thanks so much!

My Thoughts: Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten

3 soft chocolate whoopie pies.

Cover Love:
Yes!  I think it's eye catching and raises questions.  Made me want to read this book to see what it was about.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
The cover and the synopsis made me want to read this.  Here it is from Good Reads:

Gone Girl meets 13 Reasons Why in this stylish, sexy, and atmospheric story about friendship packed with twists and turns that will leave you breathless.

They say Delia burned herself to death in her stepfather's shed. They say it was suicide.

But June doesn't believe it.

June and Delia used to be closer than anything. Best friends in that way that comes before everyone else-before guys, before family. It was like being in love, but more. They had a billion secrets, tying them together like thin silk cords.

But one night a year ago, everything changed. June, Delia, and June's boyfriend Ryan were just having a little fun. Their good time got out of hand. And in the cold blue light of morning, June knew only this-things would never be the same again.

And now, a year later, Delia is dead. June is certain she was murdered. And she owes it to her to find out the truth...which is far more complicated than she ever could have imagined.

Sexy, dark, and atmospheric, Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls will keep you guessing until the very last page.

Romance?:  Nothing to get excited about, but that's not what this book was about.

My Thoughts:
There is a lot about this book that can't be discussed because it gives to much away.  Just know it is a very psychological book (however if I had read the synopsis a little more closely I might have guessed some of the twists).  So many times I wanted to just read the last few pages so I knew what happened, but I thought it would probably be worth it to keep going through.  (I do that sometimes when I am having trouble staying into a book--lots of time reading the ending will make me more interested in reading the middle to see how it ended up where it did!)

June does A LOT of infuriating things, and several times I wanted to reach into the book and just shake her and say,  "THINK!!"  She was just so easily led around by everyone!  Her memories of Delia are so weird, they truly were like one person.

There was a lot about this book that I found unbelievable, I wonder if the author did a lot of research.  I did find it interesting, fascinating even.  I was such a goody in high school I always like reading about ids who aren't.  But the kids in this book are not just partiers or out having sex, they are doing some really weird stuff.

Overall, it was an intriguing read, I was just left a little unsatisfied with the conclusion.  And a few things that happened before that.

To Sum Up:  If you want a read with an interesting twist, give this one a try.

ARC sent from Simon & Schuster.  Thanks so much!

My Thoughts: The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

5 wonderful, warm chocolate chip cookies dunked in milk.

Cover Love:
Yes!  The cover is what drew my eyes to the book and that is without even seeing it in person.  I have seen pictures online of the actual book and the cover and I believe it is more gorgeous in person!

Why I Wanted to Read This:
The cover caught my attention, the title piqued my interest and the synopsis put me over the edge.  Here is it from GoodReads:

Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi's wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend.

She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all.

Romance?: Yes, yes, yes!!

My Thoughts:
First of all, this was so gorgeously written, so descriptive, so transportative (I am sure that is not a word).  You absolutely felt like you were in the palace. You could smell the smells, taste the food, see the beautiful clothes and FEEL THE HEAT between Shahrzad and Khalid.  It is intense.

I did have a little hard time at the start keeping people and their plot lines straight, but by the end it had all snapped into focus.  By halfway into the book I was not able to put it down and have two late nights of reading to attest to that fact.

I loved Shahrzad, she didn't let her hatred totally cloud who she was.  Yes, she went there with a purpose and for most of the book really wanted to follow through with that, but she did let herself discover and question things.

I am SO glad the author wrote chapters from Khalid's point of view.  He was so aloof and uncaring (as he really needed to be) it was hard to get a grasp on who he was until later in the book.  The chapters from his point of view were awesome but also how as we learned more about him, so did Shahrzad so that eventually each of their chapters were very similar. 

The reasons behind why Khalid needs to kill his brides and what he does to try and relieve a tiny little bit of his guilt are both heartbreaking reveals. 

One other thing I liked was how trusting of each other Shahrzad and Khalid (and Jalal) became.  Every action was not looked at with suspicion.  There was a lot of love there and the author did a wonderful job showing them falling in love, fighting it, and then being in love.  I was so glad there was none of the old misunderstanding leads to hurt and break ups, leads to etc... that YA novels tend to do.  This was a more mature relationship once they got into being in a relationship.

UGH!! If I knew there was going to be a book 2 I might not have started this one because I want to read it NOW!!

To Sum Up:  I don't think you will be disappointed in this book, it's just gorgeous and intriguing and romantic.

eGalley requested and received from Penguin via Edleweiss.

My Thoughts: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

 4 lemon Oreos.

Cover Love:  I like this cover a lot.  It's eye catching and each pane tells a little about each character.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
I didn't.  I passed it up when I had the opportunity to read an egalley and didn't give it another thought...until the movie was made and got such stellar reviews at the Sundance Film Fesitval.  Still I wasn't sold, then the trailer was released.  Now I am a bit obsessed with it.  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics.

Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.

Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives.

And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.

Romance?: No. Just the usual teenage boy obsession with girls.

My Thoughts:
Lots of teenage boy talk.  Lots of it.  Like to the point I think even a high school library would think twice about putting this in their collection (However, a quick check tells me that my son's high school has it their collection).  This is not to say that teenage boys don't talk this way, I am sure a lot of them do.

Greg's voice is awesome.  I had very many laugh out loud moments, and a few good chuckles.The book is from Greg's point of view and his world is funky.  I am not sure why Greg wants to go around being invisible at all times, but he has some issues to say the least.  I would say it all developed when he was in high school, but it seems like he was always this way.  Never really puts himself out there and is very, very private.  But he is sharp and funny and observant.

I love Earl, or at least Greg's version of Earl.  And we don't really get to know Rachel, which is mirrored in Greg's eyes later in the book when he realizes he doesn't really know Rachel either.  Because the book is written from Greg's point of view I can see why some people would get frustrated by him as a character.  He really, really doesn't want to get involved in anyone's life.  He has to be forced to by his mom and he doesn't have a clue how to be a friend to someone.  He;s a weird guy, but very funny, guy!

I would have given this book a five cookie rating, because it was so funny and I enjoyed the heck out of reading it, except there isn't a lot of resolution or growth for Greg by the end.  With what he experienced with Rachel and seeing how she handled everything, you would think he would take more positive steps in the end towards making a change.  But I guess this was more true to life than some coming of age books, he was taking baby steps.  I just wanted more for Greg!

To Sum Up:  So glad I read this book, it kept me very entertained.  Can't wait for the movie!  Watch the trailer!

My Thoughts: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

5 amazing and wonderful oatmeal butterscotch chip cookies.

Cover Love:
Meh.  The paperback cover is way better but this one is ok.  The colors are eye catching.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
I recall this one being touted as a good crossover (teens to adults) type book when it came out, but for some reason the synopsis never made it seem that interesting to me.  Then the news came out that Steven Spielberg* is directing the movie and I read a bit more about the author and decided to give it a try.  So very glad I did!  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads (from the paperback version, the hardback synopsis still isn't that great):

It's the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets.

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune — and remarkable power — to whoever can unlock them.

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday's riddles are based in the pop culture he loved — that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday's icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes's oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt — among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life — and love — in the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.

A world at stake.
A quest for the ultimate prize.
Are you ready?

Romance?: Yes, there is a romance and while it's not the main part of the story for awhile it's a big part of the story.

My Thoughts:
I fully acknowledge that one reason I love this book is all the 80's references.  Between this and the upcoming movie Pixels (this is going to be a great summer for movies!), I predict a huge resurgence of 80's interest by this current generation.  But beyond all the awesome, amazing 80's references this is a great book., with tons of action.  For the first time I read a book that dealt with virtual reality that I could actually get and see being reality in the not so distance future.  I am not saying we will all start living most of our lives there, but I could understand it more.

From the first page this book caught me.  I dreamt about it for the two nights I was reading it and couldn't stop thinking about it most of the time I wasn't reading it.  I haven't had this in-depth of a reading experience in a long time.

I don't normally talk a lot to adults about the books I am reading because I know most of them look down their noses at YA and MG books, and while I think a lot of young adults would love this book (I am making my son read it this summer, he will love it), I know most people my age would love it.  It's not a specific genre, there is something for everyone to enjoy. 

Wade (or Parzial as his OASIS avatar is named) is awesome.  And I think the freedom of having an online persona is what makes him and most people more relate-able.  Even though they have the anonymity of a separate persona, they seem a little more real in the OASIS than their real lives. I liked that the characters Parzival has in his life (by choice and inadvertently) and all like him. I don't want to give anything away, but they are tough and smart and driven.

This book just has everything, romance, action, technology, puzzles, quests, and on and on.  Just go read it.  I cannot rave enough!

To Sum Up:  I want to hand this book to most of the people I know and watch them start the first chapter because then I know they will actually read it.

*Now that there is a director, I cannot wait to see who is cast.  A lot of people throw Nicholas Hoult's name around and I think he would be perfect!!  But I am going to trust this process because this is a book will easily translate to a movie and I am excited to see the process and watch the finished product!

My Thoughts: 99 Days by Katie Cotugno

4 frosted shortbread cookies.

Cover Love:
Yes, I do like this cover.  It tells a story itself.  Eye catching!

Why I Wanted to Read This:
The synopsis intrigued me.  It really leaves you guessing--what happened?  Why was Patrick home? Will things work out?  Here is its from GoodReads:

Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done.

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.”

Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me.

Romance?: Yes.  Molly is one lucky girl--two gorgeous, kind brothers who are in love with her.

My Thoughts:
After I was a few pages into this I looked it up on GoodReads and read a few reviews.  A lot of them really blasted Molly for being a cheater and how could they root for a cheater.  The thing about that is, it's not that clear because Patrick was being an ass and had just broken up with her before her "alleged" cheating.  I know, semantics.  And Molly knew she had made a mistake which she compounded by making a few more mistakes, including running away as soon as the secret was out.  In fact, running (& hiding) was Molly's go to response to everything.  That's what annoyed me about Molly.  That, and the fact that later in the summer the cheating isn't so gray.

Here's what I really liked, what I felt the message was and would be good for many a teenager:  you are going to make mistakes.  But they don't have to define you.  It's how you own up to them, how you learn from them that helps you grow.  And though it takes Molly a long time, she does learn and grow from her mistakes. 

I also liked that Molly was able to view her relationship with Patrick with the wisdom of a year apart and to see that it wasn't at all perfect.  And that her year away from him was actually very good for her to see that there is more to life than Star Lake and Patrick.

I loved that this was a messy story, not easily tied up with a bow and it ended with Molly in a good spot, albeit not a perfect one.

(I also loved how the secret got out in the first place-but obviously Molly had a right to be extremely pissed off)

To Sum Up:  Everyone makes mistakes and when you are a teenager mistakes can feel life ending.  They aren't everyone will move along and so will you.  Great lessons from this book!

eGalley requested and received from HarperCollins via Edelweiss.  Thanks so much!

My Thoughts: Top Ten Clues You're Clueless

 3 M&M Cookies.

Cover Love:
It's cute and probably very eye catching in the right environment, just not my favorite cover.

Why I Wanted to Read this:
I liked the synopsis and saw some really positive reviews.  It was also compared to The Breakfast Club, which is one of the best movies of all time. Here the synopsis is from Good Reads:

Top Five Things That Are Ruining Chloe’s Day

5) Working the 6:30 a.m. shift at GoodFoods Market

4) Crashing a cart into a customer’s car right in front of her snarky coworker Sammi

3) Trying to rock the “drowned rat” look after being caught in a snowstorm

2) Making zero progress with her crush, Tyson (see #3)

1) Being accused—along with her fellow teenage employees—of stealing upwards of $10,000

Chloe would rather be anywhere than locked in work jail (aka the break room) with five of her coworkers . . . even if one of them is Tyson. But if they can band together to clear their names, what looks like a total disaster might just make Chloe’s list of Top Ten Best Moments.

Romance?: Yes, but nothing that over takes the book.

My Thoughts:
This book was definitely a take on The Breakfast Club, and I really liked the more diverse group of kids.   I also like the fact that it happened outside of school.  Work environments always tend to allow different types of kids so, unlike The Breakfast Club, I can see this group remaining friends of awhile.

There was one thing really holding me back from giving myself over to this book: I just didn't like Sammi.  At all.  I would kind of cringe when I was reading a scene with her in it, and, unfortunately, the author wrote a lot of scenes with her in them.  Sammi kind of takes over the book.
And it's not like her behavior was never explained, it kind of was, but not very well.  Chloe brings up a few good points, "Can't you be different without being mean?" 

I am glad the romance was not a main focus or that Chloe let it control her. I loved her lists though.  I am a list maker, but not to Chole's level, she is just awesome.  I did get frustrated with her not telling anyone that she had diabetes, even when she was obviously having issues because of it.  There has to come a point when health is more important than pride!

I loved the little mystery as well.  I didn't guess who the culprit was, but I wasn't surprised by who it was either.

To Sum Up:  Great read with mostly a great cast of characters.  Will be a hit in my library!

My Thoughts: Beastkeeper by Cat Hellisen

4 crunchy peanut butter cookies.

Cover Love:  Yes.  This cover is wild and fantastical and pretty.  Perfect for this story.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
This one wasn't high on my radar until I was offered a chance to review it.  I got a copy and gave it a try.  I was so glad I did!  here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Sarah has always been on the move. Her mother hates the cold, so every few months her parents pack their bags and drag her off after the sun. She’s grown up lonely and longing for magic. She doesn’t know that it’s magic her parents are running from.
When Sarah’s mother walks out on their family, all the strange old magic they have tried to hide from comes rising into their mundane world. Her father begins to change into something wild and beastly, but before his transformation is complete, he takes Sarah to her grandparents—people she has never met, didn’t even know were still alive.
Deep in the forest, in a crumbling ruin of a castle, Sarah begins to untangle the layers of curses affecting her family bloodlines, until she discovers that the curse has carried over to her, too. The day she falls in love for the first time, Sarah will transform into a beast . . . unless she can figure out a way to break the curse forever.

Romance?:  There is a lot of romance, or love, talk in this book but there really isn't a romance.  That makes it sound weird but you'll understand once you read it.

My Thoughts:
At first I felt this was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and while there were elements of that story in here, it was actually it's own fairytale, very original.  (At least, it doesn't follow any traditional one of which I am aware).  This was beautifully written and very descriptive.  Even though the castle and wood where Sarah is taken are horrible and crumbling and messy, I wanted to be there. I wanted to help Sarah solve the mess of the curse placed upon her family.

I loved that in this tale the evil people weren't necessarily evil, but they were stubborn.  Never underestimate how petty people can be when they feel like they have been made a fool of.  Time passed weirdly in this book so I was never sure when we were at, but grudges were held onto tightly.  Because of one little mistake, generations were cursed.  Doesn't seem hardly fair to me.

The story works because of the writing.  This is a new kind of fairy tale and written so wonderfully that pages went by without me even realizing I was reading that much.  It just wormed inside me and kept me going.  

To Sum Up:  This modern fairy tale is written so wonderfully that you will not be able to put it down.  Going to add it to my school library for sure!

Book sent to me from Nicole at Macmillan.  Thanks Nicole!

My Thoughts: Finding Mr. Brightside by Jay Clark

4 soft sugar cookies.

Cover Love:  Yes.  Eye-catching and romantic.  Love it!

Why I Wanted to Read This:  The synopsis was what it was all about.  How could two teens, whose parents died in a car wreck when they were having an affair, find their way to each other?  I was intrigued by this idea!
Here it is from GoodReads:

Abram and Juliette know each other. They’ve lived down the street from each other their whole lives. But they don’t really know each other—at least, not until Juliette’s mom and Abram’s dad have a torrid affair that culminates in a deadly car crash. Sharing the same subdivision is uncomfortable, to say the least. They don’t speak.

Fast-forward to the neighborhood pharmacy, a few months later. Abram decides to say hello. Then he decides to invite her to Taco Bell. To her surprise as well as his, she agrees. And the real love story begins.

Romance?: Yep. On every page!

My Thoughts:
First of all, both of these characters are intriguing.  They are two teens who have had a traumatic thing happen to them (Juliette's mom and Abram's dad were having an affair which came out when they were killed in a car wreck) and their parents are no help at all.  Juliette's dad is barely functioning and Abram's mom is reliving her youth.   They are just doing the best they can.  But their best isn't not very good.  Juliette, for one, is super controlling and closed off.  She can't find her way to feeling anything.  Abram is obsessed with Juliette from the get go, but it hadn't reached a creepy level yet.  More like he wanted to be involved in her life because he had questions.  But he had given up on things that used to make him happy because they reminded him of his father (like tennis). 

This is a book where the main characters get together pretty early on, not romantically right away, but they forge a friendship early on.  And it's like two drowning people clinging to a life raft.  I am not sure how long their romance will last but its very clear they need each other.  They help each other heal and start to look forward.  They give each other purpose and that's what I loved.  Abram is so good for Juliette and she helps him too.  It;s a very sweet, nice little romance.

To Sum Up:  Adored this story and romance.  In my mind Juliette and Abram stay together for awhile and heal and grow and then separate when they are ready.  It might not be the best relationship for longevity.

My Thoughts: Vivian Apple at the End of the World by Katie Coyle

4 caramel apple cookies.

Cover Love:
I do like this, probably most because of the font and the colors.  I think it's eye catching and sparks curiosity.

Why I Wanted to Read This:

For some reason I have been interested in cults, must be because I enjoy watching The Following.  This one caught my eye because of the idea of the rapture.  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:
Seventeen-year-old Vivian Apple never believed in the evangelical Church of America, unlike her recently devout parents. But when Vivian returns home the night after the supposed "Rapture," all that’s left of her parents are two holes in the roof. Suddenly, she doesn't know who or what to believe. With her best friend Harp and a mysterious ally, Peter, Vivian embarks on a desperate cross-country roadtrip through a paranoid and panic-stricken America to find answers. Because at the end of the world, Vivan Apple isn't looking for a savior. She's looking for the truth.

Romance?: Yes!

My Thoughts:
This was a super fascinating story.  I can see how one man was able to rise up and caught hysteria, I could see the right person doing that now.  There is a lot of unrest in this nation, and in the world and the right person, saying the right things, giving stability, could rise to power.  However, one thing that was weird was that there weren't that many people who went missing.   Compared to the amount of people in this nation, the number was barely a blip.  I don't see how everything really started falling apart when it was that few people.  I guess that because of the weird things that came after I guess people really thought the world was going to end six months later.

And there was the disparity of people who didn't get saved with the first rapture so they go overzealous.  And the people who just decide they weren't saved so they didn't care.  I do think that something like that would really happen.  People trying to do everything they can to be saved and people who decide to live out the remaining time committing all sorts of sins.

Vivian Apple is awesome because she decides not to sit back and take it.  She doesn't want to wait out the remaining six months and she knows something isn't right, as many probably do, but she goes after the answers.  And convinces others to come with her.  Her best friend Harp and Peter are good companions and I loved the little romance between her and Peter.

And what she discovers at the end make up for any slow moving parts in the book.  Great twists and a satisfying conclusion.  But a cliffhanger ending makes me want the second book ASAP!

To Sum Up:  I got this for my library but am wondering if it isn't a little mature.  The topic is one that most middle schoolers probably don't even think about, they still accept religion at face value.  I enjoyed this story but think it might be better suited in a high school library. 

My Thoughts: Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

5 soft and warm chocolate chip cookies.

Cover Love:  I do love this cover.  It's eye catching and non gender.  I love the font and colors.  It works!

Why I Wanted to Read This:
The synopsis interested me, but honestly I am not sure why this one ended up being the one I read last weekend.  I just started it and couldn't put it down.  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Everyone knows Bone Gap is full of gaps—gaps to trip you up, gaps to slide through so you can disappear forever. So when young, beautiful Roza went missing, the people of Bone Gap weren’t surprised. After all, it wasn’t the first time that someone had slipped away and left Finn and Sean O’Sullivan on their own. Just a few years before, their mother had high-tailed it to Oregon for a brand new guy, a brand new life. That’s just how things go, the people said. Who are you going to blame?

Finn knows that’s not what happened with Roza. He knows she was kidnapped, ripped from the cornfields by a dangerous man whose face he cannot remember. But the searches turned up nothing, and no one believes him anymore. Not even Sean, who has more reason to find Roza than anyone, and every reason to blame Finn for letting her go.

As we follow the stories of Finn, Roza, and the people of Bone Gap—their melancholy pasts, their terrifying presents, their uncertain futures—acclaimed author Laura Ruby weaves a heartbreaking tale of love and loss, magic and mystery, regret and forgiveness—a story about how the face the world sees is never the sum of who we are.

Romance?: Yes, a couple of them.

My Thoughts:
The first part of the synopsis was kind of misleading.  Not everyone in Bone Gap does know there are gaps you can slip through.  And the people were only surprised that Roza disappeared because of how she had appeared earlier.  However, it is a small town and everyone thinks they know what is going on with everyone else.

I loved Finn.  He was spacey, but he was good hearted and ready to step up and take care of things instead of being the one who was always taken care of.  And there was an issue with Finn that I didn't see coming and was brilliant.  Just brilliant.  The author didn't hint at it AT ALL, so when it came out I was very surprised.  I was glad there was no foreshadowing and it tied a lot of things together.

Petey was a great character as well, once she started to see beyond the huge chip on her shoulder.  I could see how people in the twin thought Finn was just using her, but he never gave her an indication that he wasn't genuine, nor did he have that reputation.  She should have given him the benefit of the doubt. 

The mystery of Roza was interesting and weird, but the author made it work very well.  I liked the chapters from her point of view.  I wanted her to find her way back to Sean because she was good in his life and he really needed her.

Sean's attitude (or Finn's perception of his attitude) bothered me.  If he was as in love with Roza as everyone thought, he should have fought for her and kept looking and looking.  Instead, he gave up way too quick because everyone always leaves so why would Roza be any different.  It wasn't like he thought Finn had anything to do with it, I think he thought that the story Finn had told him was made up so that Sean wouldn't think Roza just left him.

An author that can write this clear and beautiful no matter whose point of view we are reading is rare.  Each chapter was from someone else's point of view with Roza and Finn being the main ones.  This was all around a beautifully written novel.  It made me want to read more of Ms. Ruby's books.

To Sum Up: An interesting story with rich characters, a great twist and a perfect setting.  Might be a bit mature for a middle school library but young adult readers would love this one!

My Thoughts: The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

5 yummy oatmeal butterscotch chip cookies.

Cover Love:
I don't love this, but I think it works for the story and the intended audience.  However, I think boys might be turned off because of the girl on the cover and this is a book that boys would thoroughly enjoy.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
When this came up as an egalley on Edelweiss I wasn't interested.  Then I started seeing review pop up on Good Reads.  One of those reviews raved about the audio version so I checked that out from my local library.
Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.

So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?

This masterful work of historical fiction is equal parts adventure and a moving tale of family and identity—a classic in the making.

Romance?:  No.   

My Thoughts:
First off, I adored the narrator for the audiobook.  She was amazing.  Her voice got me interested in the story right away and she made Ada come alive for me.

I loved Ada.  There were times when I wanted to shake her and make her see the good in front of her, but I think she was way more true to life than a typical middle grade character because she couldn't acknowledge the good.  And the conflicting things she felt, which she didn't have the right words to name, weren't overcome with a tidy bow.  She would take two steps forward and fours steps backward.  She had lived 10 years of her life with severe neglect and abuse, of course it would be hard to trust another person.  And when her position as Jamie's main care giver is threatened, of course she would wonder if she had a place anymore.  Thankfully she had Butter, a pony she could connect with and take good care of.  She was able to replace Jamie with Butter, which gave her purpose.

Susan was also a great character.  This was a woman who never felt accepted by the village, and who had recently suffered her won loss that she was having a hard time getting over.  She needed these kids as much as they needed her.  And she never sugar coated anything.  The fact that she took them in and did for them the basic, decent things that they needed having done for them, while their own mother never did those basic things was just heart breaking.  This was something Ada grappled with as well.

When I was a kindergarten teacher I would see many kids who had little background knowledge and didn't know words to many simple things or ideas.  But being in school helps them build that knowledge.  When Ada and Jamie come to Susan the don't have words for some of the most basic things.  Jamie is a little better off than Ada, having been outside in his life, but Ada is building from the ground up.  The author doesn't shy away from this and I am glad it's put in there because for them to suddenly be worldly would have been hard to swallow.  They had so much to learn.

I love the tiny subplot of Stephen and the Colonel.  It was so good to see what having a purpose in life did for him as well.

All along you knew that this wonderful life the children have been developing wouldn't last, but towards the end I couldn't help but silently plead "Stay strong Ada," over and over.  While the ending is not all sunshine and roses, it does give Ada and Jamie hope.

To Sum Up:  Just adored this book.  I will booktalk the heck out of it for my library and hand it to anyone needing to read a historical fiction book for their genre wheels.  

Blog Tour: Witherwood Reform School by Obert Skye (Review & Giveaway!)

3 soft & chewy snickerdoodles.

Cover Love:
This is one of those covers that I feel would be better in person than a digital file.  I don't love it, but I think if it was in my hands I would feel different about it.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
I was asked to participate in the blog tour for Witherwood and Obert Skye is a popular middle school author so I decided to join up!  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:
After a slight misunderstanding involving a horrible governess, gravy, and a jar of tadpoles, siblings Tobias and Charlotte Eggars find themselves abandoned by their father at the gates of a creepy reform school. Evil mysteries are afoot at Witherwood, where the grounds are patrolled by vicious creatures and kids are locked in their rooms. Charlotte and Tobias soon realize that they are in terrible danger—especially because the head of Witherwood has perfected the art of mind control. If only their amnesiac father would recover. If only Tobias and Charlotte could solve the dark mystery and free the kids at Witherwood—and ultimately save themselves.

Romance?: Not that kind of book!

My Thoughts:
This story started out laugh out loud funny.  The first chapter when Tobias and Charlotte played their prank on their "nanny" was at times both funny and sad.  For a dad who seemed to love his children as much as theirs did, he was certainly clueless when it came to his children's needs and who was watching them.  But the description of the prank was gross and funny.  It would make a good read aloud.

I loved the author's style of writing.  I am not sure that authors like being compared to Roald Dahl, but that is was kept coming to mind as I got started reading this.  Fortunately kids really don't get tired or reading the wacky and unbelievable if there is a good dose of humor with it.  I haven't read any other Obert Skye books but was pleased at this style of writing. And a boarding school is always a good setting for the fantastic to happen.

I liked Tobias and Charlotte, very relate able characters. Tobias dives right in without thinking ahead and Charlotte observes more, but goes along with Tobias. They are fiercely loyal to each other and when they find themselves at Witherwood they are worried, scared and lonely.  Kind of like kids starting middle school for the first time!

Witherwood is a great setting, perhaps evil, certainly not normal and a little scary. I loved the illustrations and glad they were included. This book could get away without the, because of the authors clear descriptions, but I felt they added to the reading for me.

This is a series, so intends with no real resolution, which I didn't love. It's a reason I never read the whole Series of Unfortunate Events. I like a little more of an uptick at the end of my books, even ones that are series.  However, it never seems to bother young readers. This one will fit comfortably on my middle school library shelf, but not for long because I think it will be very popular.

To Sum Up: I think this would be a great beginning of the school year read aloud, but also just a fun read for older elementary and younger middle school readers.

GIVEAWAY!
Macmillan is offering a copy of Witherwood Reform School to one of my readers. Please fill out the form below to enter to win.  US residents only, contest runs through March 15.




Please visit the other blogs involved in this tour:
2/18: Little Red Reads
2/19: A Reader’s Adventure
2/20: Stories & Sweeties
2/23: The Hiding Spot
2/24: Bumbles and Fairytales
2/25: Manga Maniac Café
2/26: The Book Monsters 
2/27: Mundie Kids
3/2: Milk & Cookies: Comfort Reading
3/3: Green Bean Teen Queen

My Thoughts: I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

5 oatmeal butterscotch chips cookies.

Cover Love:
I don't love it but I do like that it is generic and a boy could be seen reading this as easily as a girl.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
I actually wasn't caught up by the synopsis and hadn't planned on reading it, but all the buzz and gushing reviews (some by people who don't normally gush) got me interested.  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

If seventeen-year-old Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby on her hip, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing standing between straightedge Skylar and art school are three minimum-wage months of summer. Skylar can taste the freedom—that is, until her mother loses her job and everything starts coming apart. Torn between her dreams and the people she loves, Skylar realizes everything she’s ever worked for is on the line.

Nineteen-year-old Josh Mitchell had a different ticket out of Creek View: the Marines. But after his leg is blown off in Afghanistan, he returns home, a shell of the cocksure boy he used to be. What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise—a quirky motel off California’s dusty Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into an unexpected friendship and soon, something deeper.

Romance?: Oh yes!

My Thoughts:
This book was very moving.  You can't help but feel for Sky because she needs to get out of Creek View.  There is no getting around that.  She has to go to save herself and everyone knows this--her best friends, her mother, even Josh.  But, she has a hard time actually taking the steps.  Even though everything is in place, her acceptance and scholarship to college, I think she spends most of the summer looking for excuses as to why she shouldn't leave.  Oddly enough, Josh never becomes an excuse, it mostly has to do with her mom.  I think this is very typical because most teens really want to leave home, but a lot of them have a hard time actually doing it.  Sometimes, they need a push.

I loved Skylar though.  I hardly ever got frustrated by her actions.  The author did a great job of helping us understand the situations Sky encounters so that how she reacts seems very realistic.  Once again, it all comes down to communication and when she and Josh finally are able to really talk great things happen.

I loved Josh.  Although very little of the book was written from his point of view, what we saw was painful and real.  There are so many layers to what he has to get through to figure out what he finally wants to do with his life.  He has so much survivor's guilt and so little self worth.  He is a very well written character.  Already in his life he has had to deal with things many of us never have to see.

Sky and Josh coming together is so natural.  She doesn't treat him any different than before and she doesn't Florence Nightingale him.  Their attraction is real and wonderful.  This book made me cry and smile and blush.  I just adored reading it!

To Sum Up:  I feel this is a little mature for my library--lots of swear words and sex talk and acts.  But, if I were a teen girl this book would be one I would read over and over.