Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson Book Review

Photo&Summary from Goodreads

Title: Second Chance Summer

Author: Morgan Matson

Published: May 8th, 2012 by Simon & Schuster

Plot Summary:

Taylor Edwards’ family might not be the closest-knit—everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled—but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains.

Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend…and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.

As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance—with family, with friends, and with love.

So I was at the library by my work, looking for Since You've Been Gone. They didn't have it, but they did have Second Chance Summer. I thought it might be fun to read some of her earlier book. Plus this looked like a fun summer read.

I was right, but I was also wrong. I enjoyed this book, it was a fun summer read, but it also wrecked me. I cried and I don't usually cry at books. I just related to the main character so much that I could easily put myself in her situation. It also didn't help that I had just hung out with my dad as well when I got to the ending.

However, that was what really drew me in at the end of the book. At the beginning of the book, I was reading for the mystery of what she did to make all of these people mad at her. While that was revealed and I can understand where those people were coming from, I felt Taylor built it up a lot more in her head.

I simply loved all of the characters. Like I said, Taylor was very easy to relate to. I also really liked Warren and their whole family dynamic. All of the characters were people I would want to hang out with, which is rare in books I read. While the romance wasn't too romancy, I felt it fit well within the book. It didn't overwhelm what the book was really about.

Overall, this book sold me on Morgan Matson. It was utterly fantastic. I would definitely recommend it for people who enjoy contemporary but don't want to just read romance. I will definitely be reading the rest of her work. 

Real Live Boyfriends by E. Lockhart Review

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Title: Real Live Boyfriends

Author: E. Lockhart

Published: December 28th, 2010 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Plot Summary:

She’s lost most of her friends. She’s lost her true love more than once. She’s lost her grandmother, her job, her reputation, and possibly her mind. But she’s never lost her sense of humor. The Ruby Oliver books are the record of her survival.

It's no secret that I absolutely love the Ruby Oliver series. She is probably one of the most relatable characters I have come across this year. In this novel, she is in her senior year and preparing college applications while still dealing with high school drama and the like. 

Her growth throughout this series has been phenomenal. I think of the character in the beginning of the series and the character in this book and they are remarkably different. I think this series accurately portrays the type of growth teens go through throughout their later high school years. When I look back at my life, sophomore year Fiona and senior year Fiona are so different. Ruby and her friends are the same way. 

In terms of the plot of this book, it's pretty similar to the other books. Ruby dealing with whatever life throws at her. I will say this one is a little more intense in what she deals with than high school drama. It's a really enjoyable story. I would definitely recommend this series if you enjoy contemporary young adult with funny interesting characters. 

Split Second by Kasie West Book Review

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Title: Split Second
Author: Kasie West
Published: February 11, 2014 by HarperTeen

Plot Summary:
Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything

As someone who loved Pivot Point and loves Kasie West's writing, I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of Split Second. 

Dual perspectives doesn't always work; often the two perspectives sound the same to the point where the reader is confused on who is who. However, Laila and Addie are so different that it is impossible to be confused on who is who. Their stories are vastly different and come together perfectly. 

The Compound became a lot more fleshed out to me throughout this book. Also, seeing part of the book through Laila's perspective allowed me to better understand her and like her more. Duke also returned in this book, but  I think I like him less than I did previously. I still loved Addie and Trevor and loved seeing more of them. Connor was also a fantastic edition!  The love stories intertwined perfectly and the ending kept me reading. I don't know if there is a third book in the works but I would not be surprised in the slightest. There is still enough information left open that it was would be easy to write a third book. If there isn't though, the ending to this book would still be a good ending to the series. That's what I love about these books; they feel like they could be standalones but they are also connected for a series. 

If you liked Pivot Point or enjoy West's writing, I would definitely recommend Split Second. It has a little paranormalcy without having to learn a new universe. 

We Were Liars by E Lockhart Book Review

From Goodreads

Title: We Were Liars
Author: E. Lockhart
Published: May 13, 2014 by Delacorte Press

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.

Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE

With all of the hype surrounding this book, I was trying to not build this book up to much so I wouldn't be disappointed. I can't say I wasn't, but I can't say the hype is undeserved either.

I know everyone says to go into this book with as little information as possible, but that is what really makes the book so intriguing. You try to figure out the book along the way, giving it a mysterious element. I love the way the story is told, jumping around to different times throughout Cadence's life. The writing is really well done and the style fits well within the story. 

The ending was a little disappointing for me. I understood why the. Characters did what they did, but by not being fifteen, I was able to see the flaws in their plan as they concocted it and was just sitting there saying, No and why? While I didn't particularly like the way the book ended, I thought it was well done and was disappointed in myself for not seeing it sooner. 

There was only one thing I was confused about. I understand the thematic implications of why the book is called We Were Liars, but I can't figure out why they were called the liars?  Based on the information given to use, it didn't seem to me that they did an excessive amount of lying. 

Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart

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Title: The Treasure Map of Boys
Author: E. Lockhart
Published:July 27, 2010 by Delacorte Press

Ruby is back at Tate Prep, and it’s her thirty-seventh week in the state of Noboyfriend. Her panic attacks are bad, her love life is even worse, and what’s more:

Noel is writing her notes, Jackson is giving her frogs, Gideon is helping her cook, and Finn is making her brownies. Rumors are flying, and Ruby’s already-sucky reputation is heading downhill.

Not only that, she’s also: running a bake sale, learning the secrets of heavymetal therapy, encountering some seriously smelly feet, defending the rights of pygmy goats, and bodyguarding Noel from unwanted advances.
In this companion novel to The Boyfriend List and The Boy Book, Ruby struggles to secure some sort of mental health, to understand what constitutes a real friendship, and to find true love—if such a thing exists.

Since E. Lockhart just released a new book, I thought it would be fun to go back and finish her other works, such as the Ruby Oliver series.

Even though I didn't go to a fancy private school, I identify a lot with Ruby Oliver. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is, but a lot of what she says throughout the book makes me think, "Yeah, that's how I felt in high school." It was nice to revisit it through a character I identified with. She really grows a lot throughout this book, learning the value of friendships, what friends are worth keeping versus what friends are worth letting go. Ruby also learns to imagine people such as her parents and her therapist complexly and stand up for herself when needed.

As far as the plot is concerned, this book is still boy-centric. Yet Ruby is not necessarily chasing after boys. Instead, she is dealing with all of the silly boys around her and learning what is important to her. As she progresses through the book, she slowly begins to realizes that finding a boyfriend, while fantastic, is not her number one priority.

Overall, I would recommend continuing with the series if you have already started it and enjoyed it. The Treasure Map of Boys is what really did for me in terms of solidifying Ruby as one of my favorites narrators. Definitely pick up the series if you're looking for something light.

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West Book Review

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Title: The Distance Between Us
Author: Kasie West
Published: July 2, 2013 by HarperTeen

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

I simply adored this book! It was a fun contemporary read that helped me get in the mood for summer reading! Definitely a bright spot.

I loved Caymen and her sarcasm.She was an incredibly easy character to relate to, especially her worries about her mother. The main guy, Xander, was also a very good character, showing his complexities. He was really sweet and thoughtful, and that's what won me over about him. All of the characters were very clear personalities. As for the plot, it was fairly stereotypical, which isn't necessarily bad. It was nice to read something and know exactly where its going to go. The ending was a little cheesy, but again, that's expected.

Overall, this was not a complex of a book. I would definitely recommend it to people who are looking for a cutesy romance read for summer, one that you can . If you're looking for something a little more complex, I would recommend starting with Pivot Point instead, as it is a lot more complicated.

Starcrossed Review

Cover from Goodreads

Title: Starcrossed
Author: Josephine Angelini
Published: April 1st, 2011 by HarperTeen

Plot Summary from Goodreads:
Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart

I really enjoyed this book; it was some nice, refreshing paranormal romantic ya.

The plot of this book was really intriguing. While at the beginning it may seem very similar to Twilight in a lot of respects, it diverges and goes down a completely new path. It's based on the Trojan War and the protagonist, Helen, is based on Helen of Troy. She has her own mystical powers and is able to use them. While I do question a lot of her decisions, she is still an interesting character to see the story through. 

As much as I like Helen though, I have to admit my favorite character is Claire. I just really enjoyed the fact that she was aware of how strange Helen was and accepted her anyway and continued to be her best friend. I hope we see more of her in the next book. 

The ending was so-so. On the one hand, I definitely want to read the next one. However, the main action happened a little before the ending and then the ending itself seemed like it was more of a teaser for the next book. Overall, I would recommend this to fans of the genre and fans of Twilight. Also, if you like books based on classics, this is one for you to try. 

Happy reading and happy new year! 

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare Review

photo from Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . . 
Fiona's rating: B-
This book was interesting to say the least. It would be really-action packed for a bit, then it would slow down and try to explain some things before jumping back into the action.

What I really enjoyed about this book was the story and the world building. I wanted an extremely action-packed plot so I got bored during a couple stagnant moments in the story. The plot was really engrossing and I wanted to know what was going to happen next.

My main issue with this book is that the characters were a little bland. Clary was a good character, but there wasn't anything really interesting about her, other than the fact she was an artist like her mother. I understand that she was sheltered a lot, but she was just a little vanilla. Simon was your stereotypical witty dork and Jace was your usual troubled child. They were enjoyable to read, but they didn't really develop over time, so I'm hoping to see more character development in the series.

The story itself is an interesting premise. As we discover throughout this book, everything Clary was ever told ever is pretty much a lie. It got to the point, where I didn't even know what the truth was anymore. I was accidentally spoiled for "the big reveal" at the end (if you've read the book you know what I'm talking about- I hope). So that wasn't a surprise for me, rather the way it was brought up. I'm curious to see how Clare will decide to recover from this.

Overall, it's a nice read and easy to get through if your looking for a quick read. It has a little romance in it, but I don't know whether it will  continue throughout the series based on the "big reveal". I'm really excited to see where this series goes.

Note: From now on, I'm going to be giving each book a letter grade review, just like how they do in school.

Insurgent Book Review

WARNING: While this will not contain spoilers for Insurgent, it will contain major spoilers for Divergent. Read at your own risk.

Picture from Goodreads

Abnegation has been utterly destroyed and the Dauntless are split in half; half traitors staying in Erudite, the other half taking refuge in Amity. War looms as conflict between the faction grows even more heated and the Divergent are consider an even bigger threat. Tris tries to pick up the pieces of her city while still trying to come to terms with the events of the last book. Tris must decide where her loyalties lie- to her faction, to her family, or to herself.

I'm gonna level with you- I put off reading this book for awhile because I was concerned about the number of feels I would have after reading it. This was an accurate concern.

There was truly never a dull moment in this book- full of action, yet it wasn't battle after battle. There was a lot of character development as well. Tris goes through quite a lot of development from the self-sacrificing hero that is frequently found in young adult fiction. Other characters also receive a lot of development. One thing I really liked that it showed Four and Tris as a couple fighting and dealing with real couple things like each other's families. In this book we also get a better look at the other factions besides Dauntless and Abnegation, which makes the world seem more real. Also, the ending will leave you craving the next book... Which doesn't come out until 2013.

Overall, if you've read Divergent, but haven't read Insurgent you are depriving yourself of a good book.